Codex On Ubuntu: Sudo Password Input Issues

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Codex on Ubuntu: Sudo Password Input Issues

Hey guys, have you ever run into a situation where your Codex on Ubuntu just freezes up when it needs to run a command with sudo? It's a total pain, right? You're cruising along, letting Codex do its thing, and then bam, it hits a sudo command. The terminal pops up a password prompt, but your keyboard input doesn't seem to register. It's like you're stuck in a digital purgatory! This post is all about a frustrating bug that a lot of us are experiencing.

The Problem: Codex and the Unresponsive Sudo Prompt

So, what's the deal? It appears that when Codex attempts to execute a command that requires sudo privileges on Ubuntu, things go south quickly. The terminal displays the familiar "password for :", but here's where the trouble starts. When you try to type your password, the input either doesn't show up at all, or only partially appears. Sometimes you get random characters, and other times nothing. The terminal becomes unresponsive, and you're left staring at a frozen screen.

This isn't just an inconvenience; it completely halts the Codex workflow. You can try hitting Esc a bunch of times, which sometimes works, but often doesn't. Even if you manage to break free, any further input might not be accepted correctly. In many cases, the only way out is to force-close the session using Ctrl+C, or even worse, closing the entire terminal. When you're finally able to resume your work, you have to use the codex resume command to pick up where you left off. This whole thing makes you wonder if Codex is actually waiting for your password, and even if it is, there's no way to provide it because the input doesn't work. This is a big problem for anyone trying to use Codex to automate tasks or manage their system. This bug severely limits the functionality of Codex. The user is left in a state of confusion, unsure whether the application is still running, waiting for input, or completely frozen. This can be especially frustrating when dealing with tasks that take a long time to complete. Users will constantly be facing this issue, which will significantly degrade the user experience. The images of the terminal output show that the prompt is present, and the user is unable to type the password. This is not how the application should behave. This makes the user have to guess if the application is still running. The user cannot input the command and is left in the state of confusion. The user has to close the terminal session and rerun the application. This is not user-friendly and must be resolved. It's like Codex is getting lost in translation when it comes to handling the sudo prompt.

Affected Versions and Configurations

This issue has been observed with codex-cli 0.53.0 running on Ubuntu 6.8.0-59-generic, the x86_64 architecture. The user has a Pro subscription and was using the gpt-5-codex model. The combination of these factors makes the issue more likely to happen. There are chances that this may be caused by the system configuration or the model being used.

Steps to Reproduce the Bug

If you want to experience this firsthand, here's how to reproduce the issue:

  1. Start a Codex CLI session on Ubuntu.
  2. Let it do some basic tasks.
  3. Then, tell Codex to do something that requires sudo, like sudo docker. Note that the specific command doesn't matter; any command that triggers sudo will do.
  4. The terminal will display the password prompt.
  5. Try to type your password.
  6. The terminal will freeze, and your input won't be accepted.

Expected Behavior vs. Reality

What we want to happen is simple: When Codex hits a sudo command, we expect one of two things:

  1. The password input should work as normal. We should be able to type our password, and the command should execute without a hitch.
  2. If interactive password entry isn't possible, Codex should detect the sudo context and:
    • Prompt the user for their password in a secure manner.
    • Or, if that's not possible, fall back to a non-interactive mode and provide clear guidance on how to proceed. Maybe explain that the user needs to manually run the command in a separate terminal or something.

But the reality is far from ideal. Instead of smooth password entry or a graceful fallback, we get a frozen terminal and a broken workflow. This is very far from what is expected. The fact that the user is forced to quit the session and restart makes the workflow even more complicated.

Potential Causes and Solutions

This issue could stem from several areas:

  • Input Handling: There might be a problem with how Codex handles input when the terminal is in a sudo context. Maybe there's a conflict between Codex's input processing and the terminal's sudo prompt.
  • Permissions: The sudo command might be changing permissions in a way that interferes with Codex's ability to read or write to the terminal.
  • Terminal Interaction: There could be an issue with how Codex interacts with the terminal when a password prompt is displayed. The way the terminal handles the sudo prompt might not be compatible with how Codex is trying to communicate with it.

Possible solutions include:

  • Improved Input Handling: Codex needs to be updated to better handle input in sudo prompts. This could involve using a different method to capture input or making sure that Codex's input processing doesn't conflict with the terminal's.
  • Secure Password Prompt: Implement a secure and interactive password prompt within Codex. This would allow users to enter their passwords directly, ensuring that the necessary commands can be executed.
  • Non-Interactive Mode: If interactive password entry is not possible, Codex should gracefully fall back to a non-interactive mode, providing instructions on how to manually enter the password or execute the command in a separate terminal session.

Workarounds (For Now)

Until a fix is available, here are a few workarounds:

  • Run Commands Manually: Instead of letting Codex run commands that require sudo, try executing them yourself in a separate terminal. This is a bit more manual, but it gets the job done.
  • Use pkexec (If Applicable): For some graphical applications, you might be able to use pkexec instead of sudo. This can sometimes bypass the password prompt issue.
  • Update and Stay Informed: Keep your Codex CLI up to date, as updates might include fixes for this issue. Also, monitor the issue tracker or the Codex community to stay informed about any progress or solutions.

Conclusion

This sudo password prompt issue in Codex on Ubuntu is a real headache. It disrupts the workflow and makes it difficult to use Codex for tasks that require elevated privileges. Hopefully, the developers will address this issue soon. In the meantime, using the workaround is the only way to not be stuck in the prompt. This will help you get your tasks completed while you wait for the fix. The developers will have to consider the fact that the Codex user workflow will be greatly affected by this bug. I hope the post can help you understand more about the problem. Keep an eye out for updates and patches, and let's hope for a smoother Codex experience in the future!