feat(app): retry a failed run, switching to Automatic when the model caused it

.lane/attic/packages/channel/src/channel.ts/01M5J26DEM7Z0EHWJN3F79ZZZS-an-ask-with-automatic-and-no.md

@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+---
+id: 01M5J26DEM7Z0EHWJN3F79ZZZS
+anchor: class Channel
+created: 2026-10-22T15:03:10Z
+norm: '1'
+sig: c905677fa4be33c1
+body_hash: 64e6dacda54276dc
+raw_hash: 6d689f07f518e3a9
+lines: 157-1008
+---
+
+an ask with `automatic` and no model must replace the chat's model with the channel's choice, so Retry can leave a model that fails

.lane/memory/apps/app/src/composer.tsx/01M4YQG7BVWEFZPD56A2BA0VE9-mode-ace-mode-channels-id-an.md

@@ -4,9 +4,9 @@ anchor: function Composer
 created: 2026-10-15T02:50:44Z
 norm: '1'
 sig: 6e0e6c5c8afbd01a
-body_hash: f265dfc748a0c278
-raw_hash: dd0efcf54d33e479
-vouched: 2026-10-22T14:39:32Z
+body_hash: 75fc838bf3451b29
+raw_hash: 1948feaaac06338f
+vouched: 2026-10-22T15:03:16Z
 lines: 99-282
 ---
 

.lane/memory/apps/app/src/composer.tsx/01M4ZSEZBJJ3AMEBTR7SH36FW4-models-are-read-only-while-t.md

@@ -4,9 +4,9 @@ anchor: function Composer
 created: 2026-10-15T12:44:15Z
 norm: '1'
 sig: 6e0e6c5c8afbd01a
-body_hash: f265dfc748a0c278
-raw_hash: dd0efcf54d33e479
-vouched: 2026-10-22T14:39:32Z
+body_hash: 75fc838bf3451b29
+raw_hash: 1948feaaac06338f
+vouched: 2026-10-22T15:03:16Z
 lines: 101-290
 ---
 

.lane/memory/apps/app/src/composer.tsx/01M4ZYQVGB6C87WBEV12WPQ8PF-a-withdrawn-message-returns.md

@@ -4,9 +4,9 @@ anchor: function Composer
 created: 2026-10-15T14:16:28Z
 norm: '1'
 sig: 6e0e6c5c8afbd01a
-body_hash: f265dfc748a0c278
-raw_hash: dd0efcf54d33e479
-vouched: 2026-10-22T14:39:32Z
+body_hash: 75fc838bf3451b29
+raw_hash: 1948feaaac06338f
+vouched: 2026-10-22T15:03:16Z
 lines: 104-326
 ---
 

.lane/memory/packages/channel/src/channel.ts/01M4XQKND0900E94CG3BXBEJP7-a-run-s-end-is-read-from-the.md

@@ -4,9 +4,9 @@ anchor: class Channel
 created: 2026-10-14T17:33:22Z
 norm: '1'
 sig: c905677fa4be33c1
-body_hash: e05cfd4b5bb4c4b3
-raw_hash: aeb6b16210ed310a
-vouched: 2026-10-22T14:35:52Z
+body_hash: 64e6dacda54276dc
+raw_hash: 6d689f07f518e3a9
+vouched: 2026-10-22T15:03:17Z
 lines: 114-792
 ---
 

.lane/memory/packages/channel/src/channel.ts/01M4YFFTK7TWGKENJAD1W10HJJ-the-desktop-default-changes.md

@@ -4,9 +4,9 @@ anchor: class Channel
 created: 2026-10-15T00:30:42Z
 norm: '1'
 sig: c905677fa4be33c1
-body_hash: e05cfd4b5bb4c4b3
-raw_hash: aeb6b16210ed310a
-vouched: 2026-10-22T14:35:52Z
+body_hash: 64e6dacda54276dc
+raw_hash: 6d689f07f518e3a9
+vouched: 2026-10-22T15:03:17Z
 lines: 114-792
 ---
 

.lane/memory/packages/channel/src/channel.ts/01M4YPJQB6KKEW1YTRD08YCYJY-only-gateways-admit-clients.md

@@ -4,9 +4,9 @@ anchor: class Channel
 created: 2026-10-15T02:34:37Z
 norm: '1'
 sig: c905677fa4be33c1
-body_hash: e05cfd4b5bb4c4b3
-raw_hash: aeb6b16210ed310a
-vouched: 2026-10-22T14:35:52Z
+body_hash: 64e6dacda54276dc
+raw_hash: 6d689f07f518e3a9
+vouched: 2026-10-22T15:03:17Z
 lines: 114-794
 ---
 

.lane/memory/packages/channel/src/channel.ts/01M4ZH31DXZK0Y57C97DP84ZKX-handoffs-learns-queued-hando.md

@@ -4,9 +4,9 @@ anchor: class Channel
 created: 2026-10-15T10:17:55Z
 norm: '1'
 sig: c905677fa4be33c1
-body_hash: e05cfd4b5bb4c4b3
-raw_hash: aeb6b16210ed310a
-vouched: 2026-10-22T14:35:52Z
+body_hash: 64e6dacda54276dc
+raw_hash: 6d689f07f518e3a9
+vouched: 2026-10-22T15:03:17Z
 lines: 121-817
 ---
 

.lane/memory/packages/channel/src/channel.ts/01M53CAGW2RVRKCYF5BCJRTZX2-a-fork-s-starting-lane-is-re.md

@@ -4,9 +4,9 @@ anchor: class Channel
 created: 2026-10-16T22:11:35Z
 norm: '1'
 sig: c905677fa4be33c1
-body_hash: e05cfd4b5bb4c4b3
-raw_hash: aeb6b16210ed310a
-vouched: 2026-10-22T14:35:52Z
+body_hash: 64e6dacda54276dc
+raw_hash: 6d689f07f518e3a9
+vouched: 2026-10-22T15:03:17Z
 lines: 127-873
 ---
 

apps/app/src/composer.tsx

@@ -40,6 +40,10 @@ const LEADING = /^\s*@ace\b/i;
 const UNPICKED: { model?: string; effort?: Effort } = {};
 
 const key = (model: ModelRef) => `${model.provider}/${model.modelId}`;
+// Errors a provider gives for the model or its key, which another try with them would repeat.
+const MODEL_FAULT =
+	/\b(401|403|404)\b|api key|unauthori[sz]ed|authenticat|permission|does not exist|not found|access to/i;
+const RETRY = "Try again.";
 
 type Props = {
 	channel: Listing;
@@ -57,6 +61,8 @@ type Props = {
 	onDraftLoaded: () => void;
 	/** Messages withdrawn from the chat's queue; the user's own come back into the draft. */
 	returned: QueuedMessage[];
+	/** The error of the chat's latest run, when it failed and nothing has run since. */
+	failure?: string;
 	onProviders?: () => void;
 	accessory?: ReactNode;
 };
@@ -89,6 +95,7 @@ export function Composer(
 		draft,
 		onDraftLoaded,
 		returned,
+		failure,
 		onProviders,
 		accessory,
 	}: Props,
@@ -265,6 +272,42 @@ export function Composer(
 		}
 	}
 
+	// Retrying a model's own failure on that model would fail again, so it hands the choice back.
+	const reset = !!failure && MODEL_FAULT.test(failure) && model !== "auto";
+	async function retry() {
+		if (sending.current) return;
+		sending.current = true;
+		setPending(true);
+		try {
+			const [provider, ...rest] = model.split("/");
+			await host.channel(channel.id, {
+				op: "ask",
+				chat: id,
+				author: user,
+				text: RETRY,
+				...(reset
+					? { automatic: true }
+					: {
+						...(levels ? { effort } : {}),
+						...(picked && picked !== "auto"
+							? { model: { provider: provider!, modelId: rest.join("/") } }
+							: {}),
+					}),
+			});
+			if (reset) {
+				changePick(UNPICKED);
+				toast("Switched this chat to Automatic", {
+					description: `${model} failed, so Retry let Ace choose the model.`,
+				});
+			}
+		} catch (error) {
+			toast.error("Could not retry", { description: (error as Error).message });
+		} finally {
+			sending.current = false;
+			setPending(false);
+		}
+	}
+
 	return (
 		<>
 			<ChatComposer
@@ -294,6 +337,24 @@ export function Composer(
 				clearOnSend={false}
 				onSend={({ doc, mode, attachments }) => void send(serialize(doc), mode, attachments)}
 			/>
+			{failure && !blocked && !busy && (
+				<Notice
+					action={
+						<Button
+							size="sm"
+							variant="outline"
+							disabled={!ready || status !== "open" || pending}
+							onClick={() => void retry()}
+						>
+							Retry
+						</Button>
+					}
+				>
+					{reset
+						? `The last run failed on ${model}. Retry switches this chat to Automatic.`
+						: "The last run failed."}
+				</Notice>
+			)}
 			{mode === "ace" && !offline && models?.length === 0 && (
 				<Notice
 					action={onProviders && (

apps/app/src/conversation.tsx

@@ -76,6 +76,8 @@ export function Conversation(
 		: "Sending";
 	const reply = transcript.items.findLast((item) => item.kind === "reply");
 	const question = reply?.kind === "reply" && pendingQuestion(reply.tools, transcript.busy);
+	const last = transcript.items.at(-1);
+	const failure = !transcript.busy && last?.kind === "reply" ? last.error : undefined;
 	const senders = useMemo(() => sources(channels, channel.host), [channels, channel.host]);
 	const events = useMemo(
 		() =>
@@ -299,6 +301,7 @@ export function Conversation(
 						draft={draft}
 						onDraftLoaded={onDraftLoaded}
 						returned={transcript.returned}
+						failure={failure}
 						onProviders={onProviders}
 						accessory={chat?.usage && <Usage value={chat.usage} context={chat.context} />}
 					/>

packages/channel/src/channel.ts

@@ -652,7 +652,7 @@ export class Channel {
 		room.checkAttachments(request);
 		await this.#mayInvoke(request.author);
 		const conversation = await this.#conversation(request.chat);
-		await this.#select(conversation, request, request.model, request.effort);
+		await this.#select(conversation, request, request.model, request.effort, request.automatic);
 		const submission = await conversation.submit({
 			type: "input",
 			content: room.content(request.author, request.text, request),
@@ -678,11 +678,12 @@ export class Channel {
 		attached: room.Attached,
 		requested: ModelRef | undefined,
 		effort?: Effort,
+		automatic?: boolean,
 	) {
 		const agent = await conversation.agent(context);
 		const current = agent.model;
 		// A chat's inherited model can lose its provider key; only an explicit request must keep it.
-		const kept = !requested && current && await usable(this.#options.models, current)
+		const kept = !requested && !automatic && current && await usable(this.#options.models, current)
 			? current
 			: undefined;
 		const model = requested || kept || await (

packages/channel/src/protocol.ts

@@ -221,6 +221,8 @@ export type Request =
 		images?: Image[];
 		files?: TextFile[];
 		model?: ModelRef;
+		/** Without `model`, replace the chat's model with the channel's choice, as for a new chat. */
+		automatic?: boolean;
 		effort?: Effort;
 		requestId?: string;
 	}