From c3be35006fa1b6417afc5a312fcec4d51aab4bea Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Pranit <pranit@vercel.com>
Date: Wed, 21 Oct 2026 21:57:46 -0400
Subject: [PATCH] Keep approval answers when unrelated redraws are pending

- Pressing 1 or 2 on a file approval now applies the answer while fx is redrawing something else, such as a new session title, an MCP server's status, or a subagent's progress. Before, the answer was ignored until that redraw painted.
- An approval whose request or change hasn't painted yet still ignores 1 and 2 until it has.
---
 src/ui/footer/approval_ui.zig | 21 +++++++++++++++++++++
 src/ui/render_request.zig     | 29 +++++++++++++++++++++++++----
 2 files changed, 46 insertions(+), 4 deletions(-)

diff --git a/src/ui/footer/approval_ui.zig b/src/ui/footer/approval_ui.zig
index 166741cc6..660cdf560 100644
--- a/src/ui/footer/approval_ui.zig
+++ b/src/ui/footer/approval_ui.zig
@@ -2194,6 +2194,27 @@ test "file approval affirmative readiness requires settled committed geometry" {
     try std.testing.expect(fileApprovalAffirmativeReady(&shell, prompt.projection().?));
 }
 
+test "inline file approval stays answerable through footer work but not a pending approval change" {
+    const alloc = std.testing.allocator;
+    var prompt = ApprovalPrompt{};
+    defer prompt.deinit(alloc);
+    const preview = diff_mod.FileChangePreview{ .path = "note.txt", .lines = &.{.{ .op = .addition, .new_line = 1, .text = "after" }}, .additions = 1, .deletions = 0, .truncated = false };
+    try std.testing.expect(try prompt.syncRequest(alloc, .{ .id = 41, .label = "ignored", .file = .{ .kind = .edit, .intent = .mutation, .preview = preview, .scope = .workspace_files } }));
+    var shell = TranscriptRuntime{ .layout = .{ .rows = 24, .cols = 96, .content_bottom = 20, .divider_top_row = 21, .input_row = 22, .divider_bottom_row = 23, .hint_row = 24 } };
+    defer shell.deinit(alloc);
+    shell.footer_viewport.has_frame = true;
+    shell.footer_viewport.geometry = .{ .top = 1, .top_divider = 1, .input_base = 2, .bottom_divider = fileApprovalDesiredRows(preview), .hint = fileApprovalDesiredRows(preview) };
+    try std.testing.expect(fileApprovalAffirmativeReady(&shell, prompt.projection().?));
+
+    // A status update, such as a new session title, repaints the footer.
+    shell.render_requests.request(.footer);
+    try std.testing.expect(fileApprovalAffirmativeReady(&shell, prompt.projection().?));
+
+    // A changed request or review asks for a modal frame and must paint first.
+    shell.render_requests.request(.modal);
+    try std.testing.expect(!fileApprovalAffirmativeReady(&shell, prompt.projection().?));
+}
+
 test "approval panel renders request context and numbered choices" {
     var prompt = ApprovalPrompt{};
     defer prompt.deinit(std.testing.allocator);
diff --git a/src/ui/render_request.zig b/src/ui/render_request.zig
index a4644c257..339ca7bcf 100644
--- a/src/ui/render_request.zig
+++ b/src/ui/render_request.zig
@@ -360,11 +360,13 @@ pub const RenderRequestState = struct {
     }
 };
 
+/// Pending work that can change what a file approval shows. Every change to an
+/// approval's request, review, choice, or scroll position requests `.modal`, so
+/// footer, transcript, and subagent panel frames only repaint around the
+/// approval and must not hold back the user's answer.
 fn reasonsAffectApproval(reasons: ReasonSet) bool {
-    var relevant = reasons;
-    relevant.remove(.animation);
-    relevant.remove(.notification);
-    return relevant.count() > 0;
+    return reasons.contains(.modal) or reasons.contains(.resize) or
+        reasons.contains(.external_damage) or reasons.contains(.first_frame);
 }
 
 test "compaction revisions request footer repaint without restarting animation" {
@@ -624,6 +626,25 @@ test "approval settlement ignores animation and notification presentation work"
     try std.testing.expect(!state.settledForApproval());
 }
 
+test "approval settlement ignores footer, transcript, and subagent panel work" {
+    var state = RenderRequestState{};
+    for ([_]Reason{ .footer, .transcript, .subagent_panel }) |reason| {
+        state.request(reason);
+        try std.testing.expect(state.settledForApproval());
+        state.clearReason(reason);
+    }
+    for ([_]Reason{ .modal, .resize, .external_damage, .first_frame }) |reason| {
+        state.request(reason);
+        try std.testing.expect(!state.settledForApproval());
+        state.clearReason(reason);
+    }
+
+    // Unrelated work queued with an approval change still waits for the change.
+    state.request(.footer);
+    state.request(.modal);
+    try std.testing.expect(!state.settledForApproval());
+}
+
 test "animation phase and deadline publish only after a committed attempt" {
     var state = RenderRequestState{
         .animation_visible = true,