feat(timeline): add entity-direct seeding (issue:N, mr:N syntax)

Adds issue:N / i:N / mr:N / m:N query syntax to bypass hybrid search
and seed the timeline directly from a known entity. All discussions for
the entity are gathered without needing Ollama.

- parse_timeline_query() detects entity-direct patterns
- resolve_entity_by_iid() resolves IID to EntityRef with ambiguity handling
- seed_timeline_direct() gathers all discussions for the entity
- 20 new tests (5 resolve, 6 direct seed, 9 parse)
- Updated CLI help text and robot-docs manifest

src/cli/commands/timeline.rs

@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ use crate::core::timeline::{
 };
 use crate::core::timeline_collect::collect_events;
 use crate::core::timeline_expand::expand_timeline;
-use crate::core::timeline_seed::seed_timeline;
+use crate::core::timeline_seed::{seed_timeline, seed_timeline_direct};
 use crate::embedding::ollama::{OllamaClient, OllamaConfig};
 
 /// Parameters for running the timeline pipeline.
@@ -30,6 +30,43 @@ pub struct TimelineParams {
     pub robot_mode: bool,
 }
 
+/// Parsed timeline query: either a search string or a direct entity reference.
+enum TimelineQuery {
+    Search(String),
+    EntityDirect { entity_type: String, iid: i64 },
+}
+
+/// Parse the timeline query for entity-direct patterns.
+///
+/// Recognized patterns (case-insensitive prefix):
+/// - `issue:N`, `i:N` -> issue
+/// - `mr:N`, `m:N` -> merge_request
+/// - Anything else -> search query
+fn parse_timeline_query(query: &str) -> TimelineQuery {
+    let query = query.trim();
+    if let Some((prefix, rest)) = query.split_once(':') {
+        let prefix_lower = prefix.to_ascii_lowercase();
+        if let Ok(iid) = rest.trim().parse::<i64>() {
+            match prefix_lower.as_str() {
+                "issue" | "i" => {
+                    return TimelineQuery::EntityDirect {
+                        entity_type: "issue".to_owned(),
+                        iid,
+                    };
+                }
+                "mr" | "m" => {
+                    return TimelineQuery::EntityDirect {
+                        entity_type: "merge_request".to_owned(),
+                        iid,
+                    };
+                }
+                _ => {}
+            }
+        }
+    }
+    TimelineQuery::Search(query.to_owned())
+}
+
 /// Run the full timeline pipeline: SEED -> EXPAND -> COLLECT.
 pub async fn run_timeline(config: &Config, params: &TimelineParams) -> Result<TimelineResult> {
     let db_path = get_db_path(config.storage.db_path.as_deref());
@@ -53,27 +90,42 @@ pub async fn run_timeline(config: &Config, params: &TimelineParams) -> Result<Ti
         })
         .transpose()?;
 
-    // Construct OllamaClient for hybrid search (same pattern as run_search)
-    let ollama_cfg = &config.embedding;
-    let client = OllamaClient::new(OllamaConfig {
-        base_url: ollama_cfg.base_url.clone(),
-        model: ollama_cfg.model.clone(),
-        ..OllamaConfig::default()
-    });
+    // Parse query for entity-direct syntax (issue:N, mr:N, i:N, m:N)
+    let parsed_query = parse_timeline_query(&params.query);
 
-    // Stage 1+2: SEED + HYDRATE (hybrid search with FTS fallback)
-    let spinner = stage_spinner(1, 3, "Seeding timeline...", params.robot_mode);
-    let seed_result = seed_timeline(
-        &conn,
-        Some(&client),
-        &params.query,
-        project_id,
-        since_ms,
-        params.max_seeds,
-        params.max_evidence,
-    )
-    .await?;
-    spinner.finish_and_clear();
+    let seed_result = match parsed_query {
+        TimelineQuery::EntityDirect { entity_type, iid } => {
+            // Direct seeding: synchronous, no Ollama needed
+            let spinner = stage_spinner(1, 3, "Resolving entity...", params.robot_mode);
+            let result = seed_timeline_direct(&conn, &entity_type, iid, project_id)?;
+            spinner.finish_and_clear();
+            result
+        }
+        TimelineQuery::Search(ref query) => {
+            // Construct OllamaClient for hybrid search (same pattern as run_search)
+            let ollama_cfg = &config.embedding;
+            let client = OllamaClient::new(OllamaConfig {
+                base_url: ollama_cfg.base_url.clone(),
+                model: ollama_cfg.model.clone(),
+                ..OllamaConfig::default()
+            });
+
+            // Stage 1+2: SEED + HYDRATE (hybrid search with FTS fallback)
+            let spinner = stage_spinner(1, 3, "Seeding timeline...", params.robot_mode);
+            let result = seed_timeline(
+                &conn,
+                Some(&client),
+                query,
+                project_id,
+                since_ms,
+                params.max_seeds,
+                params.max_evidence,
+            )
+            .await?;
+            spinner.finish_and_clear();
+            result
+        }
+    };
 
     // Stage 3: EXPAND
     let spinner = stage_spinner(2, 3, "Expanding cross-references...", params.robot_mode);
@@ -556,3 +608,84 @@ fn count_discussion_threads(events: &[TimelineEvent]) -> usize {
         .filter(|e| matches!(e.event_type, TimelineEventType::DiscussionThread { .. }))
         .count()
 }
+
+#[cfg(test)]
+mod tests {
+    use super::*;
+
+    #[test]
+    fn test_parse_issue_colon_number() {
+        let q = parse_timeline_query("issue:42");
+        assert!(
+            matches!(q, TimelineQuery::EntityDirect { ref entity_type, iid } if entity_type == "issue" && iid == 42)
+        );
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn test_parse_i_colon_number() {
+        let q = parse_timeline_query("i:42");
+        assert!(
+            matches!(q, TimelineQuery::EntityDirect { ref entity_type, iid } if entity_type == "issue" && iid == 42)
+        );
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn test_parse_mr_colon_number() {
+        let q = parse_timeline_query("mr:99");
+        assert!(
+            matches!(q, TimelineQuery::EntityDirect { ref entity_type, iid } if entity_type == "merge_request" && iid == 99)
+        );
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn test_parse_m_colon_number() {
+        let q = parse_timeline_query("m:99");
+        assert!(
+            matches!(q, TimelineQuery::EntityDirect { ref entity_type, iid } if entity_type == "merge_request" && iid == 99)
+        );
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn test_parse_case_insensitive() {
+        let q = parse_timeline_query("ISSUE:42");
+        assert!(
+            matches!(q, TimelineQuery::EntityDirect { ref entity_type, iid } if entity_type == "issue" && iid == 42)
+        );
+
+        let q = parse_timeline_query("MR:99");
+        assert!(
+            matches!(q, TimelineQuery::EntityDirect { ref entity_type, iid } if entity_type == "merge_request" && iid == 99)
+        );
+
+        let q = parse_timeline_query("Issue:7");
+        assert!(
+            matches!(q, TimelineQuery::EntityDirect { ref entity_type, iid } if entity_type == "issue" && iid == 7)
+        );
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn test_parse_search_fallback() {
+        let q = parse_timeline_query("switch health");
+        assert!(matches!(q, TimelineQuery::Search(ref s) if s == "switch health"));
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn test_parse_non_numeric_falls_back_to_search() {
+        let q = parse_timeline_query("issue:abc");
+        assert!(matches!(q, TimelineQuery::Search(_)));
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn test_parse_unknown_prefix_falls_back_to_search() {
+        let q = parse_timeline_query("foo:42");
+        assert!(matches!(q, TimelineQuery::Search(_)));
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn test_parse_whitespace_trimmed() {
+        let q = parse_timeline_query("  issue:42  ");
+        assert!(
+            matches!(q, TimelineQuery::EntityDirect { ref entity_type, iid } if entity_type == "issue" && iid == 42)
+        );
+    }
+}

src/cli/mod.rs

@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ use std::io::IsTerminal;
 #[command(name = "lore")]
 #[command(version = env!("LORE_VERSION"), about = "Local GitLab data management with semantic search", long_about = None)]
 #[command(subcommand_required = false)]
+#[command(infer_subcommands = true)]
 #[command(after_long_help = "\x1b[1mEnvironment:\x1b[0m
   GITLAB_TOKEN       GitLab personal access token (or name set in config)
   LORE_ROBOT         Enable robot/JSON mode (non-empty, non-zero value)
@@ -107,12 +108,19 @@ impl Cli {
 #[allow(clippy::large_enum_variant)]
 pub enum Commands {
     /// List or show issues
+    #[command(visible_alias = "issue")]
     Issues(IssuesArgs),
 
     /// List or show merge requests
+    #[command(
+        visible_alias = "mr",
+        alias = "merge-requests",
+        alias = "merge-request"
+    )]
     Mrs(MrsArgs),
 
     /// List notes from discussions
+    #[command(visible_alias = "note")]
     Notes(NotesArgs),
 
     /// Ingest data from GitLab
@@ -122,6 +130,7 @@ pub enum Commands {
     Count(CountArgs),
 
     /// Show sync state
+    #[command(visible_alias = "st")]
     Status,
 
     /// Verify GitLab authentication
@@ -170,9 +179,11 @@ pub enum Commands {
     },
 
     /// Search indexed documents
+    #[command(visible_alias = "find", alias = "query")]
     Search(SearchArgs),
 
     /// Show document and index statistics
+    #[command(visible_alias = "stat")]
     Stats(StatsArgs),
 
     /// Generate searchable documents from ingested data
@@ -794,11 +805,14 @@ pub struct EmbedArgs {
 
 #[derive(Parser)]
 #[command(after_help = "\x1b[1mExamples:\x1b[0m
-  lore timeline 'deployment'                          # Events related to deployments
+  lore timeline 'deployment'                          # Search-based seeding
+  lore timeline issue:42                              # Direct: issue #42 and related entities
+  lore timeline i:42                                  # Shorthand for issue:42
+  lore timeline mr:99                                 # Direct: MR !99 and related entities
   lore timeline 'auth' --since 30d -p group/repo      # Scoped to project and time
   lore timeline 'migration' --depth 2 --expand-mentions  # Deep cross-reference expansion")]
 pub struct TimelineArgs {
-    /// Search query (keywords to find in issues, MRs, and discussions)
+    /// Search text or entity reference (issue:N, i:N, mr:N, m:N)
     pub query: String,
 
     /// Scope to a specific project (fuzzy match)