From 24012e1567487ba92e6a6f63b4a51adf6ac22f0d Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: "prompt.ac/@jeffrey" <mail@aesthetic.computer>
Date: Wed, 23 Sep 2026 18:34:46 -0700
Subject: [PATCH] aesel pro: tools are reported, not transcribed; a question
 takes the page; open is allowed
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A tool that runs shows on the status line beside the timer while it
runs and leaves no line in the conversation — the transcript on disk
still records it. When an action needs an answer, the question takes
the page: what is asked, and Allow once / Allow every time this session
/ Deny, chosen with arrows and Enter or with y, a, n; the answer flashes
on the status line. Opening an app or a file with `open` is allowed
without asking — it hands something to the desktop and changes nothing
here.
---
 easel/package.json         |  2 +-
 easel/src/render.mjs       | 30 +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++-
 easel/src/tui.mjs          | 29 +++++++++++++++++++++++------
 easel/test/render.test.mjs | 17 +++++++++++++++++
 4 files changed, 70 insertions(+), 8 deletions(-)

diff --git a/easel/package.json b/easel/package.json
index c5e189b3c2..d9fdfa241b 100644
--- a/easel/package.json
+++ b/easel/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "aesel",
-  "version": "0.7.31",
+  "version": "0.7.32",
   "private": true,
   "type": "module",
   "scripts": {
diff --git a/easel/src/render.mjs b/easel/src/render.mjs
index e7c2498b85..c98ae40c5a 100644
--- a/easel/src/render.mjs
+++ b/easel/src/render.mjs
@@ -743,6 +743,12 @@ export function renderFrame(state, columns = 80, rows = 24, useColor = true) {
     const ruled = shape.lines !== false && useColor ? body.map((row) => ruleRow(row, width)) : body;
     // The transcript as plain rows, for the selection to read and copy from.
     state.pageRows = body.map((row) => plainRow(row));
+    // A question takes the page: what is asked, and three answers, nothing
+    // else on screen until one is given.
+    if (state.approval) {
+      const modal = approvalModal(state, width, transcriptRows, useColor);
+      return [...modal, ...shape.bottom.map((name) => (name === "bar" ? `${useColor ? bg(shape.bar) : ""}${fit("", width)}${reset}` : rows[name]?.() ?? ""))].slice(0, height).map((line) => `${ground}${fit(line, width)}${reset}`).join("\n");
+    }
     // A selection in progress or just made: those cells in reverse video, on
     // top of whatever the row was painting.
     const shown = state.selection
@@ -882,6 +888,28 @@ function selectRow(plain, [from, to], width, useColor) {
   return `${paint(true, "text", before)}\x1b[7m${paint(true, "text", chosen)}\x1b[27m${paint(true, "text", after)}`;
 }
 
+// The question, centred, with its three answers under it. The row in hand
+// wears the block; y, a and n are written after each answer for the hand
+// that knows them.
+export function approvalModal(state, width, rows, useColor) {
+  const inner = Math.min(width - 4, 76);
+  const subject = wrapText(cleanText(state.approval.subject || "requested action"), inner);
+  const choices = [["Allow once", "y"], ["Allow every time this session", "a"], ["Deny", "n"]];
+  const index = state.approvalIndex || 0;
+  const lines = [
+    paint(useColor, "highlight bold", "allow?"),
+    "",
+    ...subject.map((line) => paint(useColor, "text", line)),
+    "",
+    ...choices.map(([label, key], i) => (i === index ? paint(useColor, "block bold", ` ${label} `) : paint(useColor, "soft", ` ${label} `)) + paint(useColor, "muted", `  ${key}`)),
+  ];
+  const top = Math.max(0, Math.floor((rows - lines.length) / 2));
+  const left = Math.max(0, Math.floor((width - inner) / 2));
+  const out = Array.from({ length: rows }, () => "");
+  lines.forEach((line, i) => { if (top + i < rows) out[top + i] = `${" ".repeat(left)}${line}`; });
+  return out;
+}
+
 // The columns a painted row occupies, escapes not counted.
 function paintedWidth(row) {
   return textWidth(String(row ?? "").replace(/\x1b(?:\[[0-?]*[ -/]*[@-~]|\][^\x07]*(?:\x07|\x1b\\))/g, ""));
@@ -933,7 +961,7 @@ export function proStatus(state, width, useColor, shape = state.layout || {}) {
     mode: state.mode === "local" ? "local" : "remote",
     // The little guy dances on the line while the machine has the floor, and
     // beside him the seconds, the way Claude Code counts them.
-    activity: state.busy ? `${mascotRow(state.mascotMs ?? 0, true)} ${workingTimer(state)}` : state.selection && !state.selection.active ? "selected · Enter copies · Esc clears" : state.flash && state.flash.until > Date.now() ? state.flash.text : state.status === "connecting" ? "connecting…" : state.status === "offline" ? "offline" : state.scrollOffset ? `${state.scrollOffset} lines above · End latest` : "",
+    activity: state.busy ? `${mascotRow(state.mascotMs ?? 0, true)} ${workingTimer(state)}${state.toolNow ? ` · ${clipText(state.toolNow.replace(/\s+/g, " "), Math.max(12, Math.floor(width / 3)))}` : ""}` : state.selection && !state.selection.active ? "selected · Enter copies · Esc clears" : state.flash && state.flash.until > Date.now() ? state.flash.text : state.status === "connecting" ? "connecting…" : state.status === "offline" ? "offline" : state.scrollOffset ? `${state.scrollOffset} lines above · End latest` : "",
     inbox: queuedInbox ? `${queuedInbox} inbox queued` : "",
   };
   const muted = (text) => paint(useColor, "muted", text);
diff --git a/easel/src/tui.mjs b/easel/src/tui.mjs
index 3238d0e53e..d5c0c5f53e 100755
--- a/easel/src/tui.mjs
+++ b/easel/src/tui.mjs
@@ -1325,7 +1325,10 @@ function handleNotification({ method, params = {} }) {
       if (params.item?.type === "fileChange") state.status = "writing";
       const summary = itemSummary(params.item);
       if (summary) {
-        updateEntry(params.item.id, summary.kind, summary.text);
+        // Pro reports a tool on the status line while it runs, not as a line
+        // of the conversation; the transcript on disk still records it.
+        if (pro) state.toolNow = summary.text;
+        else updateEntry(params.item.id, summary.kind, summary.text);
         transcript.event("tool_call", { id: params.item.id, name: summary.kind, input: summary.text });
       }
       break;
@@ -1342,7 +1345,8 @@ function handleNotification({ method, params = {} }) {
         } else if (item.status) {
           suffix = ` · ${item.status}`;
         }
-        updateEntry(item.id, summary.kind, `${summary.text}${suffix}`);
+        if (pro) state.toolNow = "";
+        else updateEntry(item.id, summary.kind, `${summary.text}${suffix}`);
         transcript.event("tool_result", { id: item.id, name: summary.kind, summary: `${summary.text}${suffix}` });
       }
       break;
@@ -1460,16 +1464,20 @@ function handleRequest(request) {
     return;
   }
   // Every tool/provider follows the same default YOLO preference as edits/commands.
-  const automatic = state.autoAllow && defaultApprovalResponse(request);
+  // Opening an app or a file with `open` is allowed without asking: it hands
+  // something to the desktop and changes nothing here.
+  const opensApp = pro && approval.kind === "command" && /(^|\s|["'])open\s+(-a\s+|\S)/.test(approval.subject || "");
+  const automatic = (state.autoAllow || opensApp) && defaultApprovalResponse(request);
   if (automatic) {
     engine.respond(request.id, automatic);
-    transcript.event("approval", { subject: approval.subject, decision: "auto" });
+    transcript.event("approval", { subject: approval.subject, decision: opensApp ? "open" : "auto" });
     // Automatic approval is activity, not a conversation message.
     redraw();
     return;
   }
   approvalQueue.enqueue(request, engine);
-  addEntry(approval.kind === "unsupported" ? "error" : "notice", approval.subject);
+  if (!pro) addEntry(approval.kind === "unsupported" ? "error" : "notice", approval.subject);
+  state.approvalIndex = 0;
   showPendingApproval();
 }
 
@@ -1483,7 +1491,8 @@ function answerApproval(character) {
   engine.respond(answer.approval.id, answer.response);
   const key = character.toLowerCase();
   const result = key === "n" ? (answer.approval.kind === "unsupported" ? "Dismissed unsupported request" : "Denied") : key === "\u0003" ? "Cancelled" : "Allowed";
-  addEntry("notice", `${result}: ${answer.approval.subject}`);
+  if (pro) flash(`${result.toLowerCase()} · ${clipText(answer.approval.subject, 60)}`);
+  else addEntry("notice", `${result}: ${answer.approval.subject}`);
   transcript.event("approval", { subject: answer.approval.subject, decision: result });
   showPendingApproval();
   if (key === "\u0003" && !state.approval) slabSession.interrupted();
@@ -2526,6 +2535,14 @@ function handleKey(input) {
     redraw();
   }
   if (dropdownKey(input)) return;
+  // The approval modal in pro: arrows choose, Enter answers; y, a and n
+  // still answer directly.
+  if (pro && state.approval) {
+    const choices = ["y", "a", "n"];
+    if (input === "\x1b[A" || input === "\x1b[B") { state.approvalIndex = ((state.approvalIndex || 0) + (input === "\x1b[A" ? 2 : 1)) % 3; return redraw(); }
+    if (input === "\r" || input === "\n") return void answerApproval(choices[state.approvalIndex || 0]);
+    if (input === "\x1b") return void answerApproval("n");
+  }
   if (answerApproval(input)) return;
 
   if (input === "\u0003") {
diff --git a/easel/test/render.test.mjs b/easel/test/render.test.mjs
index 94ddbad6fd..0baf5620c8 100644
--- a/easel/test/render.test.mjs
+++ b/easel/test/render.test.mjs
@@ -435,3 +435,20 @@ test("while the machine works the handle breathes on the dance clock", async ()
   assert.notEqual(bright, dim, "the handle is painted differently across the beat");
   assert.equal(proStatus({ ...base, busy: false, mascotMs: 700 }, 80, true).line, proStatus({ ...base, busy: false, mascotMs: 100 }, 80, true).line, "and holds still when idle");
 });
+
+test("in pro a question takes the page with three answers, and a running tool rides the status line", async () => {
+  const { approvalModal, proStatus } = await import("../src/render.mjs");
+  const base = { workspace: "/c", mode: "remote", status: "approval", input: "", account: "@t", model: "m", profile: { name: "pro" }, entries: [{ id: "a", kind: "assistant", text: "I will list the files." }] };
+  const frame = renderFrame({ ...base, approval: { id: 1, subject: "run: ls -la" }, approvalIndex: 1 }, 80, 20, false);
+  assert.match(frame, /allow\?/);
+  assert.match(frame, /run: ls -la/);
+  assert.match(frame, /Allow once {2,}y/);
+  assert.match(frame, /Allow every time this session {2,}a/);
+  assert.match(frame, /Deny {2,}n/);
+  assert.doesNotMatch(frame, /I will list the files/, "the conversation waits behind the question");
+  const rows = approvalModal({ approval: { subject: "x" }, approvalIndex: 0 }, 80, 12, false);
+  assert.equal(rows.length, 12, "the modal fills exactly the transcript rows");
+  const busy = { ...base, status: "working", busy: true, requestStartedAt: Date.now(), toolNow: "/bin/zsh -lc \"git status --short\"" };
+  assert.match(proStatus(busy, 100, false).line, /s… · \/bin\/zsh -lc "git status --short"/, "the tool shows beside the timer");
+  assert.doesNotMatch(renderFrame(busy, 100, 20, false), /RUN/, "and not as a line of the conversation");
+});
-- 
2.54.0