Chat Transcript HTML Preview

Local VS Code extension to export the currently focused Copilot chat as a fully self-contained HTML page.

What it does

• Runs from the Command Palette with fast-path preview/save commands and a guided customize flow.
• Triggers Chat: Copy All for the focused chat view.
• Parses the copied transcript into turns.
• Optionally generates a short AI title and summary for the export.
• Lets you choose whether assistant activity is hidden, collapsed, or shown inline.
• Lets you include or exclude the summary, metadata header, code blocks, and clickable links.
• Supports system, light, and dark export themes.
• Opens a preview of the rendered HTML without writing a file, or saves one .html file when requested.

Usage

1. Open Copilot Chat and make sure the chat input/view is focused.
2. Run one of these commands:
   • Chat Transcript: Customize Active Chat as HTML... (guided flow for choosing export options)
   • Chat Transcript: Preview Active Chat as HTML (preview only, no file written)
   • Chat Transcript: Save Active Chat to HTML As... (choose any destination)
3. The customize command asks a short sequence of Quick Pick questions and generates the export immediately after you choose preview or save.
4. The preview command opens an in-editor preview. The Save As command writes one HTML file and opens it.

Settings

The builderDefaults.* settings are used both by the guided Customize Active Chat as HTML... flow and by the fast-path Preview Active Chat as HTML and Save Active Chat to HTML As... commands. The fast-path commands still force their own action: preview for the preview command, save for the Save As command.

• chatTranscriptHtmlPreview.generateSummary
  • valid values: true or false (default: true)
  • enables or disables generating the title and summary block for exports
• chatTranscriptHtmlPreview.openTarget
  • valid values: vscode or external (default: vscode)
  • vscode (default): opens in an in-editor preview
  • external: for Save As, opens the saved file in your default browser
• chatTranscriptHtmlPreview.builderDefaults.thinkingMode
  • valid values: hidden, collapsed, or shown (default: hidden)
  • default detail level for assistant thinking/tool activity in exports
• chatTranscriptHtmlPreview.builderDefaults.includeSummary
  • valid values: true or false (default: true)
  • default whether to include the generated title and summary block
• chatTranscriptHtmlPreview.builderDefaults.includeMetadata
  • valid values: true or false (default: true)
  • default whether to include the metadata header
• chatTranscriptHtmlPreview.builderDefaults.includeCodeBlocks
  • valid values: true or false (default: true)
  • default whether to include fenced code blocks
• chatTranscriptHtmlPreview.builderDefaults.includeLinks
  • valid values: true or false (default: true)
  • default whether links stay clickable
• chatTranscriptHtmlPreview.builderDefaults.theme
  • valid values: system, light, or dark (default: system)
  • default export theme

Notes

• This extension uses clipboard-based capture because public APIs do not expose arbitrary active Copilot session history directly.
• If the command cannot capture text, focus the chat view and rerun.

Local development

• Install dependencies: npm install
• Build: npm run compile
• Launch Extension Development Host: press F5 in VS Code.

Install locally

Manual Install

• Download the latest release from https://github.com/benmartens/copilot-chat-export/releases
• Install the vsix file. Use Extensions: Install from VSIX... and select copilot-chat-export.vsix.

Fresh Install from Source

• Create installable VSIX (runs compile automatically): npm run package:vsix
• Install local VSIX into normal VS Code: npm run install:local

Update an Existing Install from Source

• Rebuild + reinstall: npm run refresh:local
• After refresh:local completes, run Developer: Reload Window from the Command Palette (or restart VS Code) to pick up the new version.