api: separate timeout abort retries from intentional aborts

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