show tool outputs during tool call

[uinstinct]

Description

Show tool call outputs along with tool call arguments. Previously MCP arguments were only shown and not the MCP responses.

Also:

• Added a new icon for ToolCall.
• Removed the older SimpleToolCallUI.tsx and added its capabilities in ToolCall.tsx

References:

• https://discord.com/channels/1108621136150929458/1367324473715593227/1376590374973476994
• maybe close? https://github.com/continuedev/continue/issues/5736 since both outputs and errors are now shown in tool call

Checklist

• [] I've read the contributing guide
• [] The relevant docs, if any, have been updated or created
• [] The relevant tests, if any, have been updated or created

Screenshots

https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/0f835cce-62a5-43b7-9e86-85a93f369ae9

Tests

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[uinstinct]

Sure. Have separated out the context items/output items into a different component. Currently the output items are shown when the show args button is clicked.

updated designs

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[RomneyDa]

@uinstinct can it use the same styling as the normal context item peeks? Like a toggle div that pops them down, with no "output" text or anything. We actually had this for a few months but it was taken out not fully intentionally

[uinstinct]

@RomneyDa for this we will need to append the context items in the existing place (just like in codebase or current files works) right? I tried to look for appending these context items in callTool.ts and other areas on core and gui. Currently was unable to locate them. Can you point me out where I should be look such that they appear in the chat's context items?

[AfterStories]

I think it would be better if a window pop up when the output button was clicked, showing the tool's input and output contents directly inside. This is a more achievable method, and the tool output may be more content. If it is displayed in the context item, the scroll bar may be too long to be viewed. It may be better to display it in a separate pop-up window.and as RomneyDa said, output button might be change name to something like tool context, which would be easier and more user friendly.

[uinstinct]

I think it would be better if a window pop up when the output button was clicked, showing the tool's input and output contents directly inside.

Yeah, you are right. I actually implemented it for the tool output by opening the output in a virtual file. We can open the tool error as well in a virtual file. Will wait for opinions.

[RomneyDa]

@uinstinct nice improvements, I think this is closer but still have some thoughts. I think we don't need tool output to be associated with args, i.e. it shouldn't say "show/hide args" if it's also going to show/hide output. Args could be nested within a toggleable that by default only shows context items, but probably not vice versa. ContextItem has a hidden property that can be used to filter context items. If any context items are not hidden, then it should just show them in a collapsible div (like toggle div). If non are not hidden, then it should not show anything and not be collapsible. That is

• The previous "Simple" tools can be clickable so that they show the tool output below where the args would pop down if they have non-hidden ContextItems
• Custom tool call divs like Edit or Terminal can have their context items incorporated case by case, e.g. terminal already has custom streaming output logic, but edit tool could have context items shown below (results of edit e.g. https://github.com/continuedev/continue/pull/5821)

Great tests btw

Somewhat rambling, let me know if you have any questions about this or ideas for other approaches

[RomneyDa]

@AfterStories context items will currently be shown as virtual files, they will not expand into the chat. The nice thing about virtual files over popups is that they are a more IDE-native experience, can be edited and saved, etc. Do virtual files satisfy the long output issue?

[AfterStories]

@uinstinct @RomneyDa looks good ,virtual files also helpful for user ,may be we can get more feedback after merge this feature

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[RomneyDa]

@AfterStories thanks for the bump

@uinstinct checking in, some thoughts/review

1. Virtual file is great for tool output
2. Agreed that SimpleToolCallUI and ToolCallDiv should be merged, but let's do it in a way that doesn't effect the simple tool calls as much - the UI is fundamentally different in that the simple tool call will show the chevron that can dropdown Tool Output, while the non-simple ones (edit, terminal, etc.) should not have a chevron, and always show output. Let's merge the components but keep that simple chevron functionality
3. Talking with @Patrick-Erichsen today we do think that putting the args in a modal (same args button) as in @AfterStories feedback makes sense, and the tool output could also be shown in that modal but at least would be shown in context item peeks in chat still

So in summary

• args just shows a modal with args
• output always shows below as context item peek, toggleable chevron look for "simple" tools, and shown in custom ways for "non-simple" tools, e.g. terminal streams in, edit always shows context item peek (nothing for now since no output).

[RomneyDa]

@uinstinct closing this for now, I think we should reimplement ASAP, looks like all the merge conflicts might not be worth it. We're thinking about reinstating a simple context item peek style, which shows when the tool chevron is toggled.