Support native ChatGPT clarification questions

AGENTS.md

@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ ask_pro-specific notes:
   reduced to the V1 ask-pro surface.
 - Keep the CLI small: `ask-pro "<question>"`, `--files`, `--prompt-file`,
   `--artifacts` / `--response-zip`, `--dry-run`, `--resume`, `--status`,
-  `--harvest`, `--copy`, `--temporary`, `--no-temporary`, and
+  `--harvest`, `--copy`, `--answers`, `--temporary`, `--no-temporary`, and
   `--verbose`, and `--github`.
 - Browser auth is human-controlled. Never ask for, type, read, or log passwords,
   MFA codes, recovery codes, session cookies, or raw auth tokens.

CHANGELOG.md

@@ -4,6 +4,10 @@
 
 ### Added
 
+- Hand native ChatGPT clarification questions to the calling agent, including
+  numbered choices and free text. Resume with `--answers` to answer in the same
+  conversation, including recovery when the provider expires its question cards.
+
 - Add `--github` with a connection check before upload, human setup in the
   managed browser, and a resumable handoff. Request read-only repository evidence
   and citations while retaining local-file context. The flag does not restrict
@@ -14,6 +18,12 @@
 
 ### Fixed
 
+- Wait for the new reply when answering expired question cards, and keep
+  answers retryable when the composer rejects input before sending.
+
+- Capture replies in ChatGPT's current search-unit message layout and close
+  the controller's DevTools connection when a resumed session hands off questions.
+
 - Prefer ChatGPT's `Latest` model when available, otherwise select the highest
   numbered available GPT model and confirm `Pro` intelligence.
 - Ignore background Cloudflare scripts and unrelated notices on usable ChatGPT

README.md

@@ -88,6 +88,27 @@ Use `ask-pro --help` for the full CLI. For multiline prompts, use
 `--prompt-file`. Prefer `--no-temporary` when recovery matters; `--temporary`
 requires Temporary Chat. The [skill](skills/ask-pro/SKILL.md) has agent guidance.
 
+When Pro asks native questions, ask-pro returns `awaiting_answers`, prints each
+question and its numbered choices, and saves `QUESTIONS.json`. The calling agent
+can answer directly, or ask its user when a decision needs their input. Write a
+UTF-8 JSON file using the emitted `request_id`, with one answer per question:
+
+```json
+{ "requestId": "<request_id>", "answers": [2, 3, "A workshop on incident response"] }
+```
+
+Numbers select 1-based options; strings enter free text. Then continue the same chat:
+
+```powershell
+ask-pro --resume <session-id> --answers answers.json
+```
+
+`--answers -` accepts piped JSON. ask-pro requests a native pause; if ChatGPT expires
+the cards anyway, it sends your answers as a reply in the same conversation.
+Keep the session's original Temporary Chat mode when answering.
+Further question rounds use the same
+flow; `--status` repeats pending questions and `--harvest` waits for a final answer.
+
 ## Optional GitHub context
 
 Use `--github` to check the GitHub connection in ask-pro's signed-in ChatGPT

bin/ask-pro-cli.ts

@@ -1,6 +1,8 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env node
 import "dotenv/config";
 import { AssistantStoppedError } from "../src/browser/errors.js";
+import { AssistantQuestionsError } from "../src/browser/actions/questions.js";
+import { readAskProQuestions } from "../src/ask-pro/questions.js";
 import { GITHUB_SETUP_URL, GitHubConnectionRequiredError } from "../src/browser/actions/github.js";
 import fs from "node:fs/promises";
 import path from "node:path";
@@ -32,6 +34,7 @@ interface AskProOptions {
   dryRun?: boolean;
   files?: string[];
   promptFile?: string;
+  answers?: string;
   artifacts?: boolean;
   github?: boolean;
   responseZip?: boolean;
@@ -65,6 +68,11 @@ program
     ]),
   )
   .option("--resume [session-id]", "resume a prepared or waiting ask-pro session")
+  .addOption(
+    new Option("--answers <path>", "answer native questions from JSON; use - for stdin")
+      .implies({ resume: true })
+      .conflicts(["status", "harvest", "copy", "dryRun", "promptFile"]),
+  )
   .option("--status [session-id]", "show ask-pro session status")
   .option("--harvest [session-id]", "print harvested ANSWER.md for a session")
   .option("--copy [session-id]", "print the copy target for a session")
@@ -90,6 +98,8 @@ await program.parseAsync(process.argv);
 
 async function runAskPro(question: string, options: AskProOptions): Promise<void> {
   const cwd = resolveProjectCwd(options);
+  if (options.answers && question.trim())
+    throw new Error("Use --answers with --resume, without a question argument.");
   await pruneExpiredAskProSessions({ cwd });
   if (options.status !== undefined) {
     const { status } = await readAskProStatus({ cwd, sessionId: optionSessionId(options.status) });
@@ -150,6 +160,14 @@ async function runAskPro(question: string, options: AskProOptions): Promise<void
   }
   if (options.resume !== undefined) {
     const { status } = await readAskProStatus({ cwd, sessionId: optionSessionId(options.resume) });
+    if (options.answers !== undefined && options.temporary !== undefined) {
+      const metadata = await readBrowserMetadata(cwd, status.sessionId);
+      const savedTemporary = metadata?.temporary ?? metadata?.url?.includes("temporary-chat=true");
+      if (savedTemporary !== options.temporary)
+        throw new Error(
+          "Cannot change Temporary Chat mode while answering questions; resume with the saved mode.",
+        );
+    }
     const effectiveOptions = mergeStatusOptions(options, status);
     const resumeCommand = buildResumeCommand(status.sessionId, effectiveOptions, cwd);
     const harvestCommand = buildHarvestCommand(status.sessionId, cwd);
@@ -242,6 +260,12 @@ async function submitOrResumeBrowserSession(
   options: AskProOptions,
 ): Promise<void> {
   const { status } = await readAskProStatus({ cwd, sessionId });
+  if (options.answers !== undefined && status.status !== "AWAITING_ANSWERS")
+    throw new Error(
+      "This session is not waiting for answers. Resume without --answers to inspect it.",
+    );
+  if (options.answers === "-" && process.stdin.isTTY)
+    throw new Error("--answers - requires piped stdin.");
   if (status.status === "COMPLETED" || status.status === "HARVESTED") {
     printStatusRecord(status, {
       ...(await readBrowserPreflight(cwd, status)),
@@ -251,6 +275,7 @@ async function submitOrResumeBrowserSession(
   }
   if (
     status.status === "WAITING" ||
+    status.status === "AWAITING_ANSWERS" ||
     status.status === "WAIT_TIMED_OUT" ||
     status.status === "INCOMPLETE_ANSWER" ||
     status.status === "NEEDS_USER_AUTH" ||
@@ -262,14 +287,20 @@ async function submitOrResumeBrowserSession(
         sessionId,
         temporary: options.temporary,
         verbose: options.verbose,
+        answers:
+          options.answers === undefined
+            ? undefined
+            : options.answers === "-"
+              ? await readStdin()
+              : await fs.readFile(path.resolve(cwd, options.answers), "utf8"),
       });
     } catch (error) {
       if (error instanceof GitHubConnectionRequiredError) {
         const { status: paused } = await readAskProStatus({ cwd, sessionId });
         printStatusRecord(paused);
         return;
       }
-      if (error instanceof AssistantStoppedError) {
+      if (error instanceof AssistantStoppedError || error instanceof AssistantQuestionsError) {
         const { status: stopped } = await readAskProStatus({ cwd, sessionId });
         printStatusRecord(stopped, await readBrowserPreflight(cwd, stopped));
         return;
@@ -305,7 +336,7 @@ async function submitOrResumeBrowserSession(
       printStatusRecord(paused);
       return;
     }
-    if (error instanceof AssistantStoppedError) {
+    if (error instanceof AssistantStoppedError || error instanceof AssistantQuestionsError) {
       const { status: stopped } = await readAskProStatus({ cwd, sessionId });
       printStatusRecord(stopped, await readBrowserPreflight(cwd, stopped));
       return;
@@ -458,6 +489,8 @@ function actionForStatus(status: AskProStatusFile): string {
   switch (status.status) {
     case "NEEDS_GITHUB_CONNECTION":
       return "connect_github_then_resume";
+    case "AWAITING_ANSWERS":
+      return "answer_questions";
     case "DRY_RUN_COMPLETE":
     case "INCOMPLETE_ANSWER":
     case "READY_TO_SUBMIT":
@@ -482,6 +515,7 @@ function shouldPrintResume(status: AskProStatusFile): boolean {
     "DRY_RUN_COMPLETE",
     "INCOMPLETE_ANSWER",
     "WAITING",
+    "AWAITING_ANSWERS",
     "READY_TO_SUBMIT",
     "NEEDS_USER_AUTH",
     "NEEDS_GITHUB_CONNECTION",
@@ -510,7 +544,7 @@ async function readRecoverableCapturedAnswer(
   cwd: string,
   status: AskProStatusFile,
 ): Promise<string | null> {
-  if (status.status === "INCOMPLETE_ANSWER") {
+  if (status.status === "INCOMPLETE_ANSWER" || status.status === "AWAITING_ANSWERS") {
     return null;
   }
   try {
@@ -545,7 +579,25 @@ async function readBrowserPreflightForSession(
   if (!metadata) return {};
   const profileDir = typeof metadata.profileDir === "string" ? metadata.profileDir : undefined;
   const profile = profileMode(profileDir);
+  const questions: AskProToonFields = {};
+  if (metadata.status === "awaiting_answers") {
+    const request = await readAskProQuestions(getAskProSessionPaths(cwd, sessionId).dir);
+    questions.request_id = request.requestId;
+    questions.questions = request.questions.length;
+    questions.questions_file = `.ask-pro/sessions/${sessionId}/QUESTIONS.json`;
+    questions.reply = `${buildSessionCommand(cwd, ["--resume", sessionId, "--answers", "<answers.json>"])}`;
+    questions.answers_format =
+      '{"requestId":"<request_id>","answers":[1,"free text"]} (one answer per question; choices are 1-based)';
+    for (const [index, question] of request.questions.entries()) {
+      questions[`question_${index + 1}`] = question.question;
+      questions[`options_${index + 1}`] = question.options
+        .map((option, choice) => `${choice + 1}: ${option}`)
+        .join("; ");
+      questions[`free_text_${index + 1}`] = question.freeText;
+    }
+  }
   return compactFields({
+    ...questions,
     profile,
     profile_path: profile && profileDir ? collapseHome(profileDir) : undefined,
     chrome: chromeMode(metadata),

docs/manual-tests.md

@@ -4,6 +4,17 @@ These checks exercise the real ChatGPT browser path. They are opt-in because
 they open Chrome, use the signed-in ChatGPT account, and can take several
 minutes or longer for Pro thinking.
 
+## Native questions canary
+
+Ask Pro to use its `ask-user-input` skill for three native cards: two choices,
+three choices, and a question whose Other field accepts free text, then wait and
+summarize the answers. The October 12 tool rejects questions with zero options.
+Verify `awaiting_answers` prints all cards, no answer is harvested, and the cards
+can still be answered after their original countdown. Reply with `--resume <id>
+--answers answers.json` using `{"requestId":"<request_id>","answers":[2,3,"custom theme"]}`.
+Verify the final answer preserves all selections and custom text. Repeat with
+one and two cards, and verify a stale request ID is rejected before submission.
+
 ## Prerequisites
 
 - Node 24+.

docs/windows-work.md

@@ -77,6 +77,17 @@ Read this when working on `ask_pro` from Windows and add new findings here.
 
 Future Windows gotchas belong here.
 
+- October 12: native clarification cards use
+  `data-codex-composer-request-navigation` and show one question at a time.
+  Pointer interaction requests a pause, but the live server returned 409
+  ("Request can no longer be snoozed") even for fresh cards. ask-pro
+  browses the cards without submitting defaults, retains Chrome, and returns
+  `AWAITING_ANSWERS`. Use a UTF-8 JSON file with `--resume ... --answers ...`;
+  this avoids PowerShell quoting problems with multiline free-text answers.
+  Expired cards are answered by replying in the same conversation; capture waits
+  for that new reply. A composer that rejects input before sending leaves answers
+  pending for retry.
+
 - October 7: the live Select model view exposes `GPT-6`, `GPT-5.6 Sol`, and
   `GPT-5.5` instead of `Latest`. The default picker prefers `Latest` when present,
   otherwise compares visible enabled terminal GPT versions numerically. Pro

skills/ask-pro/SKILL.md

@@ -162,6 +162,16 @@ Normal `ask-pro` stdout is compact TOON-style telemetry. Use `state`, `action`,
 `resume`, and `harvest` to decide the next command. Browser progress may appear
 on stderr and can be ignored unless diagnosing a stuck run.
 
+`AWAITING_ANSWERS` / `answer_questions` means Pro is asking native interactive
+questions. Read the printed questions/options or `QUESTIONS.json`, answer from
+the caller's context, and ask the human only for decisions you cannot infer.
+Write UTF-8 JSON `{"requestId":"<request_id>","answers":[2,3,"free text"]}`
+with one answer per question in order, then run the emitted
+`ask-pro --resume <session-id> --answers <answers.json>` command. Numbers select
+1-based choices; strings enter the native free-text field. `--answers -` accepts
+piped JSON. Do not submit defaults or treat the question preamble as the answer.
+Repeat for further question rounds, then harvest the final answer normally.
+
 When present, use `profile`, `profile_path`, `chrome`, and `language` only as
 diagnostic hints. They tell you whether the run used the shared profile, an
 isolated agent profile, saved DevTools state, and English browser steering.

src/ask-pro/browserRunner.ts

@@ -2,6 +2,8 @@ import fs from "node:fs/promises";
 import path from "node:path";
 import { DEFAULT_CHATGPT_BROWSER_MODEL_LABEL } from "../browser/chatgptModelCatalog.js";
 import { AssistantStoppedError, BrowserAutomationError } from "../browser/errors.js";
+import { AssistantQuestionsError } from "../browser/actions/questions.js";
+import { readAskProQuestions, parseQuestionAnswers, writeAskProQuestions } from "./questions.js";
 import { GitHubConnectionRequiredError } from "../browser/actions/github.js";
 import {
   askProAgentIdForLegacyBrowserProfileDir,
@@ -43,6 +45,7 @@ export interface RunAskProBrowserSessionOptions {
   agentId?: string | null;
   allowStartMinimized?: boolean;
   verbose?: boolean;
+  answers?: string;
 }
 
 export async function runAskProBrowserSession(
@@ -302,6 +305,12 @@ async function runAskProBrowserSessionWithLease({
       throw new AskProNeedsAuthError(sessionId, browserProfile, classifyBrowserError(error));
     }
 
+    if (error instanceof AssistantQuestionsError) {
+      await writeAskProQuestions(paths.dir, error.questions);
+      await writeTerminalBrowserMetadata(cwd, sessionId, "awaiting_answers", "questions");
+      await updateAskProStatus({ cwd, sessionId, status: "AWAITING_ANSWERS", reason: "questions" });
+      throw error;
+    }
     if (error instanceof AssistantStoppedError) {
       await writeTerminalBrowserMetadata(
         cwd,
@@ -351,13 +360,36 @@ async function resumeAskProBrowserSessionWithLease({
   sessionId,
   temporary,
   verbose,
+  answers,
 }: RunAskProBrowserSessionOptions): Promise<void> {
   const paths = getAskProSessionPaths(cwd, sessionId);
   const prompt = await readAskProPrompt({ cwd, sessionId });
   const { status: sessionStatus } = await readAskProStatus({ cwd, sessionId });
+  const request = answers !== undefined ? await readAskProQuestions(paths.dir) : undefined;
+  if (answers !== undefined && sessionStatus.status !== "AWAITING_ANSWERS")
+    throw new Error(
+      "This session is not waiting for answers. Resume without --answers to inspect it.",
+    );
+  const questionAnswers =
+    request && answers !== undefined
+      ? {
+          questions: request.questions,
+          answers: parseQuestionAnswers(answers, request),
+          submissionState: { started: false },
+        }
+      : undefined;
   const artifactsRequested = sessionStatus.artifacts === true;
   const logger = buildAskProBrowserLogger(cwd, sessionId, verbose);
   const metadata = await readBrowserMetadata(paths.browser);
+  if (
+    questionAnswers &&
+    temporary !== undefined &&
+    temporary !== (metadata.temporary ?? isTemporaryAskProUrl(metadata.url ?? ""))
+  ) {
+    throw new Error(
+      "Cannot change Temporary Chat mode while answering questions; resume with the saved mode.",
+    );
+  }
   const effectiveTemporary = temporary ?? metadata.temporary;
   const chatgptUrl =
     effectiveTemporary === true
@@ -468,6 +500,10 @@ async function resumeAskProBrowserSessionWithLease({
       },
       logger,
       {
+        questionAnswers,
+        afterQuestionsAnswered: async () => {
+          await fs.rm(path.join(paths.dir, "QUESTIONS.json"), { force: true });
+        },
         promptPreview: prompt,
         chromeModeCb: async (chromeMode) => {
           const current = await readBrowserMetadata(paths.browser).catch(() => metadata);
@@ -565,6 +601,12 @@ async function resumeAskProBrowserSessionWithLease({
       });
       throw new AskProNeedsAuthError(sessionId, fallbackProfile, classifyBrowserError(error));
     }
+    if (error instanceof AssistantQuestionsError) {
+      await writeAskProQuestions(paths.dir, error.questions);
+      await writeTerminalBrowserMetadata(cwd, sessionId, "awaiting_answers", "questions");
+      await updateAskProStatus({ cwd, sessionId, status: "AWAITING_ANSWERS", reason: "questions" });
+      throw error;
+    }
     if (error instanceof AssistantStoppedError) {
       await writeTerminalBrowserMetadata(
         cwd,
@@ -591,11 +633,17 @@ async function resumeAskProBrowserSessionWithLease({
       throw error;
     }
     const reason = error instanceof Error ? error.message : String(error);
-    await writeTerminalBrowserMetadata(cwd, sessionId, "failed", reason);
+    const answersPending = questionAnswers && !questionAnswers.submissionState.started;
+    await writeTerminalBrowserMetadata(
+      cwd,
+      sessionId,
+      answersPending ? "awaiting_answers" : questionAnswers ? "wait_timed_out" : "failed",
+      reason,
+    );
     await updateAskProStatus({
       cwd,
       sessionId,
-      status: "FAILED",
+      status: answersPending ? "AWAITING_ANSWERS" : questionAnswers ? "WAIT_TIMED_OUT" : "FAILED",
       reason,
     });
     throw error;
@@ -841,7 +889,12 @@ function authFailureChromeMode(chromeMode: AskProBrowserMetadata["chromeMode"])
 async function writeTerminalBrowserMetadata(
   cwd: string,
   sessionId: string,
-  status: "failed" | "wait_timed_out" | "incomplete_answer" | "needs_github_connection",
+  status:
+    | "failed"
+    | "wait_timed_out"
+    | "incomplete_answer"
+    | "needs_github_connection"
+    | "awaiting_answers",
   reason: string,
 ): Promise<void> {
   const paths = getAskProSessionPaths(cwd, sessionId);