From c021bcf16815a1ed94544eafce41779264e0ec62 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: andypalmi <andrea@flowfuse.com>
Date: Fri, 9 Oct 2026 11:50:10 +0200
Subject: [PATCH] Start a new Expert chat when sending from the folded overview
 composer

On the team overview, a message typed in the composer or a prompt picked
while the conversation is folded away now starts a new chat instead of
extending the old one. An expired session no longer locks the composer or
the prompts there. While a reply is still live they stay locked, with a
placeholder pointing at Stop.
---
 .../expert/components/ExpertChatInput.vue     | 30 ++++++--
 frontend/src/pages/team/Home/Expert/index.vue | 11 ++-
 frontend/src/stores/product-expert.js         | 18 +++++
 .../components/expert/ExpertChatInput.spec.js | 60 +++++++++++++++-
 .../frontend/pages/team/Home/Expert.spec.js   | 33 ++++++++-
 .../frontend/stores/product-expert.spec.js    | 70 +++++++++++++++++++
 6 files changed, 213 insertions(+), 9 deletions(-)

diff --git a/frontend/src/components/expert/components/ExpertChatInput.vue b/frontend/src/components/expert/components/ExpertChatInput.vue
index 73edecb167..a5ccde155d 100644
--- a/frontend/src/components/expert/components/ExpertChatInput.vue
+++ b/frontend/src/components/expert/components/ExpertChatInput.vue
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@
                 v-model="inputText"
                 class="chat-input"
                 :placeholder="placeholderText"
-                :disabled="isInputDisabled"
+                :disabled="isComposerDisabled"
                 @keydown="handleKeydown"
                 @focus="isTextareaFocused = true"
                 @blur="isTextareaFocused = false"
@@ -77,7 +77,7 @@
                         Stop
                     </button>
                     <button
-                        v-else-if="!isSessionExpired"
+                        v-else-if="!isSessionExpired || startsNewChat"
                         type="button"
                         class="btn-send"
                         :disabled="!canSend"
@@ -121,6 +121,7 @@
 <script>
 import { Cog8ToothIcon } from '@heroicons/vue/20/solid'
 import { mapActions, mapState } from 'pinia'
+import { unref } from 'vue'
 
 import FormHeading from '../../FormHeading.vue'
 import ResizeBar from '../../ResizeBar.vue'
@@ -158,6 +159,10 @@ export default {
         expertSurface: {
             from: 'expert-surface',
             default: 'drawer'
+        },
+        expertChatOpen: {
+            from: 'expert-chat-open',
+            default: true
         }
     },
     emits: ['send', 'stop'],
@@ -212,6 +217,7 @@ export default {
             'hasMessages',
             'isWaitingForResponse',
             'isInputDisabled',
+            'isNewChatDisabled',
             'pendingInput',
             'composerCommand',
             'questionCadence',
@@ -234,8 +240,15 @@ export default {
         isDrawerPinned () {
             return this.rightDrawer.fixed
         },
+        // On the overview, a message sent while the conversation is folded away starts a new one
+        startsNewChat () {
+            return this.expertSurface === 'overview' && !unref(this.expertChatOpen) && this.hasUserTurns
+        },
+        isComposerDisabled () {
+            return this.startsNewChat ? this.isNewChatDisabled : this.isInputDisabled
+        },
         canSend () {
-            return this.inputText.trim().length > 0 && !this.isInputDisabled
+            return this.inputText.trim().length > 0 && !this.isComposerDisabled
         },
         hasUserTurns () {
             // hasMessages is true from the off, the store seeds a welcome message,
@@ -262,6 +275,9 @@ export default {
             if (this.isInsightsAgent && !this.hasSelectedCapabilities) {
                 return 'Select a resource to get started'
             }
+            if (this.startsNewChat && this.isWaitingForResponse && !this.isSessionExpired) {
+                return 'The Expert is still replying. Stop it to start a new chat'
+            }
             if (this.requestingPlanChange) {
                 return 'Describe a change to the plan, or paste an edited version'
             }
@@ -334,7 +350,7 @@ export default {
     },
     methods: {
         ...mapActions(useProductAssistantStore, ['resetContextSelection']),
-        ...mapActions(useProductExpertStore, ['startOver', 'handleQuery', 'setPendingInput', 'setComposerCommand', 'setQuestionCadence', 'setPlanMode', 'fetchToolCatalog']),
+        ...mapActions(useProductExpertStore, ['startOver', 'startNewChat', 'handleQuery', 'setPendingInput', 'setComposerCommand', 'setQuestionCadence', 'setPlanMode', 'fetchToolCatalog']),
         focusInput () {
             this.$refs.textarea?.focus()
         },
@@ -354,7 +370,11 @@ export default {
             // handleQuery renders the reply itself (see the store); the isWaitingForResponse
             // watcher refocuses the input once the response completes (works for both HTTP
             // and MQTT, where the promise resolves before the actual response arrives).
-            this.handleQuery({ query: message }).catch(e => e)
+            if (this.startsNewChat) {
+                this.startNewChat({ query: message }).catch(e => e)
+            } else {
+                this.handleQuery({ query: message }).catch(e => e)
+            }
 
             this.inputText = ''
             this.requestingPlanChange = false
diff --git a/frontend/src/pages/team/Home/Expert/index.vue b/frontend/src/pages/team/Home/Expert/index.vue
index 7abfb060cd..436db9bac0 100644
--- a/frontend/src/pages/team/Home/Expert/index.vue
+++ b/frontend/src/pages/team/Home/Expert/index.vue
@@ -162,7 +162,9 @@ const settingsStore = useAccountSettingsStore()
 const expertStore = useProductExpertStore() as ReturnType<typeof useProductExpertStore> & {
     messages: { _type: string }[]
     isInputDisabled: boolean
+    isNewChatDisabled: boolean
     handleQuery: (payload: { query: string }) => Promise<unknown>
+    startNewChat: (payload: { query: string }) => Promise<unknown>
 }
 const drawersStore = useUxDrawersStore()
 
@@ -216,7 +218,10 @@ type Stage = 'idle' | 'composing' | 'conversing'
 const stage = ref<Stage>('idle')
 const liveTurns = computed<number>(() => expertStore.messages.filter(message => message._type === 'human').length)
 
-const isComposerDisabled = computed<boolean>(() => expertStore.isInputDisabled)
+// With a thread to fold away, the composer and the suggestions start a new chat rather than extend it
+const startsNewChat = computed<boolean>(() => liveTurns.value > 0)
+
+const isComposerDisabled = computed<boolean>(() => startsNewChat.value ? expertStore.isNewChatDisabled : expertStore.isInputDisabled)
 
 const canResume = computed<boolean>(() => liveTurns.value > 0 || isComposerDisabled.value)
 
@@ -237,6 +242,10 @@ function onSuggestion (suggestion: PromptSuggestion) {
         return
     }
     stage.value = 'conversing'
+    if (startsNewChat.value) {
+        expertStore.startNewChat({ query: suggestion.prompt }).catch(e => e)
+        return
+    }
     expertStore.handleQuery({ query: suggestion.prompt }).catch(e => e)
 }
 
diff --git a/frontend/src/stores/product-expert.js b/frontend/src/stores/product-expert.js
index 3025fb6274..a849db5bb9 100644
--- a/frontend/src/stores/product-expert.js
+++ b/frontend/src/stores/product-expert.js
@@ -100,6 +100,12 @@ export const useProductExpertStore = defineStore('product-expert', {
             if (this.isWaitingForResponse) return true
             return this.isInsightsAgent && !this.hasSelectedCapabilities
         },
+        // startNewChat discards the session, so an expired one (and the response it
+        // left hanging) does not stand in the way.
+        isNewChatDisabled () {
+            if (this.isWaitingForResponse && !this.isSessionExpired) return true
+            return this.isInsightsAgent && !this.hasSelectedCapabilities
+        },
         canImportFlows () {
             const assistantStore = useProductAssistantStore()
             return !!assistantStore.isImmersiveInstance && !!assistantStore.supportedActions['custom:import-flow']
@@ -730,6 +736,18 @@ export const useProductExpertStore = defineStore('product-expert', {
             // Add welcome message for current mode
             this.addWelcomeMessageIfNeeded()
         },
+        async startNewChat ({ query }) {
+            if (this.isWaitingForResponse) {
+                this.stopInflightChat()
+                this.setAbortController(null)
+            }
+            // The resources picked for the old chat are the ones this query was typed against
+            const insightsStore = useProductExpertInsightsAgentStore()
+            const selectedCapabilities = insightsStore.selectedCapabilities
+            await this.startOver()
+            insightsStore.setSelectedCapabilities(selectedCapabilities)
+            return this.handleQuery({ query })
+        },
         setAbortController (controller) {
             this._agentStore.abortController = controller ? markRaw(controller) : null
         },
diff --git a/test/unit/frontend/components/expert/ExpertChatInput.spec.js b/test/unit/frontend/components/expert/ExpertChatInput.spec.js
index c050e0a207..8737183200 100644
--- a/test/unit/frontend/components/expert/ExpertChatInput.spec.js
+++ b/test/unit/frontend/components/expert/ExpertChatInput.spec.js
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ function shownEvents () {
     return Product.capture.mock.calls.filter(([event]) => event === 'ff-expert-suggestions-shown')
 }
 
-function mountInput ({ immersive = false, editorDrawerOpen = true } = {}) {
+function mountInput ({ immersive = false, editorDrawerOpen = true, provide } = {}) {
     const pinia = createTestingPinia({ createSpy: vi.fn, stubActions: true })
 
     const drawers = useUxDrawersStore(pinia)
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ function mountInput ({ immersive = false, editorDrawerOpen = true } = {}) {
         global: {
             plugins: [pinia],
             // the instance and device editor pages provide this
-            provide: immersive ? { 'expert-surface': 'immersive' } : {},
+            provide: provide ?? (immersive ? { 'expert-surface': 'immersive' } : {}),
             stubs: {
                 teleport: true,
                 'resize-bar': true,
@@ -124,3 +124,59 @@ describe('ExpertChatInput prompt suggestion tracking', () => {
         }, { team: 'team-1' })
     })
 })
+
+describe('ExpertChatInput on the overview', () => {
+    function mountOverview ({ chatOpen }) {
+        const mounted = mountInput({ provide: { 'expert-surface': 'overview', 'expert-chat-open': chatOpen } })
+        mounted.expert.messages = [{ _type: 'human' }, { _type: 'ai' }]
+        mounted.expert.startNewChat.mockResolvedValue()
+        return mounted
+    }
+
+    beforeEach(() => {
+        vi.clearAllMocks()
+    })
+
+    test('a message sent while the conversation is folded away starts a new chat', async () => {
+        const { wrapper, expert } = mountOverview({ chatOpen: false })
+
+        await wrapper.find('textarea').setValue('how are my instances?')
+        await wrapper.find('textarea').trigger('keydown', { key: 'Enter' })
+
+        expect(expert.startNewChat).toHaveBeenCalledWith({ query: 'how are my instances?' })
+        expect(expert.handleQuery).not.toHaveBeenCalled()
+    })
+
+    test('a message sent in the open conversation continues it', async () => {
+        const { wrapper, expert } = mountOverview({ chatOpen: true })
+
+        await wrapper.find('textarea').setValue('and the devices?')
+        await wrapper.find('textarea').trigger('keydown', { key: 'Enter' })
+
+        expect(expert.handleQuery).toHaveBeenCalledWith({ query: 'and the devices?' })
+        expect(expert.startNewChat).not.toHaveBeenCalled()
+    })
+
+    test('an expired conversation does not lock the folded composer', async () => {
+        const { wrapper, expert } = mountOverview({ chatOpen: false })
+        expert.isSessionExpired = true
+        expert.isInputDisabled = true
+        expert.isNewChatDisabled = false
+        await wrapper.vm.$nextTick()
+
+        expect(wrapper.find('textarea').attributes('disabled')).toBeUndefined()
+        expect(wrapper.find('.btn-send').exists()).toBe(true)
+    })
+
+    test('a live reply locks the folded composer and says how to unlock it', async () => {
+        const { wrapper, expert } = mountOverview({ chatOpen: false })
+        expert.isWaitingForResponse = true
+        expert.isNewChatDisabled = true
+        await wrapper.vm.$nextTick()
+
+        const textarea = wrapper.find('textarea')
+        expect(textarea.attributes('disabled')).toBeDefined()
+        expect(textarea.attributes('placeholder')).toBe('The Expert is still replying. Stop it to start a new chat')
+        expect(wrapper.find('.btn-stop').exists()).toBe(true)
+    })
+})
diff --git a/test/unit/frontend/pages/team/Home/Expert.spec.js b/test/unit/frontend/pages/team/Home/Expert.spec.js
index df03ee4dd9..d29f9e5306 100644
--- a/test/unit/frontend/pages/team/Home/Expert.spec.js
+++ b/test/unit/frontend/pages/team/Home/Expert.spec.js
@@ -15,8 +15,10 @@ const mocks = vi.hoisted(() => ({
         isInsightsAgent: false,
         hasSelectedCapabilities: true,
         isInputDisabled: false,
+        isNewChatDisabled: false,
         openAssistantDrawer: vi.fn(),
         handleQuery: vi.fn().mockResolvedValue(undefined),
+        startNewChat: vi.fn().mockResolvedValue(undefined),
         setPendingInput: vi.fn(),
         setAgentMode: vi.fn(),
         resumeSessionTimer: vi.fn()
@@ -281,7 +283,7 @@ describe('TeamHomeExpert', () => {
             mocks.expertStore.isInputDisabled = false
         })
 
-        test('survives into composing, since a new message joins the same thread', async () => {
+        test('survives into composing, so the thread is still one click away', async () => {
             mocks.expertStore.messages = [{ _type: 'human' }]
             const wrapper = await mountPage()
             await wrapper.find('textarea').setValue('how are my instances?')
@@ -341,6 +343,35 @@ describe('TeamHomeExpert', () => {
             expect(wrapper.find('[data-el="expert-home"]').attributes('data-stage')).toBe('conversing')
         })
 
+        test('with a thread behind them, a finished prompt starts a new chat', async () => {
+            mocks.expertStore.messages = [{ _type: 'human' }]
+            mocks.expertStore.handleQuery.mockClear()
+            mocks.expertStore.startNewChat.mockClear()
+            const wrapper = await mountPage()
+
+            await wrapper.findComponent({ name: 'PromptSuggestions' })
+                .vm.$emit('select', { title: 'x', prompt: 'how are my instances?' })
+
+            expect(mocks.expertStore.startNewChat).toHaveBeenCalledWith({ query: 'how are my instances?' })
+            expect(mocks.expertStore.handleQuery).not.toHaveBeenCalled()
+            expect(wrapper.find('[data-el="expert-home"]').attributes('data-stage')).toBe('conversing')
+        })
+
+        test('stay live over an expired thread, since they would start a new chat', async () => {
+            mocks.expertStore.messages = [{ _type: 'human' }]
+            mocks.expertStore.startNewChat.mockClear()
+            mocks.expertStore.isInputDisabled = true
+            const wrapper = await mountPage()
+
+            expect(wrapper.find('.ff-expert-home__suggestions').classes()).not.toContain('is-inert')
+
+            await wrapper.findComponent({ name: 'PromptSuggestions' })
+                .vm.$emit('select', { title: 'x', prompt: 'anything' })
+            expect(mocks.expertStore.startNewChat).toHaveBeenCalledWith({ query: 'anything' })
+
+            mocks.expertStore.isInputDisabled = false
+        })
+
         test('a half-finished prompt waits in the composer instead', async () => {
             mocks.expertStore.messages = []
             mocks.expertStore.handleQuery.mockClear()
diff --git a/test/unit/frontend/stores/product-expert.spec.js b/test/unit/frontend/stores/product-expert.spec.js
index 73e9bdcd5f..a195d8b6f6 100644
--- a/test/unit/frontend/stores/product-expert.spec.js
+++ b/test/unit/frontend/stores/product-expert.spec.js
@@ -182,6 +182,76 @@ describe('product-expert store', () => {
         })
     })
 
+    describe('isNewChatDisabled getter', () => {
+        it('is true while a live response is in flight', () => {
+            const store = useProductExpertStore()
+            store.setAbortController(new AbortController())
+            expect(store.isNewChatDisabled).toBe(true)
+        })
+
+        it('is false once the session has expired, even with a response left hanging', () => {
+            const store = useProductExpertStore()
+            store.setAbortController(new AbortController())
+            store._agentStore.sessionExpiredShown = true
+            expect(store.isNewChatDisabled).toBe(false)
+        })
+
+        it('is true for the insights agent with no capabilities selected', () => {
+            const store = useProductExpertStore()
+            store.setAgentMode(INSIGHTS_AGENT)
+            useProductExpertInsightsAgentStore().setSelectedCapabilities([])
+            expect(store.isNewChatDisabled).toBe(true)
+        })
+    })
+
+    describe('startNewChat', () => {
+        // startOver reloads the insights capabilities, which waits for a team
+        beforeEach(() => {
+            contextState.team = { id: 'team-1' }
+        })
+
+        afterEach(() => {
+            contextState.team = null
+        })
+
+        it('clears the old thread and sends the query in a new session', async () => {
+            const store = useProductExpertStore()
+            store.addUserMessage('old question')
+            const oldSessionId = store._agentStore.sessionId
+            const handleQuery = vi.spyOn(store, 'handleQuery').mockResolvedValue()
+
+            await store.startNewChat({ query: 'new question' })
+
+            expect(store.messages.some(m => m._type === 'human')).toBe(false)
+            expect(store._agentStore.sessionId).not.toBe(oldSessionId)
+            expect(handleQuery).toHaveBeenCalledWith({ query: 'new question' })
+        })
+
+        it('drops a response left hanging by an expired session', async () => {
+            const store = useProductExpertStore()
+            store.setAbortController(new AbortController())
+            store._agentStore.inFlightRequests.set('turn-1', { query: 'x', transactionId: 'turn-1' })
+            store._agentStore.sessionExpiredShown = true
+            vi.spyOn(store, 'handleQuery').mockResolvedValue()
+
+            await store.startNewChat({ query: 'new question' })
+
+            expect(store.abortController).toBeNull()
+            expect(store._agentStore.inFlightRequests.size).toBe(0)
+        })
+
+        it('keeps the insights resources the query was typed against', async () => {
+            const store = useProductExpertStore()
+            store.setAgentMode(INSIGHTS_AGENT)
+            useProductExpertInsightsAgentStore().setSelectedCapabilities([{ id: 'cap-1' }])
+            vi.spyOn(store, 'handleQuery').mockResolvedValue()
+
+            await store.startNewChat({ query: 'new question' })
+
+            expect(useProductExpertInsightsAgentStore().selectedCapabilities).toEqual([{ id: 'cap-1' }])
+        })
+    })
+
     describe('messages getters', () => {
         it('hasMessages is false when agent store has no messages', () => {
             const store = useProductExpertStore()