nexu-io/open-design · error · Error

model required

Error message

model required

What it means

Thrown by the media dispatch entry point when `model` is missing or empty. A model id (catalog name or arbitrary fal.ai path like "fal-ai/flux/dev") is required to select the renderer. This check runs right after the surface validation.

Source

Thrown at apps/daemon/src/media/index.ts:371

    loop,
    promptInfluence,
    compositionDir,
    image,
    requestInit,
    workspaceId,
    onProviderRequestSettled,
  } = args;

  if (!projectRoot) throw new Error('projectRoot required');
  if (!projectsRoot) throw new Error('projectsRoot required');
  if (typeof projectId !== 'string' || !projectId) {
    throw new Error('projectId required');
  }
  if (!SURFACES.has(surface)) {
    throw new Error(`unsupported surface: ${surface}`);
  }
  if (typeof model !== 'string' || !model) {
    throw new Error('model required');
  }
  if (surface === 'audio' && audioKind && !AUDIO_KINDS.has(audioKind)) {
    throw new Error(
      `unsupported audioKind: ${audioKind}. Allowed: music | speech | sfx.`,
    );
  }
  // Arbitrary fal.ai model paths (e.g. "fal-ai/flux/dev") bypass the
  // catalog so users can reach any model on fal without waiting for a
  // catalog entry. Surface comes from the caller; no cross-surface guard
  // is needed because the fal renderer reads ctx.surface directly.
  let def = findMediaModel(model);
  let isFalCustomPath = false;
  let isCatalogBypass = false;
  if (!def) {
    if (/^fal-ai\//.test(model)) {
      isFalCustomPath = true;
      def = {
        id: model,

View on GitHub (pinned to 5be4028344)

Solutions

1. Supply a non-empty model id from the media catalog (e.g. "flux-pro") or a fal.ai path (e.g. "fal-ai/flux/dev").
2. If unsure which models exist, query the media catalog/registry first.
3. Ensure the model field is serialized and not stripped by your client.
4. Validate the request payload before dispatch so model is always present.

Example fix

// before
{ surface: "image", prompt: "a cat" }
// after
{ surface: "image", model: "fal-ai/flux/dev", prompt: "a cat" }

if (typeof model !== 'string' || model.trim() === '') throw new Error('model required');

function isNonEmptyModel(v: unknown): v is string {
  return typeof v === 'string' && v.trim().length > 0;
}

When it happens

Trigger: Omitting the model argument entirely; passing an empty string; passing model as undefined/null/whitespace; relying on a default that does not exist for the chosen surface.

Common situations: Agent forgets the model field; config template with a blank model placeholder; caller assumes a per-surface default but none is set; model field dropped during JSON serialization.

Related errors

• brand: missing required `name`
• brand: `colors` must include at least the background, foregr
• --image path "${rel}" resolves outside the project directory
• --image not found: ${rel}
• --image is not a regular file: ${rel}

AI-assisted analysis of nexu-io/open-design@5be4028344 (2026-08-12). Data as JSON: /api/errors/694d97db1728b5e2. Report an issue: GitHub.