claude-code - 💡(How to fix) Fix TUI doesn't redraw after external editor (Ctrl+G) closes [3 comments, 2 participants]

1. Press Ctrl+G — Claude Code appears to clear the entire terminal before spawning the editor process
2. Editor opens (neovim, which uses alternate screen buffer)
3. Save and quit the editor
4. Terminal shows: blank/dark conversation area, only the bottom prompt bar is visible
5. Switching terminal tabs does NOT trigger a redraw
6. Resizing the terminal window DOES trigger a redraw and restores the full conversation
7. Claude generating new output also triggers a redraw

TL;DR

The issue can be potentially resolved by finding a way to trigger a full repaint of the TUI after the external editor exits, possibly by sending a signal or escape sequence to the terminal.

Guidance

• Investigate the kill -SIGWINCH $PPID approach further, as it's a common way to trigger a terminal resize event, which is known to trigger a redraw in this case. The fact that it didn't work initially may indicate a timing or synchronization issue.
• Explore alternative methods to exit the alternate screen buffer used by neovim, as the printf '\e[?1049l' command did not work. This might involve checking neovim's configuration or using a different escape sequence.
• Consider using a different terminal or environment to see if the issue is specific to Ghostty or macOS. This could help determine if the problem is related to the terminal emulator or the operating system.
• Look into the tmux configuration and the custom editor script to ensure that they are not interfering with the TUI's ability to redraw after the editor exits.

Example

No code snippet is provided, as the issue seems to be related to the interaction between the TUI, terminal, and editor, and a code example would not be directly relevant.

Notes

The issue appears to be specific to the combination of Ghostty, neovim, and macOS, and may not be reproducible in other environments. The fact that resizing the terminal window triggers a redraw suggests that the underlying state is correct, and the problem is purely a rendering issue.

Recommendation

Apply a workaround, such as using a different terminal or editor, until a more permanent solution can be found. The tmux popup -E approach shows promise, but its limitations and potential side effects need to be further investigated.