Fix chatbox losing focus during automated workflows

src/core/mentions/__tests__/index.test.ts

@@ -99,6 +99,17 @@ jest.mock("../../../integrations/misc/open-file", () => ({
 }))
 import { openFile } from "../../../integrations/misc/open-file"
 
+jest.mock("../../webview/ClineProvider", () => ({
+	ClineProvider: {
+		getVisibleInstance: jest.fn().mockReturnValue({
+			getCurrentCline: jest.fn().mockReturnValue(null),
+			contextProxy: {
+				getValue: jest.fn().mockReturnValue(false),
+			},
+		}),
+	},
+}))
+
 jest.mock("../../../integrations/misc/extract-text", () => ({
 	extractTextFromFile: jest.fn(),
 }))
@@ -256,7 +267,7 @@ Detailed commit message with multiple lines
 
 			await openMention(mention)
 
-			expect(openFile).toHaveBeenCalledWith(expectedAbsPath)
+			expect(openFile).toHaveBeenCalledWith(expectedAbsPath, { preserveFocus: false })
 			expect(vscode.commands.executeCommand).not.toHaveBeenCalled()
 		})
 

src/core/mentions/index.ts

@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ import { getCommitInfo, getWorkingState } from "../../utils/git"
 import { getWorkspacePath } from "../../utils/path"
 
 import { openFile } from "../../integrations/misc/open-file"
+import { isInAutomatedWorkflowFromVisibleProvider } from "../../utils/workflow-detection"
 import { extractTextFromFile } from "../../integrations/misc/extract-text"
 import { diagnosticsToProblemsString } from "../../integrations/diagnostics"
 
@@ -36,7 +37,12 @@ export async function openMention(mention?: string): Promise<void> {
 		if (mention.endsWith("/")) {
 			vscode.commands.executeCommand("revealInExplorer", vscode.Uri.file(absPath))
 		} else {
-			openFile(absPath)
+			// Check if we're in an automated workflow to preserve chat focus during AI processing.
+			// When users mention files (e.g., @/path/to/file.txt) while the AI is actively processing,
+			// we want to prevent the chatbox from losing focus to avoid accidental input interruption.
+			const shouldPreserveFocus = isInAutomatedWorkflowFromVisibleProvider()
+
+			openFile(absPath, { preserveFocus: shouldPreserveFocus })
 		}
 	} else if (mention === "problems") {
 		vscode.commands.executeCommand("workbench.actions.view.problems")

src/core/webview/webviewMessageHandler.ts

@@ -39,6 +39,7 @@ import { getModels, flushModels } from "../../api/providers/fetchers/modelCache"
 import { GetModelsOptions } from "../../shared/api"
 import { generateSystemPrompt } from "./generateSystemPrompt"
 import { getCommand } from "../../utils/commands"
+import { isInAutomatedWorkflowFromProvider } from "../../utils/workflow-detection"
 
 const ALLOWED_VSCODE_SETTINGS = new Set(["terminal.integrated.inheritEnv"])
 
@@ -426,7 +427,16 @@ export const webviewMessageHandler = async (
 			openImage(message.text!)
 			break
 		case "openFile":
-			openFile(message.text!, message.values as { create?: boolean; content?: string; line?: number })
+			// Check if we're in an automated workflow to preserve chat focus during AI processing.
+			// This prevents the chatbox from losing focus when the AI is actively working,
+			// which could cause users to accidentally type sensitive information (like API keys)
+			// into the wrong window. See issue #4574 for more context.
+			const shouldPreserveFocus = isInAutomatedWorkflowFromProvider(provider)
+
+			openFile(message.text!, {
+				...(message.values as { create?: boolean; content?: string; line?: number }),
+				preserveFocus: shouldPreserveFocus,
+			})
 			break
 		case "openMention":
 			openMention(message.text)
@@ -481,6 +491,7 @@ export const webviewMessageHandler = async (
 			const customModesFilePath = await provider.customModesManager.getCustomModesFilePath()
 
 			if (customModesFilePath) {
+				// User-initiated settings opening, keep focus
 				openFile(customModesFilePath)
 			}
 
@@ -490,6 +501,7 @@ export const webviewMessageHandler = async (
 			const mcpSettingsFilePath = await provider.getMcpHub()?.getMcpSettingsFilePath()
 
 			if (mcpSettingsFilePath) {
+				// User-initiated settings opening, keep focus
 				openFile(mcpSettingsFilePath)
 			}
 
@@ -513,6 +525,7 @@ export const webviewMessageHandler = async (
 					await fs.writeFile(mcpPath, JSON.stringify({ mcpServers: {} }, null, 2))
 				}
 
+				// User-initiated settings opening, keep focus
 				await openFile(mcpPath)
 			} catch (error) {
 				vscode.window.showErrorMessage(t("mcp:errors.create_json", { error: `${error}` }))

src/integrations/editor/DiffViewProvider.ts

@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ import { formatResponse } from "../../core/prompts/responses"
 import { diagnosticsToProblemsString, getNewDiagnostics } from "../diagnostics"
 import { ClineSayTool } from "../../shared/ExtensionMessage"
 import { Task } from "../../core/task/Task"
+import { isInAutomatedWorkflowFromVisibleProvider } from "../../utils/workflow-detection"
 
 import { DecorationController } from "./DecorationController"
 
@@ -464,10 +465,17 @@ export class DiffViewProvider {
 		if (this.activeDiffEditor) {
 			const scrollLine = line + 4
 
-			this.activeDiffEditor.revealRange(
-				new vscode.Range(scrollLine, 0, scrollLine, 0),
-				vscode.TextEditorRevealType.InCenter,
-			)
+			// Check if we're in an automated workflow to preserve chat focus.
+			// When the AI is actively processing, we skip scrolling to prevent
+			// the diff view from stealing focus from the chat input.
+			const shouldPreserveFocus = isInAutomatedWorkflowFromVisibleProvider()
+
+			if (!shouldPreserveFocus) {
+				this.activeDiffEditor.revealRange(
+					new vscode.Range(scrollLine, 0, scrollLine, 0),
+					vscode.TextEditorRevealType.InCenter,
+				)
+			}
 		}
 	}
 
@@ -481,13 +489,20 @@ export class DiffViewProvider {
 
 		let lineCount = 0
 
+		// Check if we're in an automated workflow to preserve chat focus.
+		// When the AI is actively processing, we skip scrolling to prevent
+		// the diff view from stealing focus from the chat input.
+		const shouldPreserveFocus = isInAutomatedWorkflowFromVisibleProvider()
+
 		for (const part of diffs) {
 			if (part.added || part.removed) {
-				// Found the first diff, scroll to it.
-				this.activeDiffEditor.revealRange(
-					new vscode.Range(lineCount, 0, lineCount, 0),
-					vscode.TextEditorRevealType.InCenter,
-				)
+				// Found the first diff, scroll to it only if not in automated workflow
+				if (!shouldPreserveFocus) {
+					this.activeDiffEditor.revealRange(
+						new vscode.Range(lineCount, 0, lineCount, 0),
+						vscode.TextEditorRevealType.InCenter,
+					)
+				}
 
 				return
 			}

src/integrations/misc/open-file.ts

@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ interface OpenFileOptions {
 	create?: boolean
 	content?: string
 	line?: number
+	preserveFocus?: boolean
 }
 
 export async function openFile(filePath: string, options: OpenFileOptions = {}) {
@@ -148,6 +149,7 @@ export async function openFile(filePath: string, options: OpenFileOptions = {})
 		await vscode.window.showTextDocument(document, {
 			preview: false,
 			selection,
+			preserveFocus: options.preserveFocus,
 		})
 	} catch (error) {
 		if (error instanceof Error) {