Improvements

frigate/api/chat.py

@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
 import base64
 import json
 import logging
-from datetime import datetime, timezone
+from datetime import datetime
 from typing import Any, Dict, List, Optional
 
 import cv2
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ from frigate.api.defs.request.chat_body import ChatCompletionRequest
 from frigate.api.defs.response.chat_response import (
     ChatCompletionResponse,
     ChatMessageResponse,
+    ToolCall,
 )
 from frigate.api.defs.tags import Tags
 from frigate.api.event import events
@@ -29,6 +30,29 @@ logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 router = APIRouter(tags=[Tags.chat])
 
 
+def _format_events_with_local_time(events_list: List[Dict[str, Any]]) -> List[Dict[str, Any]]:
+    """Add human-readable local start/end times to each event for the LLM."""
+    result = []
+    for evt in events_list:
+        if not isinstance(evt, dict):
+            result.append(evt)
+            continue
+        copy_evt = dict(evt)
+        try:
+            start_ts = evt.get("start_time")
+            end_ts = evt.get("end_time")
+            if start_ts is not None:
+                dt_start = datetime.fromtimestamp(start_ts)
+                copy_evt["start_time_local"] = dt_start.strftime("%Y-%m-%d %H:%M:%S %Z")
+            if end_ts is not None:
+                dt_end = datetime.fromtimestamp(end_ts)
+                copy_evt["end_time_local"] = dt_end.strftime("%Y-%m-%d %H:%M:%S %Z")
+        except (TypeError, ValueError, OSError):
+            pass
+        result.append(copy_evt)
+    return result
+
+
 class ToolExecuteRequest(BaseModel):
     """Request model for tool execution."""
 
@@ -394,7 +418,7 @@ async def chat_completion(
     tools = get_tool_definitions()
     conversation = []
 
-    current_datetime = datetime.now(timezone.utc)
+    current_datetime = datetime.now()
     current_date_str = current_datetime.strftime("%Y-%m-%d")
     current_time_str = current_datetime.strftime("%H:%M:%S %Z")
 
@@ -429,9 +453,10 @@ async def chat_completion(
 
     system_prompt = f"""You are a helpful assistant for Frigate, a security camera NVR system. You help users answer questions about their cameras, detected objects, and events.
 
-Current date and time: {current_date_str} at {current_time_str} (UTC)
+Current server local date and time: {current_date_str} at {current_time_str}
 
-When users ask questions about "today", "yesterday", "this week", etc., use the current date above as reference.
+Always present times to the user in the server's local timezone. When tool results include start_time_local and end_time_local, use those exact strings when listing or describing detection times—do not convert or invent timestamps. Do not use UTC or ISO format with Z for the user-facing answer unless the tool result only provides Unix timestamps without local time fields.
+When users ask about "today", "yesterday", "this week", etc., use the current date above as reference.
 When searching for objects or events, use ISO 8601 format for dates (e.g., {current_date_str}T00:00:00Z for the start of today).
 Always be accurate with time calculations based on the current date provided.{cameras_section}{live_image_note}"""
 
@@ -471,6 +496,7 @@ Always be accurate with time calculations based on the current date provided.{ca
         conversation.append(msg_dict)
 
     tool_iterations = 0
+    tool_calls: List[ToolCall] = []
     max_iterations = body.max_tool_iterations
 
     logger.debug(
@@ -517,8 +543,8 @@ Always be accurate with time calculations based on the current date provided.{ca
                 ]
             conversation.append(assistant_message)
 
-            tool_calls = response.get("tool_calls")
+            pending_tool_calls = response.get("tool_calls")
-            if not tool_calls:
+            if not pending_tool_calls:
                 logger.debug(
                     f"Chat completion finished with final answer (iterations: {tool_iterations})"
                 )
@@ -531,6 +557,7 @@ Always be accurate with time calculations based on the current date provided.{ca
                         ),
                         finish_reason=response.get("finish_reason", "stop"),
                         tool_iterations=tool_iterations,
+                        tool_calls=tool_calls,
                     ).model_dump(),
                 )
 
@@ -538,11 +565,11 @@ Always be accurate with time calculations based on the current date provided.{ca
             tool_iterations += 1
             logger.debug(
                 f"Tool calls detected (iteration {tool_iterations}/{max_iterations}): "
-                f"{len(tool_calls)} tool(s) to execute"
+                f"{len(pending_tool_calls)} tool(s) to execute"
             )
             tool_results = []
 
-            for tool_call in tool_calls:
+            for tool_call in pending_tool_calls:
                 tool_name = tool_call["name"]
                 tool_args = tool_call["arguments"]
                 tool_call_id = tool_call["id"]
@@ -556,6 +583,12 @@ Always be accurate with time calculations based on the current date provided.{ca
                         tool_name, tool_args, request, allowed_cameras
                     )
 
+                    # Add local time fields to search_objects results so the LLM doesn't hallucinate timestamps
+                    if tool_name == "search_objects" and isinstance(
+                        tool_result, list
+                    ):
+                        tool_result = _format_events_with_local_time(tool_result)
+
                     if isinstance(tool_result, dict):
                         result_content = json.dumps(tool_result)
                         result_summary = tool_result
@@ -573,6 +606,12 @@ Always be accurate with time calculations based on the current date provided.{ca
                             f"Tool {tool_name} (id: {tool_call_id}) completed successfully. "
                             f"Result: {json.dumps(result_summary, indent=2)}"
                         )
+                    elif isinstance(tool_result, list):
+                        result_content = json.dumps(tool_result)
+                        logger.debug(
+                            f"Tool {tool_name} (id: {tool_call_id}) completed successfully. "
+                            f"Result: {len(tool_result)} item(s)"
+                        )
                     elif isinstance(tool_result, str):
                         result_content = tool_result
                         logger.debug(
@@ -586,6 +625,13 @@ Always be accurate with time calculations based on the current date provided.{ca
                             f"Result type: {type(tool_result).__name__}"
                         )
 
+                    tool_calls.append(
+                        ToolCall(
+                            name=tool_name,
+                            arguments=tool_args or {},
+                            response=result_content,
+                        )
+                    )
                     tool_results.append(
                         {
                             "role": "tool",
@@ -601,6 +647,13 @@ Always be accurate with time calculations based on the current date provided.{ca
                     error_content = json.dumps(
                         {"error": f"Tool execution failed: {str(e)}"}
                     )
+                    tool_calls.append(
+                        ToolCall(
+                            name=tool_name,
+                            arguments=tool_args or {},
+                            response=error_content,
+                        )
+                    )
                     tool_results.append(
                         {
                             "role": "tool",
@@ -630,6 +683,7 @@ Always be accurate with time calculations based on the current date provided.{ca
                 ),
                 finish_reason="length",
                 tool_iterations=tool_iterations,
+                tool_calls=tool_calls,
             ).model_dump(),
         )
 

frigate/api/defs/response/chat_response.py

@@ -5,8 +5,8 @@ from typing import Any, Optional
 from pydantic import BaseModel, Field
 
 
-class ToolCall(BaseModel):
+class ToolCallInvocation(BaseModel):
-    """A tool call from the LLM."""
+    """A tool call requested by the LLM (before execution)."""
 
     id: str = Field(description="Unique identifier for this tool call")
     name: str = Field(description="Tool name to call")
@@ -20,11 +20,24 @@ class ChatMessageResponse(BaseModel):
     content: Optional[str] = Field(
         default=None, description="Message content (None if tool calls present)"
     )
-    tool_calls: Optional[list[ToolCall]] = Field(
+    tool_calls: Optional[list[ToolCallInvocation]] = Field(
         default=None, description="Tool calls if LLM wants to call tools"
     )
 
 
+class ToolCall(BaseModel):
+    """A tool that was executed during the completion, with its response."""
+
+    name: str = Field(description="Tool name that was called")
+    arguments: dict[str, Any] = Field(
+        default_factory=dict, description="Arguments passed to the tool"
+    )
+    response: str = Field(
+        default="",
+        description="The response or result returned from the tool execution",
+    )
+
+
 class ChatCompletionResponse(BaseModel):
     """Response from chat completion."""
 
@@ -35,3 +48,7 @@ class ChatCompletionResponse(BaseModel):
     tool_iterations: int = Field(
         default=0, description="Number of tool call iterations performed"
     )
+    tool_calls: list[ToolCall] = Field(
+        default_factory=list,
+        description="List of tool calls that were executed during this completion",
+    )

web/public/locales/en/views/chat.json

@@ -1,5 +1,8 @@
 {
   "placeholder": "Ask anything...",
   "error": "Something went wrong. Please try again.",
-  "processing": "Processing..."
+  "processing": "Processing...",
+  "toolsUsed": "Used: {{tools}}",
+  "showTools": "Show tools ({{count}})",
+  "hideTools": "Hide tools"
 }

web/src/components/chat/AssistantMessage.tsx

@@ -0,0 +1,66 @@
+import { useState } from "react";
+import { useTranslation } from "react-i18next";
+import ReactMarkdown from "react-markdown";
+import { Button } from "@/components/ui/button";
+import {
+  Collapsible,
+  CollapsibleContent,
+  CollapsibleTrigger,
+} from "@/components/ui/collapsible";
+
+export type ToolCall = {
+  name: string;
+  arguments?: Record<string, unknown>;
+  response?: string;
+};
+
+type AssistantMessageProps = {
+  content: string;
+  toolCalls?: ToolCall[];
+};
+
+export function AssistantMessage({
+  content,
+  toolCalls,
+}: AssistantMessageProps) {
+  const { t } = useTranslation(["views/chat"]);
+  const [open, setOpen] = useState(false);
+  const hasToolCalls = toolCalls && toolCalls.length > 0;
+
+  return (
+    <div className="flex flex-col gap-2">
+      <ReactMarkdown>{content}</ReactMarkdown>
+      {hasToolCalls && (
+        <Collapsible open={open} onOpenChange={setOpen}>
+          <CollapsibleTrigger asChild>
+            <Button
+              variant="ghost"
+              size="sm"
+              className="h-auto py-1 text-xs text-muted-foreground hover:text-foreground"
+            >
+              {open
+                ? t("hideTools")
+                : t("showTools", { count: toolCalls.length })}
+            </Button>
+          </CollapsibleTrigger>
+          <CollapsibleContent>
+            <ul className="mt-2 space-y-2 border-l-2 border-muted-foreground/30 pl-3">
+              {toolCalls.map((tc, idx) => (
+                <li key={idx} className="text-xs">
+                  <span className="font-medium text-muted-foreground">
+                    {tc.name}
+                  </span>
+                  {tc.response != null && tc.response !== "" && (
+                    <pre className="mt-1 max-h-32 overflow-auto rounded bg-muted/50 p-2 text-[10px]">
+                      {tc.response}
+                    </pre>
+                  )}
+                </li>
+              ))}
+            </ul>
+          </CollapsibleContent>
+        </Collapsible>
+      )}
+    </div>
+  );
+}

web/src/pages/Chat.tsx

@@ -4,9 +4,16 @@ import { FaArrowUpLong } from "react-icons/fa6";
 import { useTranslation } from "react-i18next";
 import { useState, useCallback } from "react";
 import axios from "axios";
-import ReactMarkdown from "react-markdown";
+import {
+  AssistantMessage,
+  type ToolCall,
+} from "@/components/chat/AssistantMessage";
 
-type ChatMessage = { role: "user" | "assistant"; content: string };
+type ChatMessage = {
+  role: "user" | "assistant";
+  content: string;
+  toolCalls?: ToolCall[];
+};
 
 export default function ChatPage() {
   const { t } = useTranslation(["views/chat"]);
@@ -32,12 +39,17 @@ export default function ChatPage() {
       }));
       const { data } = await axios.post<{
         message: { role: string; content: string | null };
+        tool_calls?: ToolCall[];
       }>("chat/completion", { messages: apiMessages });
 
       const content = data.message?.content ?? "";
       setMessages((prev) => [
         ...prev,
-        { role: "assistant", content: content || " " },
+        {
+          role: "assistant",
+          content: content || " ",
+          toolCalls: data.tool_calls?.length ? data.tool_calls : undefined,
+        },
       ]);
     } catch {
       setError(t("error"));
@@ -59,7 +71,10 @@ export default function ChatPage() {
             }
           >
             {msg.role === "assistant" ? (
-              <ReactMarkdown>{msg.content}</ReactMarkdown>
+              <AssistantMessage
+                content={msg.content}
+                toolCalls={msg.toolCalls}
+              />
             ) : (
               msg.content
             )}