VS Code: new empty window cannot send Codex message and shows stale “ChatGPT” project prompt

Summary

In the official Codex VS Code extension, creating a fresh VS Code window with no workspace folder and sending a message is blocked with:

• Unable to send message
• Add a project to use ChatGPT (wording observed in the affected build; newer bundled UI strings use “Codex”)

This prevents projectless/general questions from the extension. It has been reproduced by multiple users and across multiple extension versions.

Environment

• Platform: Windows 11
• VS Code: 1.128.1
• Official extension: openai.chatgpt (display name: Codex), observed version 26.519.32039

Steps to reproduce

1. In VS Code, select File → New Window.
2. Do not open or add a folder/workspace.
3. Open Codex and create a new conversation.
4. Enter any non-empty message and send it.

Actual behavior

The extension blocks submission and shows the dialog above.

Expected behavior

One of the following should work consistently:

1. Allow a projectless/general Codex conversation in a fresh VS Code window; or
2. Clearly present that a workspace is required, with an action to open/add a folder.

The current generic “ChatGPT” wording is especially confusing because the installed product is Codex.

Investigation

The bundled extension code identifies this state as missing-workspace: in non-cloud mode it blocks a composer when there are no workspace roots. The same logic has an exception gated by canUseProjectlessThreads, but there is no visible user control for that capability. This suggests an entitlement/rollout gap or a missing fallback UX rather than a local installation problem.

Impact

Users who open VS Code before choosing a repository cannot ask even a general question in Codex. Reinstalling or changing extension versions does not resolve the issue for affected users.