chat: pwd selector — switch the /chat working directory

The Sessions panel header gets a pwd selector: the default claude_sessions dir,
plus every directory that already has Claude sessions (auto-discovered by reading
the real cwd back from ~/.claude/projects), plus free-text entry. Switching pwd
refetches the list for that cwd's Claude project group and runs New Chat / resume
in it. Backend: GET /chat/pwds + a ?cwd= param on the session ops; the WS handler
honors a chosen cwd for /chat (default claude_sessions). Browse-modal picker next.

Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 4.8 <noreply@anthropic.com>

src/servers/api/chat/chat.ts

@@ -1,38 +1,54 @@
+import type { Context } from 'hono';
 import { createRouter } from '../../create-router';
-import { getClaudeSessionsCwd, listClaudeSessions, loadClaudeSession, deleteClaudeSession, renameClaudeSession } from './claude-sessions';
+import {
+  getClaudeSessionsCwd,
+  listClaudePwds,
+  listClaudeSessions,
+  loadClaudeSession,
+  deleteClaudeSession,
+  renameClaudeSession,
+} from './claude-sessions';
 
 export const chatRouter = createRouter();
 
-// GET /chat/sessions — the /chat route's conversations, read straight from Claude's own transcript
-// store for the dedicated claude_sessions working directory (Claude is the source of truth).
-chatRouter.get('/sessions', (ctx) => {
+// The working directory a request operates on: an explicit ?cwd= (a chosen pwd), else the default
+// claude_sessions dir. Claude groups sessions by cwd, so this selects which project group we read.
+const cwdOf = (ctx: Context, email: string): string => ctx.req.query('cwd')?.trim() || getClaudeSessionsCwd(email);
+
+// GET /chat/pwds — the default /chat dir plus every directory that already has Claude sessions.
+chatRouter.get('/pwds', (ctx) => {
   const email = ctx.get('user').email;
-  const sessions = listClaudeSessions(email, getClaudeSessionsCwd(email));
-  return ctx.json({ sessions });
+  return ctx.json({ pwds: listClaudePwds(email), default: getClaudeSessionsCwd(email) });
 });
 
-// GET /chat/sessions/:id — one conversation's full transcript, parsed into display-ready messages.
+// GET /chat/sessions[?cwd=] — the conversations for a working directory, from Claude's transcripts.
+chatRouter.get('/sessions', (ctx) => {
+  const email = ctx.get('user').email;
+  return ctx.json({ sessions: listClaudeSessions(email, cwdOf(ctx, email)) });
+});
+
+// GET /chat/sessions/:id[?cwd=] — one conversation's full transcript, parsed into display messages.
 chatRouter.get('/sessions/:id', (ctx) => {
   const email = ctx.get('user').email;
-  const detail = loadClaudeSession(email, getClaudeSessionsCwd(email), ctx.req.param('id'));
+  const detail = loadClaudeSession(email, cwdOf(ctx, email), ctx.req.param('id'));
   if (!detail) return ctx.text('Not found', 404);
   return ctx.json(detail);
 });
 
-// DELETE /chat/sessions/:id — remove a conversation (deletes Claude's transcript file).
+// DELETE /chat/sessions/:id[?cwd=] — remove a conversation (deletes Claude's transcript file).
 chatRouter.delete('/sessions/:id', (ctx) => {
   const email = ctx.get('user').email;
-  const ok = deleteClaudeSession(email, getClaudeSessionsCwd(email), ctx.req.param('id'));
+  const ok = deleteClaudeSession(email, cwdOf(ctx, email), ctx.req.param('id'));
   if (!ok) return ctx.text('Not found', 404);
   return ctx.json({ ok: true });
 });
 
-// PATCH /chat/sessions/:id/title — rename by writing a summary entry into Claude's transcript.
+// PATCH /chat/sessions/:id/title[?cwd=] — rename by writing a summary entry into Claude's transcript.
 chatRouter.patch('/sessions/:id/title', async (ctx) => {
   const email = ctx.get('user').email;
   const { title } = await ctx.req.json<{ title?: string }>();
   if (!title?.trim()) return ctx.text('title is required', 400);
-  const ok = renameClaudeSession(email, getClaudeSessionsCwd(email), ctx.req.param('id'), title.trim());
+  const ok = renameClaudeSession(email, cwdOf(ctx, email), ctx.req.param('id'), title.trim());
   if (!ok) return ctx.text('Not found', 404);
   return ctx.json({ ok: true });
 });

src/servers/api/chat/claude-sessions.ts

@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import { readdirSync, readFileSync, existsSync, statSync, mkdirSync, rmSync, appendFileSync } from 'node:fs';
+import { readdirSync, readFileSync, existsSync, statSync, mkdirSync, rmSync, appendFileSync, openSync, readSync, closeSync } from 'node:fs';
 import { join } from 'node:path';
 import { DATA_PATH } from '../../data-path';
 
@@ -232,6 +232,66 @@ export function renameClaudeSession(email: string, cwd: string, sessionId: strin
   return true;
 }
 
+// ── Working directories (pwds) ──
+// Every dir you've run Claude in shows up as a project group under ~/.claude/projects. We read the
+// real `cwd` back from each group's transcripts so the UI can offer "jump to any project's sessions".
+
+/** Read the `cwd` recorded in a transcript, from a bounded head read (cwd appears in early entries). */
+function firstCwd(filePath: string): string {
+  let fd: number | undefined;
+  try {
+    fd = openSync(filePath, 'r');
+    const buf = Buffer.alloc(32768);
+    const n = readSync(fd, buf, 0, buf.length, 0);
+    return buf.toString('utf-8', 0, n).match(/"cwd":"([^"]*)"/)?.[1] ?? '';
+  } catch {
+    return '';
+  } finally {
+    if (fd !== undefined) closeSync(fd);
+  }
+}
+
+export type ClaudePwd = { cwd: string; sessionCount: number; updatedAt: string; isDefault: boolean };
+
+/** All working directories that have Claude sessions, plus the default /chat dir. Newest first. */
+export function listClaudePwds(email: string): ClaudePwd[] {
+  const projectsDir = claudeProjectsDir(email);
+  const defaultCwd = getClaudeSessionsCwd(email);
+  const byCwd = new Map<string, { count: number; updatedAt: string }>();
+
+  if (existsSync(projectsDir)) {
+    for (const group of readdirSync(projectsDir)) {
+      const groupDir = join(projectsDir, group);
+      let files: string[];
+      try {
+        files = readdirSync(groupDir).filter((f) => f.endsWith('.jsonl'));
+      } catch {
+        continue; // not a directory
+      }
+      if (files.length === 0) continue;
+
+      const cwd = firstCwd(join(groupDir, files[0]!));
+      if (!cwd) continue;
+      let updatedAt = '';
+      for (const f of files) {
+        const m = statSync(join(groupDir, f)).mtime.toISOString();
+        if (m > updatedAt) updatedAt = m;
+      }
+      const prev = byCwd.get(cwd);
+      byCwd.set(cwd, {
+        count: (prev?.count ?? 0) + files.length,
+        updatedAt: prev && prev.updatedAt > updatedAt ? prev.updatedAt : updatedAt,
+      });
+    }
+  }
+
+  if (!byCwd.has(defaultCwd)) byCwd.set(defaultCwd, { count: 0, updatedAt: '' });
+
+  return [...byCwd.entries()]
+    .map(([cwd, v]) => ({ cwd, sessionCount: v.count, updatedAt: v.updatedAt, isDefault: cwd === defaultCwd }))
+    .sort((a, b) => (a.isDefault ? -1 : b.isDefault ? 1 : b.updatedAt.localeCompare(a.updatedAt)));
+}
+
 /** List sessions Claude has stored for a given working directory, newest first. */
 export function listClaudeSessions(email: string, cwd: string): ClaudeSessionSummary[] {
   const dir = join(claudeProjectsDir(email), projectSlug(cwd));

src/servers/api/pi/websocket.ts

@@ -299,10 +299,15 @@ async function handleClaudeCodeChat(
   const { email, username, userId } = ws.data;
   const homeDir = getHomeDirForRole(email, ws.data.role);
 
-  // The standalone /chat route runs every session from a dedicated `claude_sessions` working
-  // directory, so its transcripts form their own Claude "project" group (source of truth) instead of
-  // polluting the home-dir history. Other contexts (email/project panels) keep their own cwd.
-  const cwd = msg.context === 'chat' ? ensureClaudeSessionsCwd(email) : resolveCwd(email, ws.data.role, msg.cwd);
+  // The standalone /chat route runs from a chosen working directory (the pwd selector) or, by default,
+  // a dedicated `claude_sessions` dir — so transcripts form their own Claude "project" group per cwd.
+  // Other contexts (email/project panels) keep their own cwd.
+  const cwd =
+    msg.context === 'chat'
+      ? msg.cwd?.trim()
+        ? resolveCwd(email, ws.data.role, msg.cwd)
+        : ensureClaudeSessionsCwd(email)
+      : resolveCwd(email, ws.data.role, msg.cwd);
 
   const groupSlug = msg.groupSlug || null;
 

src/workspaces/officerdev/src/apps/ChatHistory/ChatDetailPanel.tsx

@@ -3,7 +3,6 @@ import { useLocation } from 'react-router';
 import { Save, Loader2 } from 'lucide-react';
 import { usePanelChannel } from 'hooks/usePanelChannel';
 import { useAuth } from 'hooks/useAuth';
-import { getHostHome } from 'state/useModels';
 import { useSavedSessions } from 'state/useSavedSessions';
 import { useClaudeSessions } from 'state/useClaudeSessions';
 import { usePiChat, EmbeddableChat } from '../Chat';
@@ -131,7 +130,9 @@ function NewChat({ resumeSummary, resumeSessionId, initialMessages, savedId: ini
   };
 
   const sandboxed = !isSuperAdmin;
-  const cwd = isSuperAdmin ? { path: getHostHome() } : locationState?.cwd;
+  // Run the session in the pwd chosen in the Sessions panel; null → backend default (claude_sessions).
+  const [activeCwd] = usePanelChannel<string | null>('chat:active-cwd', null);
+  const cwd = activeCwd ? { path: activeCwd } : locationState?.cwd;
 
   const initialMessage = locationState?.initialMessage
     ? {

src/workspaces/officerdev/src/apps/ChatHistory/PwdSelector.tsx

@@ -0,0 +1,87 @@
+import { useState } from 'react';
+import { FolderOpen, ChevronDown, Check, CornerDownLeft } from 'lucide-react';
+import { useChatPwds } from 'state/useClaudeSessions';
+
+type PwdSelectorProps = {
+  value: string | null; // null = the default claude_sessions dir
+  onChange: (cwd: string | null) => void;
+};
+
+// A shorter, friendlier label for a working directory.
+const shorten = (cwd: string) => cwd.replace(/^\/home\/[^/]+/, '~');
+const basename = (cwd: string) => cwd.split('/').filter(Boolean).pop() ?? cwd;
+
+export const PwdSelector = ({ value, onChange }: PwdSelectorProps) => {
+  const { pwds, defaultCwd } = useChatPwds();
+  const [open, setOpen] = useState(false);
+  const [custom, setCustom] = useState('');
+
+  const isDefaultActive = value === null || value === defaultCwd;
+  const label = isDefaultActive ? 'claude_sessions' : basename(value!);
+
+  const pick = (cwd: string | null) => {
+    onChange(cwd);
+    setOpen(false);
+    setCustom('');
+  };
+  const submitCustom = () => {
+    const p = custom.trim();
+    if (p) pick(p);
+  };
+
+  return (
+    <div className="relative">
+      <button
+        onClick={() => setOpen((o) => !o)}
+        title={isDefaultActive ? defaultCwd ?? 'Default' : value!}
+        className="flex items-center gap-1.5 max-w-[13rem] rounded-md border border-duck-dark/10 dark:border-foreground/10 px-2 py-1 text-xs text-duck-dark/70 dark:text-foreground/70 hover:bg-duck-dark/5 dark:hover:bg-foreground/5 cursor-pointer transition-colors"
+      >
+        <FolderOpen className="h-3.5 w-3.5 shrink-0 text-duck-teal/70" />
+        <span className="truncate">{label}</span>
+        <ChevronDown className="h-3 w-3 shrink-0 opacity-50" />
+      </button>
+
+      {open && (
+        <>
+          <div className="fixed inset-0 z-10" onClick={() => setOpen(false)} />
+          <div className="absolute left-0 z-20 mt-1 w-80 rounded-md border border-duck-dark/10 dark:border-foreground/10 bg-background shadow-lg">
+            <div className="max-h-72 overflow-y-auto py-1">
+              {pwds.map((p) => {
+                const selected = p.isDefault ? isDefaultActive : value === p.cwd;
+                return (
+                  <button
+                    key={p.cwd}
+                    onClick={() => pick(p.isDefault ? null : p.cwd)}
+                    title={p.cwd}
+                    className={`flex w-full items-center gap-2 px-3 py-1.5 text-left text-xs cursor-pointer hover:bg-duck-dark/5 dark:hover:bg-foreground/5 ${selected ? 'text-duck-teal' : 'text-duck-dark/70 dark:text-foreground/70'}`}
+                  >
+                    <Check className={`h-3.5 w-3.5 shrink-0 ${selected ? 'opacity-100' : 'opacity-0'}`} />
+                    <span className="min-w-0 flex-1 truncate">{p.isDefault ? 'Default · claude_sessions' : shorten(p.cwd)}</span>
+                    {p.sessionCount > 0 && <span className="shrink-0 opacity-40">{p.sessionCount}</span>}
+                  </button>
+                );
+              })}
+            </div>
+            <div className="flex items-center gap-1 border-t border-duck-dark/10 dark:border-foreground/10 p-2">
+              <input
+                value={custom}
+                onChange={(ev) => setCustom(ev.target.value)}
+                onKeyDown={(ev) => ev.key === 'Enter' && submitCustom()}
+                placeholder="Enter a path…"
+                className="min-w-0 flex-1 bg-transparent px-1 text-xs outline-none placeholder:opacity-40"
+              />
+              <button
+                onClick={submitCustom}
+                disabled={!custom.trim()}
+                className="shrink-0 p-1 rounded text-duck-teal hover:bg-duck-teal/10 cursor-pointer disabled:opacity-30 disabled:cursor-default"
+                title="Use this path"
+              >
+                <CornerDownLeft className="h-3.5 w-3.5" />
+              </button>
+            </div>
+          </div>
+        </>
+      )}
+    </div>
+  );
+};

src/workspaces/officerdev/src/apps/ChatHistory/SessionList.tsx

@@ -5,12 +5,15 @@ import { usePanelChannel } from 'hooks/usePanelChannel';
 import { useClaudeSessions } from 'state/useClaudeSessions';
 import type { SelectedSession } from './ChatDetailPanel';
 import type { ChatMessage } from '../Chat/types';
+import { PwdSelector } from './PwdSelector';
 
 // Reads the /chat conversation list from Claude's own transcript store (source of truth).
 // Clicking a session loads its transcript and continues the real Claude session via --resume.
 export const SessionList = () => {
   const navigate = useNavigate();
-  const { sessions, isLoading, refetch, loadSession, deleteSession, renameSession } = useClaudeSessions();
+  // The working directory the list operates on (null = the default claude_sessions dir).
+  const [activeCwd, setActiveCwd] = usePanelChannel<string | null>('chat:active-cwd', null);
+  const { sessions, isLoading, refetch, loadSession, deleteSession, renameSession } = useClaudeSessions(activeCwd);
   const [selected, setSelected] = usePanelChannel<SelectedSession>('chat:selected-session', null);
   const [openingId, setOpeningId] = useState<string | null>(null);
   const [editingId, setEditingId] = useState<string | null>(null);
@@ -58,9 +61,15 @@ export const SessionList = () => {
   return (
     <div className="flex flex-col h-full overflow-hidden">
       {/* Header */}
-      <div className="shrink-0 flex items-center justify-between px-4 py-2 border-b border-duck-dark/10 dark:border-foreground/10 bg-background/60">
-        <h2 className="text-sm font-medium text-duck-dark/70 dark:text-foreground/70">Sessions</h2>
-        <div className="flex items-center gap-1.5">
+      <div className="shrink-0 flex items-center gap-2 px-3 py-2 border-b border-duck-dark/10 dark:border-foreground/10 bg-background/60">
+        <PwdSelector
+          value={activeCwd}
+          onChange={(cwd) => {
+            setActiveCwd(cwd);
+            setSelected(null); // sessions belong to a cwd — clear the open one when switching
+          }}
+        />
+        <div className="ml-auto flex items-center gap-1.5">
           <button
             onClick={() => refetch()}
             className="p-1 rounded text-duck-dark/40 dark:text-foreground/40 hover:text-duck-teal cursor-pointer transition-colors"

src/workspaces/state/src/index.ts

@@ -5,8 +5,8 @@ export { useDashboardState } from './useDashboardState';
 export { usePiModels, useVisiblePiModels, useUserVisibleModels, useEnabledPiModels, modelKey } from './useModels';
 export type { ModelOption } from './useModels';
 export { useAccessPolicy } from './useAccessPolicy';
-export { useClaudeSessions } from './useClaudeSessions';
-export type { ClaudeSessionSummary } from './useClaudeSessions';
+export { useClaudeSessions, useChatPwds } from './useClaudeSessions';
+export type { ClaudeSessionSummary, ClaudePwd } from './useClaudeSessions';
 export { useRecentModels } from './useRecentModels';
 export { usePlans } from './usePlans';
 export { useLandingPage } from './useLandingPage';

src/workspaces/state/src/useClaudeSessions.ts

@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ import { useCallback } from 'react';
 import { useClient } from 'hooks/useClient';
 import { useAuth } from 'hooks/useAuth';
 
-const QUERY_KEY = ['CLAUDE_SESSIONS'];
+const SESSIONS_KEY = 'CLAUDE_SESSIONS';
 
 export type ClaudeSessionSummary = {
   id: string; // Claude session uuid (= transcript filename)
@@ -22,37 +22,60 @@ export type ClaudeSessionMessage =
 
 export type ClaudeSessionDetail = { id: string; model: string; cwd: string; messages: ClaudeSessionMessage[] };
 
-/** The /chat route's sessions, read straight from Claude's own transcript store (source of truth). */
-export function useClaudeSessions() {
+export type ClaudePwd = { cwd: string; sessionCount: number; updatedAt: string; isDefault: boolean };
+
+// Query string for the selected working directory (null/undefined = the default claude_sessions dir).
+const cwdQuery = (cwd?: string | null) => (cwd ? `?cwd=${encodeURIComponent(cwd)}` : '');
+
+/** The default /chat dir plus every directory that already has Claude sessions. */
+export function useChatPwds() {
+  const client = useClient();
+  const { isAuthenticated } = useAuth();
+  const { data } = useQuery<{ pwds: ClaudePwd[]; default: string }>({
+    queryKey: ['CHAT_PWDS'],
+    enabled: isAuthenticated,
+    queryFn: () => client.get<{ pwds: ClaudePwd[]; default: string }>('/chat/pwds'),
+    staleTime: 30 * 1000,
+  });
+  return { pwds: data?.pwds ?? [], defaultCwd: data?.default ?? null };
+}
+
+/** Sessions for a working directory, read from Claude's own transcript store (source of truth). */
+export function useClaudeSessions(cwd?: string | null) {
   const client = useClient();
   const queryClient = useQueryClient();
   const { isAuthenticated } = useAuth();
+  const q = cwdQuery(cwd);
 
   const { data, isLoading, refetch } = useQuery<{ sessions: ClaudeSessionSummary[] }>({
-    queryKey: QUERY_KEY,
+    queryKey: [SESSIONS_KEY, cwd ?? 'default'],
     enabled: isAuthenticated,
-    queryFn: () => client.get<{ sessions: ClaudeSessionSummary[] }>('/chat/sessions'),
+    queryFn: () => client.get<{ sessions: ClaudeSessionSummary[] }>(`/chat/sessions${q}`),
     staleTime: 30 * 1000,
   });
 
-  const loadSession = (id: string) => client.get<ClaudeSessionDetail>(`/chat/sessions/${id}`);
+  const loadSession = (id: string) => client.get<ClaudeSessionDetail>(`/chat/sessions/${id}${q}`);
 
-  const invalidate = useCallback(() => queryClient.invalidateQueries({ queryKey: QUERY_KEY }), [queryClient]);
+  // Invalidate every cwd's list (also refreshes pwd counts) — cheap and avoids stale lists.
+  const invalidate = useCallback(() => {
+    queryClient.invalidateQueries({ queryKey: [SESSIONS_KEY] });
+    queryClient.invalidateQueries({ queryKey: ['CHAT_PWDS'] });
+  }, [queryClient]);
 
   const deleteSession = useCallback(
     async (id: string) => {
-      await client.delete(`/chat/sessions/${id}`);
+      await client.delete(`/chat/sessions/${id}${q}`);
       invalidate();
     },
-    [client, invalidate],
+    [client, q, invalidate],
   );
 
   const renameSession = useCallback(
     async (id: string, title: string) => {
-      await client.patch(`/chat/sessions/${id}/title`, { title });
+      await client.patch(`/chat/sessions/${id}/title${q}`, { title });
       invalidate();
     },
-    [client, invalidate],
+    [client, q, invalidate],
   );
 
   return { sessions: data?.sessions ?? [], isLoading, refetch, loadSession, deleteSession, renameSession, invalidate };