250 lines
10 KiB
Markdown
250 lines
10 KiB
Markdown
# Ask tool contract
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`ask_user` is a pi-native clarification tool for cases where implementation depends on user preference or missing requirements.
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This document defines the stable external behavior. It does not explain internal helper-by-helper implementation.
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## Input
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```ts
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{
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title?: string;
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questions: Array<{
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id: string;
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label?: string;
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prompt: string;
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type?: "single" | "multi" | "preview";
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required?: boolean;
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options: Array<{
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value: string;
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label: string;
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description?: string;
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preview?: string;
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}>;
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}>;
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}
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```
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## Input rules
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- at least one question is required
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- every question must have non-empty trimmed `id` and `prompt`
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- every question must have at least one option
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- question ids must be unique within one tool call
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- option `value`s must be unique within a question
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- optional `label`, `description`, and `preview` fields must not be blank when provided
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- `label` falls back to `Q1`, `Q2`, ...
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- `type` defaults to `single`
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- `required` defaults to `false`
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- `required` is metadata only; it never blocks submission
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- preview questions require preview text for every declared option; option descriptions do not satisfy this requirement, and invalid preview payloads report a fix hint to add preview text or switch to `type: "single"`
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- all questions get an internal `Type your own` option
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## Output
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```ts
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{
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content: [{ type: "text"; text: string }];
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details: {
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title?: string;
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cancelled: boolean;
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error?: {
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kind: "invalid_input";
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issues: Array<{
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path: string;
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message: string;
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}>;
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};
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mode: "submit" | "elaborate";
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questions: Array<{
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id: string;
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label: string;
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prompt: string;
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type: "single" | "multi" | "preview";
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}>;
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answers: Record<
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string,
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{
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values: string[];
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labels: string[];
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indices: number[];
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customText?: string;
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note?: string;
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optionNotes?: Record<string, string>;
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}
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>;
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continuation?: {
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strategy: "refine_only" | "resume";
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affectedQuestionIds: string[];
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preservedAnswers: Record<string, {
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values: string[];
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labels: string[];
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indices: number[];
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customText?: string;
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note?: string;
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optionNotes?: Record<string, string>;
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}>;
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questionStates: Record<string, {
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status: "answered" | "needs_clarification" | "unanswered";
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}>;
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};
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elaboration?: {
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instruction: string;
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nextAction: "clarify" | "clarify_then_reask";
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items: Array<
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target: { kind: "question" };
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question: {
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id: string;
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label: string;
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prompt: string;
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type: "single" | "multi" | "preview";
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options: Array<{
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value: string;
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label: string;
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description?: string;
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preview?: string;
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}>;
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};
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answered: boolean;
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answer?: {
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values: string[];
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labels: string[];
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indices: number[];
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customText?: string;
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note?: string;
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optionNotes?: Record<string, string>;
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};
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note: string;
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}
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target: { kind: "option"; optionValue: string };
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question: {
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id: string;
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label: string;
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prompt: string;
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type: "single" | "multi" | "preview";
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options: Array<{
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value: string;
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label: string;
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description?: string;
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preview?: string;
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}>;
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};
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option: {
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value: string;
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label: string;
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description?: string;
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preview?: string;
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};
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selected: boolean;
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answered: boolean;
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answer?: {
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values: string[];
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labels: string[];
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indices: number[];
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customText?: string;
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note?: string;
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optionNotes?: Record<string, string>;
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};
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note: string;
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}
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>;
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};
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};
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}
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```
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## Output rules
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- `cancelled: true` means the user dismissed the flow, UI was unavailable, or the payload was invalid before UI opened
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- invalid payloads return `error.kind === "invalid_input"` with structured `issues` and a transcript-friendly `Invalid ask_user payload:` message
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- `mode: "submit"` is normal completion; `mode: "elaborate"` means the user asked the agent to continue with follow-up clarification based on notes
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- unanswered questions are omitted from `answers`
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- in `mode: "elaborate"`, `answers` contains only committed answers; note-only entries move to `elaboration.items`
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- `continuation.strategy === "refine_only"` means the next ask should refine the current flow rather than restart it
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- `continuation.preservedAnswers` contains previously committed answers that should be kept as context and not re-asked
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- `continuation.affectedQuestionIds` lists the only questions that should be revisited
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- `continuation.questionStates` marks each question as `answered`, `needs_clarification`, or `unanswered`
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- single-select answers still use arrays
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- `indices` are 1-based rendered option positions
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- `customText` stores the free-form answer
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- on single-select questions, saving free-form text clears selected options for that question
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- on multi-select questions, `values` and `labels` include both selected options and `customText` when both are present
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- on multi-select questions, selected options keep their original order and `customText` is appended last
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- saving or clearing free-form text on a multi-select question does not clear other selected options
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- `note` stores a question-level note
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- `optionNotes` includes only notes for selected options
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- question notes may exist without a selected answer
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- `elaboration.items` includes all question notes and all option notes, even for unselected options
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- every elaboration item includes the full normalized question and option list for that question so referential notes like `above` remain understandable to the agent
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- option-targeted elaboration items include the specific noted option plus whether it is currently selected
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- question-targeted elaboration items include whether the question already has a committed answer
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- `elaboration.instruction` tells the agent to answer the clarification directly first, then re-ask only the affected questions if a choice is still needed
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- after clarification, agents should prefer another structured follow-up over plain-text multiple choice when a decision is still unresolved
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- once prior answers narrow the branch, agents should bundle the next 2-3 related unresolved questions into one follow-up ask when possible, instead of using a long sequence of single-question asks
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- `elaboration` is only present when `mode === "elaborate"`
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- elaborate `content` text and transcript rendering describe each note directly using the full question prompt and option label, instead of a generic elaboration banner
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## Supported UX
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- tabbed multi-question flow
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- single-select, multi-select, and preview questions
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- inline free-form answers for all question types
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- native pi-style `@` file path autocomplete inside free-form answer and note editors
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- question notes via `Shift+N`
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- option notes via `n`
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- number-key quick selection
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- submit/elaborate/cancel review tab
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- on the review tab, `Submit` and `Cancel` preview notes only for answered questions
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- on the review tab, `Elaborate` preview expands to all question notes and all option notes, including notes on unselected options
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- transcript-friendly call and result rendering
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- elaborate results are phrased as direct follow-up instructions, for example: `User asked to elaborate on question "Which option would you like to select?" option "Option A" with note "why this one?"`
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## Keyboard behavior
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Main flow:
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- `?`: open the key bindings modal
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- `Tab`, `Shift+Tab`, `Left`, `Right`: move between tabs
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- `Up`, `Down`: move between options
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- `Enter`: confirm or submit
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- `Esc`: cancel the flow
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- `Ctrl+C`: dismiss the entire flow immediately, even while editing a note or free-form answer
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- `1..9`: select or toggle the matching option; on the review tab, `1`, `2`, and `3` trigger `Submit`, `Elaborate`, and `Cancel`
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- `Space`: toggle the active option
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- `n`: edit the active option note
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- `Shift+N`: edit the current question note
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Editing flow:
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- `Enter`: save and submit the current input
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- `Esc`: save draft and close the editor
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- `Ctrl+C`: dismiss the entire flow immediately without saving the current editor draft
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- `?`: open the key bindings modal when the editor is empty; otherwise enter `?` as text
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- when editor has text, arrow keys and `Tab` stay in the editor so the cursor can move while typing
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- when editor is empty, `Up`/`Down` move options and `Tab`/`Shift+Tab`/`Left`/`Right` move between tabs without requiring `Esc` first
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- navigation resumes only after closing the editor with `Esc`, unless the editor is empty and the navigation keys above are used
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## Non-interactive mode
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If `ctx.hasUI === false`, the tool returns a `Needs user input` message in `content` and a cancelled result in `details`.
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Validation is handled inside the tool so malformed calls produce the same structured error shape as other invalid payloads instead of relying on pre-execution schema failures.
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The fallback message includes normalized pending questions and options so the caller can re-ask them manually. `details.questions` still contains normalized question metadata, while `details.answers` stays empty until a user responds.
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## Skill alignment (advisory)
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The auto-bundled skill profile at `skills/ask-user/SKILL.md` defines agent-side decision-gate guidance for when to call `ask_user`. It is enabled by default when the package is installed, but can be disabled via `pi config`.
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It is advisory only. If there is any conflict, contract + tests win.
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## Source of truth
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Behavior should be verified against:
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1. `src/types.ts` and exported state/result helpers
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2. `tests/*.test.ts`
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3. this contract
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