# Circle it and ask

Use pointing when a spoken “this” needs a picture: an error dialog, a chart, or a part of an interface. Screen capture requires permission and sends the captured visual context to the model handling the request.

## Circle during a voice request

1. Hold **Control + Option**.
2. Move the pointer around the relevant item while speaking.
3. Look for the drawing trail or captured-region thumbnail.
4. Release to submit the request with its context.

Movement draws while the agent keys are held; holding a mouse button continues a normal drag instead. A plain hold with little or no pointer movement does not attach a drawing screenshot.

Keep gestures focused. A screenshot can include surrounding visible content, so close or move private material before capturing the area.

## Select a region from chat

In Nock's own chat composer, choose **Point at something** when available. Drag a box around the item. The attached-context chip confirms a capture; remove it with its close button if you selected the wrong area. Escape cancels the selection.

The region is used for the next request and expires after a few minutes. Capture it again if the screen changed or you waited before asking.

## Limits and recovery

The current drawing path supports multiple displays and a limited number of captures per turn. Screenshots are resized, so small text on a large display may lose detail. Zoom the source content or select a smaller region if the answer misses it.

No trail usually means the dictation shortcut was used instead of the agent shortcut. Blank captures usually call for checking Screen Recording in [permissions](/nock/permissions) and reopening Nock if macOS requests it. Selected remote agents may not accept images.

For words already selectable in an app, [selected text](/nock/selected-text) often gives clearer context than a screenshot.

## Make the picture useful

Pair the gesture with a precise question: “Explain the error inside this dialog” or “Compare these two buttons.” A large scribble over the entire display gives less guidance than a focused circle. With multiple captures, describe what each one represents instead of relying only on “this” and “that.”

For code and exact error strings, attach or paste the text as well if possible. The screenshot supplies layout and visual context, while selectable text avoids recognition mistakes in punctuation and identifiers.

If the interface changes after capture, attach a new image before asking about the new state. A captured image shows a past moment, not a live stream of everything on the desktop. Use [screen troubleshooting](/nock/screen-troubleshooting) to isolate missing attachments from images that are merely hard to read.