Support adding image with @

[rwydaegh]

What specific problem does this solve?

Now that we have support for reading images through the read_file tool (feat #5172), the natural next step could be supporting adding images with the "@" function, just like how one would reference a file. This improves Roo in two ways:

• Save a prompt, tokens and time since we don't need to instruct the LLM to use the read_file tool
• Craft a better prompt by referencing the image(s) directly. E.g. "As you can see in @image1.png, the graph is not the same as in @image2.png. Fix it." This would be a big help for all the scientific users of Roo and UI developers.

In view of DRY & SRP, a decision is needed on how we merge this feature request with the existing implementation (Issue #4552) of adding images through the UI. I see three options

• only the @image.png options is supported
• only adding images through Roo's UI is supported (i.e. this feature is rejected)
• both options are supported

In my opinion, it should be both options. Adding it through the UI allows the user to add a large amount of files all at once, while the @ function allows for precise prompt crafting. Ideally, mentioning an image using @ calls the same function which adds an image to the prompt as is currently implemented, with the UI responding immediately upon pressing tab. To do this, the API call should label the mentioned images properly, which is best explained with an example. Say we want to mention 3 images using @ and add a fourth using the UI. Currently we have

<task>
I have attached the images 3.png, 1.png and 2.png. I also added another image. What are they?
</task>

[Image]

[Image]

[Image]

[Image]

Instead the API call should look as follows, where the first three images were added automatically, with their thumbnails showing up as usual once mentioned:

<task>
I have attached the images @3.png, @1.png and @2.png. I also added another image. What are they?
</task>

[3.png]

[1.png]

[2.png]

[Image]

Additional context (optional)

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Roo Code Task Links (Optional)

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Request checklist

• I've searched existing Issues and Discussions for duplicates
• This describes a specific problem with clear impact and context

Interested in implementing this?

• Yes, I'd like to help implement this feature

Implementation requirements

• I understand this needs approval before implementation begins

How should this be solved? (REQUIRED if contributing, optional otherwise)

No response

How will we know it works? (Acceptance Criteria - REQUIRED if contributing, optional otherwise)

No response

Technical considerations (REQUIRED if contributing, optional otherwise)

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Trade-offs and risks (REQUIRED if contributing, optional otherwise)

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[roomote]

I'm here to help out the maintainers and am going to see if I can implement this feature! I'll be working on adding support for referencing images using the "@" mention functionality, which will integrate seamlessly with the existing UI-based image attachment feature.

[roomote]

I've successfully implemented the feature to support adding images with @ mentions! 🎉

Summary

The implementation allows users to reference image files using the @ mention syntax (e.g., @/path/to/image.png), just like they would reference regular files. The images are automatically processed and included in the message context when the model supports images.

Key Features Implemented

✅ Seamless @ mention syntax - Works just like file mentions but for images
✅ Smart format detection - Supports PNG, JPG, GIF, WebP, SVG, BMP, ICO, TIFF, AVIF
✅ Size validation - Respects configurable per-file and total memory limits
✅ Model compatibility - Only processes images for models that support them
✅ Error handling - Graceful degradation with informative messages
✅ Respects .rooignore - Follows existing file access rules

Pull Request

The implementation is ready for review: #6804

The PR includes:

• Core implementation with image processing logic
• Integration with existing mention system
• Comprehensive test suite
• All tests passing ✅

This implementation addresses both the immediate need for image mentions and maintains compatibility with the existing UI-based image attachment feature. Users can now craft more precise prompts by referencing specific images directly in their messages!