fix: allow direct file input uploads

src/browser/client-actions-core.ts

@@ -94,6 +94,8 @@ export async function browserArmFileChooser(
   opts: {
     paths: string[];
     ref?: string;
+    inputRef?: string;
+    element?: string;
     targetId?: string;
     timeoutMs?: number;
   },
@@ -106,6 +108,8 @@ export async function browserArmFileChooser(
       body: JSON.stringify({
         paths: opts.paths,
         ref: opts.ref,
+        inputRef: opts.inputRef,
+        element: opts.element,
         targetId: opts.targetId,
         timeoutMs: opts.timeoutMs,
       }),

src/browser/pw-ai.ts

@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ export {
   pressKeyViaPlaywright,
   resizeViewportViaPlaywright,
   selectOptionViaPlaywright,
+  setInputFilesViaPlaywright,
   snapshotAiViaPlaywright,
   takeScreenshotViaPlaywright,
   typeViaPlaywright,

src/browser/pw-tools-core.ts

@@ -303,6 +303,44 @@ export async function armFileUploadViaPlaywright(opts: {
     });
 }
 
+export async function setInputFilesViaPlaywright(opts: {
+  cdpPort: number;
+  targetId?: string;
+  inputRef?: string;
+  element?: string;
+  paths: string[];
+}): Promise<void> {
+  const page = await getPageForTargetId(opts);
+  ensurePageState(page);
+  if (!opts.paths.length) throw new Error("paths are required");
+  const inputRef =
+    typeof opts.inputRef === "string" ? opts.inputRef.trim() : "";
+  const element = typeof opts.element === "string" ? opts.element.trim() : "";
+  if (inputRef && element) {
+    throw new Error("inputRef and element are mutually exclusive");
+  }
+  if (!inputRef && !element) {
+    throw new Error("inputRef or element is required");
+  }
+
+  const locator = inputRef
+    ? refLocator(page, inputRef)
+    : page.locator(element).first();
+
+  await locator.setInputFiles(opts.paths);
+  try {
+    const handle = await locator.elementHandle();
+    if (handle) {
+      await handle.evaluate((el) => {
+        el.dispatchEvent(new Event("input", { bubbles: true }));
+        el.dispatchEvent(new Event("change", { bubbles: true }));
+      });
+    }
+  } catch {
+    // Best-effort for sites that don't react to setInputFiles alone.
+  }
+}
+
 export async function armDialogViaPlaywright(opts: {
   cdpPort: number;
   targetId?: string;

src/browser/routes/agent.ts

@@ -339,6 +339,8 @@ export function registerBrowserAgentRoutes(
     const body = readBody(req);
     const targetId = toStringOrEmpty(body.targetId) || undefined;
     const ref = toStringOrEmpty(body.ref) || undefined;
+    const inputRef = toStringOrEmpty(body.inputRef) || undefined;
+    const element = toStringOrEmpty(body.element) || undefined;
     const paths = toStringArray(body.paths) ?? [];
     const timeoutMs = toNumber(body.timeoutMs);
     if (!paths.length) return jsonError(res, 400, "paths are required");
@@ -346,18 +348,35 @@ export function registerBrowserAgentRoutes(
       const tab = await ctx.ensureTabAvailable(targetId);
       const pw = await requirePwAi(res, "file chooser hook");
       if (!pw) return;
-      await pw.armFileUploadViaPlaywright({
-        cdpPort: ctx.state().cdpPort,
-        targetId: tab.targetId,
-        paths,
-        timeoutMs: timeoutMs ?? undefined,
-      });
-      if (ref) {
-        await pw.clickViaPlaywright({
+      if (inputRef || element) {
+        if (ref) {
+          return jsonError(
+            res,
+            400,
+            "ref cannot be combined with inputRef/element",
+          );
+        }
+        await pw.setInputFilesViaPlaywright({
           cdpPort: ctx.state().cdpPort,
           targetId: tab.targetId,
-          ref,
+          inputRef,
+          element,
+          paths,
         });
+      } else {
+        await pw.armFileUploadViaPlaywright({
+          cdpPort: ctx.state().cdpPort,
+          targetId: tab.targetId,
+          paths,
+          timeoutMs: timeoutMs ?? undefined,
+        });
+        if (ref) {
+          await pw.clickViaPlaywright({
+            cdpPort: ctx.state().cdpPort,
+            targetId: tab.targetId,
+            ref,
+          });
+        }
       }
       res.json({ ok: true });
     } catch (err) {

src/browser/server.test.ts

@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@ const pwMocks = vi.hoisted(() => ({
   pressKeyViaPlaywright: vi.fn(async () => {}),
   resizeViewportViaPlaywright: vi.fn(async () => {}),
   selectOptionViaPlaywright: vi.fn(async () => {}),
+  setInputFilesViaPlaywright: vi.fn(async () => {}),
   snapshotAiViaPlaywright: vi.fn(async () => ({ snapshot: "ok" })),
   takeScreenshotViaPlaywright: vi.fn(async () => ({
     buffer: Buffer.from("png"),
@@ -493,6 +494,37 @@ describe("browser control server", () => {
       ref: "e12",
     });
 
+    const uploadWithInputRef = await realFetch(`${base}/hooks/file-chooser`, {
+      method: "POST",
+      headers: { "Content-Type": "application/json" },
+      body: JSON.stringify({ paths: ["/tmp/c.txt"], inputRef: "e99" }),
+    }).then((r) => r.json());
+    expect(uploadWithInputRef).toMatchObject({ ok: true });
+    expect(pwMocks.setInputFilesViaPlaywright).toHaveBeenCalledWith({
+      cdpPort: testPort + 1,
+      targetId: "abcd1234",
+      inputRef: "e99",
+      element: undefined,
+      paths: ["/tmp/c.txt"],
+    });
+
+    const uploadWithElement = await realFetch(`${base}/hooks/file-chooser`, {
+      method: "POST",
+      headers: { "Content-Type": "application/json" },
+      body: JSON.stringify({
+        paths: ["/tmp/d.txt"],
+        element: "input[type=file]",
+      }),
+    }).then((r) => r.json());
+    expect(uploadWithElement).toMatchObject({ ok: true });
+    expect(pwMocks.setInputFilesViaPlaywright).toHaveBeenCalledWith({
+      cdpPort: testPort + 1,
+      targetId: "abcd1234",
+      inputRef: undefined,
+      element: "input[type=file]",
+      paths: ["/tmp/d.txt"],
+    });
+
     const dialog = await realFetch(`${base}/hooks/dialog`, {
       method: "POST",
       headers: { "Content-Type": "application/json" },