feat(settings): editable model library paths for standalone mode

Standalone users previously had to hand-edit settings.json to configure
primary folder_paths. Add a standalone-only Model Paths section to the
settings modal:

- Backend exposes standalone_mode, folder_paths (with template placeholder
  values filtered out) and a data-driven folder_path_schema derived from
  OTHER_MODEL_FOLDER_SUBTYPES via GET /api/lm/settings
- The new section renders multi-path editors per model type from the
  schema, with inline enable_other_models / sub-type controls so other
  model types are configured without leaving the tab
- Persistent restart-required cues after a save: nav dot, inline notice
  and a global banner (unique id per change so dismissals don't mute
  future reminders)
- The missing-model-paths startup banner and the Other Models no-paths
  empty state now deep-link into the new section instead of pointing at
  settings.json

py/routes/handlers/misc_handlers.py

@@ -54,6 +54,7 @@ from ...utils.constants import (
     SUPPORTED_MEDIA_EXTENSIONS,
     VALID_LORA_TYPES,
     VALID_OTHER_CIVITAI_TYPES,
+    folder_path_schema,
 )
 from .model_source_handlers import ModelSourceHandler
 from .agent_handlers import AgentHandler
@@ -1580,6 +1581,30 @@ class SettingsHandler:
                     availability_error,
                 )
                 response_data["other_models_paths_available"] = None
+            standalone_mode = os.environ.get("LORA_MANAGER_STANDALONE", "0") == "1"
+            response_data["standalone_mode"] = standalone_mode
+            if standalone_mode:
+                # Standalone reads its model roots exclusively from
+                # settings.json, so the Model Paths settings UI needs the
+                # current values plus the editable-key schema. In plugin mode
+                # the paths come from the ComfyUI host and stay hidden.
+                folder_paths = self._settings.get("folder_paths") or {}
+                # A fresh install is seeded from settings.json.example, whose
+                # folder_paths are documentation placeholders — hide them so
+                # the UI starts with empty editors instead of fake paths.
+                get_placeholders = getattr(
+                    self._settings, "get_template_folder_path_placeholders", None
+                )
+                placeholders = get_placeholders() if get_placeholders else set()
+                if placeholders:
+                    folder_paths = {
+                        key: [p for p in paths if p not in placeholders]
+                        if isinstance(paths, list)
+                        else paths
+                        for key, paths in folder_paths.items()
+                    }
+                response_data["folder_paths"] = folder_paths
+                response_data["folder_path_schema"] = folder_path_schema()
             settings_file = getattr(self._settings, "settings_file", None)
             if settings_file:
                 response_data["settings_file"] = settings_file

py/routes/other_routes.py

@@ -89,8 +89,8 @@ class OtherRoutes(BaseModelRoutes):
             "standalone_mode": standalone_mode,
         }
         if standalone_mode:
-            # The settings UI cannot edit primary folder_paths, so the empty
-            # state must point at the actual file the user has to edit.
+            # The empty state points at the Model Paths settings section and
+            # shows the settings.json path as a fallback reference.
             context["settings_file"] = getattr(self._settings, "settings_file", "") or ""
         return context
 

py/services/settings_manager.py

@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ from typing import (
     Mapping,
     Optional,
     Sequence,
+    Set,
     Tuple,
 )
 
@@ -308,6 +309,29 @@ class SettingsManager:
 
         return payload == template
 
+    def get_template_folder_path_placeholders(self) -> Set[str]:
+        """Placeholder folder_paths values shipped in settings.json.example.
+
+        A fresh standalone install is seeded from the template, so its
+        documentation-only placeholder paths end up in the live settings
+        file. The Model Paths settings UI hides them; the first real save
+        overwrites them via ``set("folder_paths")``.
+        """
+
+        template = self._read_template_payload()
+        if not template:
+            return set()
+
+        folder_paths = template.get("folder_paths")
+        if not isinstance(folder_paths, Mapping):
+            return set()
+
+        placeholders: Set[str] = set()
+        for value in folder_paths.values():
+            paths = value if isinstance(value, list) else [value]
+            placeholders.update(p for p in paths if isinstance(p, str) and p)
+        return placeholders
+
     def _merge_template_with_defaults(
         self, defaults: Dict[str, Any], template: Mapping[str, Any]
     ) -> Dict[str, Any]:
@@ -1219,19 +1243,27 @@ class SettingsManager:
             if self._bootstrap_reason == "missing":
                 message = (
                     "LoRA Manager created a default settings.json because no configuration was found. "
-                    "Edit settings.json to add your model directories so library scanning can run."
+                    "Open Settings → Model Paths to add your model directories so library scanning can run."
                 )
             else:
                 message = (
                     "LoRA Manager could not locate any configured model directories. "
-                    "Edit settings.json to add your model folders so library scanning can run."
+                    "Open Settings → Model Paths to add your model folders so library scanning can run."
                 )
             self._add_startup_message(
                 code="missing-model-paths",
                 title="Model folders need setup",
                 message=message,
                 severity="warning",
-                actions=self._default_settings_actions(),
+                actions=[
+                    {
+                        "action": "open-model-paths-settings",
+                        "label": "Configure model folders",
+                        "type": "primary",
+                        "icon": "fas fa-cog",
+                    },
+                    *self._default_settings_actions(),
+                ],
                 dismissible=False,
             )
 

py/utils/constants.py

@@ -127,6 +127,29 @@ def other_sub_type_folder_keys() -> Dict[str, List[str]]:
 # Precomputed inverse of OTHER_MODEL_FOLDER_SUBTYPES, keeping the table order.
 OTHER_SUB_TYPE_FOLDER_KEYS: Dict[str, List[str]] = other_sub_type_folder_keys()
 
+# Core folder_paths keys every LoRA Manager installation understands.
+CORE_FOLDER_PATH_KEYS: List[str] = ["loras", "checkpoints", "unet", "embeddings"]
+
+
+def folder_path_schema() -> List[Dict[str, Any]]:
+    """Ordered schema describing the editable folder_paths keys.
+
+    Drives the standalone-only Model Paths settings UI: the frontend renders
+    one multi-path editor per entry and resolves labels via the
+    ``settings.modelPaths.folderKeys.<key>`` i18n keys, so adding a new model
+    category is a constants + locale change only. ``sub_type`` lets the UI
+    hide editors for other-model categories the user has not enabled.
+    """
+    schema: List[Dict[str, Any]] = [
+        {"key": key, "category": "core", "sub_type": None}
+        for key in CORE_FOLDER_PATH_KEYS
+    ]
+    schema.extend(
+        {"key": folder_key, "category": "other", "sub_type": sub_type}
+        for folder_key, sub_type in OTHER_MODEL_FOLDER_SUBTYPES.items()
+    )
+    return schema
+
 
 def normalize_other_sub_types(value: Any) -> List[str]:
     """Normalize a stored/requested enabled-sub_type list.