[BUG] NO way to set ultracode effort default

Preflight Checklist

• [x] I have searched existing issues and this hasn't been reported yet
• [x] This is a single bug report (please file separate reports for different bugs)
• [x] I am using the latest version of Claude Code

What's Wrong?

Two related issues with ultracode and the effort slider in the VSCode extension
(anthropic.claude-code-2.1.177, Linux):

1. No way to make "ultracode" the persistent default.

The effort slider resets to "Extra high" (xhigh) on every new chat and after
relaunching VSCode. There's no setting that pins ultracode as the default:

• settings.json "ultracode": true does not restore the slider to ultracode
• CLAUDE_CODE_EFFORT_LEVEL=ultracode is rejected (ultracode isn't an accepted

value for the effort env var / --effort flag; only low|medium|high|xhigh|max)
Request: a supported way to default the slider to ultracode (e.g. an accepted
settings key or effort value) so it survives new chats and relaunches.

1. Relaunching downgrades an EXISTING chat from ultracode to "Extra high".

A conversation that was explicitly set to ultracode loses that setting after a
VSCode relaunch and comes back at "Extra high". Per-conversation effort should
be preserved across relaunch. This looks like a state-persistence bug.

Minor: the slider has no visual indication of ultracode vs xhigh, which makes the
above hard to diagnose (the label reads "Extra high" in both cases).

What Should Happen?

The effort level should be at the maximum setting by default (ultracode not just extra high)

Error Messages/Logs

Steps to Reproduce

Launch claude code and enter /effort

Claude Model

None

Is this a regression?

No, this never worked

Last Working Version

_No response_

Claude Code Version

claude --version → 2.1.178 (Claude Code)

Platform

Anthropic API

Operating System

Ubuntu/Debian Linux

Terminal/Shell

VS Code integrated terminal

Additional Information

_No response_