feat: improve input field functionality with double-Esc clear and exact history

- Add double-Esc to clear input field (press Esc twice within 500ms)
- Fix command history to store exact input including slash commands
- Maintain input focus when new chat content is added above
- Prevent cursor from disappearing during content updates

🤖 Generated with [Claude Code](https://claude.ai/code)

Co-Authored-By: Claude <[email protected]>

codex-rs/tui/src/bottom_pane/chat_composer.rs

@@ -60,6 +60,7 @@ pub(crate) struct ChatComposer {
     token_usage_info: Option<TokenUsageInfo>,
     has_focus: bool,
     has_chat_history: bool,
+    last_esc_time: Option<std::time::Instant>,
 }
 
 /// Popup state – at most one can be visible at any time.
@@ -91,6 +92,7 @@ impl ChatComposer {
             token_usage_info: None,
             has_focus: has_input_focus,
             has_chat_history: false,
+            last_esc_time: None,
         }
     }
 
@@ -298,8 +300,11 @@ impl ChatComposer {
                     // Get the full command text before clearing
                     let command_text = self.textarea.text().to_string();
                     
+                    // Record the exact slash command that was typed
+                    self.history.record_local_submission(&command_text);
+                    
                     // Send command to the app layer with full text.
-                    self.app_event_tx.send(AppEvent::DispatchCommand(*cmd, command_text));
+                    self.app_event_tx.send(AppEvent::DispatchCommand(*cmd, command_text.clone()));
 
                     // Clear textarea so no residual text remains.
                     self.textarea.set_text("");
@@ -510,6 +515,31 @@ impl ChatComposer {
     /// Handle key event when no popup is visible.
     fn handle_key_event_without_popup(&mut self, key_event: KeyEvent) -> (InputResult, bool) {
         match key_event {
+            // -------------------------------------------------------------
+            // Handle Esc key for double-press clearing
+            // -------------------------------------------------------------
+            KeyEvent {
+                code: KeyCode::Esc, ..
+            } => {
+                // Check if this is a double-Esc press
+                const DOUBLE_ESC_THRESHOLD: std::time::Duration = std::time::Duration::from_millis(500);
+                let now = std::time::Instant::now();
+                
+                if let Some(last_time) = self.last_esc_time {
+                    if now.duration_since(last_time) < DOUBLE_ESC_THRESHOLD && !self.textarea.is_empty() {
+                        // Double-Esc detected, clear the input field
+                        self.textarea.set_text("");
+                        self.pending_pastes.clear();
+                        self.last_esc_time = None;
+                        self.history.reset_navigation();
+                        return (InputResult::None, true);
+                    }
+                }
+                
+                // Single Esc - just record the time
+                self.last_esc_time = Some(now);
+                (InputResult::None, false)
+            }
             // -------------------------------------------------------------
             // History navigation (Up / Down) – only when the composer is not
             // empty or when the cursor is at the correct position, to avoid
@@ -541,6 +571,9 @@ impl ChatComposer {
                 modifiers: KeyModifiers::NONE,
                 ..
             } => {
+                // Record the exact text that was typed (before replacement)
+                let original_text = self.textarea.text().to_string();
+                
                 let mut text = self.textarea.text().to_string();
                 self.textarea.set_text("");
 
@@ -555,7 +588,7 @@ impl ChatComposer {
                 if text.is_empty() {
                     (InputResult::None, true)
                 } else {
-                    self.history.record_local_submission(&text);
+                    self.history.record_local_submission(&original_text);
                     (InputResult::Submitted(text), true)
                 }
             }

codex-rs/tui/src/bottom_pane/chat_composer_history.rs

@@ -61,6 +61,12 @@ impl ChatComposerHistory {
             self.last_history_text = None;
         }
     }
+    
+    /// Reset navigation state (used when clearing input with double-Esc)
+    pub fn reset_navigation(&mut self) {
+        self.history_cursor = None;
+        self.last_history_text = None;
+    }
 
     /// Should Up/Down key presses be interpreted as history navigation given
     /// the current content and cursor position of `textarea`?

codex-rs/tui/src/bottom_pane/mod.rs

@@ -391,6 +391,21 @@ impl BottomPane<'_> {
         self.live_ring = None;
     }
 
+    /// Ensure input focus is maintained, especially after redraws or content updates
+    pub(crate) fn ensure_input_focus(&mut self) {
+        // Only ensure focus if there's no active modal view
+        if self.active_view.is_none() {
+            self.has_input_focus = true;
+            // Reset any transient state that might affect focus
+            // Clear any temporary status overlays that might interfere
+            if !self.is_task_running {
+                self.live_status = None;
+            }
+            // Ensure composer knows it has focus
+            self.composer.set_ctrl_c_quit_hint(self.ctrl_c_quit_hint, self.has_input_focus);
+        }
+    }
+
     // Removed restart_live_status_with_text – no longer used by the current streaming UI.
 }
 

codex-rs/tui/src/chatwidget.rs

@@ -509,6 +509,8 @@ impl ChatWidget<'_> {
             matches!(cell, HistoryCell::UserPrompt { .. })
         });
         self.bottom_pane.set_has_chat_history(has_conversation);
+        // Ensure input focus is maintained when new content arrives
+        self.bottom_pane.ensure_input_focus();
         // Request redraw to show new history
         self.app_event_tx.send(AppEvent::RequestRedraw);
     }
@@ -1765,6 +1767,8 @@ impl ChatWidget<'_> {
             for line in lines {
                 self.history_cells.push(HistoryCell::new_text_line(line));
             }
+            // Ensure input focus is maintained when adding streamed content
+            self.bottom_pane.ensure_input_focus();
             self.app_event_tx.send(AppEvent::RequestRedraw);
         }
 
@@ -1812,6 +1816,8 @@ impl ChatWidget<'_> {
             for line in lines {
                 self.history_cells.push(HistoryCell::new_text_line(line));
             }
+            // Ensure input focus is maintained when adding streamed content
+            self.bottom_pane.ensure_input_focus();
             self.app_event_tx.send(AppEvent::RequestRedraw);
         }