Buffer not reloaded after eca applies a file change

[tamercuba]

Problem

When I accept a tool call that edits a file I have open in a buffer, the buffer keeps showing the old content so I have to manually run :e/:checktime to see ecas change reflected.

This is different from external tools that write to disk out-of-process (claude cli running in a separate terminal for example): switching focus back to nvim there fires FocusGained, which triggers checktime via a normal autoread-style autocmd, so the buffer reloads automatically. With eca-nvim, since the edit is applied from within the same nvim session, theres no equivalent focus/refocus event to trigger a reload, so the buffer silently goes stale.

Looking at the source, chat/toolCallApprove:

eca-nvim/lua/eca/sidebar.lua

Lines 1455 to 1465 in 0e0dbe9

	if tool_content.type == "toolCallRun" and tool_content.manualApproval then
	-- Mark as shown to prevent duplicate approval dialogs from implicit flow
	if self._current_tool_call then
	self._current_tool_call.approval_shown = true
	end
	return require("eca.approve").approve_tool_call(tool_content, function()
	self.mediator:send("chat/toolCallApprove", { chatId = chat_id, toolCallId = tool_content.id }, nil)
	end, function()
	self.mediator:send("chat/toolCallReject", { chatId = chat_id, toolCallId = tool_content.id }, nil)
	end)
	end

eca-nvim/lua/eca/sidebar.lua

Lines 1491 to 1495 in 0e0dbe9

	return require("eca.approve").approve_tool_call(prepared_tool_call, function()
	self.mediator:send("chat/toolCallApprove", { chatId = chat_id, toolCallId = tool_call_id }, nil)
	end, function()
	self.mediator:send("chat/toolCallReject", { chatId = chat_id, toolCallId = tool_call_id }, nil)
	end)

only notifies the eca server which changes the file. On the client side, when the server later confirms completion via toolCalled with details.type == "fileChange":

eca-nvim/lua/eca/sidebar.lua

Lines 1295 to 1316 in 0e0dbe9

	elseif content.type == "toolCalled" then
	local tool_text = self:_tool_call_text(content)
	-- If this tool call reports a file change, append the basename of the
	-- path to the summary shown in the chat so users can immediately see
	-- which file was touched.
	local details = content.details
	if details and type(details) == "table" and details.type == "fileChange" then
	local path = details.path
	if path and path ~= "" then
	local filename = vim.fn.fnamemodify(path, ":t")
	if filename and filename ~= "" then
	-- Avoid duplicating the filename if it is already present
	if tool_text and tool_text ~= "" then
	if not string.find(tool_text, filename, 1, true) then
	tool_text = string.format("%s %s", tool_text, filename)
	end
	else
	tool_text = filename
	end
	end
	end

the plugin uses details.path only to prettify the chat summary text, it never touches the corresponding nvim buffer.

I couldnt find a checktime call, or any FileChangedShell/reload-triggering autocmd, anywhere in the plugin.

Possible solution

At the point where toolCalled/fileChange is handled (sidebar.lua:1295-1314), the path is already available. Resolving it to a loaded buffer and calling checktime on it there would sync the buffer right when the server confirms the write:

local bufnr = vim.fn.bufnr(vim.fn.fnamemodify(path, ":p"))
if bufnr ~= -1 and vim.api.nvim_buf_is_loaded(bufnr) then
  vim.api.nvim_buf_call(bufnr, function()
    vim.cmd("checktime")
  end)
end

checktime respects autoread/local unsaved changes.

Questions

1. Do you agree this is a real gap, or is there already a recommended workaround/config Im missing?
2. If it is a gap, do you already have a preferred approach in mind (maybe reloading all affected buffers after every apply, rather than per tool call)?
3. Would a PR implementing the snippet above (or something close to it) be welcome?
4. If yes, do you think this should be backed by a config flag to keep the current eca-nvim behavior as the default?

[ericdallo]

c/c @joaopluigi

[joaopluigi]

Would a PR implementing the snippet above (or something close to it) be welcome?

Feel free to open a PR and we can merge them.

What worth noticing is that eca-nvim is now going through a full rewrite. The new architecture will use Fennel and will be more close to the Emacs client.