Files and split view
Open, edit and save project files from a conversation, and show several conversations side by side.
Vato has no permanent editor area or file tabs. Files open in a window on top of the conversation, and you split the conversation area into panes to see several conversations at once.
Open a file
In an agent's answer, file names appear as small chips with a file icon, such as src/app.ts:42. Click one to open the file window. If the reference includes a line number, the window scrolls to that line.
The file window
The top bar shows the file path, the language, and a • after the name when you have unsaved changes. Its buttons:
| Button | What it does |
|---|---|
| Undo / Redo | Undo or redo your last edits. |
| Preview / Code | Markdown files only: switch between the rendered page and the source. |
| Autosave | Save automatically about one second after you stop typing. Vato remembers this choice. |
| Save | Save your changes. |
| Maximize / Restore layout | Fill the whole window, or go back to the normal size. |
| Open in default app | Open the file in the app your system uses for it. |
| Close | Close the file window. |
Edit and save
- Click in the file and type.
- Click Save, or press ⌘S on macOS or Ctrl+S on Windows.
Files larger than 2 MiB open read-only, with the message Read only: editing is limited to 2 MiB.
If the file changed on disk
If an agent or another app changed the file after you opened it, saving shows The file changed on disk. Your draft is preserved; choose which version to save.
- View disk version shows the version that is now on disk.
- Load disk version replaces your draft with that version.
- Save my draft overwrites the disk version with yours.
Close the file window
Press Esc or click Close. If the window is maximized, the first Esc restores its normal size.
If you have unsaved changes, Vato shows You have unsaved changes. Choose Save and continue, Discard changes or Cancel.
Show several conversations side by side
You can split the conversation area into panes, each showing its own conversation.
- Press ⌘⇧D on macOS or Ctrl+Shift+D on Windows to add a pane beside the current one. The command palette offers the same action as Split agent view.
- Drag a conversation from the sidebar onto the conversation area to open it in a pane.
When two or more panes are open, each one has a header with its conversation title and these buttons:
- Add below and Add beside add a new pane.
- Close pane closes it. You can also press ⌘⇧W on macOS or Ctrl+Shift+W on Windows to close the pane you are working in.
Drag a pane header to move the pane. Double-click its title to rename the conversation.
Switch conversations from the keyboard
| Action | macOS | Windows |
|---|---|---|
| New conversation in the current project | ⌘N | Ctrl+N |
| Previous or next conversation | ⌘⌥↑ or ⌘⌥↓ | Ctrl+Alt+↑ or Ctrl+Alt+↓ |
| Open conversation 1 to 9 | ⌘⌥1 to ⌘⌥9 | Ctrl+Alt+1 to Ctrl+Alt+9 |
You can change these keys in Settings → Shortcuts. See Settings.