api: separate timeout abort retries from intentional aborts

src/lib/ae_api/api_get_object.ts

@@ -205,7 +205,12 @@ export const get_object = async function get_object({
         // independent timeout. Sharing a single controller across retries leaves
         // retries unprotected once the first attempt's clearTimeout() runs.
         const controller = new AbortController();
+        // Track whether THIS helper's timeout fired. AbortError alone is ambiguous:
+        // it can mean timeout OR intentional caller abort (navigation/unmount).
+        // We only retry timeout-aborts; intentional aborts should fail fast.
+        let did_timeout_abort = false;
         const timeoutId = setTimeout(() => {
+            did_timeout_abort = true;
             console.warn(`API GET: Request timed out after ${timeout}ms (attempt ${attempt}/${retry_count}).`);
             controller.abort();
         }, timeout);
@@ -245,9 +250,16 @@ export const get_object = async function get_object({
                     (response.name === 'TypeError' ||
                         response.name === 'AbortError'))
             ) {
-                // AbortError = intentional cancel: our own timeout fired, or the caller
-                // aborted (e.g. component unmounted, user navigated away). Never retry.
-                if (response.name === 'AbortError') return false;
+                // AbortError can be either timeout or intentional abort.
+                // Retry only helper-owned timeout aborts; fail fast on caller abort.
+                if (response.name === 'AbortError') {
+                    if (did_timeout_abort) {
+                        throw new Error(
+                            `Timeout abort (attempt ${attempt}/${retry_count}) after ${timeout}ms`
+                        );
+                    }
+                    return false;
+                }
 
                 // TypeError = transient network failure (ERR_NETWORK_CHANGED,
                 // ERR_NETWORK_IO_SUSPENDED, hotel/conference WiFi blip, etc.).

src/lib/ae_api/api_post_object.ts

@@ -203,7 +203,11 @@ export const post_object = async function post_object({
         // Declared at loop scope (not inside try) so the catch block can clearTimeout.
         // Fresh controller per attempt — same rationale as api_get_object.ts.
         const controller = new AbortController();
+        // AbortError is not specific enough by itself. Distinguish timeout-aborts
+        // (retryable transient class) from intentional caller aborts (fail-fast).
+        let did_timeout_abort = false;
         const timeoutId = setTimeout(() => {
+            did_timeout_abort = true;
             console.warn(`API POST: Request timed out after ${timeout}ms (attempt ${attempt}/${retry_count}).`);
             controller.abort();
         }, timeout);
@@ -254,9 +258,16 @@ export const post_object = async function post_object({
                     (response.name === 'TypeError' ||
                         response.name === 'AbortError'))
             ) {
-                // AbortError = intentional cancel (timeout fired, or caller aborted).
-                // Never retry — the abort was deliberate.
-                if (response.name === 'AbortError') return false;
+                // Retry timeout-aborts from this helper; do not retry caller aborts
+                // (route change/unmount/manual cancellation).
+                if (response.name === 'AbortError') {
+                    if (did_timeout_abort) {
+                        throw new Error(
+                            `Timeout abort (attempt ${attempt}/${retry_count}) after ${timeout}ms`
+                        );
+                    }
+                    return false;
+                }
 
                 // TypeError = transient network failure. Throw into the retry loop
                 // so backoff-and-retry applies. Same fix as api_get_object.ts — see