Group consecutive transcript prompts into one background block (#56280)

## Why Consecutive user prompts in the rich transcript have extra blank spacing that breaks up their shared background. ## What changed - Join adjacent visible user prompts into one background block, skipping hidden entries when determining adjacency. - Keep prompts separated when intervening content becomes visible through detailed mode or search, and restore grouping when it is hidden again. - Preserve selectable source offsets and joined spacing when text is rewrapped, and reuse cached layouts when checking adjacency. ## Testing Add regression tests for prompt grouping, layout cache reuse, source offsets across rewrapping, detailed reasoning, and search-driven visibility. Update transcript snapshots to reflect the tighter spacing. GitOrigin-RevId: faca8001244b0ac883d9d670864c8f7856ac2bad
2026-10-23 18:08:45 +00:00 · 2026-10-22 22:39:41 +00:00
parent d124fe9de1
commit 35e2102808
12 changed files with 413 additions and 67 deletions
@@ -4,20 +4,20 @@ expression: "snapshots.join(\"\\n\\n\")"
 ---
 80 columns
 / T R A N S C R I P T / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / /
+
 › first prompt

-
-
 › second prompt

+
 Browsing · ↑↓/jk scroll · ←→/hl prompts · ⌃t details · ↵ rewind · esc back

 32 columns
 / T R A N S C R I P T / / / / /
+
 › first prompt

-
-
 › second prompt

+
 Browsing · ↵ rewind · esc back
@@ -5,15 +5,15 @@ expression: "normalize_snapshot_paths(buffer_text(crate::custom_terminal::test_s

 › first question

-
-
 › second question

-
-
 › third question


+
+
+
+
 › Ask Codex to do anything

  gpt-test default · /tmp/project
@@ -1,8 +1,9 @@
 ---
 source: tui/src/app/tests.rs
-assertion_line: 8342
 expression: transcript
 ---
+  /init - create an AGENTS.md file with instructions for Codex
+  /status - show current session configuration
  /permissions - choose what Codex is allowed to do
  /model - choose what model and reasoning effort to use
  /review - review any changes and find issues
@@ -10,8 +11,6 @@ expression: transcript

 › retained prompt

-
-
  [Image #1]
  [Image #2]

@@ -6,10 +6,10 @@ expression: buffer_text(&buffer)

 › first

-
-
 › second

+
+
 ⌃space select
 ↑/↓ to scroll · pgup/pgdn to page · home/end to jump
 q close · f3 find · esc browse prompts
@@ -0,0 +1,35 @@
+---
+source: tui/src/transcript_view_tests.rs
+expression: "format!(\"{buffer:?}\")"
+---
+Buffer {
+    area: Rect { x: 0, y: 0, width: 32, height: 12 },
+    content: [
+        "                                ",
+        "› First steering message        ",
+        "                                ",
+        "› Second steering message       ",
+        "                                ",
+        "                                ",
+        "• Assistant response            ",
+        "                                ",
+        "                                ",
+        "› Later user message            ",
+        "                                ",
+        "                                ",
+    ],
+    styles: [
+        x: 0, y: 0, fg: Reset, bg: Rgb(55, 57, 66), underline: Reset, modifier: NONE,
+        x: 0, y: 1, fg: Reset, bg: Rgb(55, 57, 66), underline: Reset, modifier: BOLD | DIM,
+        x: 2, y: 1, fg: Reset, bg: Rgb(55, 57, 66), underline: Reset, modifier: NONE,
+        x: 0, y: 3, fg: Reset, bg: Rgb(55, 57, 66), underline: Reset, modifier: BOLD | DIM,
+        x: 2, y: 3, fg: Reset, bg: Rgb(55, 57, 66), underline: Reset, modifier: NONE,
+        x: 0, y: 5, fg: Reset, bg: Reset, underline: Reset, modifier: NONE,
+        x: 0, y: 6, fg: Reset, bg: Reset, underline: Reset, modifier: DIM,
+        x: 2, y: 6, fg: Reset, bg: Reset, underline: Reset, modifier: NONE,
+        x: 0, y: 8, fg: Reset, bg: Rgb(55, 57, 66), underline: Reset, modifier: NONE,
+        x: 0, y: 9, fg: Reset, bg: Rgb(55, 57, 66), underline: Reset, modifier: BOLD | DIM,
+        x: 2, y: 9, fg: Reset, bg: Rgb(55, 57, 66), underline: Reset, modifier: NONE,
+        x: 0, y: 11, fg: Reset, bg: Reset, underline: Reset, modifier: NONE,
+    ]
+}
@@ -58,6 +58,48 @@ pub(super) fn activity_layout(
    }
 }

+fn cell_content_layout(
+    cell: &dyn HistoryCell,
+    width: u16,
+    mode: HistoryRenderMode,
+    presentation: CellPresentation,
+    shortcut: Option<ShortcutHint>,
+) -> TextLayout {
+    let mut layout = if presentation.disclosure {
+        activity_layout(
+            ActivityTranscriptLines {
+                activity: if presentation.expanded {
+                    cell.expanded_hyperlink_lines(width)
+                } else {
+                    cell.compact_hyperlink_lines(width)
+                },
+                auxiliary: Vec::new(),
+                disclosure: cell.activity_disclosure(width),
+            },
+            width,
+            presentation.expanded,
+            shortcut,
+        )
+    } else {
+        TextLayout::new(
+            crate::history_cell::fullscreen_session_lines(cell, width, presentation.detailed, mode),
+            width,
+        )
+    };
+    if let Some(protocol) = presentation.image_protocol
+        && let Some(path) = cell.image_path()
+    {
+        layout.image =
+            crate::transcript_image::TranscriptImage::load(path.as_path(), width, protocol)
+                .map(Arc::new);
+    }
+    layout
+}
+
+fn is_rich_user_prompt(cell: &dyn HistoryCell, mode: HistoryRenderMode) -> bool {
+    mode == HistoryRenderMode::Rich && cell.as_any().is::<crate::history_cell::UserHistoryCell>()
+}
+
 #[derive(Default)]
 pub(super) struct LayoutCache {
    entries: Vec<CachedLayout>,
@@ -86,6 +128,7 @@ struct CachedLayout {
 #[derive(Clone, Copy, PartialEq, Eq)]
 pub(super) struct CellPresentation {
    separated: bool,
+    shares_prompt_background: bool,
    turn_tip_space: bool,
    expanded: bool,
    disclosure: bool,
@@ -94,6 +137,32 @@ pub(super) struct CellPresentation {
 }

 impl TranscriptView {
+    fn content_presentation(
+        &mut self,
+        cell: &dyn HistoryCell,
+        full_content: bool,
+        mode: HistoryRenderMode,
+    ) -> CellPresentation {
+        let ids = cell.activity_ids();
+        let disclosure = !self.detailed && mode == HistoryRenderMode::Rich && !ids.is_empty();
+        let manually_expanded = self.disclosure.is_expanded(&ids);
+        let reveal_image = ids.is_empty() || manually_expanded || self.detailed;
+        if manually_expanded {
+            self.disclosure.expanded.extend(ids);
+        }
+        CellPresentation {
+            separated: false,
+            shares_prompt_background: false,
+            turn_tip_space: false,
+            expanded: disclosure && (full_content || manually_expanded),
+            disclosure,
+            detailed: full_content,
+            image_protocol: self
+                .image_protocol
+                .filter(|_| mode == HistoryRenderMode::Rich && reveal_image),
+        }
+    }
+
    pub(super) fn layout(
        &mut self,
        cells: &[Arc<dyn HistoryCell>],
@@ -168,62 +237,47 @@ impl TranscriptView {
            return Some(Arc::new(TextLayout::new(Vec::new(), width)));
        }
        let mode = self.mode;
-        let ids = cell.activity_ids();
-        let disclosure = !self.detailed && mode == HistoryRenderMode::Rich && !ids.is_empty();
-        let manually_expanded = self.disclosure.is_expanded(&ids);
-        let reveal_image = ids.is_empty() || manually_expanded || self.detailed;
-        let expanded = disclosure && (full_content || manually_expanded);
-        if manually_expanded {
-            self.disclosure.expanded.extend(ids);
-        }
-        let separated = index > 0 && !cell.is_stream_continuation();
-        let presentation = CellPresentation {
-            separated,
-            turn_tip_space: self.turn_tip_key == Some(EntryKey::cell(cell)),
-            expanded,
-            disclosure,
-            detailed: full_content,
-            image_protocol: self
-                .image_protocol
-                .filter(|_| mode == HistoryRenderMode::Rich && reveal_image),
-        };
+        let mut presentation = self.content_presentation(cell.as_ref(), full_content, mode);
        let shortcut = self
            .disclosure
            .keymap
            .primary_hint(KeymapContext::Global, "open_transcript");
+        let shares_prompt_background = is_rich_user_prompt(cell.as_ref(), mode)
+            && (0..index)
+                .rev()
+                .find(|&previous| {
+                    let previous = &cells[previous];
+                    let key = EntryKey::cell(previous);
+                    if let Some(layout) = self.search.match_layout(key).or_else(|| {
+                        self.snapshot()
+                            .and_then(|snapshot| snapshot.pinned.get(&key))
+                            .cloned()
+                    }) {
+                        return layout.row_count() > 0;
+                    }
+                    let previous_presentation =
+                        self.content_presentation(previous.as_ref(), self.detailed, mode);
+                    self.cache
+                        .has_visible_content(previous, width, previous_presentation, || {
+                            cell_content_layout(
+                                previous.as_ref(),
+                                width,
+                                mode,
+                                previous_presentation,
+                                shortcut,
+                            )
+                        })
+                })
+                .is_some_and(|previous| is_rich_user_prompt(cells[previous].as_ref(), mode));
+        presentation.separated =
+            index > 0 && !cell.is_stream_continuation() && !shares_prompt_background;
+        presentation.shares_prompt_background = shares_prompt_background;
+        presentation.turn_tip_space = self.turn_tip_key == Some(EntryKey::cell(cell));
        Some(self.cache.get(cell, width, presentation, || {
-            let mut layout = if disclosure {
-                activity_layout(
-                    ActivityTranscriptLines {
-                        activity: if expanded {
-                            cell.expanded_hyperlink_lines(width)
-                        } else {
-                            cell.compact_hyperlink_lines(width)
-                        },
-                        auxiliary: Vec::new(),
-                        disclosure: cell.activity_disclosure(width),
-                    },
-                    width,
-                    expanded,
-                    shortcut,
-                )
-            } else {
-                TextLayout::new(
-                    crate::history_cell::fullscreen_session_lines(
-                        cell.as_ref(),
-                        width,
-                        full_content,
-                        mode,
-                    ),
-                    width,
-                )
-            };
-            if let Some(protocol) = presentation.image_protocol
-                && let Some(path) = cell.image_path()
-            {
-                layout.image =
-                    crate::transcript_image::TranscriptImage::load(path.as_path(), width, protocol)
-                        .map(Arc::new);
+            let mut layout =
+                cell_content_layout(cell.as_ref(), width, mode, presentation, shortcut);
+            if shares_prompt_background {
+                layout = layout.without_leading_blank_row();
            }
            layout
        }))
@@ -294,6 +348,36 @@ impl LayoutCache {
        layout
    }

+    fn has_visible_content(
+        &mut self,
+        cell: &Arc<dyn HistoryCell>,
+        width: u16,
+        presentation: CellPresentation,
+        render: impl FnOnce() -> TextLayout,
+    ) -> bool {
+        let source = Arc::downgrade(cell);
+        let animation_tick = cell.transcript_animation_tick();
+        if let Some(index) = self.entries.iter().position(|entry| {
+            entry.width == width
+                && entry.presentation.expanded == presentation.expanded
+                && entry.presentation.disclosure == presentation.disclosure
+                && entry.presentation.detailed == presentation.detailed
+                && entry.presentation.image_protocol == presentation.image_protocol
+                && entry.source.ptr_eq(&source)
+                && (entry.rendered_frame == self.frame
+                    || (cell.has_stable_transcript_height()
+                        && entry.animation_tick == animation_tick))
+        }) {
+            let visible = self.entries[index].layout.row_count() > 0;
+            if index + 1 != self.entries.len() {
+                let entry = self.entries.remove(index);
+                self.entries.push(entry);
+            }
+            return visible;
+        }
+        self.get(cell, width, presentation, render).row_count() > 0
+    }
+
    pub(super) fn clear(&mut self) {
        self.entries.clear();
    }
@@ -47,6 +47,7 @@ fn layouts_refresh_for_width_animation_and_mutable_frames() {
                width,
                CellPresentation {
                    separated: false,
+                    shares_prompt_background: false,
                    turn_tip_space: false,
                    expanded: false,
                    disclosure: false,
@@ -104,6 +105,7 @@ fn recent_entries_are_reused_and_old_entries_are_evicted() {
            /*width*/ 20,
            CellPresentation {
                separated: false,
+                shares_prompt_background: false,
                turn_tip_space: false,
                expanded: false,
                disclosure: false,
@@ -125,6 +127,7 @@ fn recent_entries_are_reused_and_old_entries_are_evicted() {
            /*width*/ 20,
            CellPresentation {
                separated: false,
+                shares_prompt_background: false,
                turn_tip_space: false,
                expanded: false,
                disclosure: false,
@@ -103,7 +103,12 @@ impl TranscriptView {
        } else if self.detailed {
            self.layout(cells, anchor.index)?
        } else {
-            self.entry_layout(cells, anchor.index, /*full_content*/ true)?
+            // A candidate replaces the current match when found, so its spacing must not
+            // depend on an expansion that will disappear at that point.
+            let current = self.search.current.take();
+            let layout = self.entry_layout(cells, anchor.index, /*full_content*/ true);
+            self.search.current = current;
+            layout?
        };
        self.search.scanning_layout = Some((anchor.key, Arc::clone(&layout)));
        Some(layout)
@@ -30,6 +30,87 @@ fn finish_scan(view: &mut TranscriptView, cells: &[Arc<dyn HistoryCell>]) {
    panic!("search did not yield after bounded scanning frames");
 }

+#[test]
+fn search_match_separates_user_prompts_only_while_visible() {
+    use crate::history_cell::ReasoningSummaryCell;
+    use crate::history_cell::new_user_prompt;
+    use std::path::Path;
+
+    crate::terminal_palette::with_test_default_colors(
+        crate::terminal_probe::DefaultColors {
+            fg: (235, 235, 235),
+            bg: (18, 20, 30),
+        },
+        || {
+            let prompt = |text| {
+                Arc::new(new_user_prompt(text, Vec::new(), Vec::new(), Vec::new()))
+                    as Arc<dyn HistoryCell>
+            };
+            let cells: Vec<Arc<dyn HistoryCell>> = vec![
+                prompt("first".into()),
+                Arc::new(ReasoningSummaryCell::new(
+                    "Reasoning".into(),
+                    "needle detail".into(),
+                    Path::new("."),
+                    /*transcript_only*/ true,
+                )),
+                prompt("needle second".into()),
+            ];
+            let area = Rect::new(
+                /*x*/ 0, /*y*/ 0, /*width*/ 30, /*height*/ 12,
+            );
+            let mut view = TranscriptView::default();
+            view.render(area, &mut Buffer::empty(area), &cells);
+            view.begin_search();
+            view.paste_search("needle");
+            finish_scan(&mut view, &cells);
+            assert_eq!(view.search.current.as_ref().unwrap().anchor.index, 2);
+
+            view.handle_key(
+                KeyEvent::new(KeyCode::Char('p'), KeyModifiers::CONTROL),
+                &cells,
+            );
+            finish_scan(&mut view, &cells);
+            assert_eq!(view.search.current.as_ref().unwrap().anchor.index, 1);
+            assert!(view.current_layout(&cells, /*index*/ 2).unwrap().separated);
+
+            view.handle_key(
+                KeyEvent::new(KeyCode::Char('n'), KeyModifiers::CONTROL),
+                &cells,
+            );
+            finish_scan(&mut view, &cells);
+            assert_eq!(view.search.current.as_ref().unwrap().anchor.index, 2);
+            let mut buffer = Buffer::empty(area);
+            view.render(area, &mut buffer, &cells);
+            let rendered = crate::transcript_view::tests::text(&buffer);
+            let rows = rendered.lines().collect::<Vec<_>>();
+            let first = rows.iter().position(|row| row.contains("› first")).unwrap();
+            let second = rows
+                .iter()
+                .position(|row| row.contains("› needle second"))
+                .unwrap();
+            let background = buffer[(area.width - 1, first as u16)].bg;
+            assert_ne!(background, ratatui::style::Color::Reset);
+            let joined = (first..=second)
+                .map(|row| {
+                    let marker = if buffer[(area.width - 1, row as u16)].bg == background {
+                        '#'
+                    } else {
+                        '.'
+                    };
+                    format!("{marker}|{}|", rows[row])
+                })
+                .collect::<Vec<_>>()
+                .join("\n");
+            insta::assert_snapshot!(joined, @r"
+            #|› first|
+            #||
+            #|› needle second|
+            ");
+        },
+    );
+}
+
 #[test]
 fn find_keeps_context_and_allows_reading_without_losing_the_query() {
    let cells = vec![
@@ -1,6 +1,5 @@
 ---
 source: tui/src/transcript_view/prompt_header_tests.rs
-assertion_line: 68
 expression: "snapshots.join(\"\\n\\n\")"
 ---
 Latest
@@ -25,11 +24,11 @@ three
 four

 Prompt visible
-
 › First question


 one
+two

 Short screen
 eight
@@ -49,6 +49,7 @@ pub(super) struct TextLayout {
    width: u16,
    pub(super) separated: bool,
    pub(super) disclosure: bool,
+    leading_blank_hidden: bool,
    disclosure_control: Option<DisclosureControl>,
 }

@@ -139,6 +140,9 @@ impl TextLayout {
                layout.with_disclosure_control_at(control.label.clone(), control.source_offset);
        }
        layout.image = self.image.clone();
+        if self.leading_blank_hidden {
+            layout = layout.without_leading_blank_row();
+        }
        if self.separated {
            layout.with_leading_separator()
        } else {
@@ -207,6 +211,22 @@ impl TextLayout {
        self
    }

+    /// Hide one leading blank row without changing selectable source offsets.
+    pub(super) fn without_leading_blank_row(mut self) -> Self {
+        if self
+            .rows
+            .first()
+            .is_some_and(|row| line_width(&row.line.line) == 0)
+        {
+            self.rows.remove(/*index*/ 0);
+            self.leading_blank_hidden = true;
+            if let Some(control) = &mut self.disclosure_control {
+                control.row = control.row.saturating_sub(/*rhs*/ 1);
+            }
+        }
+        self
+    }
+
    /// Reserve one presentation-only row before existing spacing and source text.
    pub(super) fn with_leading_spacer(mut self) -> Self {
        if !self.rows.is_empty() {
@@ -531,6 +551,7 @@ impl TextLayout {
            width,
            separated: false,
            disclosure: false,
+            leading_blank_hidden: false,
            disclosure_control: None,
        }
    }
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 //! Viewport behavior and cache lifetime across scrolling, selection, and redraws.

 use super::*;
+use crate::history_cell::new_user_prompt;
 use crossterm::event::KeyCode;
 use crossterm::event::KeyEvent;
 use crossterm::event::KeyModifiers;
@@ -38,6 +39,15 @@ pub(super) fn cell(text: impl Into<String>) -> Arc<dyn HistoryCell> {
    })
 }

+fn prompt(text: impl Into<String>) -> Arc<dyn HistoryCell> {
+    Arc::new(new_user_prompt(
+        text.into(),
+        Vec::new(),
+        Vec::new(),
+        Vec::new(),
+    ))
+}
+
 pub(super) fn render(
    view: &mut TranscriptView,
    cells: &[Arc<dyn HistoryCell>],
@@ -63,6 +73,115 @@ pub(super) fn text(buffer: &Buffer) -> String {
        .join("\n")
 }

+#[test]
+fn consecutive_user_prompts_share_one_background_block() {
+    use crate::history_cell::AgentMessageCell;
+    use crate::history_cell::new_spoken_user_prompt;
+    use codex_protocol::user_input::TextElement;
+
+    let cells: Vec<Arc<dyn HistoryCell>> = vec![
+        prompt("First steering message"),
+        prompt("Second steering message"),
+        Arc::new(AgentMessageCell::new(
+            vec!["Assistant response".into()],
+            /*is_first_line*/ true,
+        )),
+        Arc::new(new_spoken_user_prompt(String::new())),
+        Arc::new(new_user_prompt(
+            "   ".into(),
+            vec![TextElement::new((0..3).into(), Some("   ".into()))],
+            Vec::new(),
+            Vec::new(),
+        )),
+        prompt("Later user message"),
+    ];
+    crate::terminal_palette::with_test_default_colors(
+        crate::terminal_probe::DefaultColors {
+            fg: (235, 235, 235),
+            bg: (18, 20, 30),
+        },
+        || {
+            let mut view = TranscriptView::default();
+            let buffer = render(&mut view, &cells, /*width*/ 32, /*height*/ 12);
+            insta::assert_snapshot!(
+                "consecutive_user_prompts_share_one_background_block",
+                format!("{buffer:?}")
+            );
+        },
+    );
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn prompt_adjacency_uses_cached_retained_presentations() {
+    let renders = Arc::new(AtomicUsize::new(0));
+    let cells: Vec<Arc<dyn HistoryCell>> = vec![
+        Arc::new(TestCell {
+            text: "response".into(),
+            renders: Arc::clone(&renders),
+        }),
+        prompt("steering"),
+    ];
+    let mut view = TranscriptView::default();
+
+    view.current_layout(&cells, /*index*/ 1);
+    view.current_layout(&cells, /*index*/ 1);
+
+    assert_eq!(renders.load(Ordering::Relaxed), 1);
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn joined_prompt_preserves_source_offsets_across_rewrap() {
+    let cells = vec![prompt("older"), prompt("one\n\ntwo")];
+    let mut view = TranscriptView::default();
+    let unjoined = [Arc::clone(&cells[1])];
+    let source = view
+        .current_layout(&unjoined, /*index*/ 0)
+        .unwrap()
+        .text()
+        .to_owned();
+    let joined = view.current_layout(&cells, /*index*/ 1).unwrap();
+
+    assert_eq!(
+        (joined.text(), joined.rewrap(/*width*/ 8).text()),
+        (source.as_str(), source.as_str())
+    );
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn detailed_only_reasoning_separates_user_prompts() {
+    use crate::history_cell::ReasoningSummaryCell;
+    use std::path::Path;
+
+    let cells: Vec<Arc<dyn HistoryCell>> = vec![
+        prompt("first"),
+        Arc::new(ReasoningSummaryCell::new(
+            "Reasoning".into(),
+            "visible detail".into(),
+            Path::new("."),
+            /*transcript_only*/ true,
+        )),
+        prompt("second"),
+    ];
+    let mut detailed = TranscriptView {
+        detailed: true,
+        ..TranscriptView::default()
+    };
+    assert!(
+        detailed
+            .current_layout(&cells, /*index*/ 2)
+            .unwrap()
+            .separated
+    );
+
+    let mut compact = TranscriptView::default();
+    assert!(
+        !compact
+            .entry_layout(&cells, /*index*/ 2, /*full_content*/ true)
+            .unwrap()
+            .separated
+    );
+}
+
 #[test]
 fn page_keys_follow_pager_scroll_bindings() {
    let cells = [cell(