Launch: after a saved --backend choice the launch says which make is used; the plan for an Intel card no longer announces a draft layer download and says Strata builds the pack

strata_cli/launch/cmd.py

@@ -355,6 +355,14 @@ def apply_defaults(s: S.LaunchSettings, catalog) -> tuple[S.LaunchSettings, list
         else:
             notices.append(S.Notice("error", "No model fits this computer by Strata's rules, and none was chosen.",
                                     "Name one with --model (strata launch --help lists them); a bigger one will run slowly."))
+    try:
+        from strata_control import engine_component as _ec
+        _b, _how = _ec.detect_backend()
+        if _how == "saved choice":
+            notices.append(S.Notice("warn", f"The engine for {_ec.MAKE_NAMES.get(_b, _b)} cards is used (your saved choice). "
+                                            "`strata launch --backend auto` goes back to the PC's own choice.", ""))
+    except Exception:                                    # noqa: BLE001
+        pass
     broken = _broken_nvidia_note(comp)
     if broken:
         notices.append(S.Notice("warn", broken, ""))

strata_cli/launch/runner.py

@@ -2029,6 +2029,9 @@ class Runner:
             # a ready-made pack (NVFP4) is taken from setup's own models folder, not from where the person's files are (round 8, N2: the plan
             # said "nothing to download" and setup then asked for 129 GB): count what setup will fetch
             parts = [p for p in parts if p["kind"] != "weights"] + [{"kind": "weights", "label": "the ready-made pack", "gb": gap["gb"]}]
+        intel = self.intel_chosen()
+        if intel:                                            # the Intel route builds the pack from the files and fetches no draft layer, picture reader or drafter
+            parts = [p for p in parts if p["kind"] not in ("mtp", "mmproj", "dflash2")]
         gb = round(sum(p["gb"] for p in parts), 1)
         engine, here = True, []
         if self.multi_file():                                # DeepSeek does not use the Strata engine: nothing about it in the plan (its own package is in the placement)
@@ -2069,6 +2072,9 @@ class Runner:
                      "first. `strata components engine` says why.")
         elif not engine:
             text += " The engine for your graphics card is downloaded first (from the update source; its size is shown when it starts)."
+        if intel:
+            text += (" For the Intel card Strata builds the model's pack from your files itself (once, a few minutes); the first time it fetches "
+                     "a small helper (llama.cpp's gguf-py) from GitHub. No draft layer or picture reader is used on Intel cards yet.")
         return {"gb": gb, "parts": parts, "engine_missing": not engine and not here, "engine_usable": engine, "own_files": st.own_files, "text": text}
 
     def ready_pack_gap(self) -> dict | None:

tests/terminal/test_backend_choice.py

@@ -79,5 +79,17 @@ class BrokenNvidia(unittest.TestCase):
             self.assertIsNone(cmd._broken_nvidia_note(comp), "the person already chose")
 
 
+class SavedChoiceLine(unittest.TestCase):
+    def test_a_launch_after_a_saved_choice_says_so(self):
+        from strata_cli.launch import cmd, settings as S
+        from tests.terminal.launch_support import HW_12, Home, catalog
+        with Home(), mock.patch.object(ec, "detect_backend", lambda *a, **k: ("sycl", "saved choice")):
+            _s, notes = cmd.apply_defaults(S.LaunchSettings(family="qwen", model="IQ3_XXS"), catalog(HW_12))
+            hit = [n for n in notes if "your saved choice" in n.text]
+            self.assertTrue(hit, [n.text for n in notes])
+            self.assertIn("Intel cards", hit[0].text)
+            self.assertIn("--backend auto", hit[0].text)
+
+
 if __name__ == "__main__":
     unittest.main()