## Read formatted answers

Copilot Chat renders assistant responses as formatted Markdown. Look for
headings, lists, code, tables, images, and Mermaid diagrams when the answer
uses them. Long responses stream into the timeline; the view keeps the latest
content in view until you scroll upward.

![Ask-mode Copilot Chat response with formatted analysis, inline object-reference badges, a bar chart, and a component-mix pie chart.](https://inspector.4111778.xyz/assets/captures/copilot-chat-ask-rich-response-panel.png)

Images in a response can be opened in a larger lightbox. Use the image context
menu to **Copy as bitmap** or **Save as PNG...** when those actions are useful.
If an image cannot be loaded, Chat keeps its alt text as a text fallback.

## Respond to agent prompts

Some tasks pause the response and add an interaction to the timeline. Check the
status text and the prompt before choosing an action:

* **Approve** or **Reject** a permission request. Approval is for the current
  request, and rejection returns control to the agent without granting it.
* Select one of the offered choices for a follow-up question, or choose the
  custom-answer field and enter your own response. Select **Submit** to answer
  or **Cancel** to decline the question.
* For a request for additional details, enter or select the requested value and
  choose **Submit**. Choose **Decline** when you do not want to provide it.

The Chat status changes to **Waiting for permission** or **Waiting for user
input** while an interaction is open, then returns to agent activity after you
respond. Do not approve a request unless you understand the action it permits.

## Use a Visual Components reference

When Chat mentions a specific VC object, position, or simulation time, the
response can include an interactive reference. The live Ask workflow produced
an inline reference for the selected `Lifter` object.

Select the reference badge to open its available actions:

* **Select** makes a referenced object the current VC selection.
* **Inspect** opens the object in an Inspector panel without changing the
  current selection or navigating the application.
* **Goto** navigates to the object, changes the relevant UI context and
  selection, and focuses the camera. For a position-only reference it focuses
  the camera on that position.
* **Show Overlay** focuses the camera and highlights the overlay marker when
  the reference contains a position.
* **Run to Time** runs the simulation to a referenced time. If the simulation
  is already past that time, it resets before running to the target.
* **Copy** copies a JSON representation of the reference to the clipboard.

Not every action appears for every reference. For example, **Inspect** requires
a valid object, **Show Overlay** requires a position, and **Run to Time**
requires a simulation time.

## Interpret a reference result

* Use **Inspect** when you want object details while keeping the current VC
  selection unchanged.
* Use **Goto** when the next step depends on the object's application context,
  selection, or camera position.
* Use **Show Overlay** when a response identifies a location that you need to
  find in the 3D viewport.
* Use **Copy** when you need to preserve the reference data for a note or
  another supported Inspector interaction. Do not paste reference syntax into
  saved files or Mermaid diagrams; references are session-scoped.

## Result

Rich answers remain readable in the Chat timeline, and an embedded reference
provides a direct next action instead of requiring you to search for the same
object again.