Unify the new thread project picker

[colonelpanic8]

Summary

• route every new-thread entry point through one command-palette project picker
• prioritize the project from the current route or thread context
• preserve loading and empty states, Add project, and repeat-shortcut refresh behavior
• remove the duplicate Sidebar V2 picker and its separate keyboard-navigation path

Why

T3 Code originally had two project-picker experiences for starting a thread. The command-palette picker was searchable and already served the Ctrl+K flow, while Ctrl+N and the Sidebar V2 button used a separate sidebar-owned modal. Consolidating them gives every entry point the same interaction and removes duplicate UI and keyboard-navigation code.

PR #4269 landed the basic route into the command palette after this PR opened. That means the current main screenshot below is an intermediate state, while the first screenshot is the real product before-state of the consolidation this PR proposed.

UI comparison

Before: standalone Sidebar V2 dialog

The original new-thread flow used a separate project dialog. It duplicated the Ctrl+K picker and did not support incremental filtering.

Current main after #4269

main now routes into the command palette, but the intermediate picker still shows the new-thread shortcut on every project row and does not include Add project in the same result set.

This PR

This PR keeps the command-palette picker, prioritizes the contextual project, and includes Add project as a keyboard-addressable action.

It also uses the same incremental search behavior as Ctrl+K → New thread in…:

Validation

• web package typecheck
• targeted lint on changed files
• CommandPalette.logic.test.ts and keybindings.test.ts (56 tests)
• isolated end-to-end web verification: Ctrl+N opens the Projects command-palette submenu and selecting a project creates a fresh draft
• compared against Ctrl+K → New thread in… to confirm both entry points render the same picker

Exact-head evidence

Revalidated at 9fb451d on current main (9a0a071): focused tests, vp check, and vp run typecheck passed. The capture uses only disposable local projects.

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Note

Medium Risk
Touches global shortcuts, command-palette navigation, and thread-creation entry points across sidebar and chat routes; behavior is well covered by new unit tests but user-facing flows are easy to regress.

Overview
Routes new thread flows (sidebar, chat.new, Ctrl+K “New thread in…”) through one command-palette project picker instead of ad-hoc submenu stacks or a separate sidebar dialog.

The palette bus gains preferredProjectRef on open and closeCommandPalette for programmatic dismiss. Picker logic (buildNewThreadProjectView, buildNewThreadPickerGroups, prioritizeScopedProject, resolveNewThreadIntentViewStack) drives a dedicated view with contextual project first, searchable projects, Add project in the same list, and loading / empty copy via leadingMessage. chat.new while the palette is open refreshes the picker (other chat shortcuts stay blocked); single-project and Sidebar V1 still create immediately.

^{Reviewed by Cursor Bugbot for commit 6e0d514. Bugbot is set up for automated code reviews on this repo. Configure here.}

Note

Unify the new thread project picker in the command palette

• Adds a dedicated 'New thread in…' project picker view to the command palette, built via buildNewThreadProjectView and resolveNewThreadIntentViewStack in CommandPalette.logic.ts.
• Callers (sidebar, chat route shortcuts) can now pass a preferredProjectRef when opening the palette, which moves the preferred project to the top of the picker list via prioritizeScopedProject.
• Adds closeCommandPalette and onCloseCommandPalette to commandPaletteBus.ts so components can programmatically close the palette via a DOM event.
• chat.new keyboard shortcut now works while the palette is open: it opens the project picker in sidebar v2 with multiple projects, or closes the palette and creates a thread immediately otherwise.
• The picker shows loading and empty state messages via a new leadingMessage prop on CommandPaletteResults.

^{Macroscope summarized 6e0d514.}

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[macroscopeapp]

Approvability

Verdict: Approved

This PR consolidates the 'new thread' project picker UI logic, extracts it into testable functions, and adds comprehensive unit tests. The changes are self-contained to command palette behavior with no security, schema, or infrastructure implications. Author has recent active experience with this code.

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[juliusmarminge]

BEFORE/AFTER SCREENSHOTS FOR UI CHANGES

[colonelpanic8]

BEFORE/AFTER SCREENSHOTS FOR UI CHANGES

this just gets rid of a duplicated modal where one version is clearly superior to the other. You really need a screenshot for that?

Dismissing prior approval to re-evaluate 891f36e

[cursor]

Cursor Bugbot has reviewed your changes using high effort and found 2 potential issues.

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