feat: better UX during refusal (#5260)

<img width="568" height="169" alt="Screenshot 2025-10-16 at 18 28 05"
src="https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/f42e8d6d-b7de-4948-b291-a5fbb50b1312"
/>

Author: jif-oai

codex-rs/core/src/codex.rs

@@ -916,6 +916,7 @@ impl Session {
             duration,
             exit_code,
             timed_out: _,
+            ..
         } = output;
         // Send full stdout/stderr to clients; do not truncate.
         let stdout = stdout.text.clone();
@@ -980,15 +981,28 @@ impl Session {
         let sub_id = context.sub_id.clone();
         let call_id = context.call_id.clone();
 
-        self.on_exec_command_begin(turn_diff_tracker.clone(), context.clone())
-            .await;
-
+        let begin_turn_diff = turn_diff_tracker.clone();
+        let begin_context = context.clone();
+        let session = self;
         let result = self
             .services
             .executor
-            .run(request, self, approval_policy, &context)
+            .run(request, self, approval_policy, &context, move || {
+                let turn_diff = begin_turn_diff.clone();
+                let ctx = begin_context.clone();
+                async move {
+                    session.on_exec_command_begin(turn_diff, ctx).await;
+                }
+            })
             .await;
 
+        if matches!(
+            &result,
+            Err(ExecError::Function(FunctionCallError::Denied(_)))
+        ) {
+            return result;
+        }
+
         let normalized = normalize_exec_result(&result);
         let borrowed = normalized.event_output();
 
@@ -2262,7 +2276,8 @@ async fn try_run_turn(
                             response: Some(response),
                         });
                     }
-                    Err(FunctionCallError::RespondToModel(message)) => {
+                    Err(FunctionCallError::RespondToModel(message))
+                    | Err(FunctionCallError::Denied(message)) => {
                         let response = ResponseInputItem::FunctionCallOutput {
                             call_id: String::new(),
                             output: FunctionCallOutputPayload {

codex-rs/core/src/executor/mod.rs

@@ -60,5 +60,9 @@ pub mod errors {
         pub(crate) fn rejection(msg: impl Into<String>) -> Self {
             FunctionCallError::RespondToModel(msg.into()).into()
         }
+
+        pub(crate) fn denied(msg: impl Into<String>) -> Self {
+            FunctionCallError::Denied(msg.into()).into()
+        }
     }
 }

codex-rs/core/src/executor/runner.rs

@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+use std::future::Future;
 use std::path::PathBuf;
 use std::sync::Arc;
 use std::sync::RwLock;
@@ -74,13 +75,18 @@ impl Executor {
     /// Runs a prepared execution request end-to-end: prepares parameters, decides on
     /// sandbox placement (prompting the user when necessary), launches the command,
     /// and lets the backend post-process the final output.
-    pub(crate) async fn run(
+    pub(crate) async fn run<F, Fut>(
         &self,
         mut request: ExecutionRequest,
         session: &Session,
         approval_policy: AskForApproval,
         context: &ExecCommandContext,
-    ) -> Result<ExecToolCallOutput, ExecError> {
+        on_exec_begin: F,
+    ) -> Result<ExecToolCallOutput, ExecError>
+    where
+        F: FnOnce() -> Fut,
+        Fut: Future<Output = ()>,
+    {
         if matches!(request.mode, ExecutionMode::Shell) {
             request.params =
                 maybe_translate_shell_command(request.params, session, request.use_shell_profile);
@@ -119,7 +125,7 @@ impl Executor {
         if sandbox_decision.record_session_approval {
             self.approval_cache.insert(request.approval_command.clone());
         }
-
+        on_exec_begin().await;
         // Step 4: Launch the command within the chosen sandbox.
         let first_attempt = self
             .spawn(
@@ -210,7 +216,7 @@ impl Executor {
                 Ok(retry_output)
             }
             ReviewDecision::Denied | ReviewDecision::Abort => {
-                Err(ExecError::rejection("exec command rejected by user"))
+                Err(ExecError::denied("exec command rejected by user"))
             }
         }
     }
@@ -301,7 +307,8 @@ pub(crate) fn normalize_exec_result(
         }
         Err(err) => {
             let message = match err {
-                ExecError::Function(FunctionCallError::RespondToModel(msg)) => msg.clone(),
+                ExecError::Function(FunctionCallError::RespondToModel(msg))
+                | ExecError::Function(FunctionCallError::Denied(msg)) => msg.clone(),
                 ExecError::Codex(e) => get_error_message_ui(e),
                 err => err.to_string(),
             };

codex-rs/core/src/executor/sandbox.rs

@@ -149,7 +149,7 @@ async fn select_shell_sandbox(
                 ReviewDecision::Approved => Ok(SandboxDecision::user_override(false)),
                 ReviewDecision::ApprovedForSession => Ok(SandboxDecision::user_override(true)),
                 ReviewDecision::Denied | ReviewDecision::Abort => {
-                    Err(ExecError::rejection("exec command rejected by user"))
+                    Err(ExecError::denied("exec command rejected by user"))
                 }
             }
         }

codex-rs/core/src/function_tool.rs

@@ -4,6 +4,8 @@ use thiserror::Error;
 pub enum FunctionCallError {
     #[error("{0}")]
     RespondToModel(String),
+    #[error("{0}")]
+    Denied(String),
     #[error("LocalShellCall without call_id or id")]
     MissingLocalShellCallId,
     #[error("Fatal error: {0}")]

codex-rs/core/src/tools/mod.rs

@@ -238,6 +238,7 @@ fn truncate_function_error(err: FunctionCallError) -> FunctionCallError {
         FunctionCallError::RespondToModel(msg) => {
             FunctionCallError::RespondToModel(format_exec_output(&msg))
         }
+        FunctionCallError::Denied(msg) => FunctionCallError::Denied(format_exec_output(&msg)),
         FunctionCallError::Fatal(msg) => FunctionCallError::Fatal(format_exec_output(&msg)),
         other => other,
     }