# Coding chat windows

Claude Code, Codex, OpenCode, and local Grok Build conversations appear in their own Nock chat window when you open them from the Agents panel, Chat Manager, or Inbox. A coding chat window is separate from the notch conversation with Nock. Nock does not open the same chat twice; an already-open chat comes forward.

## Open and arrange a chat

Click a coding-chat row. The window returns to its last position and size, or opens beside the Agents panel if it has no saved position. Up to eight coding chat windows can be open at once; when a ninth opens, the least recently used one closes and can be opened again from the list.

Use **–** to shrink a window to its header and click the header to expand it. Use **×**, **Cmd + W** on Mac, or **Ctrl + W** on Windows to close it. Closing a window does not necessarily stop a run. A question or task continues according to its own status.

The header shows the tool, chat name, state, where it is running, and project details. Click the name to rename it; use the adjacent menu to pick a name from the chat. The states include **working…**, **needs you**, **done**, **idle**, and **saved**. The footer shows the project, branch, model, and effort reported by the chat.

## Read the conversation

Messages show their time and day. Tool activity appears as short lines—such as **Explored**, **Edited**, and **Ran**—between your request and the agent's answer. Use **Load earlier messages** to read older history, and **Jump to latest** after scrolling up. A long message may fold behind **Read more**.

When a chat is working, **Running now** can show active workflows, commands, watchers, or background tasks. The **Helpers** line opens the work grouped under a workflow; helper detail is read-only in this view. Use the menu's raw view (≡) to see a live screen for an agent-helper chat or saved activity steps for another chat.

## Send a message

The composer can take typed text, dictated text, a screen picture from **Camera**, or files from **Attach**. Dictated text waits in the box until you send it. You can attach up to 12 files to one message.

What happens when you send depends on where the conversation lives:

- **Agent helper:** the message is sent to that chat; while it is busy, it may say **Queued · up next**.
- **Your terminal:** Nock asks before moving the same chat into the agent helper. Confirm **Move and send** to proceed or choose **Cancel**.
- **Saved:** Nock reopens that chat in the agent helper and sends the message.
- **Codex app:** the chat stays in Codex. Use **Open in Codex** there; Nock does not provide a message box for that session.

If a send cannot be confirmed, its status says so and your words remain available. Nothing should be assumed sent twice; check the chat before retrying.

## Answer a question

When a chat is waiting on a question, its card appears above the composer. Read the prompt and choices, then click one or press its number while you are not typing. Nock checks that the question still matches before it answers and gives you two seconds to press **Undo** or Escape. If the question changed or cannot be safely answered from the window, answer it in the live chat or ask Chat Manager to pass along your explicit choice.

Holding Nock's regular talk keys while a coding chat window is open still speaks to Nock, not to that coding chat. Use Chat Manager's keys to talk to coding chats or the mic button in the window. See [Chat Manager](/nock/chat-manager) and [Chat Manager commands](/nock/chat-manager-commands).

## See a quick preview

Rest the pointer on a chat in the Agents panel to preview its header, recent exchanges, and recap without taking typing focus away from the app you were using. Open the full chat from the preview when you need all its history or a longer answer.