[BUG] request_cowork_directory opens blank folder picker instead of prompting for a specific named path

Preflight Checklist

• [x] I have searched existing issues and this hasn't been reported yet
• [x] This is a single bug report (separate reports filed for different bugs)
• [x] I am using the latest version of Claude Code

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What's Wrong?

request_cowork_directory opens a blank macOS folder picker with no pre-populated path and no guidance. Two problems follow from this:

1. Hidden/dot folders cannot be selected. macOS hides dot folders (e.g. ~/.claude, ~/.config) in the native file picker. Users cannot navigate to them via the GUI. This makes the tool completely non-functional for any path starting with a dot — which is where Claude Code and Cowork store their own project data.

2. The tool gives identical output for two different situations. Whether the user deliberately dismissed the picker, or simply couldn't navigate to the folder, the tool returns the same "cancelled" response. Claude cannot distinguish between the two, and this caused a retry loop of 4+ identical failed calls with no diagnosis.

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What Should Happen?

The tool should present a named-path Allow/Deny prompt:

Claude needs access to ~/.claude/projects. [Allow] [Deny]

The user clicks one button. No navigation required. This is consistent with how other macOS permission prompts work, and eliminates both failure modes above.

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Steps to Reproduce

1. Start a Cowork session
2. Ask Claude to access any dot folder (e.g. ~/.claude/projects)
3. Claude calls request_cowork_directory
4. A blank macOS folder picker opens — user cannot navigate to the dot folder
5. User dismisses or cancels
6. Tool returns "cancelled" — Claude retries the same call

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Error Messages/Logs

No error — tool silently returns "cancelled" in both the intentional-dismiss and cannot-navigate cases.

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Is this a regression?

Yes, this worked in a previous version (folder picker used to pre-populate the requested path).

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Claude Code Version

2.1.68 (Claude Code)

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Platform

Anthropic API

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Operating System

macOS

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Terminal/Shell

N/A — Cowork desktop app (not terminal)

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Additional Information

Related: retry loop behaviour from this same failure mode is reported separately in #41659.