Steer the running turn instead of queuing messages

README.md

@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ subscription** because we never set an API key.
 - **Info sidebar** — `ctrl+g` / `/sidebar` toggles an at-a-glance BBS info rail; `/sidebar left|right` (or `/settings`) sets the side it docks to (default right).
 - **Bring your own tools** — point `-mcp` at a `.mcp.json` to wire extra MCP tools alongside the built-in approvals server.
 - **Multi-line input** — Enter sends; insert a line break with `Alt+Enter`, `Ctrl+J`, or a trailing `\`. The prompt grows with your draft — line breaks *and* soft-wrap in narrow windows — up to 8 rows, then scrolls.
-- **Prompt history & queueing** — `↑` / `↓` recalls past prompts (use `Ctrl+↑/↓` while composing a multi-line draft, where `↑/↓` move between lines); type while Claude is busy and messages queue, draining one per turn.
+- **Prompt history & steering** — `↑` / `↓` recalls past prompts (use `Ctrl+↑/↓` while composing a multi-line draft, where `↑/↓` move between lines); type while Claude is busy and the message is injected into the running turn, so you can course-correct mid-flight instead of waiting for it to finish (`Esc` interrupts the turn to undo a mis-sent steer).
 
 ## Why this architecture (vs forking Crush/OpenCode)
 
@@ -140,7 +140,7 @@ Small files by responsibility (the project keeps each one scannable).
 
 | file | role |
 |------|------|
-| `chrome.go` | banner, scrollbar, spinner frames, queued-message tray |
+| `chrome.go` | banner, scrollbar, spinner frames |
 | `status.go` | the DOS-style status bar + context gauge + git branch |
 | `sidebar.go` | the BBS info rail |
 | `theme.go` | palettes, styles, `applyTheme`, the theme list |

chrome.go

@@ -24,64 +24,6 @@ func bbsBanner(width, phase int, style string) string {
 	return hdrBox.Width(width - 2).Render(title)
 }
 
-// trayMaxShown caps how many queued lines the tray lists before collapsing the
-// remainder into a "… N more" summary — so a long queue can't fill the screen.
-const trayMaxShown = 5
-
-// trayWant is how many rows the pending tray would use for a queue of length n
-// with no height pressure: a header, up to trayMaxShown message lines, and a
-// "… N more" line when some are hidden. 0 for an empty queue.
-func trayWant(n int) int {
-	if n <= 0 {
-		return 0
-	}
-	w := 1 + minInt(n, trayMaxShown)
-	if n > trayMaxShown {
-		w++
-	}
-	return w
-}
-
-// trayRows is trayWant clamped to a row budget, so the tray never claims more
-// vertical space than the layout reserved for it. resizeViewport reserves
-// exactly this many rows; pendingTray draws exactly this many. 0 disables it.
-func trayRows(n, budget int) int {
-	if budget <= 0 {
-		return 0
-	}
-	return minInt(trayWant(n), budget)
-}
-
-// pendingTray renders the queued-while-busy messages as a dim strip above the
-// input, in at most `budget` rows (see trayRows) so it can't overrun the
-// transcript on a short window. Returns "" when empty or starved of space.
-// Under pressure it drops message lines — keeping the "N queued" header and a
-// "… N more" tail — rather than spilling past its reserved height.
-func pendingTray(queue []string, width, budget int) string {
-	n := len(queue)
-	rows := trayRows(n, budget)
-	if rows == 0 {
-		return ""
-	}
-	out := make([]string, 0, rows)
-	out = append(out, cDim.Render(fmt.Sprintf("▶▶▶ %d queued", n)))
-	body := rows - 1 // rows left for message + "… more" lines
-	shown := minInt(n, trayMaxShown)
-	more := n > shown
-	if rows < trayWant(n) { // budget-constrained: reserve a row for "… more"
-		shown = maxInt(0, body-1)
-		more = body >= 1
-	}
-	for _, q := range queue[:shown] {
-		line := strings.ReplaceAll(q, "\n", " ")
-		out = append(out, cDim.Render("  ▸ "+trunc(line, width-4)))
-	}
-	if more {
-		out = append(out, cDim.Render(fmt.Sprintf("  … %d more", n-shown)))
-	}
-	return strings.Join(out, "\n")
-}
-
 // bbsScrollbar renders a vertical scrollbar `height` rows tall. Mirrors Crush's
 // algorithm: thumb size scales with the visible portion; thumb position scales
 // linearly with the scroll offset. When content fits, returns a blank track so

chrome_test.go

@@ -64,57 +64,28 @@ func lineCount(s string) int {
 	return strings.Count(s, "\n") + 1
 }
 
-// The pending tray must never render more rows than its budget, and must always
-// keep the "N queued" header so the count stays visible even when truncated.
-func TestPendingTrayHonorsBudget(t *testing.T) {
-	for _, n := range []int{1, 2, 5, 6, 20} {
-		queue := make([]string, n)
-		for i := range queue {
-			queue[i] = fmt.Sprintf("queued message %d with some text", i)
+// The composed frame must fit the terminal height at every window size that can
+// still hold the chrome — the transcript viewport absorbs the slack and never
+// pushes the total past the terminal.
+func TestFrameFitsHeight(t *testing.T) {
+	for _, h := range []int{14, 16, 20, 30, 40} {
+		m := newModel(&Engine{}, "ask", nil, "bar", "")
+		m.w, m.h = 80, h
+		m.setPromptWidth(m.w - 4)
+		m.resizeViewport()
+		m.makeRenderer()
+		for i := 0; i < 80; i++ {
+			m.add(entClaude, "streamed assistant output line")
 		}
-		for budget := 0; budget <= trayWant(n)+2; budget++ {
-			tray := pendingTray(queue, 80, budget)
-			got := lineCount(tray)
-			if got > budget {
-				t.Errorf("n=%d budget=%d: tray drew %d rows > budget", n, budget, got)
-			}
-			if got != trayRows(n, budget) {
-				t.Errorf("n=%d budget=%d: tray drew %d rows, trayRows says %d", n, budget, got, trayRows(n, budget))
-			}
-			if got > 0 && !strings.Contains(tray, fmt.Sprintf("%d queued", n)) {
-				t.Errorf("n=%d budget=%d: tray dropped the queued count:\n%s", n, budget, tray)
-			}
+		m.busy = true
+		m.resizeViewport()
+		m.refreshBody()
+		got := lineCount(m.renderBackground())
+		if got > h {
+			t.Errorf("h=%d: frame %d lines > terminal %d", h, got, h)
 		}
-	}
-}
-
-// The composed frame must fit the terminal height for any queue depth, at every
-// window size that can still hold the chrome — the queued strip never laps over
-// the chat (the reported bug: viewport clamped to 1 while the tray overran).
-func TestFrameFitsWithQueue(t *testing.T) {
-	for _, h := range []int{14, 16, 20, 30, 40} {
-		for _, n := range []int{0, 1, 3, 6, 12} {
-			m := newModel(&Engine{}, "ask", nil, "bar", "")
-			m.w, m.h = 80, h
-			m.setPromptWidth(m.w - 4)
-			m.resizeViewport()
-			m.makeRenderer()
-			for i := 0; i < 80; i++ {
-				m.add(entClaude, "streamed assistant output line")
-			}
-			m.busy = true
-			for i := 0; i < n; i++ {
-				m.queue = append(m.queue, "queued message text here")
-			}
-			m.resizeViewport()
-			m.refreshBody()
-			got := lineCount(m.renderBackground())
-			if got > h {
-				t.Errorf("h=%d queue=%d: frame %d lines > terminal %d", h, n, got, h)
-			}
-			if m.vp.Height < 1 {
-				t.Errorf("h=%d queue=%d: viewport starved to %d rows", h, n, m.vp.Height)
-			}
+		if m.vp.Height < 1 {
+			t.Errorf("h=%d: viewport starved to %d rows", h, m.vp.Height)
 		}
 	}
 }

keys.go

@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 package main
 
 import (
-	"fmt"
 	"os"
 	"strconv"
 	"strings"
@@ -169,15 +168,6 @@ func (m model) handleKey(msg tea.KeyMsg) (model, tea.Cmd, bool) {
 			m.follow = m.vp.AtBottom()
 			return m, nil, true
 		}
-		// Editing a queued message: an up-arrow on an empty prompt pulls the last
-		// queued message back out for editing (removing it from the queue) rather
-		// than recalling from history. Re-sending then replaces it, instead of the
-		// original going out as-is while the edit lands as a second queued item.
-		if !down && len(m.queue) > 0 && strings.TrimSpace(m.input.Value()) == "" {
-			m.input.SetValue(m.dequeueLast())
-			m.input.CursorEnd()
-			return m, nil, true
-		}
 		delta := -1
 		if down {
 			delta = 1
@@ -314,17 +304,10 @@ func (m *model) cancelQuestion() tea.Cmd {
 	return waitApproval(m.approvals)
 }
 
-// handleEsc cascades: clear queue → interrupt in-flight → quit. So a stray
-// Esc with messages queued or work in flight never drops the whole session.
+// handleEsc cascades: interrupt in-flight → quit. So a stray Esc with work in
+// flight aborts the current turn (the way to undo a mis-sent steer) rather than
+// dropping the whole session.
 func (m model) handleEsc() (model, tea.Cmd, bool) {
-	if len(m.queue) > 0 {
-		dropped := len(m.queue)
-		m.queue = nil
-		m.resizeViewport()
-		m.rebuild()
-		m.add(entInfo, fmt.Sprintf("dropped %d queued message(s)", dropped))
-		return m, nil, true
-	}
 	if m.busy {
 		if err := m.engine.Interrupt(); err != nil {
 			m.add(entError, "interrupt failed: "+err.Error())
@@ -370,43 +353,28 @@ func (m model) handleEnter() (model, tea.Cmd, bool) {
 	return m, cmd, true
 }
 
-// sendTurn submits text as a user turn — queued while claude is busy, otherwise
-// sent now — recording it in history and returning the working-spinner Cmd.
-// Shared by Enter (typed prompts and forwarded slash commands) and the command
-// palette, so all three reach claude the same way.
+// sendTurn submits text as a user turn. When claude is already working the
+// message is handed to the running subprocess right away, so claude injects it
+// into the turn at its next step boundary (steering) — you can course-correct
+// mid-flight instead of waiting for the turn to end. Idle, it opens a fresh
+// turn. Either way it lands in the transcript now, is recorded in history, and
+// arms the working spinner. Shared by Enter (typed prompts and forwarded slash
+// commands) and the command palette, so all reach claude the same way.
 func (m *model) sendTurn(text string) tea.Cmd {
 	m.hist.Append(text)
-	// Busy: queue the message instead of dropping it on the floor.
-	if m.busy {
-		m.queue = append(m.queue, text)
-		m.resizeViewport()
-		m.rebuild()
-		return nil
-	}
+	steering := m.busy
 	m.add(entUser, text)
 	if err := m.engine.Send(text); err != nil {
 		m.add(entError, "send error: "+err.Error())
 		return nil
 	}
 	// Capture the first prompt for the session so the resume picker has a
-	// human-recognisable label.
-	if m.session != "" {
+	// human-recognisable label — only when opening a turn, so a mid-turn steer
+	// doesn't overwrite it with a follow-up correction.
+	if !steering && m.session != "" {
 		cwd, _ := os.Getwd()
 		m.sessions.Touch(m.session, m.modelID, cwd, truncFirst(text), time.Now())
 	}
 	m.busy = true
 	return m.armSpinnerIfNeeded()
 }
-
-// dequeueLast removes and returns the most recently queued message, growing the
-// transcript back into the space its tray row freed. Backs the up-arrow "edit
-// the queued message" path: the message is pulled out for editing so re-sending
-// replaces it, instead of the original going out as-is while the edit lands as
-// a second queued item.
-func (m *model) dequeueLast() string {
-	last := m.queue[len(m.queue)-1]
-	m.queue = m.queue[:len(m.queue)-1]
-	m.resizeViewport()
-	m.rebuild()
-	return last
-}

model.go

@@ -126,7 +126,6 @@ type model struct {
 	frameBody  string
 	bodyKey    bodyKey
 	contentVer int
-	queue      []string          // user messages typed while busy; drained one per turn end
 	toolUses   map[string]string // tool_use_id -> tool name, so tool_result events can show what they're answering
 	busy       bool
 	mode       string

render.go

@@ -118,23 +118,11 @@ func (m *model) renderEntry(e entry) string {
 	return ""
 }
 
-// trayBudget is how many rows the pending tray may occupy: the transcript's
-// share of the window (total minus fixed chrome and the prompt) less a one-row
-// floor kept for the viewport. resizeViewport reserves this and renderBackground
-// draws within it — the single source that keeps the tray from overrunning the
-// chat when the window is short or the queue is deep.
-func (m *model) trayBudget() int {
-	return maxInt(0, m.h-5-m.promptRows()-1)
-}
-
-// resizeViewport sets m.vp.Width/Height based on the current window size,
-// the sidebar flag, and the pending-tray height. Call after anything that
-// changes those (window resize, sidebar toggle, queue mutation).
+// resizeViewport sets m.vp.Width/Height based on the current window size and
+// the sidebar flag. Call after anything that changes those (window resize,
+// sidebar toggle, prompt height change).
 func (m *model) resizeViewport() {
-	avail := m.h - 5 - m.promptRows() // banner(3) + divider(1) + status(1) + prompt
-	// Reserve the tray's rows out of the shared space; both sides read the same
-	// budget so viewport + tray always sum to `avail` — never an overrun.
-	vpH := avail - trayRows(len(m.queue), m.trayBudget())
+	vpH := m.h - 5 - m.promptRows() // banner(3) + divider(1) + status(1) + prompt
 	if vpH < 1 {
 		vpH = 1
 	}

stream.go

@@ -136,6 +136,5 @@ func (m *model) handleEvent(e Envelope) {
 		}
 		m.add(entInfo, fmt.Sprintf("— done · %.4f USD · %dms · %d turns —",
 			e.TotalCostUSD, e.DurationMS, e.NumTurns))
-		m.flushQueue()
 	}
 }

update.go

@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 package main
 
 import (
-	"os"
 	"time"
 
 	"github.com/charmbracelet/bubbles/spinner"
@@ -211,24 +210,3 @@ func (m *model) armSpinnerIfNeeded() tea.Cmd {
 	return nil
 }
 
-// flushQueue pops the front of the queue (if any), sends it, and re-enters
-// busy mode. Called when a turn ends; remaining items wait for the next
-// result event.
-func (m *model) flushQueue() {
-	if len(m.queue) == 0 {
-		return
-	}
-	next := m.queue[0]
-	m.queue = m.queue[1:]
-	m.resizeViewport()
-	m.add(entUser, next)
-	if err := m.engine.Send(next); err != nil {
-		m.add(entError, "send error: "+err.Error())
-		return
-	}
-	if m.session != "" {
-		cwd, _ := os.Getwd()
-		m.sessions.Touch(m.session, m.modelID, cwd, truncFirst(next), time.Now())
-	}
-	m.busy = true
-}

view.go

@@ -53,9 +53,6 @@ func (m model) renderBackground() string {
 		sceneDivider(leet("session"), m.w),
 		body,
 	}
-	if tray := pendingTray(m.queue, m.w, m.trayBudget()); tray != "" {
-		parts = append(parts, tray)
-	}
 	parts = append(parts,
 		prompt,
 		bbsStatus(m.mode, m.modelID, m.session, gitBranch(), m.lastCost, m.ctxTokens, m.outTokens, m.ctxLimit, m.busy, m.sp.View(), m.w),