github / github/copilot-cli

allowed_directories in permissions.config is never loaded

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area:configuration area:permissions
Dominant language
Shell
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Description

Describe the bug

I have several directories listed in my permissions-config for various workspaces. They are never loaded. I can run /list-dirs and never see them.

{
  "locations": {
    "/workspaces/cbreymdev": {
      "allowed_directories": [
        "/opt/test",
        "/tmp"
      ]
    },
...

still results in:

Allowed directories for file access:

1. /workspaces/cbreymdev
2. /tmp
3. /home/vscode/.copilot/installed-plugins
Affected version

1.0.79-6

Steps to reproduce the behavior
  1. sudo mkdir /opt/test
  2. sudo chmod a+rwx /opt/test
  3. mkdir /opt/test/workspace
  4. mkdir /opt/test/subject
  5. echo "Can you read me?" > /opt/test/subject/file.txt
  6. jq '.locations += {"/opt/test/workspace": { "allowed_directories": [ "/opt/test/subject"] }}' ~/.copilot/permissions-config.json > /tmp/permissions-config.json
  7. cp /tmp/permissions-config.json ~/.copilot/permissions-config.json
  8. cd /opt/test/workspace
  9. run copilot interactively
  10. prompt /list-dirs. Observe that "/opt/test/subject" is not present.
  11. prompt "What does /opt/test/subject/file.txt" contain?. Observe a permission prompt.
Expected behavior

In step 10, the listing should container /opt/test/subject.
In step 11, it should report the contents of /opt/test/subject/file.txt

Additional context

No response

Contributor guide

Open the contributing guide

First steps

  1. Read the whole issue, then the project's contributing guide.
  2. Comment on the issue to say you are picking it up — it saves two people doing the same work.
  3. Fork the repository and make your change on a branch.
  4. Open a pull request that references the issue number.

Research direction

Start by tracing how ~/.copilot/permissions-config.json is loaded when the CLI starts, then follow the data used by /list-dirs. Reproduce the issue with the provided jq configuration and workspace steps. Done means allowed_directories from the active location appear in /list-dirs and permit reading the listed file without an extra permission prompt.

Written by the indexing model from the issue text.

Assessment

Tech stack
shell
Domain
cli
Issue type
Bug
Difficulty
3/5
Estimated time
1-2 days
Activity status
Quiet
Clarity
Mostly clear
Newbie friendliness
65/100

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