Let fromMe messages through in groups under self-chat mode

[jscholz]

Summary

In scripts/whatsapp-bridge/bridge.js, the fromMe branch of the messages.upsert handler bails out on any group chat:

if (msg.key.fromMe) {
  if (isGroup || chatId.includes('status')) continue;
  ...
}

That drops every message the paired user sends in any group, which breaks a legitimate self-chat-mode flow: a user with a single paired WhatsApp number wants to @mention their own bot from a group they're in alongside other humans (e.g. "@Mybot check my calendar"). Under the current code the bridge never sees those messages.

Use case

• Self-chat mode (WHATSAPP_MODE !== 'bot'): the agent is paired to the user's own number.
• The user is in a group with friends / family / coworkers.
• They want to trigger the agent from that group via @mention, just like any other group member would trigger a normal bot.

With this patch applied they can.

Why the guard was redundant

The echo-loop concern that seemed to motivate dropping all group fromMe messages is already handled ~60 lines below:

if (msg.key.fromMe && ((REPLY_PREFIX && body.startsWith(REPLY_PREFIX)) || recentlySentIds.has(msg.key.id))) {
  ...
}

That check — REPLY_PREFIX + recentlySentIds — is the real loop-breaker: it catches any message the bridge itself just sent, regardless of whether the chat is a group or a DM. The earlier blanket isGroup drop was a second, overly broad line of defense that also blocked legitimate user input.

What changes

• Still skip status@broadcast-style chats unconditionally (always correct to drop).
• Bot mode (WHATSAPP_MODE === 'bot') still unconditionally skips every fromMe — in that deployment the bridge runs on a separate number, so every fromMe really is a bridge echo.
• Self-chat mode: no longer bails on isGroup. Groups are now a valid context for the paired user to address the bot.
• Self-chat mode 1:1 chats still require the chat to be the user's own self-chat (same LID/phone match as before), so the bot doesn't try to respond on the user's behalf in DMs with arbitrary contacts.

Diff shape

Before:

if (msg.key.fromMe) {
  if (isGroup || chatId.includes('status')) continue;
  if (WHATSAPP_MODE === 'bot') continue;
  // self-chat check
  const isSelfChat = ...;
  if (!isSelfChat) continue;
}

After:

if (msg.key.fromMe) {
  if (chatId.includes('status')) continue;
  if (WHATSAPP_MODE === 'bot') continue;
  if (!isGroup) {
    const isSelfChat = ...;
    if (!isSelfChat) continue;
  }
}

Test plan

• Self-chat mode, 1:1 with a random contact (not the self-chat): still ignored (no isSelfChat).
• Self-chat mode, user's own self-chat: processed (unchanged).
• Self-chat mode, group containing the user: user's own messages now reach the allowlist + handler path; bridge's own outgoing replies are still filtered by the downstream REPLY_PREFIX / recentlySentIds guard (no echo loop).
• Bot mode, any chat: all fromMe still dropped (unchanged).
• status@broadcast messages: still dropped (unchanged).

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