Studio Code: unblock multi-question prompts with a user reply

apps/studio/src/components/studio-code-session/composer/index.tsx

@@ -67,6 +67,13 @@ export function ComposerSkeleton() {
 
 interface ComposerProps {
 	busy: boolean;
+	// The agent is blocked on `ask_user`. Sending cancels the questions and
+	// delivers the message as a new turn, so this is a send, not a queue.
+	awaitingAnswer?: boolean;
+	// The user armed a question's "Something else" option.
+	freeFormActive?: boolean;
+	// Bump to move focus into the textarea without touching its content.
+	focusRequestId?: number;
 	isInterrupting?: boolean;
 	error: string | null;
 	usageCapMessage?: string | null;
@@ -91,6 +98,15 @@ interface ComposerProps {
 	previewPrompt?: string | null;
 }
 
+function focusAtEnd( node: HTMLTextAreaElement | null ) {
+	if ( ! node ) {
+		return;
+	}
+	node.focus();
+	const length = node.value.length;
+	node.setSelectionRange( length, length );
+}
+
 const isMacPlatform =
 	typeof navigator !== 'undefined' && /mac/i.test( navigator.platform || navigator.userAgent );
 
@@ -227,6 +243,9 @@ function getSessionPlaceholder( sessionId: string | undefined ): string {
 
 export function Composer( {
 	busy,
+	awaitingAnswer = false,
+	freeFormActive = false,
+	focusRequestId = 0,
 	isInterrupting = false,
 	error,
 	usageCapMessage,
@@ -281,17 +300,16 @@ export function Composer( {
 		}
 		appliedDraftPromptIdRef.current = draftPrompt.id;
 		setDraftValue( draftPrompt.prompt );
-		queueMicrotask( () => {
-			const node = textareaRef.current;
-			if ( ! node ) {
-				return;
-			}
-			node.focus();
-			const length = node.value.length;
-			node.setSelectionRange( length, length );
-		} );
+		queueMicrotask( () => focusAtEnd( textareaRef.current ) );
 	}, [ draftPrompt, setDraftValue ] );
 
+	useEffect( () => {
+		if ( focusRequestId === 0 ) {
+			return;
+		}
+		focusAtEnd( textareaRef.current );
+	}, [ focusRequestId ] );
+
 	useEffect( () => {
 		setValue( loadDraft( draftStorageKey ) );
 	}, [ draftStorageKey ] );
@@ -449,10 +467,15 @@ export function Composer( {
 	}, [ onSwitchSession, ownerSiteId, pendingFamilyChange, queryClient ] );
 
 	const canSend = value.trim().length > 0 || attachments.length > 0;
-	const placeholder = busy
-		? __( 'Queue a follow-up instruction…' )
-		: getSessionPlaceholder( sessionId );
-	const sendAriaLabel = busy ? __( 'Queue' ) : __( 'Send' );
+	let placeholder = getSessionPlaceholder( sessionId );
+	if ( freeFormActive ) {
+		placeholder = __( 'Type your own answer…' );
+	} else if ( awaitingAnswer ) {
+		placeholder = __( 'Reply instead of choosing an option…' );
+	} else if ( busy ) {
+		placeholder = __( 'Queue a follow-up instruction…' );
+	}
+	const sendAriaLabel = busy && ! awaitingAnswer ? __( 'Queue' ) : __( 'Send' );
 	const modKey = isMacPlatform ? '⌘' : 'Ctrl';
 	const hoveredAttachment = hoverPreview
 		? attachments.find( ( attachment ) => attachment.id === hoverPreview.id )

apps/studio/src/components/studio-code-session/conversation/index.test.tsx

@@ -123,6 +123,63 @@ describe( 'entriesToRenderItems – persisted picked answers', () => {
 	} );
 } );
 
+describe( 'AgentQuestion – free-form escape hatch', () => {
+	function renderQuestion(
+		entries: SessionEntry[],
+		props: {
+			pendingQuestions?: Set< string >;
+			freeFormQuestion?: string | null;
+			onChooseFreeForm?: ( question: string ) => void;
+		} = {}
+	) {
+		render(
+			<Conversation
+				data={ { entries } as unknown as LoadedAiSession }
+				isRunning={ false }
+				startedAt={ null }
+				pendingQuestions={ props.pendingQuestions ?? new Set( [ 'Q1' ] ) }
+				pendingAnswers={ {} }
+				answeredQuestions={ {} }
+				freeFormQuestion={ props.freeFormQuestion ?? null }
+				onAnswerQuestion={ () => {} }
+				onChooseFreeForm={ props.onChooseFreeForm ?? ( () => {} ) }
+			/>
+		);
+	}
+
+	it( 'offers the free-form option the AskUserQuestion tool promises the model', () => {
+		const onChooseFreeForm = vi.fn();
+		renderQuestion( [ question( 'Q1', [ 'A', 'B' ] ) ], { onChooseFreeForm } );
+
+		const button = screen.getByRole( 'button', { name: 'Something else' } );
+		expect( button ).toHaveAttribute( 'aria-pressed', 'false' );
+
+		fireEvent.click( button );
+		expect( onChooseFreeForm ).toHaveBeenCalledWith( 'Q1' );
+	} );
+
+	it( 'marks the option as armed once chosen', () => {
+		renderQuestion( [ question( 'Q1', [ 'A', 'B' ] ) ], { freeFormQuestion: 'Q1' } );
+
+		expect( screen.getByRole( 'button', { name: 'Something else' } ) ).toHaveAttribute(
+			'aria-pressed',
+			'true'
+		);
+	} );
+
+	it( 'hides the option once the batch is no longer interactive', () => {
+		renderQuestion( [ question( 'Q1', [ 'A', 'B' ] ) ], { pendingQuestions: new Set() } );
+
+		expect( screen.queryByRole( 'button', { name: 'Something else' } ) ).not.toBeInTheDocument();
+	} );
+
+	it( 'does not duplicate an option an off-contract model wrote itself', () => {
+		renderQuestion( [ question( 'Q1', [ 'A', 'Something else' ] ) ] );
+
+		expect( screen.getAllByRole( 'button', { name: 'Something else' } ) ).toHaveLength( 1 );
+	} );
+} );
+
 describe( 'wasLastTurnInterrupted', () => {
 	it( 'is false for an in-flight or completed turn', () => {
 		expect( wasLastTurnInterrupted( [ prompt( 'Build me a blog' ) ] ) ).toBe( false );
@@ -259,7 +316,9 @@ describe( 'Conversation – inline media artifacts', () => {
 				pendingQuestions={ new Set() }
 				pendingAnswers={ {} }
 				answeredQuestions={ {} }
+				freeFormQuestion={ null }
 				onAnswerQuestion={ () => {} }
+				onChooseFreeForm={ () => {} }
 			/>
 		);
 	}
@@ -378,7 +437,9 @@ describe( 'Conversation – assistant message copy button', () => {
 				pendingQuestions={ new Set() }
 				pendingAnswers={ {} }
 				answeredQuestions={ {} }
+				freeFormQuestion={ null }
 				onAnswerQuestion={ () => {} }
+				onChooseFreeForm={ () => {} }
 			/>
 		);
 	}

apps/studio/src/components/studio-code-session/conversation/index.tsx

@@ -20,9 +20,12 @@ import {
 	type StudioCustomEntry,
 } from '@studio/common/ai/sessions/entry-types';
 import {
+	getFreeFormOptionDescription,
+	getFreeFormOptionLabel,
 	getToolDetail,
 	getToolDisplayName,
 	getToolResultDiff,
+	hasOwnFreeFormOption,
 	type NormalizedToolResult,
 } from '@studio/common/ai/tools';
 import { formatUsageCapNotice } from '@studio/common/lib/studio-assistant-quota';
@@ -617,14 +620,21 @@ function AgentQuestion( {
 	options,
 	isInteractive,
 	pickedLabel,
+	freeFormActive,
 	onAnswer,
+	onChooseFreeForm,
 }: {
 	question: string;
 	options: Array< { label: string; description: string } >;
 	isInteractive: boolean;
 	pickedLabel: string | undefined;
+	freeFormActive: boolean;
 	onAnswer: ( label: string ) => void;
+	onChooseFreeForm: () => void;
 } ) {
+	const freeFormLabel = getFreeFormOptionLabel();
+	const showFreeForm = isInteractive && ! hasOwnFreeFormOption( options );
+
 	return (
 		<div className={ styles.question }>
 			<p className={ styles.questionText }>{ question }</p>
@@ -646,6 +656,23 @@ function AgentQuestion( {
 							</li>
 						);
 					} ) }
+					{ showFreeForm ? (
+						<li>
+							<button
+								type="button"
+								className={ cx(
+									styles.questionOption,
+									styles.questionOptionFreeForm,
+									freeFormActive && styles.questionOptionPicked
+								) }
+								onClick={ onChooseFreeForm }
+								aria-pressed={ freeFormActive }
+								title={ getFreeFormOptionDescription() }
+							>
+								{ freeFormLabel }
+							</button>
+						</li>
+					) : null }
 				</ul>
 			) : null }
 		</div>
@@ -693,7 +720,9 @@ export function Conversation( {
 	pendingQuestions,
 	pendingAnswers,
 	answeredQuestions,
+	freeFormQuestion,
 	onAnswerQuestion,
+	onChooseFreeForm,
 	canEditLastUserMessage = false,
 	onEditUserMessage,
 }: {
@@ -703,7 +732,11 @@ export function Conversation( {
 	pendingQuestions: Set< string >;
 	pendingAnswers: Record< string, string >;
 	answeredQuestions: Record< string, string >;
+	// Question whose "Something else" option is armed; its answer arrives from
+	// the composer rather than from an option click.
+	freeFormQuestion: string | null;
 	onAnswerQuestion: ( question: string, label: string ) => void;
+	onChooseFreeForm: ( question: string ) => void;
 	canEditLastUserMessage?: boolean;
 	onEditUserMessage?: ( entryId: string, text: string ) => void;
 } ) {
@@ -795,7 +828,9 @@ export function Conversation( {
 									answeredQuestions[ item.question ] ??
 									item.answer
 								}
+								freeFormActive={ freeFormQuestion === item.question }
 								onAnswer={ ( label ) => onAnswerQuestion( item.question, label ) }
+								onChooseFreeForm={ () => onChooseFreeForm( item.question ) }
 							/>
 						);
 					case 'chat-artifact':

apps/studio/src/components/studio-code-session/conversation/style.module.css

@@ -337,6 +337,17 @@
 	cursor: default;
 }
 
+/* Dashed border sets the appended free-form escape hatch apart from the
+   options the agent actually offered. */
+.questionOptionFreeForm {
+	border-style: dashed;
+	color: var(--color-frame-text-secondary);
+}
+
+.questionOptionFreeForm.questionOptionPicked {
+	border-style: solid;
+}
+
 /* Keep the picked option fully legible even when disabled, so the user
    can still see their choice once the batch is finalized. */
 .questionOptionPicked,

apps/studio/src/components/studio-code-session/index.tsx

@@ -296,6 +296,28 @@ function SessionContent( { selectedSite }: { selectedSite: SiteDetails } ) {
 		[ pendingQuestions ]
 	);
 	const composerBusy = hasActiveRun || pendingQuestions.length > 0;
+	// Which question the user chose to answer in their own words. Derived, so a
+	// stale prompt can't outlive the batch it belongs to.
+	const [ armedFreeFormQuestion, setArmedFreeFormQuestion ] = useState< string | null >( null );
+	const freeFormQuestion =
+		armedFreeFormQuestion && pendingQuestionTexts.has( armedFreeFormQuestion )
+			? armedFreeFormQuestion
+			: null;
+	const [ composerFocusRequestId, setComposerFocusRequestId ] = useState( 0 );
+	const chooseFreeFormAnswer = useCallback( ( question: string ) => {
+		setArmedFreeFormQuestion( question );
+		setComposerFocusRequestId( ( id ) => id + 1 );
+	}, [] );
+	// Picking a listed option supersedes an armed free-form reply for that same
+	// question. Answering a *different* one leaves the arming alone, and
+	// arming again after picking still works, so a pick stays changeable.
+	const answerQuestionFromOption = useCallback(
+		( question: string, label: string ) => {
+			setArmedFreeFormQuestion( ( armed ) => ( armed === question ? null : armed ) );
+			answerQuestion( question, label );
+		},
+		[ answerQuestion ]
+	);
 	const canEditLastUserMessage = useMemo(
 		() => ! composerBusy && ! isRunning && wasLastTurnInterrupted( data?.entries ?? [] ),
 		[ composerBusy, isRunning, data?.entries ]
@@ -427,6 +449,9 @@ function SessionContent( { selectedSite }: { selectedSite: SiteDetails } ) {
 						) : (
 							<Composer
 								busy={ composerBusy }
+								awaitingAnswer={ pendingQuestions.length > 0 }
+								freeFormActive={ freeFormQuestion !== null }
+								focusRequestId={ composerFocusRequestId }
 								isInterrupting={ isInterrupting }
 								error={ usageCapReached ? null : runError }
 								usageCapMessage={ usageCapReached ? runError : null }
@@ -459,7 +484,9 @@ function SessionContent( { selectedSite }: { selectedSite: SiteDetails } ) {
 							pendingQuestions={ pendingQuestionTexts }
 							pendingAnswers={ pendingAnswers }
 							answeredQuestions={ answeredQuestions }
-							onAnswerQuestion={ answerQuestion }
+							freeFormQuestion={ freeFormQuestion }
+							onAnswerQuestion={ answerQuestionFromOption }
+							onChooseFreeForm={ chooseFreeFormAnswer }
 							canEditLastUserMessage={ canEditLastUserMessage }
 							onEditUserMessage={ editAndResendMessage }
 						/>