fix: better handling for tool denials

Author: damassi

src/agent_chat_cli/components/user_input.py

@@ -55,6 +55,11 @@ async def on_input_submitted(self, event: Input.Submitted) -> None:
         # Run agent query in background
         asyncio.create_task(self.query_agent(user_message))
 
+    async def on_input_blurred(self, event: Input.Blurred) -> None:
+        if self.display:
+            input_widget = self.query_one(Input)
+            input_widget.focus()
+
     async def query_agent(self, user_input: str) -> None:
         thinking_indicator = self.app.query_one(ThinkingIndicator)
         thinking_indicator.is_thinking = True

src/agent_chat_cli/system/actions.py

@@ -51,13 +51,24 @@ async def respond_to_tool_permission(self, response: str) -> None:
 
         await self.agent_loop.permission_response_queue.put(response)
 
-        thinking_indicator = self.app.query_one(ThinkingIndicator)
-        thinking_indicator.is_thinking = True
-
         permission_prompt = self.app.query_one(ToolPermissionPrompt)
         permission_prompt.is_visible = False
 
         user_input = self.app.query_one(UserInput)
         user_input.display = True
         input_widget = user_input.query_one(Input)
         input_widget.focus()
+
+        # Check if it's a deny or custom response (anything except yes/allow)
+        normalized = response.lower().strip()
+        if normalized not in ["y", "yes", "allow", ""]:
+            # Handle like a normal user query
+            thinking_indicator = self.app.query_one(ThinkingIndicator)
+            thinking_indicator.is_thinking = True
+            input_widget.cursor_blink = False
+
+            if normalized in ["n", "no", "deny"]:
+                denial_message = "The user has denied the tool"
+                await self.query(denial_message)
+            else:
+                await self.query(response)

src/agent_chat_cli/system/agent_loop.py

@@ -259,30 +259,21 @@ async def _can_use_tool(
                     )
                 )
 
-                await self.on_message(
-                    AgentMessage(
-                        type=AgentMessageType.ASSISTANT,
-                        data="What should we do differently?",
-                    )
-                )
-
                 return PermissionResultDeny(
                     behavior="deny",
                     message="User denied permission",
                     interrupt=True,
                 )
 
             # If a user instead typed in a message (instead of confirming or denying)
-            # forward this on to the agent.
+            # post it to chat. actions.respond_to_tool_permission will handle querying.
             await self.on_message(
                 AgentMessage(
-                    type=AgentMessageType.SYSTEM,
-                    data=f"Custom response for {tool_name}: {user_response}",
+                    type=AgentMessageType.USER,
+                    data=user_response,
                 )
             )
 
-            await self.client.query(user_response)
-
             return PermissionResultDeny(
                 behavior="deny",
                 message=user_response,

src/agent_chat_cli/system/message_bus.py

@@ -18,11 +18,11 @@
 from agent_chat_cli.utils.logger import log_json
 
 if TYPE_CHECKING:
-    from textual.app import App
+    from agent_chat_cli.app import AgentChatCLIApp
 
 
 class MessageBus:
-    def __init__(self, app: "App") -> None:
+    def __init__(self, app: "AgentChatCLIApp") -> None:
         self.app = app
         self.current_agent_message: AgentMessageWidget | None = None
         self.current_response_text = ""
@@ -38,6 +38,9 @@ async def handle_agent_message(self, message: AgentMessage) -> None:
             case AgentMessageType.SYSTEM:
                 await self._handle_system(message)
 
+            case AgentMessageType.USER:
+                await self._handle_user(message)
+
             case AgentMessageType.TOOL_PERMISSION_REQUEST:
                 await self._handle_tool_permission_request(message)
 
@@ -109,6 +112,15 @@ async def _handle_system(self, message: AgentMessage) -> None:
 
         await self._scroll_to_bottom()
 
+    async def _handle_user(self, message: AgentMessage) -> None:
+        user_content = (
+            message.data if isinstance(message.data, str) else str(message.data)
+        )
+
+        self.app.post_message(MessagePosted(Message.user(user_content)))
+
+        await self._scroll_to_bottom()
+
     async def _handle_tool_permission_request(self, message: AgentMessage) -> None:
         log_json(
             {
@@ -131,6 +143,11 @@ async def _handle_tool_permission_request(self, message: AgentMessage) -> None:
         await self._scroll_to_bottom()
 
     async def _handle_result(self) -> None:
+        # Check if there's a queued message (e.g., from custom permission response)
+        if not self.app.agent_loop.query_queue.empty():
+            # Don't turn off thinking - there's more work to do
+            return
+
         thinking_indicator = self.app.query_one(ThinkingIndicator)
         thinking_indicator.is_thinking = False
 

src/agent_chat_cli/utils/enums.py

@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ class AgentMessageType(Enum):
     STREAM_EVENT = "stream_event"
     SYSTEM = "system"
     TOOL_PERMISSION_REQUEST = "tool_permission_request"
+    USER = "user"
 
 
 class ContentType(Enum):