4.2 How to Use the Chat Interface

The Conversational AI Agent is accessible through an intuitive chat interface, designed to make your interactions as natural as talking to a human colleague. Here's how to get started and make the most of the chat interface:

Accessing the Chat

You can find the chat interface integrated into your project view. It is typically located in a collapsible panel on the right side of your screen, allowing you to interact with the agent while viewing your project artifacts.

Sending Messages

To interact with the agent, simply type your message into the input box at the bottom of the chat panel and press Enter. The agent will process your request and respond in real-time.

Special Commands: Targeting Specific Items

To help the agent understand your requests with precision, you can use special characters to target specific elements within your project:

• Targeting a Database Table with #: If you want to refer to a specific database table, use the # symbol followed by the table name. For example:

  Add a 'last_login' timestamp to the #users table.

• Targeting a Row in a Table with @: To refer to a specific row within a table, use the @ symbol. You will typically use this in combination with the table hashtag. For example:

  Update the status of @user_story_id_123 in the #user_stories table to 'in progress'.

  (Note: The exact syntax for targeting rows may vary. The agent is designed to be flexible, but using these conventions will improve accuracy.)

Viewing the Agent's Responses

The agent's responses will appear in the chat window. For simple questions, you will get a direct text answer. For more complex requests, such as generating new artifacts, the agent will not only confirm the action in the chat but will also update the relevant sections of your project in real-time. You will see the changes reflected in your project view as they happen.

By mastering these simple interaction patterns, you can communicate effectively with the AI agent and leverage its full power to accelerate your project development.