fix(host): the command line refuses what it can't do and names restored copies apart

.lane/memory/apps/host/src/backup.ts/01M4ZYZJRBTSD6WJVT8HEH8XQ0-a-restored-copy-always-gets.md

@@ -4,8 +4,9 @@ anchor: function restore
 created: 2026-10-15T14:20:42Z
 norm: '1'
 sig: 05c78f711a9a9228
-body_hash: 61b995cf9ff2906b
-raw_hash: a42fcbbc15619cac
+body_hash: 4373dd894fb82afc
+raw_hash: 718d009589045a72
+vouched: 2026-10-22T15:17:06Z
 lines: 119-158
 ---
 

.lane/memory/apps/host/src/backup.ts/01M5J2ZT89CTF4ECFNG6YN408R-a-restored-store-s-metadatad.md

@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+---
+id: 01M5J2ZT89CTF4ECFNG6YN408R
+anchor: function restore
+created: 2026-10-22T15:17:03Z
+norm: '1'
+sig: 05c78f711a9a9228
+body_hash: 4373dd894fb82afc
+raw_hash: 718d009589045a72
+lines: 119-164
+---
+
+a restored store's MetadataDoc wins on open, so a new name must be committed there with a rename, not only in the catalog

.lane/memory/apps/host/src/cli.ts/01M4YY5SXJFQK8VXT78X1E0KAE-every-command-but-serve-must.md

@@ -4,9 +4,9 @@ anchor: function main
 created: 2026-10-15T04:47:23Z
 norm: '1'
 sig: 7d5d3f63a3bddde4
-body_hash: 42c616dba5adb167
-raw_hash: 1a7c366637365036
-vouched: 2026-10-22T14:45:22Z
+body_hash: e48607de6d665818
+raw_hash: a6282bc5158525e4
+vouched: 2026-10-22T15:17:06Z
 lines: 253-482
 ---
 

.lane/memory/apps/host/src/cli.ts/01M5J0BZWP8SCBK522YT2HMZDZ-ace-info-prints-agent-access.md

@@ -4,9 +4,9 @@ anchor: function main
 created: 2026-10-22T14:31:16Z
 norm: '1'
 sig: 7d5d3f63a3bddde4
-body_hash: 42c616dba5adb167
-raw_hash: 1a7c366637365036
-vouched: 2026-10-22T14:45:22Z
+body_hash: e48607de6d665818
+raw_hash: a6282bc5158525e4
+vouched: 2026-10-22T15:17:07Z
 lines: 332-614
 ---
 

apps/host/src/backup.ts

@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ import { openNodeSqliteDatabase } from "@earendil-works/pi-durable/storage/sqlit
 import { importSnapshot, type Snapshot } from "@ace/channel/transfer";
 
 import * as catalog from "./catalog";
-import { hostedAuth } from "./client";
+import { hostedAuth, request } from "./client";
 import { refusal } from "./http";
 import { project } from "./manage";
 
@@ -131,7 +131,7 @@ export async function restore(directory: string, dir?: string): Promise<catalog.
 	const original = JSON.parse(readFileSync(join(path, "channel.json"), "utf8")) as catalog.Listing;
 	const record: catalog.Listing = {
 		...catalog.draft(await project(dir || original.project), original.model),
-		name: original.name,
+		name: catalog.restored(original.name),
 		named: original.named !== false,
 		summary: original.summary,
 	};
@@ -150,9 +150,15 @@ export async function restore(directory: string, dir?: string): Promise<catalog.
 			copyFileSync(join(path, "channel.sqlite"), storage);
 		}
 		// Saved last: the catalog lists the channel only once its store is complete.
-		return catalog.save(record);
+		catalog.save(record);
 	} catch (error) {
 		rmSync(base, { recursive: true, force: true });
 		throw error;
 	}
+	// The restored store's own metadata still names the original, and it wins when the channel
+	// opens, so the new name has to be committed there too.
+	if (record.name !== original.name) {
+		await request(record.id, { op: "rename", author: catalog.user, name: record.name });
+	}
+	return catalog.read(record.id);
 }

apps/host/src/catalog.ts

@@ -142,9 +142,9 @@ function taken(except?: string): Set<string> {
 }
 
 /** `base`, or the first of `base-2`, `base-3`, … not in `names`, within the 63-character limit. */
-function unused(base: string, names: Set<string>): string {
+function unused(base: string, names: Set<string>, first = 2): string {
 	let name = base;
-	for (let count = 2; names.has(name); count++) {
+	for (let count = first; names.has(name); count++) {
 		name = `${base.slice(0, 62 - String(count).length).replace(/-+$/, "")}-${count}`;
 	}
 	return name;
@@ -180,6 +180,11 @@ export function claim(id: string, name: string, exact: boolean): string {
 	});
 }
 
+/** A restored copy's name: its original's, or Finder-style `<name>-1`, `<name>-2`, … when taken. */
+export function restored(name: string): string {
+	return unused(name, taken(), 1);
+}
+
 /**
  * A fork's record, not yet saved, named for its source and numbered past names in use. `branches`
  * holds lane prefixes left in the project by deleted channels. The name is not deliberate, so the

apps/host/src/cli.ts

@@ -29,12 +29,13 @@ import {
 	type HostRequest,
 	type Listing,
 	type Person,
+	type Project,
 	type ProjectAccess,
 	projectId,
 	TEAM,
 	type WindowInfo,
 } from "./protocol";
-import { setModel } from "./settings";
+import { checkModel, setModel } from "./settings";
 import { archive, fork, isRunning, kill, models, parseModel, project, remove } from "./manage";
 import { move } from "./move";
 
@@ -203,17 +204,29 @@ async function isHostRunning(): Promise<boolean> {
 }
 
 /** What a teammate can do in a channel from the app; everything else acts on this host's own. */
+const SWITCH = new Set(["on", "off"]);
+
 const participant = new Set(["info", "say", "ask", "watch", "chat", "stop"]);
 
 /** What only a channel's owner can do, phrased for refusing a teammate's channel. */
-/** A project by its folder on this host, or by GitHub owner/name. */
+/** A project by its folder on this host, by GitHub owner/name, or by the name it was opened as. */
 async function projectRef(value: string): Promise<string> {
-	if (!existsSync(value)) {
+	let path = existsSync(value) ? value : undefined;
+	if (!path) {
 		const repo = githubRepo(value);
-		if (!repo) throw new Error(`${value} is neither a folder here nor a GitHub owner/name`);
-		return projectId("", "", repo);
+		if (repo) return projectId("", "", repo);
+		const named = (await local<Project[]>({ op: "projects" })).filter((project) =>
+			project.name.toLowerCase() === value.toLowerCase()
+		);
+		if (named.length > 1) {
+			throw new Error(`More than one project is named ${value}; use its folder`);
+		}
+		if (!named[0]) {
+			throw new Error(`${value} is neither a project, a folder here, nor a GitHub owner/name`);
+		}
+		path = named[0].path;
 	}
-	const { root, repo } = await projects.checkout(realpathSync(resolve(value)));
+	const { root, repo } = await projects.checkout(realpathSync(resolve(path)));
 	const { host } = await local<Hello>({ op: "hello" });
 	return projectId(host, root, repo);
 }
@@ -365,7 +378,12 @@ async function main() {
 			}
 			if (flags.trace) filter.trace = flags.trace;
 			if (flags.level) filter.level = flags.level;
-			if (flags.since) filter.since = since(flags.since);
+			if (flags.since) {
+				filter.since = since(flags.since);
+				if (Number.isNaN(filter.since)) {
+					throw new Error("--since takes a duration such as 10m, 2h or 1d, or a date");
+				}
+			}
 			if (flags.grep) filter.grep = flags.grep;
 			if (flags.follow) return follow(filter, !!flags.json);
 			print(filter, Number(flags.lines || 200), !!flags.json);
@@ -375,6 +393,7 @@ async function main() {
 		case "new": {
 			const dir = await project(resolve(flags.project || "."));
 			const model = flags.model ? parseModel(flags.model) : undefined;
+			if (model) await checkModel(model);
 			const record = catalog.create(dir, model, flags.name);
 			return console.log(`${record.name}\t${record.id}`);
 		}
@@ -437,7 +456,11 @@ async function main() {
 			const person = who === "team" ? TEAM : findPerson(access.people, who).person;
 			const shared = ref === "share";
 			await local({ op: "project-share", project, person, shared });
-			if (!shared) return;
+			if (!shared) {
+				return console.log(
+					`${person === TEAM ? "The team" : who} no longer sees it through a share.`,
+				);
+			}
 			const channels = await local<Listing[]>({ op: "channels" });
 			const others = new Set(
 				channels.filter((value) => channelProject(value) === project).map((value) => value.owner),
@@ -509,6 +532,9 @@ async function main() {
 		}
 	}
 
+	if (!participant.has(command) && !owned[command]) {
+		throw new Error(`Unknown command ${command}\n\n${HELP}`);
+	}
 	if (!ref) throw new Error(`ace ${command} needs a channel`);
 	const text = rest.join(" ");
 	if (participant.has(command)) {
@@ -561,9 +587,7 @@ async function main() {
 			session.close();
 		}
 	}
-	const action = owned[command];
-	if (!action) throw new Error(`Unknown command ${command}\n\n${HELP}`);
-	const record = await own(ref, action);
+	const record = await own(ref, owned[command]!);
 	switch (command) {
 		case "backup":
 			if (rest.length !== 1) throw new Error("ace backup <channel> <new-directory>");
@@ -593,6 +617,9 @@ async function main() {
 			);
 		}
 		case "agents": {
+			if (rest.length !== 1 || !SWITCH.has(rest[0]!)) {
+				throw new Error("ace agents <channel> on|off");
+			}
 			const shared = rest[0] === "on";
 			await request(record.id, { op: "share", author: catalog.user, shared });
 			if (!shared) return;
@@ -601,6 +628,9 @@ async function main() {
 			);
 		}
 		case "desktop": {
+			if (rest.length !== 1 || !SWITCH.has(rest[0]!)) {
+				throw new Error("ace desktop <channel> on|off");
+			}
 			const enabled = rest[0] === "on";
 			await request(record.id, { op: "desktop", author: catalog.user, enabled });
 			if (!enabled) return;

apps/host/src/settings.ts

@@ -114,16 +114,17 @@ export async function removeKey(id: ProviderId): Promise<void> {
 	}
 }
 
-export async function setModel(model: ModelRef | null): Promise<void> {
-	if (model !== null) {
-		if (!isModel(model)) throw new Error("Choose a provider and model");
-		const found = await models();
-		if (
-			!found.some((item) => item.provider === model.provider && item.modelId === model.modelId)
-		) {
-			throw new Error("This model is unavailable. Add its provider key first.");
-		}
+/** A model this host has credentials for, as the default and `ace new --model` both need. */
+export async function checkModel(model: ModelRef): Promise<void> {
+	if (!isModel(model)) throw new Error("Choose a provider and model");
+	const found = await models();
+	if (!found.some((item) => item.provider === model.provider && item.modelId === model.modelId)) {
+		throw new Error("This model is unavailable. Add its provider key first.");
 	}
+}
+
+export async function setModel(model: ModelRef | null): Promise<void> {
+	if (model !== null) await checkModel(model);
 	savePreference(model);
 }