Check Model Loading Cache Paths

Audit model-loading code and verify every from_pretrained(...) and from_single_file(...) call explicitly sets cache_dir to the correct cache root.

When To Use

• A loader was added or changed and its cache path needs validation
• A model family loads from the wrong local cache or redownloads unexpectedly
• Auxiliary components are loaded before the full pipeline and need to land in the HF cache
• You want a pre-PR sanity pass for model download/cache routing

Guidance

• Consult .github/instructions/core.instructions.md before proceeding.
• Use existing cache-path conventions rather than introducing new ones.

Path Policy

1. Full image model pipeline loads:

• Use shared.opts.diffusers_dir
• Applies to top-level pipeline from_pretrained(...) / from_single_file(...) calls that load the full pipeline or full checkpoint into diffusers layout.

2. Auxiliary model loads:

• Use shared.opts.hfcache_dir
• Applies to supporting downloads such as VAE, scheduler, processor, tokenizer, image encoder, text encoder, transformer, and other components loaded independently.

3. Component-first loading before pipeline assembly:

• Use shared.opts.hfcache_dir
• Applies when a transformer, text encoder, processor, or similar component is loaded before the complete pipeline is instantiated.

Primary Files

• modules/sd_models.py
• modules/model*.py
• modules/ui_models_load.py
• modules/models_hf.py
• modules/merging/**/*.py
• pipelines/**/*.py

Audit Goals

For each from_pretrained(...) or from_single_file(...) call, verify:

1. cache_dir is present explicitly.
2. The selected cache root matches the path policy above.
3. Helper wrappers preserve the correct cache choice when they forward args.
4. No load path mixes full pipeline cache and auxiliary cache in a way that would scatter artifacts.

Flag issues such as:

• missing cache_dir
• cache_dir set to the wrong option
• component loaders using shared.opts.diffusers_dir when they should use shared.opts.hfcache_dir
• full pipeline loads using shared.opts.hfcache_dir
• wrapper functions dropping or overriding the intended cache path

Procedure

1. Enumerate every from_pretrained and from_single_file call in the target scope.
2. Classify each call as full pipeline, auxiliary component, or ambiguous wrapper.
3. Confirm the explicit cache_dir argument and compare it to the path policy.
4. For wrappers, trace the forwarded path to the final loader call.
5. Report concrete mismatches with minimal fixes.

Reporting Format

Return findings ordered by severity:

1. Missing cache_dir
2. Wrong cache root for the load type
3. Wrapper or forwarding bugs
4. Consistency warnings

For each finding include:

• file location
• loader call
• expected cache root
• actual cache root or missing argument
• minimal fix

Also include summary counts:

• total from_pretrained calls checked
• total from_single_file calls checked
• full pipeline loads checked
• auxiliary/component loads checked
• ambiguous wrapper loads checked

Pass Criteria

A full pass requires all audited loader calls to specify cache_dir and use the correct cache root for the load category.