Fix deployed chat panel format conversion for Gradio 4.20.0

app.py

@@ -2024,7 +2024,9 @@ def build_ui():
             # Prevent tool invocation on empty/whitespace input (e.g., initial greeting or agent selection)
             if user_text is None or not str(user_text).strip():
                 # Just return the current history, do not invoke any tool
-                return histories.get(agent_name, []), histories, user_text or ""
+                current_history = histories.get(agent_name, [])
+                gradio_history = convert_messages_for_gradio(current_history)
+                return gradio_history, histories, user_text or ""
 
             # --- IPC dynamic requirements integration ---
             ipc_tool_triggered = False
@@ -2266,12 +2268,14 @@ def build_ui():
                 else:
                     final_history, updated_histories, cleared_input, invocation_log = chatpanel_handle(agent_name, user_text, histories)
                     challenger_info = None
-                    return final_history, updated_histories, cleared_input, invocation_log
+                    gradio_history = convert_messages_for_gradio(final_history)
+                    return gradio_history, updated_histories, cleared_input, invocation_log
             except Exception:
                 # fallback to old behavior if error
                 final_history, updated_histories, cleared_input, invocation_log = chatpanel_handle(agent_name, user_text, histories)
                 challenger_info = None
-                return final_history, updated_histories, cleared_input, invocation_log
+                gradio_history = convert_messages_for_gradio(final_history)
+                return gradio_history, updated_histories, cleared_input, invocation_log
             # Update histories
             updated_histories = histories.copy()
             updated_histories[agent_name] = final_history
@@ -2295,7 +2299,10 @@ def build_ui():
             # If challenger is not enabled, do not show the markdown at all
             elif not challenger_enabled:
                 challenger_md = ""
-            return final_history, updated_histories, "", invocation_log, challenger_md
+            
+            # Convert to Gradio format before returning
+            gradio_history = convert_messages_for_gradio(final_history)
+            return gradio_history, updated_histories, "", invocation_log, challenger_md
 
         chat_send.click(
             fn=chatpanel_handle_with_dynamic_vars,