More verbose messages

    # if vae_file argument is provided, it takes priority, but not saved

    if vae_file and vae_file not in default_vae_list:

        if not os.path.isfile(vae_file):

            print(f"VAE provided as function argument doesn't exist: {vae_file}")

            vae_file = "auto"

            print("VAE provided as function argument doesn't exist")

    # for the first load, if vae-path is provided, it takes priority, saved, and failure is reported

    if first_load and shared.cmd_opts.vae_path is not None:

        if os.path.isfile(shared.cmd_opts.vae_path):

            vae_file = shared.cmd_opts.vae_path

            shared.opts.data['sd_vae'] = get_filename(vae_file)

        else:

            print("VAE provided as command line argument doesn't exist")

            print(f"VAE provided as command line argument doesn't exist: {vae_file}")

    # else, we load from settings

    if vae_file == "auto" and shared.opts.sd_vae is not None:

        # if saved VAE settings isn't recognized, fallback to auto

        # if VAE selected but not found, fallback to auto

        if vae_file not in default_vae_values and not os.path.isfile(vae_file):

            vae_file = "auto"

            print("Selected VAE doesn't exist")

            print(f"Selected VAE doesn't exist: {vae_file}")

    # vae-path cmd arg takes priority for auto

    if vae_file == "auto" and shared.cmd_opts.vae_path is not None:

        if os.path.isfile(shared.cmd_opts.vae_path):

            vae_file = shared.cmd_opts.vae_path

            print("Using VAE provided as command line argument")

            print(f"Using VAE provided as command line argument: {vae_file}")

    # if still not found, try look for ".vae.pt" beside model

    model_path = os.path.splitext(checkpoint_file)[0]

    if vae_file == "auto":

        vae_file_try = model_path + ".vae.pt"

        if os.path.isfile(vae_file_try):

            vae_file = vae_file_try

            print("Using VAE found beside selected model")

            print(f"Using VAE found similar to selected model: {vae_file}")

    # if still not found, try look for ".vae.ckpt" beside model

    if vae_file == "auto":

        vae_file_try = model_path + ".vae.ckpt"

        if os.path.isfile(vae_file_try):

            vae_file = vae_file_try

            print("Using VAE found beside selected model")

            print(f"Using VAE found similar to selected model: {vae_file}")

    # No more fallbacks for auto

    if vae_file == "auto":

        vae_file = None