Let users choose the thinking level from the menu (#191)

The `t` entry in the transient menu now opens a minibuffer selector, so
users can jump straight to the thinking level they want instead of
cycling through every level.  Header-line clicks still cycle levels for
quick adjustments.

After changing the level, Emacs now refreshes state from pi and shows
the level that pi actually accepted.  This matters when a model clamps
unsupported levels.  The command also reports missing processes and RPC
failures instead of failing silently, and the new tests cover both the
normal and error paths.

Co-authored-by: DevGiu <[email protected]>

Author: dnouri

pi-coding-agent-menu.el

@@ -34,7 +34,8 @@
 ;;   `pi-coding-agent-resume-session'  Resume previous session
 ;;   `pi-coding-agent-reload'          Restart pi process
 ;;   `pi-coding-agent-select-model'    Choose model interactively
-;;   `pi-coding-agent-cycle-thinking'  Cycle thinking levels
+;;   `pi-coding-agent-select-thinking' Choose thinking level interactively
+;;   `pi-coding-agent-cycle-thinking'  Cycle thinking levels from header-line
 ;;   `pi-coding-agent-compact'         Compact conversation context
 ;;   `pi-coding-agent-fork'            Fork from previous message
 
@@ -524,6 +525,11 @@ Optional INITIAL-INPUT pre-fills the completion prompt for filtering."
                                (force-mode-line-update))
                              (message "Pi: Model set to %s" choice)))))))))
 
+(defconst pi-coding-agent--thinking-levels '("off" "minimal" "low" "medium" "high" "xhigh")
+  "Thinking levels accepted by `set_thinking_level' RPC.
+
+Unsupported levels are clamped to the current model's capabilities.")
+
 (defun pi-coding-agent-cycle-thinking ()
   "Cycle through thinking levels."
   (interactive)
@@ -539,6 +545,47 @@ Optional INITIAL-INPUT pre-fills the completion prompt for filtering."
                          (message "Pi: Thinking level: %s"
                                   (plist-get pi-coding-agent--state :thinking-level))))))))
 
+(defun pi-coding-agent--refresh-thinking-level-state (proc chat-buf)
+  "Refresh CHAT-BUF state from PROC after a thinking-level change.
+Uses `get_state' so the UI reflects the server's actual level,
+including any model-specific clamping."
+  (pi-coding-agent--rpc-async
+   proc '(:type "get_state")
+   (lambda (response)
+     (if (plist-get response :success)
+         (let* ((data (plist-get response :data))
+                (level (or (plist-get data :thinkingLevel) "off")))
+           (pi-coding-agent--apply-state-response chat-buf response)
+           (message "Pi: Thinking level: %s" level))
+       (message "Pi: Thinking level updated, but failed to refresh state%s"
+                (if-let* ((error-text (plist-get response :error)))
+                    (format ": %s" error-text)
+                  ""))))))
+
+(defun pi-coding-agent-select-thinking ()
+  "Select a thinking level from the minibuffer."
+  (interactive)
+  (let ((proc (pi-coding-agent--get-process))
+        (chat-buf (pi-coding-agent--get-chat-buffer)))
+    (unless proc
+      (user-error "No pi process running"))
+    (unless chat-buf
+      (user-error "No pi session buffer"))
+    (let* ((state (pi-coding-agent--menu-state))
+           (current (or (plist-get state :thinking-level) "off"))
+           (choice (completing-read
+                    (format "Thinking level (current: %s): " current)
+                    pi-coding-agent--thinking-levels
+                    nil t)))
+      (unless (equal choice current)
+        (pi-coding-agent--rpc-async
+         proc (list :type "set_thinking_level" :level choice)
+         (lambda (response)
+           (if (plist-get response :success)
+               (pi-coding-agent--refresh-thinking-level-state proc chat-buf)
+             (message "Pi: Failed to set thinking level: %s"
+                      (or (plist-get response :error) "unknown error")))))))))
+
 ;;;; Session Info and Actions
 
 (defun pi-coding-agent--format-session-stats (stats)
@@ -900,7 +947,7 @@ Uses commands from pi's `get_commands' RPC."
     ("f" "fork" pi-coding-agent-fork)]]
   [["Model"
     ("m" "select" pi-coding-agent-select-model)
-    ("t" "thinking" pi-coding-agent-cycle-thinking)]
+    ("t" "thinking" pi-coding-agent-select-thinking)]
    ["Info"
     ("i" "stats" pi-coding-agent-session-stats)
     ("y" "copy last" pi-coding-agent-copy-last-message)]]

test/pi-coding-agent-input-test.el

@@ -2314,18 +2314,23 @@ Pi handles command expansion on the server side."
       (should (get-text-property 0 'mouse-face header)))))
 
 (ert-deftest pi-coding-agent-test-header-line-thinking-is-clickable ()
-  "Thinking level in header-line has click properties."
+  "Thinking level in header-line cycles on mouse click."
   (with-temp-buffer
     (pi-coding-agent-chat-mode)
     (setq pi-coding-agent--state '(:model (:name "test") :thinking-level "high"))
     (let* ((header (pi-coding-agent--header-line-string))
            ;; Find position of "high" in header
-           (pos (string-match "high" header)))
+           (pos (string-match "high" header))
+           (map (and pos (get-text-property pos 'local-map header))))
       (should pos)
       ;; Should have local-map at that position
-      (should (get-text-property pos 'local-map header))
+      (should map)
       ;; Should have mouse-face for highlight
-      (should (get-text-property pos 'mouse-face header)))))
+      (should (get-text-property pos 'mouse-face header))
+      (should (eq (lookup-key map [header-line mouse-1])
+                  #'pi-coding-agent-cycle-thinking))
+      (should (eq (lookup-key map [header-line mouse-2])
+                  #'pi-coding-agent-cycle-thinking)))))
 
 (ert-deftest pi-coding-agent-test-header-format-context-returns-nil-when-no-window ()
   "Context format returns nil when context window is 0."

test/pi-coding-agent-menu-test.el

@@ -1259,6 +1259,136 @@ Regression: when called from input buffer, state is nil → \"unknown\"."
     (should completing-read-called)
     (should (equal captured-initial "opus"))))
 
+(ert-deftest pi-coding-agent-test-select-thinking-refreshes-state-from-server ()
+  "Thinking selector refreshes state so server clamping is visible in the UI."
+  (let (captured-prompt captured-collection rpc-commands last-message)
+    (with-temp-buffer
+      (pi-coding-agent-chat-mode)
+      (setq pi-coding-agent--process :fake-proc
+            pi-coding-agent--state '(:thinking-level "low"))
+      (cl-letf (((symbol-function 'completing-read)
+                 (lambda (prompt collection &rest _)
+                   (setq captured-prompt prompt
+                         captured-collection collection)
+                   "high"))
+                ((symbol-function 'pi-coding-agent--rpc-async)
+                 (lambda (_proc cmd callback)
+                   (push cmd rpc-commands)
+                   (pcase (plist-get cmd :type)
+                     ("set_thinking_level"
+                      (funcall callback '(:success t :command "set_thinking_level")))
+                     ("get_state"
+                      (funcall callback
+                               '(:success t
+                                 :data (:thinkingLevel "medium"
+                                        :isStreaming nil
+                                        :isCompacting nil)))))))
+                ((symbol-function 'message)
+                 (lambda (fmt &rest args)
+                   (setq last-message (apply #'format fmt args)))))
+        (pi-coding-agent-select-thinking)
+        (should (equal (plist-get pi-coding-agent--state :thinking-level) "medium"))))
+    (should (equal captured-prompt "Thinking level (current: low): "))
+    (should (equal captured-collection
+                   '("off" "minimal" "low" "medium" "high" "xhigh")))
+    (let ((commands (nreverse rpc-commands)))
+      (should (equal (mapcar (lambda (cmd) (plist-get cmd :type)) commands)
+                     '("set_thinking_level" "get_state")))
+      (should (equal (car commands)
+                     '(:type "set_thinking_level" :level "high")))
+      (should (equal (cadr commands) '(:type "get_state"))))
+    (should (equal last-message "Pi: Thinking level: medium"))))
+
+(ert-deftest pi-coding-agent-test-select-thinking-noop-when-unchanged ()
+  "Thinking selector does not send RPC when the user picks the current level."
+  (let (rpc-called)
+    (with-temp-buffer
+      (pi-coding-agent-chat-mode)
+      (setq pi-coding-agent--process :fake-proc
+            pi-coding-agent--state '(:thinking-level "medium"))
+      (cl-letf (((symbol-function 'completing-read)
+                 (lambda (&rest _) "medium"))
+                ((symbol-function 'pi-coding-agent--rpc-async)
+                 (lambda (&rest _)
+                   (setq rpc-called t))))
+        (pi-coding-agent-select-thinking)))
+    (should-not rpc-called)))
+
+(ert-deftest pi-coding-agent-test-select-thinking-errors-without-process ()
+  "Thinking selector should fail loudly when no pi process is running."
+  (with-temp-buffer
+    (pi-coding-agent-chat-mode)
+    (should-error (pi-coding-agent-select-thinking) :type 'user-error)))
+
+(ert-deftest pi-coding-agent-test-select-thinking-shows-rpc-error ()
+  "Thinking selector reports set_thinking_level RPC failures."
+  (let (rpc-commands shown-message)
+    (with-temp-buffer
+      (pi-coding-agent-chat-mode)
+      (setq pi-coding-agent--process :fake-proc
+            pi-coding-agent--state '(:thinking-level "low"))
+      (cl-letf (((symbol-function 'completing-read)
+                 (lambda (&rest _) "high"))
+                ((symbol-function 'pi-coding-agent--rpc-async)
+                 (lambda (_proc cmd callback)
+                   (push cmd rpc-commands)
+                   (funcall callback '(:success nil :error "unsupported"))))
+                ((symbol-function 'message)
+                 (lambda (fmt &rest args)
+                   (setq shown-message (apply #'format fmt args)))))
+        (pi-coding-agent-select-thinking)
+        (should (equal (plist-get pi-coding-agent--state :thinking-level) "low"))))
+    (should (equal rpc-commands
+                   '((:type "set_thinking_level" :level "high"))))
+    (should (equal shown-message
+                   "Pi: Failed to set thinking level: unsupported"))))
+
+(ert-deftest pi-coding-agent-test-select-thinking-warns-when-state-refresh-fails ()
+  "Thinking selector warns instead of guessing when state refresh fails."
+  (let (shown-message)
+    (with-temp-buffer
+      (pi-coding-agent-chat-mode)
+      (setq pi-coding-agent--process :fake-proc
+            pi-coding-agent--state '(:thinking-level "low"))
+      (cl-letf (((symbol-function 'completing-read)
+                 (lambda (&rest _) "high"))
+                ((symbol-function 'pi-coding-agent--rpc-async)
+                 (lambda (_proc cmd callback)
+                   (pcase (plist-get cmd :type)
+                     ("set_thinking_level"
+                      (funcall callback '(:success t :command "set_thinking_level")))
+                     ("get_state"
+                      (funcall callback '(:success nil :error "state unavailable"))))))
+                ((symbol-function 'message)
+                 (lambda (fmt &rest args)
+                   (setq shown-message (apply #'format fmt args)))))
+        (pi-coding-agent-select-thinking)
+        (should (equal (plist-get pi-coding-agent--state :thinking-level) "low"))))
+    (should (equal shown-message
+                   "Pi: Thinking level updated, but failed to refresh state: state unavailable"))))
+
+(ert-deftest pi-coding-agent-test-thinking-selector-uses-t-key-leaving-T-for-templates ()
+  "Main menu binds `t' to thinking selection without taking Templates `T'."
+  (let ((pi-coding-agent--commands
+         '((:name "review" :description "Code review" :source "prompt"))))
+    (unwind-protect
+        (progn
+          (pi-coding-agent--rebuild-commands-menu)
+          (transient-setup 'pi-coding-agent-menu)
+          (let ((thinking-suffix
+                 (cl-find-if (lambda (obj)
+                               (equal (oref obj key) "t"))
+                             transient--suffixes))
+                (templates-suffix
+                 (cl-find-if (lambda (obj)
+                               (equal (oref obj key) "T"))
+                             transient--suffixes)))
+            (should thinking-suffix)
+            (should (eq (oref thinking-suffix command)
+                        'pi-coding-agent-select-thinking))
+            (should templates-suffix)))
+      (ignore-errors (transient-remove-suffix 'pi-coding-agent-menu '(4))))))
+
 ;;; sourceInfo normalization
 
 (ert-deftest pi-coding-agent-test-normalize-command-extracts-source-info ()