## Why
Some extension hosts need generated images returned without writing them
to the local filesystem or giving the model a local path.
## What changed
**tl;dr**: we now conduct all extension operations in the image gen
extension
- Let hosts provide an optional image save root when installing the
extension.
- Save images and return path hints only when a save root is configured.
- Return image data without saving or adding a path hint when no save
root is configured.
- Preserve the extension-provided `saved_path` instead of persisting
extension images again in core.
- Leave built-in image generation unchanged.
## Validation
- `just test -p codex-image-generation-extension`
- `just test -p codex-app-server
standalone_image_generation_returns_saved_path_hint_to_model`
- `just test -p codex-core
extension_tool_uses_granted_turn_permissions_without_local_persistence`
- `just test -p codex-core tools::handlers::extension_tools::tests`
- tested on CODEX CLI on both save_root: CODEX_HOME and None
- tested on CODEX APP on both as well
## What
- make Fjord's centralized response-item image preparation unconditional
for new and resumed history
- have local user images and `view_image` outputs always defer decoding
and resizing to that path
- retain `resize_all_images` as an ignored, removed compatibility key
for released clients
- delete the flag-off producer paths and obsolete policy-specific tests
## Why
Centralized preparation is now the intended image path. Keeping the
runtime feature checks also kept two image-processing implementations
alive and allowed client config to select the legacy behavior.
This is a clean replacement for #28975, rebuilt from the latest `main`.
## How
`prepare_response_items` now runs whenever items enter history and
whenever persisted history is reconstructed. Producers emit deferred
image data, so malformed images become the existing model-visible
placeholder instead of failing the session at the producer.
## Test plan
- `just fmt`
- `just fix -p codex-core -p codex-features`
- `just test -p codex-features` — 52 passed
- focused affected `codex-core` set — 20 passed
- `just test -p codex-core handle_accepts_explicit_high_detail` — 1
passed
- full `just test -p codex-core` attempt — 2,723 passed; 88 unrelated
environment failures from read-only `~/.codex` SQLite state and
unavailable integration helper binaries
## Why
Image generation used `std::fs::read` for referenced image paths, which
did not support environment-backed filesystems or their sandbox context.
## What changed
- Expose optional turn environments to extension tool calls.
- Include each environment’s ID, working directory, filesystem, and
sandbox context.
- Read referenced images through the selected environment filesystem.
- Keep sandbox usage at the extension call site so extensions can choose
the appropriate access mode.
- Consolidate image request construction into one async function.
- Add coverage for successful environment reads and read failures.
## Validation
- `cargo check -p codex-image-generation-extension --tests`
- `just fmt`
- `just bazel-lock-update`
- `just bazel-lock-check`
`just test -p codex-image-generation-extension` could not complete
because the build exhausted available disk space.