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Conversation History

SeanceAI provides robust conversation management features that let you save, resume, branch, and organize your discussions with historical figures. Never lose a fascinating conversation again.

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Features Overview

Auto-Save

Conversations automatically save to your browser’s local storage as you chat

Resume Anytime

Pick up exactly where you left off in any previous conversation

Branch Conversations

Create alternate timelines from any message to explore different directions

Export & Share

Download conversations as text files or share via links

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Auto-Save System

Every conversation is automatically saved to your browser’s localStorage:

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What Gets Saved

  • Message history: Full conversation with both user and AI messages
  • Figure information: Current figure or dinner party guests
  • Timestamps: Last update time for sorting
  • Branch data: All conversation branches and their names
  • Model selection: Which AI model was used

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Storage Details

// Conversations stored with this structure
{
  id: 'conv-1234567890-abc123',
  figure_id: 'einstein',
  figure_name: 'Albert Einstein',
  timestamp: '2026-03-06T10:30:00.000Z',
  history: [
    { role: 'user', content: 'What inspired your theory of relativity?' },
    { role: 'assistant', content: 'Ah, a wonderful question...' }
  ],
  branches: {
    'main': { name: 'Main', history: [...] },
    'branch-1': { name: 'Quantum Debate', history: [...] }
  },
  current_branch_id: 'main'
}
Auto-save happens after each exchange, so you never lose progress even if you close the browser.

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Managing Saved Conversations

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Access Saved Conversations Panel

Click the “Saved Conversations” button (clock icon) in the header to open the panel.

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Panel Features

1

View All Conversations

See a list of all saved conversations sorted by most recent first
2

Search & Filter

Find specific conversations by figure name or content
3

Resume

Click any conversation to resume exactly where you left off
4

Delete

Remove conversations you no longer need to free up space

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Conversation List Display

Each saved conversation shows: 
<div class="saved-conversation-item">
  <img src="/static/images/figures/einstein.svg" />
  <div>
    <strong>Albert Einstein</strong>
    <span>Last updated: 5 minutes ago</span>
    <p>Preview: What inspired your theory of relativity?...</p>
  </div>
  <button>Resume</button>
  <button>Delete</button>
</div>

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Conversation Branching

Branching allows you to explore alternate conversation paths from any message point.

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Why Branch?

  • Explore alternatives: “What if I had asked differently?”
  • Compare perspectives: Get multiple takes on the same question
  • Safe experimentation: Try controversial topics without affecting main conversation
  • Parallel discussions: Maintain multiple threads on different subjects

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How to Create a Branch

1

Find Your Branch Point

Locate the message where you want to diverge. Look for the branch button (🌿) next to each message.
2

Click Branch Button

A prompt appears asking for a branch name.
3

Name Your Branch

Choose a descriptive name like “Quantum Debate” or “Alternative Theory”
4

Continue Conversation

The conversation continues from that point in your new branch
The branch button appears on all messages except the welcome message. You need to send at least one message before branching.

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Branch Management

Branch Selector: Dropdown in the conversation header shows all branches 
// Example branch structure
conversationBranches = {
  'main': {
    name: 'Main',
    history: [...]
  },
  'branch-abc123': {
    name: 'Quantum Debate',
    parent_branch_id: 'main',
    branch_point: 5, // Message index
    history: [...]
  }
}

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Switching Between Branches

  1. Click the branch selector dropdown
  2. Select the branch you want to view
  3. Conversation updates to show that branch’s history
  4. Continue chatting in the selected branch
Each branch maintains its own message history from the branch point forward. Messages before the branch point are shared across all branches.

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History Limits

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Context Window

To optimize AI performance and response quality:
  • Maximum history: Last 20 messages sent to AI
  • Full history displayed: All messages shown in UI
  • Branching available: From any message in full history
# In app.py
MAX_HISTORY = 20  # Maximum number of messages to keep in history

# Add conversation history (limited to last MAX_HISTORY messages)
for msg in history[-MAX_HISTORY:]:
    messages.append({
        "role": msg.get("role", "user"),
        "content": msg.get("content", "")
    })
While only the last 20 messages are sent to the AI for context, your full conversation history is preserved for viewing and branching.

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Export & Sharing

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Copy to Clipboard

Copy formatted conversation text: 
async function copyConversation() {
  const history = getCurrentHistory();
  let text = `Conversation with ${state.currentFigure.name}\n`;
  text += `${'='.repeat(40)}\n\n`;
  
  history.forEach(msg => {
    const author = msg.role === 'user' ? 'You' : state.currentFigure.name;
    text += `${author}: ${msg.content}\n\n`;
  });
  
  await navigator.clipboard.writeText(text);
}

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Download as Text File

Download conversation with metadata: 
=====================================
Conversation with Albert Einstein
=====================================
Date: March 6, 2026
Model: Gemma 3 12B
Branch: Main
=====================================

You: What inspired your theory of relativity?

Albert Einstein: *adjusts spectacles thoughtfully* Ah, what a wonderful question...

...

=====================================
Exported from SeanceAI
https://seanceai.example.com
=====================================
Generate shareable links that include:
  • Full conversation history
  • Figure or dinner party information
  • Current branch (if applicable)
Share Flow:
1

Click Share Button

Located in conversation header
2

Link Generated

Creates unique share ID and stores data in localStorage
3

Copy & Share

Link automatically copied to clipboard
4

Recipients Open Link

Conversation loads with full history in read-only mode
// Share link format
const shareUrl = `${window.location.origin}#share=share-1234567890-abc123`;

// Share data stored temporarily
const shareData = {
  type: 'seance',
  figure_id: 'einstein',
  figure_name: 'Albert Einstein',
  history: [...],
  branch_id: 'main',
  timestamp: new Date().toISOString()
};
Share links are stored in localStorage and cleaned up automatically (last 10 kept). For permanent sharing, use the download feature.

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Dinner Party History

Dinner party conversations have slightly different management:

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Differences from Seance Mode

  • Multiple guests: History includes guest IDs with responses
  • No branching: Branching currently only available in 1-on-1 mode
  • Guest list saved: All selected guests preserved for resuming

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Dinner Party Storage

{
  id: 'party-1234567890-abc123',
  type: 'dinner-party',
  guests: ['einstein', 'bohr', 'heisenberg'],
  guest_names: 'Einstein, Bohr, Heisenberg',
  timestamp: '2026-03-06T10:30:00.000Z',
  history: [
    { role: 'user', content: 'What is quantum reality?' },
    { 
      role: 'assistant', 
      content: '[einstein]: Fascinating question...\n\n[bohr]: I must disagree...'
    }
  ]
}

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Storage Management

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Browser Storage Limits

LocalStorage typically has 5-10MB limit:
  • Average conversation: ~50KB
  • Estimated capacity: 100-200 conversations
  • Auto-cleanup: Oldest conversations removed if storage full

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Manual Cleanup

Open saved conversations panel and click delete button on conversations you no longer need.
Use browser developer tools to clear localStorage:
// Clear all SeanceAI data
Object.keys(localStorage)
  .filter(key => key.startsWith('seanceai-'))
  .forEach(key => localStorage.removeItem(key));
Download important conversations before clearing to preserve them permanently.

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Privacy & Security

All conversation history is stored locally in your browser. Nothing is stored on SeanceAI servers.

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What This Means

  • ✅ Private: Only you can access your conversations
  • ✅ Portable: Conversations stay on your device
  • ⚠️ Device-specific: Different devices have different histories
  • ⚠️ Clearable: Clearing browser data removes conversations

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Best Practices

  1. Export important conversations: Download meaningful discussions
  2. Use multiple devices cautiously: History won’t sync automatically
  3. Don’t clear browser data: Unless you’ve exported what you need
  4. Share links expire: They rely on localStorage cleanup

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API Integration

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History Format

When sending history to API endpoints: 
const history = [
  { role: 'user', content: 'User message' },
  { role: 'assistant', content: 'AI response' },
  { role: 'user', content: 'Next user message' }
];

// Send with request
fetch('/api/chat', {
  method: 'POST',
  body: JSON.stringify({
    figure_id: 'einstein',
    message: 'New message',
    history: history.slice(-20), // Last 20 only
    model: 'google/gemma-3-12b-it:free'
  })
});

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Conversation ID Generation

function generateConversationId() {
  return 'conv-' + Date.now() + '-' + Math.random().toString(36).substr(2, 9);
}

// Example: 'conv-1234567890-abc123def'

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Troubleshooting

Possible causes:
  • Browser localStorage disabled
  • Privacy mode/incognito window (storage cleared on close)
  • Storage quota exceeded
Solutions:
  • Check browser privacy settings
  • Use normal browsing mode
  • Delete old conversations to free space
Possible causes:
  • Conversation data corrupted
  • Browser cache cleared
  • localStorage manually cleared
Solutions:
  • Check browser console for errors
  • Try refreshing the page
  • Start a new conversation if data is lost
Possible causes:
  • No conversation ID assigned yet (need to send first message)
  • Dinner party mode (branching not available)
  • Browser JavaScript error
Solutions:
  • Send at least one message before branching
  • Use Seance Mode for branching feature
  • Check browser console for errors

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Tips for Organization

  1. Use descriptive branch names: “Quantum Mechanics” vs “Branch 1”
  2. Export significant conversations: Don’t rely solely on localStorage
  3. Periodically review saved conversations: Delete ones you don’t need
  4. Take notes externally: For academic or research purposes
  5. Share interesting exchanges: Help others discover great conversations

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Next Steps

Start Chatting

Begin conversations that auto-save

Explore Figures

Find figures to talk with

Host a Party

Create group conversation histories

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