openai/codex · error · io::Error

filesystem path `{path}` must be absolute, use `~/...`, or s

Error message

filesystem path `{path}` must be absolute, use `~/...`, or start with `:

What it means

Error "filesystem path `{path}` must be absolute, use `~/...`, or start with `:" thrown in openai/codex.

Source

Thrown at codex-rs/core/src/config/permissions.rs:805

        ":slash_tmp" => Some(FileSystemSpecialPath::SlashTmp),
        _ if path.starts_with(':') => {
            Some(FileSystemSpecialPath::unknown(path, /*subpath*/ None))
        }
        _ => None,
    }
}

fn parse_absolute_path(path: &str) -> io::Result<AbsolutePathBuf> {
    parse_absolute_path_for_platform(path, cfg!(windows))
}

fn parse_absolute_path_for_platform(path: &str, is_windows: bool) -> io::Result<AbsolutePathBuf> {
    let path_ref = normalize_absolute_path_for_platform(path, is_windows);
    if !is_absolute_path_for_platform(path, path_ref.as_ref(), is_windows)
        && path != "~"
        && !path.starts_with("~/")
    {
        return Err(io::Error::new(
            io::ErrorKind::InvalidInput,
            format!("filesystem path `{path}` must be absolute, use `~/...`, or start with `:`"),
        ));
    }
    AbsolutePathBuf::from_absolute_path(path_ref.as_ref())
}

fn is_absolute_path_for_platform(path: &str, normalized_path: &Path, is_windows: bool) -> bool {
    if is_windows {
        is_windows_absolute_path(path)
            || is_windows_absolute_path(&normalized_path.to_string_lossy())
    } else {
        normalized_path.is_absolute()
    }
}

fn normalize_absolute_path_for_platform(path: &str, is_windows: bool) -> Cow<'_, Path> {
    if !is_windows {

View on GitHub (pinned to 339751715c)

Solutions

1. Use an absolute path, a `~/...` path, or a `:`-prefixed path for `{path}`.

When it happens

Trigger: Thrown at codex-rs/core/src/config/permissions.rs:805 when the library encounters an invalid state.

Common situations: See trigger scenarios.

AI-assisted analysis of openai/codex@339751715c (2026-08-25). Data as JSON: /api/errors/a655eb814e7abb18. Report an issue: GitHub.