core: resolve view_image paths in selected environment (#29526)

## Why view_image needs to support foreign OS remote executors. ## What - resolve image paths against the selected environment as `PathUri` and read them through that environment's filesystem - keep app-server's public path field wire-compatible as `LegacyAppPathString`, with purpose-specific UI rendering - cover relative and absolute target-native paths in the core integration test and run the full `view_image` suite under wine-exec without skips
2026-07-01 00:31:56 +08:00 · 2026-06-23 12:52:37 -07:00
parent c660e2b644
commit 510bce9927
35 changed files with 155 additions and 101 deletions
@@ -4444,7 +4444,7 @@
              "type": "string"
            },
            "path": {
-              "$ref": "#/definitions/AbsolutePathBuf"
+              "$ref": "#/definitions/LegacyAppPathString"
            },
            "type": {
              "enum": [
@@ -18038,7 +18038,7 @@
                "type": "string"
              },
              "path": {
-                "$ref": "#/definitions/v2/AbsolutePathBuf"
+                "$ref": "#/definitions/v2/LegacyAppPathString"
              },
              "type": {
                "enum": [
@@ -15817,7 +15817,7 @@
              "type": "string"
            },
            "path": {
-              "$ref": "#/definitions/AbsolutePathBuf"
+              "$ref": "#/definitions/LegacyAppPathString"
            },
            "type": {
              "enum": [
@@ -1106,7 +1106,7 @@
              "type": "string"
            },
            "path": {
-              "$ref": "#/definitions/AbsolutePathBuf"
+              "$ref": "#/definitions/LegacyAppPathString"
            },
            "type": {
              "enum": [
@@ -1106,7 +1106,7 @@
              "type": "string"
            },
            "path": {
-              "$ref": "#/definitions/AbsolutePathBuf"
+              "$ref": "#/definitions/LegacyAppPathString"
            },
            "type": {
              "enum": [
@@ -1250,7 +1250,7 @@
              "type": "string"
            },
            "path": {
-              "$ref": "#/definitions/AbsolutePathBuf"
+              "$ref": "#/definitions/LegacyAppPathString"
            },
            "type": {
              "enum": [
@@ -1755,7 +1755,7 @@
              "type": "string"
            },
            "path": {
-              "$ref": "#/definitions/AbsolutePathBuf"
+              "$ref": "#/definitions/LegacyAppPathString"
            },
            "type": {
              "enum": [
@@ -1562,7 +1562,7 @@
              "type": "string"
            },
            "path": {
-              "$ref": "#/definitions/AbsolutePathBuf"
+              "$ref": "#/definitions/LegacyAppPathString"
            },
            "type": {
              "enum": [
@@ -1562,7 +1562,7 @@
              "type": "string"
            },
            "path": {
-              "$ref": "#/definitions/AbsolutePathBuf"
+              "$ref": "#/definitions/LegacyAppPathString"
            },
            "type": {
              "enum": [
@@ -1562,7 +1562,7 @@
              "type": "string"
            },
            "path": {
-              "$ref": "#/definitions/AbsolutePathBuf"
+              "$ref": "#/definitions/LegacyAppPathString"
            },
            "type": {
              "enum": [
@@ -1755,7 +1755,7 @@
              "type": "string"
            },
            "path": {
-              "$ref": "#/definitions/AbsolutePathBuf"
+              "$ref": "#/definitions/LegacyAppPathString"
            },
            "type": {
              "enum": [
@@ -1562,7 +1562,7 @@
              "type": "string"
            },
            "path": {
-              "$ref": "#/definitions/AbsolutePathBuf"
+              "$ref": "#/definitions/LegacyAppPathString"
            },
            "type": {
              "enum": [
@@ -1755,7 +1755,7 @@
              "type": "string"
            },
            "path": {
-              "$ref": "#/definitions/AbsolutePathBuf"
+              "$ref": "#/definitions/LegacyAppPathString"
            },
            "type": {
              "enum": [
@@ -1562,7 +1562,7 @@
              "type": "string"
            },
            "path": {
-              "$ref": "#/definitions/AbsolutePathBuf"
+              "$ref": "#/definitions/LegacyAppPathString"
            },
            "type": {
              "enum": [
@@ -1562,7 +1562,7 @@
              "type": "string"
            },
            "path": {
-              "$ref": "#/definitions/AbsolutePathBuf"
+              "$ref": "#/definitions/LegacyAppPathString"
            },
            "type": {
              "enum": [
@@ -1250,7 +1250,7 @@
              "type": "string"
            },
            "path": {
-              "$ref": "#/definitions/AbsolutePathBuf"
+              "$ref": "#/definitions/LegacyAppPathString"
            },
            "type": {
              "enum": [
@@ -1250,7 +1250,7 @@
              "type": "string"
            },
            "path": {
-              "$ref": "#/definitions/AbsolutePathBuf"
+              "$ref": "#/definitions/LegacyAppPathString"
            },
            "type": {
              "enum": [
@@ -1250,7 +1250,7 @@
              "type": "string"
            },
            "path": {
-              "$ref": "#/definitions/AbsolutePathBuf"
+              "$ref": "#/definitions/LegacyAppPathString"
            },
            "type": {
              "enum": [
@@ -105,4 +105,4 @@ reasoningEffort: ReasoningEffort | null,
 /**
 * Last known status of the target agents, when available.
 */
-agentsStates: { [key in string]?: CollabAgentState }, } | { "type": "subAgentActivity", id: string, kind: SubAgentActivityKind, agentThreadId: string, agentPath: string, } | { "type": "webSearch", id: string, query: string, action: WebSearchAction | null, } | { "type": "imageView", id: string, path: AbsolutePathBuf, } | { "type": "sleep", id: string, durationMs: number, } | { "type": "imageGeneration", id: string, status: string, revisedPrompt: string | null, result: string, savedPath?: AbsolutePathBuf, } | { "type": "enteredReviewMode", id: string, review: string, } | { "type": "exitedReviewMode", id: string, review: string, } | { "type": "contextCompaction", id: string, };
+agentsStates: { [key in string]?: CollabAgentState }, } | { "type": "subAgentActivity", id: string, kind: SubAgentActivityKind, agentThreadId: string, agentPath: string, } | { "type": "webSearch", id: string, query: string, action: WebSearchAction | null, } | { "type": "imageView", id: string, path: LegacyAppPathString, } | { "type": "sleep", id: string, durationMs: number, } | { "type": "imageGeneration", id: string, status: string, revisedPrompt: string | null, result: string, savedPath?: AbsolutePathBuf, } | { "type": "enteredReviewMode", id: string, review: string, } | { "type": "exitedReviewMode", id: string, review: string, } | { "type": "contextCompaction", id: string, };
@@ -836,7 +836,7 @@ impl ThreadHistoryBuilder {
    fn handle_view_image_tool_call(&mut self, payload: &ViewImageToolCallEvent) {
        let item = ThreadItem::ImageView {
            id: payload.call_id.clone(),
-            path: payload.path.clone(),
+            path: payload.path.clone().into(),
        };
        self.upsert_item_in_current_turn(item);
    }
@@ -356,7 +356,10 @@ pub enum ThreadItem {
    },
    #[serde(rename_all = "camelCase")]
    #[ts(rename_all = "camelCase")]
-    ImageView { id: String, path: AbsolutePathBuf },
+    ImageView {
+        id: String,
+        path: LegacyAppPathString,
+    },
    #[serde(rename_all = "camelCase")]
    #[ts(rename_all = "camelCase")]
    Sleep {
@@ -855,7 +858,7 @@ impl From<CoreTurnItem> for ThreadItem {
            },
            CoreTurnItem::ImageView(image) => ThreadItem::ImageView {
                id: image.id,
-                path: image.path,
+                path: image.path.into(),
            },
            CoreTurnItem::Sleep(sleep) => ThreadItem::Sleep {
                id: sleep.id,
@@ -2574,14 +2574,14 @@ fn core_turn_item_into_thread_item_converts_supported_variants() {

    let image_view_item = TurnItem::ImageView(ImageViewItem {
        id: "view-image-1".to_string(),
-        path: test_path_buf("/tmp/view-image.png").abs(),
+        path: PathUri::from_abs_path(&test_path_buf("/tmp/view-image.png").abs()),
    });

    assert_eq!(
        ThreadItem::from(image_view_item),
        ThreadItem::ImageView {
            id: "view-image-1".to_string(),
-            path: test_path_buf("/tmp/view-image.png").abs(),
+            path: LegacyAppPathString::from_abs_path(&test_path_buf("/tmp/view-image.png").abs()),
        }
    );

@@ -24,7 +24,6 @@ use crate::tools::registry::CoreToolRuntime;
 use crate::tools::registry::ToolExecutor;
 use codex_tools::ToolName;
 use codex_tools::ToolSpec;
-use codex_utils_path_uri::PathUri;

 pub struct ViewImageHandler {
    options: ViewImageToolOptions,
@@ -140,36 +139,31 @@ impl ViewImageHandler {
                "view_image is unavailable in this session".to_string(),
            ));
        };
-        // TODO(anp): Resolve tool paths using the selected environment's native path convention
-        // so view_image can support relative paths in foreign environments.
-        let cwd = turn_environment.cwd().to_abs_path().map_err(|err| {
+        let path_uri = turn_environment.cwd().join(&path).map_err(|err| {
            FunctionCallError::RespondToModel(format!(
-                "environment cwd `{}` is not native to the Codex host: {err}",
-                turn_environment.cwd()
+                "unable to resolve image path `{path}` against environment cwd `{}`: {err}",
+                turn_environment.cwd(),
            ))
        })?;
-        let abs_path = cwd.join(path);
+        let model_visible_path = path_uri.inferred_native_path_string();
        let sandbox = turn.file_system_sandbox_context(
            /*additional_permissions*/ None,
            turn_environment.cwd(),
        );
        let fs = turn_environment.environment.get_filesystem();
-        let path_uri = PathUri::from_abs_path(&abs_path);

        let metadata = fs
            .get_metadata(&path_uri, Some(&sandbox))
            .await
            .map_err(|error| {
                FunctionCallError::RespondToModel(format!(
-                    "unable to locate image at `{}`: {error}",
-                    abs_path.display()
+                    "unable to locate image at `{model_visible_path}`: {error}"
                ))
            })?;

        if !metadata.is_file {
            return Err(FunctionCallError::RespondToModel(format!(
-                "image path `{}` is not a file",
-                abs_path.display()
+                "image path `{model_visible_path}` is not a file"
            )));
        }
        let file_bytes = fs
@@ -177,11 +171,9 @@ impl ViewImageHandler {
            .await
            .map_err(|error| {
                FunctionCallError::RespondToModel(format!(
-                    "unable to read image at `{}`: {error}",
-                    abs_path.display()
+                    "unable to read image at `{model_visible_path}`: {error}"
                ))
            })?;
-        let event_path = abs_path.clone();

        let can_request_original_detail = can_request_original_image_detail(&turn.model_info);
        let use_original_detail =
@@ -197,7 +189,7 @@ impl ViewImageHandler {

        let item = TurnItem::ImageView(ImageViewItem {
            id: call_id,
-            path: event_path,
+            path: path_uri,
        });
        session.emit_turn_item_started(turn.as_ref(), &item).await;
        session.emit_turn_item_completed(turn.as_ref(), item).await;
@@ -29,7 +29,6 @@ use codex_protocol::protocol::Op;
 use codex_protocol::protocol::TurnEnvironmentSelection;
 use codex_protocol::user_input::UserInput;
 use codex_utils_path_uri::PathUri;
-use core_test_support::PathBufExt;
 use core_test_support::PathExt;
 use core_test_support::get_remote_test_env;
 use core_test_support::responses;
@@ -42,7 +41,6 @@ use core_test_support::responses::mount_sse_sequence;
 use core_test_support::responses::sse;
 use core_test_support::responses::start_mock_server;
 use core_test_support::skip_if_no_network;
-use core_test_support::skip_if_wine_exec;
 use core_test_support::test_codex::TestCodex;
 use core_test_support::test_codex::local;
 use core_test_support::test_codex::test_codex;
@@ -59,8 +57,6 @@ use serde_json::json;
 use std::fs;
 use std::io::Cursor;
 use std::path::PathBuf;
-use std::time::SystemTime;
-use std::time::UNIX_EPOCH;
 use tempfile::TempDir;
 use tokio::time::Duration;
 use wiremock::BodyPrintLimit;
@@ -295,6 +291,7 @@ async fn view_image_tool_attaches_local_image() -> anyhow::Result<()> {

    let rel_path = "assets/example.png";
    let abs_path = cwd.join(rel_path);
+    let path_uri = PathUri::from_abs_path(&abs_path);
    let original_width = 2304;
    let original_height = 864;
    write_workspace_png(
@@ -369,20 +366,20 @@ async fn view_image_tool_attaches_local_image() -> anyhow::Result<()> {
    match item_started.expect("view image item started event emitted") {
        codex_protocol::items::TurnItem::ImageView(item) => {
            assert_eq!(item.id, call_id);
-            assert_eq!(item.path, abs_path);
+            assert_eq!(item.path, path_uri);
        }
        other => panic!("expected ImageView item, got {other:?}"),
    }
    match item_completed.expect("view image item completed event emitted") {
        codex_protocol::items::TurnItem::ImageView(item) => {
            assert_eq!(item.id, call_id);
-            assert_eq!(item.path, abs_path);
+            assert_eq!(item.path, path_uri);
        }
        other => panic!("expected ImageView item, got {other:?}"),
    }
    let legacy_event = legacy_event.expect("legacy view image event emitted");
    assert_eq!(legacy_event.call_id, call_id);
-    assert_eq!(legacy_event.path, abs_path);
+    assert_eq!(legacy_event.path, path_uri);

    let req = mock.single_request();
    let body = req.body_json();
@@ -557,8 +554,10 @@ async fn view_image_tool_applies_local_sandbox_read_denies() -> anyhow::Result<(
        .function_call_output_content_and_success(call_id)
        .and_then(|(content, _)| content)
        .context("sandboxed view_image error text present")?;
-    let expected_locate_prefix = format!("unable to locate image at `{}`:", denied_path.display());
-    let expected_read_prefix = format!("unable to read image at `{}`:", denied_path.display());
+    let denied_path_display =
+        PathUri::from_host_native_path(&denied_path)?.inferred_native_path_string();
+    let expected_locate_prefix = format!("unable to locate image at `{denied_path_display}`:");
+    let expected_read_prefix = format!("unable to read image at `{denied_path_display}`:");
    assert!(
        output_text.starts_with(&expected_locate_prefix)
            || output_text.starts_with(&expected_read_prefix),
@@ -570,8 +569,6 @@ async fn view_image_tool_applies_local_sandbox_read_denies() -> anyhow::Result<(

 #[tokio::test(flavor = "multi_thread", worker_threads = 2)]
 async fn view_image_routes_to_selected_remote_environment() -> anyhow::Result<()> {
-    // TODO(anp): Remove after remote-cwd fixtures use target-native paths.
-    skip_if_wine_exec!(Ok(()), "hardcodes a POSIX remote cwd");
    skip_if_no_network!(Ok(()));
    let Some(_remote_env) = get_remote_test_env() else {
        return Ok(());
@@ -583,37 +580,26 @@ async fn view_image_routes_to_selected_remote_environment() -> anyhow::Result<()
    let local_cwd = TempDir::new()?;
    fs::write(local_cwd.path().join("remote.png"), b"not a remote image")?;
    let local_selection = local(local_cwd.path().abs());
-    let remote_cwd = PathBuf::from(format!(
-        "/tmp/codex-view-image-routing-{}",
-        SystemTime::now().duration_since(UNIX_EPOCH)?.as_millis()
-    ))
-    .abs();
-    let image_path = remote_cwd.join("remote.png");
-    let remote_cwd_uri = PathUri::from_host_native_path(&remote_cwd)?;
-    test.fs()
-        .create_directory(
-            &remote_cwd_uri,
-            CreateDirectoryOptions { recursive: true },
-            /*sandbox*/ None,
-        )
-        .await?;
+    let remote_cwd_uri = PathUri::from_abs_path(test.executor_environment().cwd());
+    let image_path_uri = remote_cwd_uri.join("remote.png")?;
    let png = png_bytes(/*width*/ 1, /*height*/ 1, [0, 255, 0, 255])?;
-    let image_path_uri = PathUri::from_host_native_path(&image_path)?;
    test.fs()
        .write_file(&image_path_uri, png, /*sandbox*/ None)
        .await?;
+    let absolute_image_path = image_path_uri.inferred_native_path_string();
    let remote_selection = TurnEnvironmentSelection {
        environment_id: REMOTE_ENVIRONMENT_ID.to_string(),
-        cwd: PathUri::from_abs_path(&remote_cwd),
+        cwd: remote_cwd_uri,
    };
-    let call_id = "call-view-image-multi-env";
+    let relative_call_id = "call-view-image-relative-multi-env";
+    let absolute_call_id = "call-view-image-absolute-multi-env";
    let response_mock = mount_sse_sequence(
        &server,
        vec![
            sse(vec![
                ev_response_created("resp-1"),
                ev_function_call(
-                    call_id,
+                    relative_call_id,
                    "view_image",
                    &json!({
                        "path": "remote.png",
@@ -625,9 +611,22 @@ async fn view_image_routes_to_selected_remote_environment() -> anyhow::Result<()
            ]),
            sse(vec![
                ev_response_created("resp-2"),
-                ev_assistant_message("msg-1", "done"),
+                ev_function_call(
+                    absolute_call_id,
+                    "view_image",
+                    &json!({
+                        "path": absolute_image_path,
+                        "environment_id": REMOTE_ENVIRONMENT_ID,
+                    })
+                    .to_string(),
+                ),
                ev_completed("resp-2"),
            ]),
+            sse(vec![
+                ev_response_created("resp-3"),
+                ev_assistant_message("msg-1", "done"),
+                ev_completed("resp-3"),
+            ]),
        ],
    )
    .await;
@@ -638,30 +637,32 @@ async fn view_image_routes_to_selected_remote_environment() -> anyhow::Result<()
    )
    .await?;

-    let output = response_mock
+    let request = response_mock
        .last_request()
        .context("missing request containing view_image output")?
-        .function_call_output(call_id)
        .clone();
-    let output_items = output
-        .get("output")
-        .and_then(Value::as_array)
-        .context("view_image output should be content items")?;
-    assert_eq!(output_items.len(), 1);
-    let image_url = output_items[0]
-        .get("image_url")
-        .and_then(Value::as_str)
-        .context("view_image output should include image_url")?;
-    assert!(
-        image_url.starts_with("data:image/png;base64,"),
-        "unexpected image_url: {image_url}",
-    );
+    for call_id in [relative_call_id, absolute_call_id] {
+        let output = request.function_call_output(call_id);
+        let output_items = output
+            .get("output")
+            .and_then(Value::as_array)
+            .context("view_image output should be content items")?;
+        assert_eq!(output_items.len(), 1);
+        let image_url = output_items[0]
+            .get("image_url")
+            .and_then(Value::as_str)
+            .context("view_image output should include image_url")?;
+        assert!(
+            image_url.starts_with("data:image/png;base64,"),
+            "unexpected image_url: {image_url}",
+        );
+    }

    test.fs()
        .remove(
-            &remote_cwd_uri,
+            &image_path_uri,
            RemoveOptions {
-                recursive: true,
+                recursive: false,
                force: true,
            },
            /*sandbox*/ None,
@@ -1174,7 +1175,8 @@ async fn view_image_tool_errors_when_path_is_directory() -> anyhow::Result<()> {
        .function_call_output_content_and_success(call_id)
        .and_then(|(content, _)| content)
        .expect("output text present");
-    let expected_message = format!("image path `{}` is not a file", abs_path.display());
+    let expected_path = PathUri::from_host_native_path(&abs_path)?.inferred_native_path_string();
+    let expected_message = format!("image path `{expected_path}` is not a file");
    assert_eq!(output_text, expected_message);

    assert!(
@@ -1253,19 +1255,26 @@ async fn view_image_tool_turns_invalid_image_into_placeholder() -> anyhow::Resul
 async fn view_image_tool_errors_when_file_missing() -> anyhow::Result<()> {
    skip_if_no_network!(Ok(()));

+    let remote_test_env = get_remote_test_env();
+    println!("view_image missing-file test exec-server environment: {remote_test_env:?}");
+
    let server = start_mock_server().await;

    let mut builder = test_codex();
    let test = builder.build_with_remote_env(&server).await?;
    let TestCodex {
        codex,
-        config,
        session_configured,
        ..
    } = &test;

    let rel_path = "missing/example.png";
-    let abs_path = config.cwd.join(rel_path);
+    // Under wine-exec, the executor cwd is stored as a host-compatible `/C:/...`
+    // projection. Reconstruct its `PathUri` so the expected error uses the selected
+    // environment's native Windows spelling, matching the handler.
+    let expected_path = PathUri::from_abs_path(test.executor_environment().cwd())
+        .join(rel_path)?
+        .inferred_native_path_string();

    let call_id = "view-image-missing";
    let arguments = serde_json::json!({ "path": rel_path }).to_string();
@@ -1309,7 +1318,7 @@ async fn view_image_tool_errors_when_file_missing() -> anyhow::Result<()> {
        .function_call_output_content_and_success(call_id)
        .and_then(|(content, _)| content)
        .expect("output text present");
-    let expected_prefix = format!("unable to locate image at `{}`:", abs_path.display());
+    let expected_prefix = format!("unable to locate image at `{expected_path}`:");
    assert!(
        output_text.starts_with(&expected_prefix),
        "expected error to start with `{expected_prefix}` but got `{output_text}`"
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@ use crate::user_input::ByteRange;
 use crate::user_input::TextElement;
 use crate::user_input::UserInput;
 use codex_utils_absolute_path::AbsolutePathBuf;
+use codex_utils_path_uri::PathUri;
 use quick_xml::de::from_str as from_xml_str;
 use quick_xml::se::to_string as to_xml_string;
 use schemars::JsonSchema;
@@ -138,7 +139,11 @@ pub struct WebSearchItem {
 #[derive(Debug, Clone, Deserialize, Serialize, TS, JsonSchema, PartialEq)]
 pub struct ImageViewItem {
    pub id: String,
-    pub path: AbsolutePathBuf,
+    /// Path resolved within the selected execution environment.
+    ///
+    /// This core protocol type is not exposed directly in the app-server API.
+    /// App-server converts the path to `LegacyAppPathString` at its boundary.
+    pub path: PathUri,
 }

 #[derive(Debug, Clone, Deserialize, Serialize, TS, JsonSchema, PartialEq, Eq)]
@@ -3399,8 +3399,11 @@ pub struct ExecCommandEndEvent {
 pub struct ViewImageToolCallEvent {
    /// Identifier for the originating tool call.
    pub call_id: String,
-    /// Local filesystem path provided to the tool.
-    pub path: AbsolutePathBuf,
+    /// Filesystem path resolved for the selected environment.
+    ///
+    /// This core event is not exposed directly in the app-server API. App-server
+    /// converts the path to `LegacyAppPathString` when building its public item.
+    pub path: PathUri,
 }

 #[derive(Debug, Clone, Deserialize, Serialize, PartialEq, JsonSchema, TS)]
@@ -182,7 +182,8 @@ fn activity_summary(item: &ThreadItem) -> Option<String> {
            return bounded_summary(&format!("Web search: {query}"));
        }
        ThreadItem::ImageView { path, .. } => {
-            return bounded_summary(&format!("Viewed {}", path.display()));
+            let path = path.render_for_ui();
+            return bounded_summary(&format!("Viewed {path}"));
        }
        ThreadItem::ImageGeneration { .. } => return Some("Generated an image".to_string()),
        ThreadItem::EnteredReviewMode { .. } => return Some("Entered review mode".to_string()),
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+---
+source: tui/src/chatwidget/tests/exec_flow.rs
+assertion_line: 877
+expression: combined
+---
+• Viewed Image
+  └ C:\workspace\assets\example.png
@@ -862,6 +862,21 @@ async fn view_image_tool_call_adds_history_cell() {
    assert_chatwidget_snapshot!("local_image_attachment_history_snapshot", combined);
 }

+#[tokio::test]
+async fn view_image_tool_call_preserves_foreign_path() {
+    let (mut chat, mut rx, _op_rx) = make_chatwidget_manual(/*model_override*/ None).await;
+    let image_path: LegacyAppPathString =
+        serde_json::from_value(json!(r"C:\workspace\assets\example.png"))
+            .expect("valid legacy app path string");
+
+    handle_view_image_tool_call(&mut chat, "call-image", image_path);
+
+    let cells = drain_insert_history(&mut rx);
+    assert_eq!(cells.len(), 1, "expected a single history cell");
+    let combined = lines_to_single_string(&cells[0]);
+    assert_chatwidget_snapshot!("foreign_image_attachment_history_snapshot", combined);
+}
+
 #[tokio::test]
 async fn image_generation_call_adds_history_cell() {
    let (mut chat, mut rx, _op_rx) = make_chatwidget_manual(/*model_override*/ None).await;
@@ -679,7 +679,7 @@ pub(super) fn handle_patch_apply_end(
 pub(super) fn handle_view_image_tool_call(
    chat: &mut ChatWidget,
    call_id: impl Into<String>,
-    path: AbsolutePathBuf,
+    path: impl Into<LegacyAppPathString>,
 ) {
    chat.handle_server_notification(
        ServerNotification::ItemCompleted(ItemCompletedNotification {
@@ -688,7 +688,7 @@ pub(super) fn handle_view_image_tool_call(
            completed_at_ms: 0,
            item: AppServerThreadItem::ImageView {
                id: call_id.into(),
-                path,
+                path: path.into(),
            },
        }),
        /*replay_kind*/ None,
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
 //! events as transcript cells.

 use super::*;
+use codex_utils_path_uri::LegacyAppPathString;

 impl ChatWidget {
    pub(super) fn on_patch_apply_begin(&mut self, changes: HashMap<PathBuf, FileChange>) {
@@ -11,7 +12,7 @@ impl ChatWidget {
        self.add_to_history(history_cell::new_patch_event(changes, &self.config.cwd));
    }

-    pub(super) fn on_view_image_tool_call(&mut self, path: AbsolutePathBuf) {
+    pub(super) fn on_view_image_tool_call(&mut self, path: LegacyAppPathString) {
        self.record_visible_turn_activity();
        self.flush_answer_stream_with_separator();
        self.add_to_history(history_cell::new_view_image_tool_call(
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 //! Patch summaries and image-tool transcript helpers.

 use super::*;
+use codex_utils_path_uri::LegacyAppPathString;

 #[derive(Debug)]
 pub(crate) struct PatchHistoryCell {
@@ -60,8 +61,12 @@ pub(crate) fn new_patch_apply_failure(stderr: String) -> PlainHistoryCell {
    PlainHistoryCell { lines }
 }

-pub(crate) fn new_view_image_tool_call(path: AbsolutePathBuf, cwd: &Path) -> PlainHistoryCell {
-    let display_path = display_path_for(path.as_path(), cwd);
+pub(crate) fn new_view_image_tool_call(path: LegacyAppPathString, cwd: &Path) -> PlainHistoryCell {
+    let display_path = path
+        .to_inferred_path_uri()
+        .and_then(|path| path.to_abs_path().ok())
+        .map(|path| display_path_for(path.as_path(), cwd))
+        .unwrap_or_else(|| path.into_string());

    let lines: Vec<Line<'static>> = vec![
        vec!["• ".dim(), "Viewed Image".bold()].into(),
@@ -203,7 +203,8 @@ fn fallback_transcript_cell(item: &ThreadItem) -> Option<PlainHistoryCell> {
            vec![vec!["web search: ".dim(), query.clone().into()].into()]
        }
        ThreadItem::ImageView { path, .. } => {
-            vec![format!("image: {}", path.as_path().display()).dim().into()]
+            let path = path.render_for_ui();
+            vec![format!("image: {path}").dim().into()]
        }
        ThreadItem::ImageGeneration {
            status, saved_path, ..
@@ -86,6 +86,17 @@ impl LegacyAppPathString {
        PathUri::try_from(self.clone()).ok()
    }

+    /// Renders this API path for display in a user interface.
+    ///
+    /// Absolute paths are normalized using their inferred native convention.
+    /// Strings that cannot be interpreted as absolute paths retain their raw
+    /// API spelling.
+    pub fn render_for_ui(&self) -> String {
+        self.to_inferred_path_uri()
+            .map(|path| path.inferred_native_path_string())
+            .unwrap_or_else(|| self.0.clone())
+    }
+
    /// Parses this API string as a host-native absolute path.
    pub fn to_inferred_abs_path(&self) -> Option<AbsolutePathBuf> {
        AbsolutePathBuf::try_from(self.clone()).ok()
@@ -458,6 +458,7 @@ fn converts_absolute_api_paths_using_the_inferred_convention() {
            path.to_inferred_path_uri(),
            Some(PathUri::parse(expected_uri).expect("expected URI should parse")),
        );
+        assert_eq!(path.render_for_ui(), raw_path);
        assert_eq!(
            PathUri::try_from(path.clone()),
            path.to_path_uri(convention)