FEAT: Improve conversation branching and technique reuse

frontend/README.md

@@ -21,6 +21,34 @@ refreshes do not override your open/closed choice. Creating, copying, or repeati
 conversations still opens the desktop drawer. On narrow screens the drawer opens
 only when requested and closes after selecting a conversation.
 
+Each saved turn, including a system turn, has a **Copy or Branch** menu with
+visible descriptions for each action. **Copy to next message** copies only that message
+to the prompt box. **Branch conversation** and **Branch attack** copy history
+including that turn into the same attack or a new attack (a separate group of
+conversations), open the
+conversation panel, and select the copy at its full
+`/attacks/{attack_id}/conversations/{conversation_id}` URL. Copying
+within a target-free attack keeps it target-free until you send a prompt.
+When you save an edited conversation, its final user turn moves to the prompt
+box instead of saved history. Text and attachments retain their metadata,
+including text-only video remix IDs. You can enter and edit prompts without a target.
+Send stays disabled until you select a target; no target-warning box is shown.
+
+**Use in scan** opens the configuration to apply a PyRIT attack technique after
+prepending history including the selected turn. It saves a target-free copy
+and opens `/scanner/technique.execute?prepended_conversation_id={conversation_id}`.
+The scanner configuration fills **prepended_conversation_id** from this URL.
+There is no clipboard step, and opening the configuration does not launch a scan.
+Select **Add new conversation** beside that field to build simulated history,
+or **Edit conversation** to load its current history. **Add to attack** saves all
+turns to a new conversation and updates the field. It does not change the source
+history, send prompts, or launch a scan. These controls are not in Registry.
+Scan launch is disabled while a conversation loads or its editor is open.
+The **Apply converters to conversation** toggle beside **Edit conversation** is
+off by default and disabled when the conversation ID is empty. When enabled,
+request converters run on the stored history during the scan, without changing
+the source conversation. New outgoing turns are always converted.
+
 ## Dataset catalog
 
 The **Datasets** page shows summaries of datasets already loaded into the backend's

frontend/e2e/chat-recovery.spec.ts

@@ -524,9 +524,9 @@ test.describe("Chat processing recovery @seeded", () => {
     const bubbles = page.getByTestId(/^message-bubble-/);
     await expect(bubbles).toHaveCount(2);
     await expect(bubbles.first()).toContainText("Explain the target error");
-    await expect(bubbles.first().getByRole("button", { name: "Copy conversation", exact: true })).toBeVisible();
+    await expect(bubbles.first().getByRole("button", { name: "Copy or Branch", exact: true })).toBeVisible();
     await expect(bubbles.last()).toContainText("JSONDecodeError");
-    await expect(bubbles.last().getByRole("button", { name: "Copy conversation", exact: true })).toHaveCount(0);
+    await expect(bubbles.last().getByRole("button", { name: "Copy or Branch", exact: true })).toHaveCount(0);
     await page.reload();
     await expect(bubbles).toHaveCount(2);
     await expect(bubbles.first()).toContainText("Explain the target error");
@@ -547,7 +547,7 @@ test.describe("Chat processing recovery @seeded", () => {
       contentType: "image/png",
     });
     await page.keyboard.press("Escape");
-    await bubbles.first().getByRole("button", { name: "Copy conversation", exact: true }).click();
+    await bubbles.first().getByRole("button", { name: "Copy or Branch", exact: true }).click();
     await test.info().attach("original-prompt-copy", {
       body: await page.screenshot({ animations: "disabled" }),
       contentType: "image/png",
@@ -556,7 +556,7 @@ test.describe("Chat processing recovery @seeded", () => {
     const [cloneResponse] = await Promise.all([
       page.waitForResponse((response) => response.request().method() === "POST"
         && new URL(response.url()).pathname === `/api/attacks/${attackId}/conversations`),
-      page.getByRole("menuitem", { name: "New conversation", exact: true }).click(),
+      page.getByRole("menuitem", { name: "Branch conversation", exact: true }).click(),
     ]);
     expect(cloneResponse.status()).toBe(201);
     expect(cloneResponse.request().postDataJSON()).toEqual({});
@@ -612,8 +612,8 @@ test.describe("Chat processing recovery @seeded", () => {
       await disabledPrompt.click({ position: { x: 10, y: 10 } });
       await expect(page.getByText(/This conversation contains a target error/)).toBeVisible();
       await page.keyboard.press("Escape");
-      await page.getByRole("button", { name: "Copy conversation", exact: true }).last().click();
-      const recover = page.getByRole("menuitem", { name: "New conversation", exact: true });
+      await page.getByRole("button", { name: "Copy or Branch", exact: true }).last().click();
+      const recover = page.getByRole("menuitem", { name: "Branch conversation", exact: true });
       await expect(recover).toBeEnabled();
       await test.info().attach("processing-recovery", {
         body: await page.screenshot(),
@@ -665,11 +665,11 @@ test.describe("Chat processing recovery @seeded", () => {
       const failed = await sendFromComposer(page, "Edit this failed prompt");
       const sourceAttackId = failed.attack.attack_result_id;
       if (reload) await page.reload();
-      await page.getByRole("button", { name: "Copy conversation", exact: true }).last().click();
+      await page.getByRole("button", { name: "Copy or Branch", exact: true }).last().click();
       const [savedResponse] = await Promise.all([
         page.waitForResponse((response) => response.request().method() === "POST"
           && new URL(response.url()).pathname === "/api/attacks/save-conversation"),
-        page.getByRole("menuitem", { name: "New attack", exact: true }).click(),
+        page.getByRole("menuitem", { name: "Branch attack", exact: true }).click(),
       ]);
       expect(savedResponse.status(), await savedResponse.text()).toBe(200);
       const saved: AddMessageResponse = await savedResponse.json();
@@ -728,11 +728,11 @@ test.describe("Chat processing recovery @seeded", () => {
     const originalImage = failed.messages.messages[0].message_pieces[1];
     expect(originalImage.original_filename).toBeTruthy();
     await page.reload();
-    await page.getByRole("button", { name: "Copy conversation", exact: true }).last().click();
+    await page.getByRole("button", { name: "Copy or Branch", exact: true }).last().click();
     const [createdResponse] = await Promise.all([
       page.waitForResponse((response) => response.request().method() === "POST"
         && new URL(response.url()).pathname === "/api/attacks"),
-      page.getByRole("menuitem", { name: "New attack", exact: true }).click(),
+      page.getByRole("menuitem", { name: "Branch attack", exact: true }).click(),
     ]);
     expect(createdResponse.status()).toBe(201);
     const created: CreateAttackResponse = await createdResponse.json();
@@ -871,8 +871,8 @@ test.describe("Chat processing recovery @seeded", () => {
     await page.getByTestId("remove-attachment-0").click();
     await expect(page.getByTestId("clear-media-conversion-image")).toHaveCount(0);
     await selectConversation(page, first.attack.conversation_id);
-    await page.getByRole("button", { name: "Copy conversation", exact: true }).last().click();
-    const recover = page.getByRole("menuitem", { name: "New conversation", exact: true });
+    await page.getByRole("button", { name: "Copy or Branch", exact: true }).last().click();
+    const recover = page.getByRole("menuitem", { name: "Branch conversation", exact: true });
     await expect(recover).toBeEnabled();
     await page.evaluate(() => { document.documentElement.dataset.deferRecoveryReads = "true"; });
     try {

frontend/e2e/chat.spec.ts

@@ -372,12 +372,17 @@ test.describe("Multiple Messages", () => {
 });
 
 test.describe("Chat without target", () => {
-  test("should disable input when no target is selected", async ({ page }) => {
+  test("should allow drafting but block sending when no target is selected", async ({ page }) => {
     await page.goto("/");
     await page.getByTitle("Technique.execute").click();
 
-    await expect(page.getByRole("textbox")).toBeDisabled();
+    const input = page.getByRole("textbox");
+    await expect(input).toBeEnabled();
+    await input.fill("Unsent draft");
     await expect(page.getByRole("button", { name: "Send message" })).toBeDisabled();
+    await input.press("Enter");
+    await expect(input).toHaveValue("Unsent draft");
+    await expect(page.getByTestId("no-target-banner")).toHaveCount(0);
   });
 });
 

frontend/e2e/config.spec.ts

@@ -710,15 +710,16 @@ test.describe("Target Config ↔ Chat Navigation", () => {
     await expect(badge).toContainText(/gpt-4o/);
   });
 
-  test("should enable chat input after a target is set", async ({ page }) => {
+  test("should enable sending after a target is set", async ({ page }) => {
     await page.route(/\/api\/targets/, async (route) => {
       await route.fulfill(mockTargetsList(SAMPLE_TARGETS));
     });
 
-    // Start in chat with the composer disabled until a target is selected.
     await page.goto("/");
     await page.getByTitle("Technique.execute").click();
-    await expect(page.getByRole("textbox")).toBeDisabled();
+    await expect(page.getByRole("textbox")).toBeEnabled();
+    await page.getByRole("textbox").fill("Draft without a target");
+    await expect(page.getByRole("button", { name: "Send message" })).toBeDisabled();
 
     // Go to targets, set a target
     await page.getByTitle("Registry").click();

frontend/e2e/errors.spec.ts

@@ -352,8 +352,8 @@ test.describe("Error: accepted send with target processing failure", () => {
 
     await page.getByTestId(/^message-bubble-/)
       .filter({ hasText: "Preserve this draft" })
-      .getByRole("button", { name: "Copy conversation", exact: true }).click();
-    await page.getByRole("menuitem", { name: "New conversation", exact: true }).click();
+      .getByRole("button", { name: "Copy or Branch", exact: true }).click();
+    await page.getByRole("menuitem", { name: "Branch conversation", exact: true }).click();
     await expect.poll(() => recoveryRequest).toEqual({
       source_conversation_id: MOCK_CONV_ID,
       cutoff_index: 1,

frontend/e2e/flows.spec.ts

@@ -842,7 +842,7 @@ for (const variant of TARGET_VARIANTS) {
         }
 
         await page.getByTestId("copy-to-input-btn-1").click();
-        await page.getByRole("menuitem", { name: "New conversation", exact: true }).click();
+        await page.getByRole("menuitem", { name: "Branch conversation", exact: true }).click();
       } else {
         // Single-turn targets disable branch buttons in the UI.
         // Branch via the API instead to test the backend operation.

frontend/e2e/touch-targets.spec.ts

@@ -726,9 +726,14 @@ test.describe("Mobile touch targets", () => {
     await expectNoDocumentOverflow(page);
 
     await page.getByTestId("copy-to-input-btn-1").click();
-    for (const name of ["This conversation", "New conversation", "New attack"]) {
+    for (const name of ["Copy to next message", "Branch conversation", "Branch attack", "Use in scan"]) {
       await expectMinimumTouchTarget(page.getByRole("menuitem", { name, exact: true }));
     }
+    await expect(page.getByText("Copy only this message to the prompt box.", { exact: true })).toBeVisible();
+    await expect(page.getByText("Copy history including this turn into the same attack.", { exact: true })).toBeVisible();
+    await expect(page.getByText("Copy history including this turn into a new attack (i.e., separate group of conversations).", { exact: true })).toBeVisible();
+    await expect(page.getByText("Apply a PyRIT attack technique after prepending history including this turn.", { exact: true })).toBeVisible();
+    await expectNoDocumentOverflow(page);
     await page.keyboard.press("Escape");
 
     const outcomeButton = page.getByRole("button", {

frontend/src/App.test.tsx

@@ -1265,7 +1265,8 @@ describe("App", () => {
       mockCreatedAttackRender = null;
       finishRender();
     });
-    expect(screen.getByTestId("route-location")).toHaveTextContent("/attacks/ar-123");
+    expect(screen.getByTestId("route-location").textContent).toBe("/attacks/ar-123/conversations/conv-123");
+    expect(screen.getByTestId("active-conversation-id")).toHaveTextContent("conv-123");
     expect(screen.getByRole("button", { name: "Set Conv" })).toBeEnabled();
     expect(mockGetAttack).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
   });

frontend/src/App.tsx

@@ -546,11 +546,11 @@ function AppContent({ operatorAlias }: { operatorAlias: string | null }) {
       lastResponseMessagePieceId: null,
       status: 'success',
     })
-    // Replace when promoting an empty /chat to its attack url (first message);
+    // Replace when promoting an empty /chat to its conversation URL (first message);
     // push when branching from an existing attack so Back returns to the source.
     // Keep sends blocked until the new route exposes the created attack's identity.
     startCreatedAttackTransition(() => {
-      navigate(attackRoutePath(arId), { replace: routeAttackId === null })
+      navigate(attackConversationRoutePath(arId, convId), { replace: routeAttackId === null })
     })
   }, [activeTarget, generation, routeAttackId, navigate, startCreatedAttackTransition])
 

frontend/src/components/Chat/ChatInputArea.test.tsx

@@ -88,19 +88,21 @@ describe("ChatInputArea", () => {
     expect(onToggleConverterPanel).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
   });
 
-  it("should explain a missing target when the disabled composer is clicked", async () => {
+  it("should allow drafting without a target and keep Send disabled without a warning box", async () => {
     const user = userEvent.setup();
     render(
       <TestWrapper>
-        <ChatInputArea {...defaultProps} activeTarget={null} disabled />
+        <ChatInputArea {...defaultProps} activeTarget={null} sendDisabled />
       </TestWrapper>
     );
 
-    expect(screen.getByRole("textbox")).toBeDisabled();
+    expect(screen.getByRole("textbox")).toBeEnabled();
     expect(getSendButton()).toBeDisabled();
+    await user.type(screen.getByRole("textbox"), "Unsent draft");
     expect(screen.queryByText(/No target is selected/)).not.toBeInTheDocument();
-    await user.click(screen.getByLabelText("Why the prompt box is disabled"));
-    expect(screen.getByRole("listitem")).toHaveTextContent("No target is selected.");
+    expect(screen.queryByLabelText("Why the prompt box is disabled")).not.toBeVisible();
+    await user.click(getSendButton());
+    expect(defaultProps.onSend).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
   });
 
   it("should show all disabled reasons on hover and keyboard activation", async () => {
@@ -110,7 +112,7 @@ describe("ChatInputArea", () => {
     const composer = screen.getByLabelText("Why the prompt box is disabled");
     await user.hover(composer);
     expect(await screen.findByText("Prompt input is disabled")).toBeInTheDocument();
-    expect(screen.getAllByRole("listitem")).toHaveLength(3);
+    expect(screen.getAllByRole("listitem")).toHaveLength(2);
     expect(screen.getByText("This conversation contains a target error.")).toBeInTheDocument();
     await user.keyboard("{Escape}");
     composer.focus();
@@ -946,6 +948,28 @@ describe("ChatInputArea", () => {
     expect(new Set(withNewCopy.map((attachment: MessageAttachment) => attachment.draftId)).size).toBe(3);
   });
 
+  it("should retain restored text metadata on edits and retries and clear it with the draft", async () => {
+    const user = userEvent.setup();
+    const ref = React.createRef<ChatInputAreaHandle>();
+    const metadata = { video_id: "existing-video" };
+    const onSend = jest.fn().mockResolvedValueOnce(retryableOutcome).mockResolvedValue(sentOutcome);
+    render(<TestWrapper><ChatInputArea ref={ref} {...defaultProps} onSend={onSend} /></TestWrapper>);
+    React.act(() => { ref.current?.restoreDraft("Change the background", [], metadata); });
+    await user.type(screen.getByRole("textbox"), " to blue");
+    expect(ref.current?.getTextMetadata()).toEqual(metadata);
+    await user.click(getSendButton());
+    expect(ref.current?.getTextMetadata()).toEqual(metadata);
+    await user.click(getSendButton());
+    await waitFor(() => expect(screen.getByRole("textbox")).toHaveValue(""));
+    expect(ref.current?.getTextMetadata()).toBeUndefined();
+    React.act(() => { ref.current?.restoreDraft("Another remix", [], metadata); });
+    React.act(() => { ref.current?.setText("An unrelated copied prompt"); });
+    expect(ref.current?.getTextMetadata()).toBeUndefined();
+    React.act(() => { ref.current?.restoreDraft("Another remix", [], metadata); });
+    await user.clear(screen.getByRole("textbox"));
+    expect(ref.current?.getTextMetadata()).toBeUndefined();
+  });
+
   it("should keep uploaded duplicate filenames distinct and preserve remaining identity on removal and send", async () => {
     const user = userEvent.setup();
     const onAttachmentsChange = jest.fn();

frontend/src/components/Chat/ChatInputArea.tsx

@@ -97,9 +97,10 @@ function getUnsupportedConverterOutputTypes(converterOutputDataTypes: string[],
 export interface ChatInputAreaHandle {
   addAttachment: (attachment: MessageAttachment) => void
   setText: (text: string) => void
-  restoreDraft: (text: string, attachments: MessageAttachment[]) => void
+  restoreDraft: (text: string, attachments: MessageAttachment[], textMetadata?: Record<string, unknown>) => void
   focus: () => void
   getDraftRevision: () => number
+  getTextMetadata: () => Record<string, unknown> | undefined
 }
 
 interface ChatInputAreaProps {
@@ -161,12 +162,10 @@ const ChatInputArea = forwardRef<ChatInputAreaHandle, ChatInputAreaProps>(functi
   const disabledOverlayRef = useRef<HTMLDivElement>(null)
   const inputRef = useRef(input)
   const attachmentsRef = useRef(attachments)
+  const textMetadataRef = useRef<Record<string, unknown> | undefined>(undefined)
   const draftRevisionRef = useRef(0)
   const previousConversionRevisionKeyRef = useRef(conversionRevisionKey)
   const inputDisabledReasons = [...disabledReasons]
-  if (!activeTarget && disabled) {
-    inputDisabledReasons.push('No target is selected. Select a target to enter a prompt.')
-  }
   if (disabled && inputDisabledReasons.length === 0) {
     inputDisabledReasons.push('The prompt box is temporarily unavailable. Wait for the current operation to finish.')
   }
@@ -181,6 +180,7 @@ const ChatInputArea = forwardRef<ChatInputAreaHandle, ChatInputAreaProps>(functi
   useLayoutEffect(() => { attachmentsRef.current = attachments; onAttachmentsChange(attachments) }, [attachments, onAttachmentsChange])
 
   const changeText = (text: string): void => {
+    if (!text) textMetadataRef.current = undefined
     inputRef.current = text
     draftRevisionRef.current += 1
     setInput(text)
@@ -197,13 +197,18 @@ const ChatInputArea = forwardRef<ChatInputAreaHandle, ChatInputAreaProps>(functi
     addAttachment: (attachment: MessageAttachment): void => {
       changeAttachments([...attachmentsRef.current, withDraftIdentity({ ...attachment, draftId: undefined })])
     },
-    setText: changeText,
-    restoreDraft: (text: string, draftAttachments: MessageAttachment[]): void => {
+    setText: (text: string): void => {
+      textMetadataRef.current = undefined
+      changeText(text)
+    },
+    restoreDraft: (text: string, draftAttachments: MessageAttachment[], textMetadata?: Record<string, unknown>): void => {
       changeText(text)
+      textMetadataRef.current = textMetadata
       changeAttachments(draftAttachments.map(withDraftIdentity))
     },
     focus: (): void => { textareaRef.current?.focus() },
     getDraftRevision: (): number => draftRevisionRef.current,
+    getTextMetadata: (): Record<string, unknown> | undefined => textMetadataRef.current,
   }))
 
   const unsupportedAttachmentTypes = getUnsupportedAttachmentTypes(attachments, activeTarget)