How to Input Text and Images

This guide shows you different ways to provide content when using AdaL CLI.

Quick Overview

• Type/Paste - Platform-specific (⌘V vs Ctrl+V)
• @ References - Universal (images, files, directories)
• Drag & Drop - Shows path, agent reads
• Click to Position - Click anywhere to move cursor
• History - Up/Down arrows for previous messages
• Clear Input - Press ESC to clear all input

@ References (Universal)

Type @ followed by a path to include images, files, or directories. Works on all platforms.

Type	Example	Display
Image	@screenshot.png	@screenshot.png ⎿ Read screenshot.png
File	@config.json	@config.json ⎿ Read config.json (42 lines)
Directory	@docs	@docs ⎿ Listed directory docs/ (4 items)

Best for Working Directory

@ references work best for files within your current working directory. For files outside, use paste or drag & drop.

Text Input

All Platforms

Type Directly

• Simply type your question or message
• Best for short queries and commands

Cursor Navigation

• Click anywhere in your input to position the cursor

Multi-line Input

• Press \+Enter or Shift+Enter (Mac VS Code terminal) to start a newline

Navigate History

• Use Up/Down arrows to navigate through previous messages

Clear Input

• Press ESC to clear all input

Copy & Paste

• Short text: Appears exactly as pasted
• Long text: Shows placeholder with line count

  > [Pasted text #1 +15 lines]
    ⎿ Attached pasted content

• Full text is included as an attachment

Platform	Shortcut
macOS	⌘V
Linux/Windows	Ctrl+V

Image Input

macOS (Full Support)

Copy & Paste ✅

• Take screenshot (⌘⇧3 or ⌘⇧4) OR copy image from Finder (⌘C)
• Paste with ⌘V
• Shows:

  > [Image #1]
    ⎿ Read /Users/.../.adal/tmp/images/paste-xxxxx.png

Drag & Drop

• Drag image from Finder into AdaL
• Shows file path, agent reads the image

@ Reference

• @screenshot.png → image attached

Linux & Windows

Copy & Paste ⚠️

Not Yet Supported

Image paste not available. Use @ reference or drag & drop instead.

Drag & Drop ✅

• Drag image from file manager into AdaL
• Shows file path, agent reads the image

@ Reference ✅

• @screenshot.png → image attached

Combining Inputs

Mix and match in a single message:

• Type your question
• Add @src/app.py to reference code
• Paste an error screenshot
• Include @docs/ for context

Example:

Why is this failing? @src/handler.py
> [Image #1]
  ⎿ Read error-screenshot.png

Adding Context Mid-Run

While AdaL is processing your request, you can keep typing and sending to add more context:

• Append queries - Type additional instructions that the agent will see
• Add clarification - Provide extra details without interrupting
• Correct direction - Steer the agent mid-response