[BUG] language-server ignores files opened early #575
Description
First of all thank you for this awesome tool!
Describe the bug
I use Helix editor with robotcode language-server --stdio as a language server. I noticed that the file I open first or the files that are already open when robotcode is (re-)started are ignored by the language server - there are no suggestions and features like "go to definition" do not work, the language server seems to just return result null. But when I open another file after robotcode finished starting up, it all works fine for that file.
Below are some of the logs of the JSON messages (obtained from helix logs via hx -v) between the editor and language server, unfortunately I have not found an option to get more debug output out of the language server.
To me (as somebody who knows nothing about LSP) it looks like the first textDocument/didOpen is not handled properly by the language server which is why it does not provide diagnostics and just responds to methods like textDocument/definition with "result": null.
Steps To Reproduce
Steps to reproduce the behavior:
- Open
hx -v(with the language server configured) - Open a robot file
- Open a different robot file
- Notice that the first-opened file does not have working LSP features (no suggestions, no goto definition) and the second one does
This was reproduced with a directory containing nothing but this file twice:
*** Test Cases ***
My Example Test
No OperationExpected behavior
LSP features work for both opened files.
Logs
When opening the first file:
2026-02-26T09:43:13.862 helix_lsp::transport [INFO] robotcode -> {"jsonrpc":"2.0","method":"initialize","params":{"capabilities":{"general":{"positionEncodings":["utf-8","utf-32","utf-16"]},"textDocument":{"codeAction":{"codeActionLiteralSupport":{"codeActionKind":{"valueSet":["","quickfix","refactor","refactor.extract","refactor.inline","refactor.rewrite","source","source.organizeImports"]}},"dataSupport":true,"disabledSupport":true,"isPreferredSupport":true,"resolveSupport":{"properties":["edit","command"]}},"completion":{"completionItem":{"deprecatedSupport":true,"insertReplaceSupport":true,"resolveSupport":{"properties":["documentation","detail","additionalTextEdits"]},"snippetSupport":true,"tagSupport":{"valueSet":[1]}},"completionItemKind":{}},"formatting":{"dynamicRegistration":false},"hover":{"contentFormat":["markdown"]},"inlayHint":{"dynamicRegistration":false},"publishDiagnostics":{"tagSupport":{"valueSet":[1,2]},"versionSupport":true},"rename":{"dynamicRegistration":false,"honorsChangeAnnotations":false,"prepareSupport":true},"signatureHelp":{"signatureInformation":{"activeParameterSupport":true,"documentationFormat":["markdown"],"parameterInformation":{"labelOffsetSupport":true}}}},"window":{"workDoneProgress":true},"workspace":{"applyEdit":true,"configuration":true,"didChangeConfiguration":{"dynamicRegistration":false},"didChangeWatchedFiles":{"dynamicRegistration":true,"relativePatternSupport":false},"executeCommand":{"dynamicRegistration":false},"fileOperations":{"didRename":true,"willRename":true},"inlayHint":{"refreshSupport":false},"symbol":{"dynamicRegistration":false},"workspaceEdit":{"documentChanges":true,"failureHandling":"abort","normalizesLineEndings":false,"resourceOperations":["create","rename","delete"]},"workspaceFolders":true}},"clientInfo":{"name":"helix","version":"25.07.1 (a05c151b)"},"processId":25760,"rootPath":"/home/etaric/src/playground/robot/robotcode-bugreport","rootUri":"file:///home/etaric/src/playground/robot/robotcode-bugreport","workspaceFolders":[{"name":"robotcode-bugreport","uri":"file:///home/etaric/src/playground/robot/robotcode-bugreport"}]},"id":0}
2026-02-26T09:43:14.277 helix_lsp::transport [INFO] robotcode <- {"jsonrpc":"2.0","id":0,"result":{"capabilities":{"positionEncoding":"utf-16","textDocumentSync":{"openClose":true,"change":2,"willSave":true,"willSaveWaitUntil":true,"save":{"includeText":true}},"completionProvider":{"triggerCharacters":[" ","*","\t",".","/","{","=","/"],"resolveProvider":true,"completionItem":{"labelDetailsSupport":true},"workDoneProgress":true},"hoverProvider":{"workDoneProgress":true},"signatureHelpProvider":{"triggerCharacters":[" ","\t"],"retriggerCharacters":[" ","\t"]},"definitionProvider":true,"implementationProvider":true,"referencesProvider":{"workDoneProgress":true},"documentHighlightProvider":{"workDoneProgress":true},"codeActionProvider":{"codeActionKinds":["refactor.extract.function","refactor.surround","quickfix","source"],"resolveProvider":true},"codeLensProvider":{"resolveProvider":true},"workspaceSymbolProvider":true,"documentFormattingProvider":{"workDoneProgress":true},"documentRangeFormattingProvider":{"workDoneProgress":true},"renameProvider":{"prepareProvider":true,"workDoneProgress":true},"foldingRangeProvider":true,"selectionRangeProvider":{"workDoneProgress":true},"executeCommandProvider":{"commands":[]},"semanticTokensProvider":{"legend":{"tokenTypes":["namespace","type","class","enum","interface","struct","typeParameter","parameter","variable","property","enumMember","event","function","method","macro","keyword","modifier","comment","string","number","regexp","operator","decorator","settingImport","setting","header","headerSettings","headerVariable","headerTestcase","headerTask","headerComment","headerKeyword","testcaseName","keywordName","controlFlow","argument","variable","keywordCall","keywordCallInner","bddPrefix","nameCall","continuation","separator","terminator","forSeparator","variableBegin","variableEnd","expressionBegin","expressionEnd","variableExpression","escape","namespace","error","config","namedArgument","var","documentation"],"tokenModifiers":["declaration","definition","readonly","static","deprecated","abstract","async","modification","documentation","defaultLibrary","builtin","embedded"]},"full":true},"inlineValueProvider":{"workDoneProgress":true,"documentSelector":[{"language":"robotframework"}]},"inlayHintProvider":{},"workspace":{"workspaceFolders":{"supported":true,"changeNotifications":"81bd7109-5584-4549-951a-4d6f8e0c7854"},"fileOperations":{"didCreate":{"filters":[{"pattern":{"glob":"**/*.{yaml,robot,py,yml,resource}"}}]},"willCreate":{"filters":[{"pattern":{"glob":"**/*.{yaml,robot,py,yml,resource}"}}]},"didRename":{"filters":[{"pattern":{"glob":"**/*.{yaml,robot,py,yml,resource}"}}]},"willRename":{"filters":[{"pattern":{"glob":"**/*.{yaml,robot,py,yml,resource}"}}]},"didDelete":{"filters":[{"pattern":{"glob":"**/*.{yaml,robot,py,yml,resource}"}}]},"willDelete":{"filters":[{"pattern":{"glob":"**/*.{yaml,robot,py,yml,resource}"}}]}}}},"serverInfo":{"name":"RobotCode Language Server","version":"2.2.0"}}}
2026-02-26T09:43:14.277 helix_lsp::transport [INFO] robotcode -> {"jsonrpc":"2.0","method":"initialized","params":{}}
2026-02-26T09:43:14.277 helix_lsp::transport [INFO] robotcode -> {"jsonrpc":"2.0","method":"textDocument/didOpen","params":{"textDocument":{"languageId":"robot","text":"*** Test Cases ***\nMy Example Test\n No Operation\n","uri":"file:///home/etaric/src/playground/robot/robotcode-bugreport/example0.robot","version":0}}}
2026-02-26T09:43:14.282 helix_lsp::transport [INFO] robotcode <- {"jsonrpc":"2.0","id":1,"method":"workspace/configuration","params":{"items":[{"scopeUri":"file:///home/etaric/src/playground/robot/robotcode-bugreport","section":"robotcode.robot"}]}}
2026-02-26T09:43:14.282 helix_lsp::transport [INFO] robotcode -> {"jsonrpc":"2.0","result":[null],"id":1}
2026-02-26T09:43:14.283 helix_lsp::transport [INFO] robotcode <- {"jsonrpc":"2.0","id":2,"method":"workspace/configuration","params":{"items":[{"section":"robotcode.documentationServer"}]}}
2026-02-26T09:43:14.283 helix_lsp::transport [INFO] robotcode -> {"jsonrpc":"2.0","result":[null],"id":2}
2026-02-26T09:43:14.287 helix_lsp::transport [INFO] robotcode <- {"jsonrpc":"2.0","id":3,"method":"client/registerCapability","params":{"registrations":[{"id":"16a6790d-b40e-45cf-81da-465edcc35d3c","method":"workspace/didChangeWatchedFiles","registerOptions":{"watchers":[{"globPattern":"**/*.{robot,resource}","kind":5}]}}]}}
2026-02-26T09:43:14.287 helix_lsp::transport [INFO] robotcode <- {"jsonrpc":"2.0","id":4,"method":"client/registerCapability","params":{"registrations":[{"id":"81875a4e-36d0-48aa-b7cc-0cc07b743b2b","method":"workspace/didChangeWatchedFiles","registerOptions":{"watchers":[{"globPattern":"**/*.{yaml,robot,py,yml,resource}","kind":7}]}}]}}
2026-02-26T09:43:14.287 helix_lsp::transport [INFO] robotcode -> {"jsonrpc":"2.0","result":null,"id":3}
2026-02-26T09:43:14.287 helix_lsp::transport [INFO] robotcode -> {"jsonrpc":"2.0","result":null,"id":4}
2026-02-26T09:43:14.287 helix_lsp::transport [INFO] robotcode <- {"jsonrpc":"2.0","id":5,"method":"workspace/configuration","params":{"items":[{"scopeUri":"file:///home/etaric/src/playground/robot/robotcode-bugreport","section":"robotcode"}]}}
2026-02-26T09:43:14.287 helix_lsp::transport [INFO] robotcode -> {"jsonrpc":"2.0","result":[null],"id":5}
2026-02-26T09:43:14.289 helix_lsp::transport [INFO] robotcode <- {"jsonrpc":"2.0","id":6,"method":"window/workDoneProgress/create","params":{"token":"55c1db6c-d785-4ec6-b327-d40ced0da6e0"}}
2026-02-26T09:43:14.289 helix_lsp::transport [INFO] robotcode <- {"jsonrpc":"2.0","method":"$/progress","params":{"token":"55c1db6c-d785-4ec6-b327-d40ced0da6e0","value":{"title":"RobotCode","kind":"begin","cancellable":false,"message":"Collect sources"}}}
2026-02-26T09:43:14.289 helix_lsp::transport [INFO] robotcode -> {"jsonrpc":"2.0","result":null,"id":6}
2026-02-26T09:43:14.289 helix_lsp::transport [INFO] robotcode <- {"jsonrpc":"2.0","method":"$/progress","params":{"token":"55c1db6c-d785-4ec6-b327-d40ced0da6e0","value":{"kind":"end"}}}
2026-02-26T09:43:14.290 helix_lsp::transport [INFO] robotcode <- {"jsonrpc":"2.0","id":7,"method":"window/workDoneProgress/create","params":{"token":"1d14484b-1e49-4f5f-b76e-1160af9c4d05"}}
2026-02-26T09:43:14.290 helix_lsp::transport [INFO] robotcode -> {"jsonrpc":"2.0","result":null,"id":7}
2026-02-26T09:43:14.291 helix_lsp::transport [INFO] robotcode <- {"jsonrpc":"2.0","method":"$/progress","params":{"token":"1d14484b-1e49-4f5f-b76e-1160af9c4d05","value":{"kind":"end"}}}
2026-02-26T09:43:14.291 helix_lsp::transport [INFO] robotcode <- {"jsonrpc":"2.0","id":8,"method":"window/workDoneProgress/create","params":{"token":"ca545fc4-9e0e-44f3-90f6-c0da1653e615"}}
2026-02-26T09:43:14.291 helix_lsp::transport [INFO] robotcode -> {"jsonrpc":"2.0","result":null,"id":8}
2026-02-26T09:43:14.292 helix_lsp::transport [INFO] robotcode <- {"jsonrpc":"2.0","id":9,"method":"workspace/configuration","params":{"items":[{"scopeUri":"file:///home/etaric/src/playground/robot/robotcode-bugreport/example0.robot","section":"robotcode.analysis"}]}}
2026-02-26T09:43:14.292 helix_lsp::transport [INFO] robotcode -> {"jsonrpc":"2.0","result":[null],"id":9}
2026-02-26T09:43:14.295 helix_lsp::transport [INFO] robotcode <- {"jsonrpc":"2.0","id":10,"method":"workspace/configuration","params":{"items":[{"scopeUri":"file:///home/etaric/src/playground/robot/robotcode-bugreport","section":"robotcode.analysis.cache"}]}}
2026-02-26T09:43:14.295 helix_lsp::transport [INFO] robotcode -> {"jsonrpc":"2.0","result":[null],"id":10}
2026-02-26T09:43:14.296 helix_lsp::transport [INFO] robotcode <- {"jsonrpc":"2.0","id":11,"method":"workspace/configuration","params":{"items":[{"scopeUri":"file:///home/etaric/src/playground/robot/robotcode-bugreport","section":"robotcode.analysis.robot"}]}}
2026-02-26T09:43:14.296 helix_lsp::transport [INFO] robotcode -> {"jsonrpc":"2.0","result":[null],"id":11}
2026-02-26T09:43:14.306 helix_lsp::transport [INFO] robotcode <- {"jsonrpc":"2.0","id":12,"method":"client/registerCapability","params":{"registrations":[{"id":"2f280da0-f312-46d6-b11a-88286b83e3a3","method":"workspace/didChangeWatchedFiles","registerOptions":{"watchers":[{"globPattern":"/home/etaric/src/playground/robot/robotcode-bugreport/.venv/lib/python3.12/site-packages/robot/libraries/**"}]}}]}}
2026-02-26T09:43:14.306 helix_lsp::transport [INFO] robotcode <- {"jsonrpc":"2.0","method":"$/progress","params":{"token":"ca545fc4-9e0e-44f3-90f6-c0da1653e615","value":{"kind":"end"}}}
2026-02-26T09:43:14.306 helix_lsp::transport [INFO] robotcode <- {"jsonrpc":"2.0","id":13,"method":"window/workDoneProgress/create","params":{"token":"60791b17-44dc-4e1f-8c87-6ca5196aa819"}}
2026-02-26T09:43:14.306 helix_lsp::transport [INFO] robotcode -> {"jsonrpc":"2.0","result":null,"id":12}
2026-02-26T09:43:14.306 helix_lsp::transport [INFO] robotcode -> {"jsonrpc":"2.0","result":null,"id":13}
2026-02-26T09:43:14.306 helix_lsp::transport [INFO] robotcode <- {"jsonrpc":"2.0","method":"$/progress","params":{"token":"60791b17-44dc-4e1f-8c87-6ca5196aa819","value":{"kind":"end"}}}
When opening the second file:
2026-02-26T09:46:35.075 helix_lsp::transport [INFO] robotcode -> {"jsonrpc":"2.0","method":"textDocument/didOpen","params":{"textDocument":{"languageId":"robot","text":"*** Test Cases ***\nMy Example Test\n No Operation\n","uri":"file:///home/etaric/src/playground/robot/robotcode-bugreport/example1.robot","version":0}}}
2026-02-26T09:46:36.375 helix_lsp::transport [INFO] robotcode <- {"jsonrpc":"2.0","id":14,"method":"window/workDoneProgress/create","params":{"token":"218fc89b-a36a-4a64-a757-973245785ef6"}}
2026-02-26T09:46:36.376 helix_lsp::transport [INFO] robotcode -> {"jsonrpc":"2.0","result":null,"id":14}
2026-02-26T09:46:36.378 helix_lsp::transport [INFO] robotcode <- {"jsonrpc":"2.0","method":"$/progress","params":{"token":"218fc89b-a36a-4a64-a757-973245785ef6","value":{"kind":"end"}}}
2026-02-26T09:46:36.379 helix_lsp::transport [INFO] robotcode <- {"jsonrpc":"2.0","id":15,"method":"window/workDoneProgress/create","params":{"token":"2a551ba2-b411-46f7-b0d1-da91bee6ae69"}}
2026-02-26T09:46:36.379 helix_lsp::transport [INFO] robotcode <- {"jsonrpc":"2.0","id":16,"method":"workspace/configuration","params":{"items":[{"scopeUri":"file:///home/etaric/src/playground/robot/robotcode-bugreport","section":"robotcode.robocop"}]}}
2026-02-26T09:46:36.380 helix_lsp::transport [INFO] robotcode -> {"jsonrpc":"2.0","result":null,"id":15}
2026-02-26T09:46:36.380 helix_lsp::transport [INFO] robotcode -> {"jsonrpc":"2.0","result":[null],"id":16}
2026-02-26T09:46:36.452 helix_lsp::transport [INFO] robotcode <- {"jsonrpc":"2.0","id":17,"method":"workspace/configuration","params":{"items":[{"scopeUri":"file:///home/etaric/src/playground/robot/robotcode-bugreport/example1.robot","section":"robotcode.analysis.diagnosticModifiers"}]}}
2026-02-26T09:46:36.452 helix_lsp::transport [INFO] robotcode -> {"jsonrpc":"2.0","result":[null],"id":17}
2026-02-26T09:46:36.454 helix_lsp::transport [INFO] robotcode <- {"jsonrpc":"2.0","method":"textDocument/publishDiagnostics","params":{"uri":"file:///home/etaric/src/playground/robot/robotcode-bugreport/example1.robot","diagnostics":[{"range":{"start":{"line":1,"character":0},"end":{"line":1,"character":15}},"message":"Missing documentation in 'My Example Test' test case","severity":2,"code":"DOC02-missing-doc-test-case","codeDescription":{"href":"https://robocop.dev/v6.10.1/rules/rules_list.html#doc02-missing-doc-test-case"},"source":"robocop"},{"range":{"start":{"line":0,"character":0},"end":{"line":0,"character":0}},"message":"Missing documentation in suite","severity":2,"code":"DOC03-missing-doc-suite","codeDescription":{"href":"https://robocop.dev/v6.10.1/rules/rules_list.html#doc03-missing-doc-suite"},"source":"robocop"}],"version":0}}
2026-02-26T09:46:36.454 helix_lsp::transport [INFO] robotcode <- {"jsonrpc":"2.0","method":"textDocument/publishDiagnostics","params":{"uri":"file:///home/etaric/src/playground/robot/robotcode-bugreport/example1.robot","diagnostics":[{"range":{"start":{"line":1,"character":0},"end":{"line":1,"character":15}},"message":"Missing documentation in 'My Example Test' test case","severity":2,"code":"DOC02-missing-doc-test-case","codeDescription":{"href":"https://robocop.dev/v6.10.1/rules/rules_list.html#doc02-missing-doc-test-case"},"source":"robocop"},{"range":{"start":{"line":0,"character":0},"end":{"line":0,"character":0}},"message":"Missing documentation in suite","severity":2,"code":"DOC03-missing-doc-suite","codeDescription":{"href":"https://robocop.dev/v6.10.1/rules/rules_list.html#doc03-missing-doc-suite"},"source":"robocop"}],"version":0}}
2026-02-26T09:46:36.454 helix_lsp::transport [INFO] robotcode <- {"jsonrpc":"2.0","method":"textDocument/publishDiagnostics","params":{"uri":"file:///home/etaric/src/playground/robot/robotcode-bugreport/example1.robot","diagnostics":[{"range":{"start":{"line":1,"character":0},"end":{"line":1,"character":15}},"message":"Missing documentation in 'My Example Test' test case","severity":2,"code":"DOC02-missing-doc-test-case","codeDescription":{"href":"https://robocop.dev/v6.10.1/rules/rules_list.html#doc02-missing-doc-test-case"},"source":"robocop"},{"range":{"start":{"line":0,"character":0},"end":{"line":0,"character":0}},"message":"Missing documentation in suite","severity":2,"code":"DOC03-missing-doc-suite","codeDescription":{"href":"https://robocop.dev/v6.10.1/rules/rules_list.html#doc03-missing-doc-suite"},"source":"robocop"}],"version":0}}
2026-02-26T09:46:36.454 helix_lsp::transport [INFO] robotcode <- {"jsonrpc":"2.0","method":"textDocument/publishDiagnostics","params":{"uri":"file:///home/etaric/src/playground/robot/robotcode-bugreport/example1.robot","diagnostics":[{"range":{"start":{"line":1,"character":0},"end":{"line":1,"character":15}},"message":"Missing documentation in 'My Example Test' test case","severity":2,"code":"DOC02-missing-doc-test-case","codeDescription":{"href":"https://robocop.dev/v6.10.1/rules/rules_list.html#doc02-missing-doc-test-case"},"source":"robocop"},{"range":{"start":{"line":0,"character":0},"end":{"line":0,"character":0}},"message":"Missing documentation in suite","severity":2,"code":"DOC03-missing-doc-suite","codeDescription":{"href":"https://robocop.dev/v6.10.1/rules/rules_list.html#doc03-missing-doc-suite"},"source":"robocop"}],"version":0}}
2026-02-26T09:46:36.454 helix_lsp::transport [INFO] robotcode <- {"jsonrpc":"2.0","method":"$/progress","params":{"token":"2a551ba2-b411-46f7-b0d1-da91bee6ae69","value":{"kind":"end"}}}
When doing a go to definition in the first file:
2026-02-26T09:56:30.003 helix_lsp::transport [INFO] robotcode -> {"jsonrpc":"2.0","method":"textDocument/definition","params":{"position":{"character":8,"line":2},"textDocument":{"uri":"file:///home/etaric/src/playground/robot/robotcode-bugreport/example0.robot"}},"id":1}
2026-02-26T09:56:30.008 helix_lsp::transport [INFO] robotcode <- {"jsonrpc":"2.0","id":1,"result":null}
Additional context
None
Desktop (please complete the following information):
- Helix version: helix 25.07.1 (a05c151b)
- RobotCode Version: robotcode, version 2.2.0
- OS: Ubuntu 24.04.4 LTS
- Python Version: Python 3.12.3 (also tested with 3.13.12)
- RobotFramework Version: Robot Framework 7.4.1 (Python 3.12.3 on linux)
- RoboCop Version: robocop, version 6.10.1 (got no suggestions on 8.X)