2 min lesson
Ask mode still gets the full @ menu
Connect "You can ask Cursor a bounded question and validate the answer against files it cites" to the decision you would make.
Step 1 of 2
The job: you can ask Cursor a bounded question and validate the answer against files it cites. Start with this check: The response names concrete files or symbols you can inspect. Keep it small enough to check the result yourself instead of taking the summary on trust.
Ask mode: attach the file, get the cited lines
0:34 · narratedRead this demo as text
- Ask mode still gets the full @ menu. Type @, filter to EmptyState.tsx, and pick it — the file rides with the question.
- Send it in Ask mode. The agent reads the file — it doesn't touch it. No diff comes back, only an answer.
- Line 10's icon never moves; only line 15's hint text changes with the query. Ask mode named the exact lines instead of guessing.
Practice next: Now ask your own scoped question: @ the file that defines the behavior, and check the answer cites lines, not vibes.
Simulated Cursor 3.12 (macOS, light) — beta educational reconstruction, not the real product.