Improve Assistant model command search

docs/release-control/v6/internal/subsystems/ai-runtime.md

@@ -119,7 +119,13 @@ leave the transcript without exposing hidden provider/tool metadata.
    must still use the currently selected route until the operator explicitly
    chooses a different route. Same-model configured-provider alternatives remain
    visible one-click route changes and failed-turn retry choices, not automatic
-   send-time recovery or hidden provider fallback.
+   send-time recovery or hidden provider fallback. The OpenCode reference
+   behavior for this slice is retries on the selected provider/model, not
+   silent fallback to another provider or route; Pulse must adapt that as
+   explicit route choice plus visible route search/recovery. The Assistant
+   `/model` command therefore has two owned paths: an exact `provider:model-id`
+   argument selects that route directly, while a partial argument opens the
+   shared model picker with the search text prefilled.
    Assistant model-selection defaults are settings-owned: the drawer may persist
    explicit model selections only for concrete session IDs, while blank-session
    chat defaults must flow from `/api/settings/ai` `chat_model` or `model`.

docs/release-control/v6/internal/subsystems/frontend-primitives.md

@@ -1560,6 +1560,11 @@ provider-local form fork. The shared provider configuration section must render
 provider-specific controls from `aiSettingsModel.ts` `extraFields`, including
 Ollama `keep_alive`, so Assistant and Patrol keep one settings shape across
 labeling, help affordances, helper copy, and persistence binding.
+The shared AI model picker owns model route search and presentation for
+Assistant surfaces. External open requests may seed an initial search query,
+but filtering, current/default route badges, recent routes, and custom route
+selection must remain inside `AIModelPicker`; callers should not duplicate that
+logic in command handlers or feature-local model selectors.
 
 The Patrol alert-trigger severity selector under
 `frontend-modern/src/features/patrol/` is built on the shared `FormSelect`

frontend-modern/src/components/AI/Chat/ModelSelector.tsx

@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ export interface ModelSelectorProps {
   isLoading?: boolean;
   error?: string;
   openRequest?: number;
+  initialSearchQuery?: string;
   onModelSelect: (modelId: string) => void;
   onRefresh?: () => void;
 }
@@ -91,6 +92,7 @@ export const ModelSelector: Component<ModelSelectorProps> = (props) => {
       isLoading={props.isLoading}
       error={props.error}
       openRequest={props.openRequest}
+      initialSearchQuery={props.initialSearchQuery}
       onRefresh={props.onRefresh}
       align="left"
       buttonClass="flex flex-shrink-0 items-center gap-1.5 rounded-md border border-border bg-surface px-2.5 py-1.5 text-[11px] text-muted transition-colors hover:border-border hover:text-base-content"

frontend-modern/src/components/AI/Chat/__tests__/AIChat.test.tsx

@@ -35,6 +35,7 @@ const {
     models: ModelInfo[];
     recentModelIds?: string[];
     openRequest?: number;
+    initialSearchQuery?: string;
     onModelSelect?: (modelId: string) => void;
   }> = [];
   const mockChat = {
@@ -302,6 +303,7 @@ vi.mock('../ModelSelector', () => ({
     models: ModelInfo[];
     recentModelIds?: string[];
     openRequest?: number;
+    initialSearchQuery?: string;
     onModelSelect?: (modelId: string) => void;
   }) => {
     mockModelSelectorProps.push(props);
@@ -311,6 +313,7 @@ vi.mock('../ModelSelector', () => ({
         data-selected={props.selectedModel}
         data-count={props.models.length}
         data-open-request={String(props.openRequest || 0)}
+        data-initial-search={props.initialSearchQuery || ''}
         data-recent-models={(props.recentModelIds || []).join('|')}
       />
     );
@@ -1763,7 +1766,7 @@ describe('AIChat', () => {
 
       expect(screen.getByRole('dialog', { name: 'Assistant commands' })).toBeInTheDocument();
       expect(screen.getByRole('option', { name: /\/models/ })).toHaveTextContent(
-        'Choose or set the model route (/model provider:model-id)',
+        'Open model search or set a route (/model qwen or /model provider:model-id)',
       );
       expect(screen.getByRole('option', { name: /\/status/ })).toHaveTextContent(
         'Check the selected model route',
@@ -1969,7 +1972,7 @@ describe('AIChat', () => {
       await waitFor(() => expect(textarea.value).toBe(''));
     });
 
-    it('keeps invalid /model route drafts editable instead of sending them', async () => {
+    it('opens model search for partial /model route text instead of sending it', async () => {
       renderChat();
       const textarea = screen.getByPlaceholderText(
         'Ask about your infrastructure...',
@@ -1980,10 +1983,15 @@ describe('AIChat', () => {
 
       expect(mockChat.setModel).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
       expect(mockChat.sendMessage).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
-      expect(mockNotificationStore.error).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
-        'Use /model provider:model-id, /model default, /model next, or /model previous.',
+      await waitFor(() => {
+        expect(screen.getByTestId('model-selector')).toHaveAttribute('data-open-request', '1');
+      });
+      expect(screen.getByTestId('model-selector')).toHaveAttribute(
+        'data-initial-search',
+        'qwen3.7-plus',
       );
-      expect(textarea.value).toBe('/model qwen3.7-plus');
+      expect(mockNotificationStore.error).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+      await waitFor(() => expect(textarea.value).toBe(''));
     });
 
     it('checks selected provider status from /status without sending a provider prompt', async () => {

frontend-modern/src/components/AI/Chat/assistantSlashCommands.ts

@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ export const ASSISTANT_SLASH_COMMANDS: AssistantSlashCommand[] = [
     name: 'models',
     aliases: ['model', 'mo'],
     action: 'models',
-    description: 'Choose or set the model route (/model provider:model-id)',
+    description: 'Open model search or set a route (/model qwen or /model provider:model-id)',
   },
   {
     name: 'providers',

frontend-modern/src/components/AI/Chat/index.tsx

@@ -198,8 +198,6 @@ const STRUCTURED_PATROL_CONTEXT_TARGETS = new Set(['patrol-configuration', 'patr
 const STRUCTURED_RESOURCE_CONTEXT_HANDOFF_KINDS = new Set(['resource_context']);
 const AI_CHAT_CYCLE_RECENT_MODEL_LABEL = 'Cycle recent Assistant model';
 const AI_CHAT_CONTROL_LEVEL_ORDER: AIControlLevel[] = ['read_only', 'controlled', 'autonomous'];
-const AI_CHAT_MODEL_SLASH_HELP =
-  'Use /model provider:model-id, /model default, /model next, or /model previous.';
 const AI_CHAT_COMPACT_SESSION_LABEL = 'Compact session';
 const AI_CHAT_COMPACT_SESSION_EMPTY_MESSAGE = 'No Assistant session to compact';
 const AI_CHAT_COMPACT_SESSION_LOADING_MESSAGE =
@@ -691,6 +689,7 @@ export const AIChat: Component<AIChatProps> = (props) => {
   const controlModeOptionRefs = new Map<AIControlLevel, HTMLButtonElement>();
   let sessionSearchRequestId = 0;
   const [modelSelectorOpenRequest, setModelSelectorOpenRequest] = createSignal(0);
+  const [modelSelectorInitialSearch, setModelSelectorInitialSearch] = createSignal('');
   const [defaultModel, setDefaultModel] = createSignal('');
   const [chatOverrideModel, setChatOverrideModel] = createSignal('');
   const [providerReadiness, setProviderReadiness] = createSignal<ChatProviderReadinessState>({
@@ -2067,6 +2066,11 @@ export const AIChat: Component<AIChatProps> = (props) => {
     }
   };
 
+  const openModelSelector = (initialSearch = '') => {
+    setModelSelectorInitialSearch(initialSearch.trim());
+    setModelSelectorOpenRequest((value) => value + 1);
+  };
+
   const recentModelRouteByDirection = (direction: 1 | -1) =>
     getNextAssistantRecentModelRoute({
       currentModel: selectedChatModel(),
@@ -2093,7 +2097,7 @@ export const AIChat: Component<AIChatProps> = (props) => {
       setShowCommandHelp(false);
       setSessionRefreshLoading(false);
       resetSessionSearch();
-      setModelSelectorOpenRequest((value) => value + 1);
+      openModelSelector();
       return true;
     }
 
@@ -2138,9 +2142,9 @@ export const AIChat: Component<AIChatProps> = (props) => {
     }
 
     if (!isAssistantExplicitModelRoute(target)) {
-      notificationStore.error(AI_CHAT_MODEL_SLASH_HELP);
+      openModelSelector(target);
       focusComposer();
-      return false;
+      return true;
     }
 
     selectModel(target);
@@ -2153,7 +2157,7 @@ export const AIChat: Component<AIChatProps> = (props) => {
   };
 
   const openModelSelectorFromError = () => {
-    setModelSelectorOpenRequest((value) => value + 1);
+    openModelSelector();
   };
 
   const getFailedTurnModelRouteAlternative = (message: ChatMessage) => {
@@ -2878,7 +2882,7 @@ export const AIChat: Component<AIChatProps> = (props) => {
         setShowCommandHelp(false);
         setSessionRefreshLoading(false);
         resetSessionSearch();
-        setModelSelectorOpenRequest((value) => value + 1);
+        openModelSelector();
         break;
       case 'providers':
         openAssistantProviderSettings();
@@ -4562,6 +4566,7 @@ export const AIChat: Component<AIChatProps> = (props) => {
                   isLoading={aiRuntimeModelsLoading()}
                   error={aiRuntimeModelsError()}
                   openRequest={modelSelectorOpenRequest()}
+                  initialSearchQuery={modelSelectorInitialSearch()}
                   onModelSelect={selectModel}
                   onRefresh={() => loadModels(true)}
                 />

frontend-modern/src/components/shared/AIModelPicker.tsx

@@ -57,6 +57,7 @@ export interface AIModelPickerProps {
   error?: string;
   onRefresh?: () => void;
   openRequest?: number;
+  initialSearchQuery?: string;
   align?: 'left' | 'right';
   buttonClass?: string;
   buttonLabelClass?: string;
@@ -390,9 +391,9 @@ export const AIModelPicker: Component<AIModelPickerProps> = (props) => {
     queueMicrotask(() => searchInputRef?.focus());
   };
 
-  const openPicker = () => {
+  const openPicker = (initialSearchQuery = '') => {
     updateDropdownPosition();
-    setSearchQuery('');
+    setSearchQuery(initialSearchQuery.trim());
     setIsOpen(true);
     focusSearchInput();
   };
@@ -564,7 +565,7 @@ export const AIModelPicker: Component<AIModelPickerProps> = (props) => {
       return;
     }
     lastOpenRequest = request;
-    queueMicrotask(openPicker);
+    queueMicrotask(() => openPicker(props.initialSearchQuery));
   });
 
   const hasVisibleListOptions = createMemo(

frontend-modern/src/components/shared/__tests__/AIModelPicker.test.tsx

@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 import { cleanup, fireEvent, render, screen, waitFor } from '@solidjs/testing-library';
 import { afterEach, describe, expect, it, vi } from 'vitest';
+import { createSignal } from 'solid-js';
 import { AIModelPicker } from '@/components/shared/AIModelPicker';
 import type { ModelInfo } from '@/types/ai';
 
@@ -200,6 +201,41 @@ describe('AIModelPicker', () => {
     ).toBeInTheDocument();
   });
 
+  it('prefills search when opened by an external request', async () => {
+    const [openRequest, setOpenRequest] = createSignal(0);
+    const [initialSearchQuery, setInitialSearchQuery] = createSignal('');
+    render(() => (
+      <>
+        <button
+          type="button"
+          onClick={() => {
+            setInitialSearchQuery('gpt');
+            setOpenRequest((value) => value + 1);
+          }}
+        >
+          Open model search
+        </button>
+        <AIModelPicker
+          models={models}
+          selectedModel=""
+          onModelSelect={vi.fn()}
+          title="Select shared default model"
+          openRequest={openRequest()}
+          initialSearchQuery={initialSearchQuery()}
+        />
+      </>
+    ));
+
+    fireEvent.click(screen.getByRole('button', { name: 'Open model search' }));
+
+    const searchInput = (await screen.findByPlaceholderText(
+      'Search or enter model ID',
+    )) as HTMLInputElement;
+    expect(searchInput.value).toBe('gpt');
+    expect(screen.getByText('GPT-5.1 Mini')).toBeInTheDocument();
+    expect(screen.queryByText('MiniMax: MiniMax M2.5 via OpenRouter')).not.toBeInTheDocument();
+  });
+
   it('moves keyboard focus from search through model options', async () => {
     render(() => (
       <AIModelPicker