clink codex fails: --enable web_search_request passed to exec subcommand instead of main command

[dkelson]

Project Version

9.8.2

Bug Description

The fix for #338 (which replaced --search with --enable web_search_request) has the same underlying problem: the --enable flag is a top-level codex flag, not a
codex exec subcommand flag.

Error Message

error: unexpected argument '--enable' found

tip: to pass '--enable' as a value, use '-- --enable'

Usage: codex exec --json --dangerously-bypass-approvals-and-sandbox [PROMPT]

For more information, try '--help'.

Environment

• pal-mcp-server: latest (via uvx from git)
• codex-cli: 0.66.x
• OS: macOS

Root Cause

In conf/cli_clients/codex.json:

{
"additional_args": [
"--json",
"--dangerously-bypass-approvals-and-sandbox",
"--enable",
"web_search_request"
]
}

These args are appended to codex exec, producing:

codex exec --json --dangerously-bypass-approvals-and-sandbox --enable web_search_request "prompt"

But --enable is a top-level flag that must come before exec:

codex --enable web_search_request exec --json --dangerously-bypass-approvals-and-sandbox "prompt"

Workaround

Remove --enable and web_search_request from conf/cli_clients/codex.json:

{
"additional_args": [
"--json",
"--dangerously-bypass-approvals-and-sandbox"
]
}

Suggested Fix

Either:

1. Add a pre_subcommand_args field to CLI configs for flags that must come before the subcommand
2. Or remove --enable web_search_request from the default codex config since it's optional

Related

• 9.4.0 breaks clink codex codereview by passing unexpected --search arg #338 - Same issue pattern with --search flag

Relevant Log Output

Operating System

macOS

Sanity Checks

• I have searched the existing issues and this is not a duplicate.
• I am using GEMINI_API_KEY
• I am using OPENAI_API_KEY
• I am using OPENROUTER_API_KEY
• I am using CUSTOM_API_URL