Engine troubleshooting
Fix missing CLIs, failed authentication, model errors, and path differences.
“CLI not found”
- Open a terminal and run the CLI directly.
- Confirm the command is an executable, not only a shell alias or function.
- Restart Brainwrite after installation.
- Set the exact executable in Settings → Engines if automatic detection still fails.
Desktop applications often inherit a different environment than a terminal. This is common on Windows shortcuts, macOS Finder launches, and Linux application menus.
Authentication failures
Run the provider's own status or login command in a terminal. Brainwrite uses the CLI's authenticated session; installing the binary alone is not enough.
A 401 Unauthorized response from api.openai.com means the launched Codex process did not receive valid authentication. Confirm codex login status, sign in again if needed, then restart Brainwrite. Do not paste a ChatGPT password into Brainwrite.
A selected model fails
- Refresh the model picker after updating the CLI.
- Choose a model actually available to that provider account.
- Confirm a custom wrapper forwards the model argument and preserves the provider's expected environment.
- Try the provider CLI directly with the same model to separate an account problem from a Brainwrite integration problem.
Windows notes
Use a real .exe, .cmd, or resolvable command path in the engine override. If a CLI was installed in WSL, the Windows desktop app cannot treat that Linux binary as a native Windows executable without an explicit bridge or wrapper.