New Task
In LanMate, every conversation corresponds to an independent task. You simply describe what you need in natural language, and LanMate understands your intent, breaks it into execution steps, and calls the right tools and skills to complete it one by one — finally delivering the result to you. Tasks don’t interfere with each other; each maintains its own workspace and context.
The new-task bar on the main interface is the unified entry for all local tasks: type your request, choose a model, upload files, hit send, and the task starts running. Running tasks appear in the left sidebar, where you can switch between them at any time to check progress. Multiple tasks can be processed in parallel.
How to Create a Task
- Click New Task on the main interface.
- Enter the task in the input box — describe what you want LanMate to do.
- Pick a model and upload attachments as needed, then press Enter or click the send button. The task starts executing.
After sending, the page automatically enters the conversation view, where you can watch the execution in real time. The input box supports multi-line text: Enter sends, Shift+Enter inserts a line break; the send button is not clickable when the input is empty.
Quick Start with Examples
Below the input box are usage examples covering common office scenarios — writing notices, drafting plans, analyzing data, competitive research, writing PPT outlines, getting things done in Lansenger, and more. Click an example and its prompt template is filled into the input box automatically — replace the placeholders marked with 【】 with your actual content and send.
Switching Models
Click the model selector at the bottom of the input box to switch the model used for the current task:
- By default, the model you selected in “Settings → Model Services” is used.
- The dropdown lists all available models, including built-in models and custom models you’ve connected yourself.
- At the bottom of the dropdown is a Manage Models shortcut that jumps straight to the Settings page to manage providers and models; when you return, the selection from before the jump is restored.
Uploading Files
Conversations with LanMate support file uploads. Click the upload button at the bottom of the input box to select files; they’re sent along with the message, letting LanMate analyze documents and process data. Upload rules:
- Up to 10 files per message, each no larger than 50MB.
- Files that exceed the count or size limits are blocked at the file-picker level and never enter the send list.
Input Auto-Retention
Content you edit in the input box is kept automatically: switch tasks or pages and come back, and neither the text you typed nor the files you selected is lost. Clicking New Task repeatedly won’t overwrite your edited content or create duplicate empty tasks. Drafts are cleared automatically after sending, and are not cleared even when you quit the app.
Task Execution
Viewing Progress
Once sent, LanMate breaks the task into steps and executes them one by one. The message list shows the full execution process:
- Thinking: A collapsible step list showing the reasoning process.
- Tool Calls: Collapsible cards showing the name, parameters, and result of each tool called.
- Code and Files: Code blocks come with language tags and a copy button; generated files appear as attachments.
Running tasks are shown in the left sidebar. Switching to another conversation doesn’t interrupt execution — the task keeps running in the background, and the latest progress loads automatically when you switch back. Multiple tasks can be processed in parallel.
Following Up and Adjusting Mid-Run
While a task is running or after it completes, you can keep sending messages to add requirements or correct direction, and LanMate continues based on the current context. If a reply seems unfinished (interrupted by network fluctuation, for example), send a message like “continue” and it picks up where it left off.
Confirmation and Authorization
When your choice or confirmation is needed during execution, LanMate sends an interactive card:
| Card Type | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Single-select card | Pick one option from several; some options support custom input |
| Multi-select card | Check multiple options at once |
| Confirmation card | Confirm or cancel an operation (e.g., large file upload) |
| Authorization card | Authorize access to resources such as local folders |
Authorization comes in two forms: one-time authorization (confirm every call) and session-level authorization (authorize once, and similar calls later in this session no longer ask). Clicking cancel dismisses the card and ends the current flow, and you can keep sending new messages; if you clicked by mistake, tell LanMate “clicked the wrong one” or “continue the flow,” and it restarts the corresponding flow.
Viewing Task Outputs and References
Click Task Panel in the upper-right corner of the conversation to see two kinds of information for this task, both expanded by default:
- Task Outputs: Files delivered to you when the task completes, sorted by generation time. Files newly generated during task execution appear here; when a file is generated multiple times, the latest version is always shown. Click a file to preview its content right inside the panel — no local tools needed.
- References: Skills invoked during execution, and web pages consulted during online searches. Click a web page to open the original in your system default browser, making it easy to verify sources.
The panel supports collapsing and full-screen viewing. Files you upload to LanMate are not shown under Task Outputs — view them directly in the conversation bubbles.
Conversation Management
History
The left sidebar lists past conversations in reverse order of last update, showing the most recent 10 by default; scroll to load more, with search by conversation name. Click any past conversation to return to its context and keep asking questions. The model and skills selected in a conversation apply only to that conversation and don’t affect other tasks.
Renaming Conversations
A new conversation’s title defaults to the first 30 characters of the first message. You can click the edit button next to the conversation title, or choose Rename from the more menu of a history item, to give it an easy-to-recognize name; the change syncs to the history list.
Deleting Conversations
Click Delete in a history item’s more menu, and confirm to delete the conversation. Deletion is irreversible — proceed with caution.
Tips and Notes
- Be specific about what you need: State the goal, constraints, and the deliverable format you expect (e.g., “organize this into a comparison table”) — results will better match expectations. When unsure how to ask, start from an example template.
- Make use of parallel tasks: After kicking off a time-consuming task, switch to another conversation and keep working instead of waiting in place; switch back from the sidebar anytime to check progress.
- Mind the upload limits: Up to 10 files per message, each no larger than 50MB. Split oversized files before sending.
- Handle authorization carefully: Before authorizing, confirm the access scope matches the task’s purpose; canceling an authorization ends the current execution flow.
- Failed sends can be retried: A failed message shows a red exclamation mark — click it to retry.
- Network or service issues: When the network drops or the service is unavailable, a red notice appears in the conversation; expand it for the full content, or copy it with one click for troubleshooting. The notice clears automatically when dismissed or when you switch conversations, and doesn’t affect the conversation history.