Running Helix from a directory that cannot be canonicalized does not work

[GoldenGuy1000]

Summary

Cargo is also not a fan when a directory cannot be canonicalized, but here Helix does a cheeky .unwrap() after calling the std::fs method to canonicalize the executable directory (This is inside Helix/Loader, and right on startup). I have created a pull request (#12879) which allows Helix to launch in this situation, but according to my log it looks like the LSP still fails to load which might be related.

Reproduction Steps

I tried this:

1. Creating a RAM disk via ImDisk on Windows 10
2. Installing Helix on it
3. Running Helix

I expected this to happen:

Helix launches

Instead, this happened:

> .\hx.exe -vv
thread 'main' panicked at helix-loader\src\lib.rs:74:10:
called `Option::unwrap()` on a `None` value
stack backtrace:
note: Some details are omitted, run with `RUST_BACKTRACE=full` for a verbose backtrace.

Helix log

~/.cache/helix/helix.log

2025-02-14T01:52:41.794 helix_lsp::transport [ERROR] rust-analyzer err <- "warning: could not canonicalize path: 'R:\\helix\\helix-loader\\src'\n"
2025-02-14T01:52:41.795 helix_lsp::transport [ERROR] rust-analyzer err <- "warning: could not canonicalize path: 'R:\\helix\\helix-loader'\n"
2025-02-14T01:52:41.795 helix_lsp::transport [ERROR] rust-analyzer err <- "warning: could not canonicalize path: 'R:\\helix'\n"
2025-02-14T01:52:41.795 helix_lsp::transport [ERROR] rust-analyzer err <- "warning: could not canonicalize path: 'R:\\helix\\rust-toolchain.toml'\n"
2025-02-14T01:52:42.529 helix_lsp::transport [ERROR] rust-analyzer err <- "error: Unknown binary 'rust-analyzer.exe' in official toolchain '1.76.0-x86_64-pc-windows-msvc'.\n"
2025-02-14T01:52:42.558 helix_lsp::transport [ERROR] rust-analyzer err: <- StreamClosed
2025-02-14T01:52:42.558 helix_lsp [ERROR] failed to initialize language server: server closed the stream
2025-02-14T01:54:04.199 helix_view::document [ERROR] Failed to copy metadata on write: Incorrect function. (os error 1)
2025-02-14T14:41:49.309 helix_view::document [ERROR] Failed to copy metadata on write: Incorrect function. (os error 1)
2025-02-14T14:42:05.409 helix_view::document [ERROR] Failed to copy metadata on write: Incorrect function. (os error 1)
2025-02-14T14:43:40.800 helix_lsp::transport [ERROR] rust-analyzer err <- "warning: could not canonicalize path: 'R:\\helix\\helix-loader\\src'\n"
2025-02-14T14:43:40.801 helix_lsp::transport [ERROR] rust-analyzer err <- "warning: could not canonicalize path: 'R:\\helix\\helix-loader'\n"
2025-02-14T14:43:40.801 helix_lsp::transport [ERROR] rust-analyzer err <- "warning: could not canonicalize path: 'R:\\helix'\n"
2025-02-14T14:43:40.801 helix_lsp::transport [ERROR] rust-analyzer err <- "warning: could not canonicalize path: 'R:\\helix\\rust-toolchain.toml'\n"
2025-02-14T14:43:41.522 helix_lsp::transport [ERROR] rust-analyzer err <- "error: Unknown binary 'rust-analyzer.exe' in official toolchain '1.76.0-x86_64-pc-windows-msvc'.\n"
2025-02-14T14:43:41.554 helix_lsp::transport [ERROR] rust-analyzer err: <- StreamClosed
2025-02-14T14:43:41.554 helix_lsp [ERROR] failed to initialize language server: server closed the stream
2025-02-14T14:48:26.427 helix_view::document [ERROR] Failed to copy metadata on write: Incorrect function. (os error 1)
2025-02-14T14:49:14.309 helix_lsp::transport [ERROR] rust-analyzer err <- "warning: could not canonicalize path: 'R:\\helix\\helix-loader\\src'\n"
2025-02-14T14:49:14.309 helix_lsp::transport [ERROR] rust-analyzer err <- "warning: could not canonicalize path: 'R:\\helix\\helix-loader'\n"
2025-02-14T14:49:14.309 helix_lsp::transport [ERROR] rust-analyzer err <- "warning: could not canonicalize path: 'R:\\helix'\n"
2025-02-14T14:49:14.309 helix_lsp::transport [ERROR] rust-analyzer err <- "warning: could not canonicalize path: 'R:\\helix\\rust-toolchain.toml'\n"
2025-02-14T14:49:15.004 helix_lsp::transport [ERROR] rust-analyzer err <- "error: Unknown binary 'rust-analyzer.exe' in official toolchain '1.76.0-x86_64-pc-windows-msvc'.\n"
2025-02-14T14:49:15.035 helix_lsp::transport [ERROR] rust-analyzer err: <- StreamClosed
2025-02-14T14:49:15.036 helix_lsp [ERROR] failed to initialize language server: server closed the stream
2025-02-15T03:14:36.083 helix_lsp::transport [ERROR] rust-analyzer err <- "warning: could not canonicalize path: 'R:\\helix\\helix-loader\\src'\n"
2025-02-15T03:14:36.084 helix_lsp::transport [ERROR] rust-analyzer err <- "warning: could not canonicalize path: 'R:\\helix\\helix-loader'\n"
2025-02-15T03:14:36.084 helix_lsp::transport [ERROR] rust-analyzer err <- "warning: could not canonicalize path: 'R:\\helix'\n"
2025-02-15T03:14:36.089 helix_lsp::transport [ERROR] rust-analyzer err <- "warning: could not canonicalize path: 'R:\\helix\\rust-toolchain.toml'\n"
2025-02-15T03:14:36.856 helix_lsp::transport [ERROR] rust-analyzer err <- "error: Unknown binary 'rust-analyzer.exe' in official toolchain '1.76.0-x86_64-pc-windows-msvc'.\n"
2025-02-15T03:14:36.890 helix_lsp::transport [ERROR] rust-analyzer err: <- StreamClosed
2025-02-15T03:14:36.890 helix_lsp [ERROR] failed to initialize language server: server closed the stream
2025-02-15T03:15:17.124 helix_view::document [ERROR] Failed to copy metadata on write: Incorrect function. (os error 1)
2025-02-15T03:15:29.512 helix_lsp::transport [ERROR] rust-analyzer err <- "warning: could not canonicalize path: 'R:\\helix\\helix-loader\\src'\n"
2025-02-15T03:15:29.513 helix_lsp::transport [ERROR] rust-analyzer err <- "warning: could not canonicalize path: 'R:\\helix\\helix-loader'\n"
2025-02-15T03:15:29.513 helix_lsp::transport [ERROR] rust-analyzer err <- "warning: could not canonicalize path: 'R:\\helix'\n"
2025-02-15T03:15:29.513 helix_lsp::transport [ERROR] rust-analyzer err <- "warning: could not canonicalize path: 'R:\\helix\\rust-toolchain.toml'\n"
2025-02-15T03:15:30.232 helix_lsp::transport [ERROR] rust-analyzer err <- "error: Unknown binary 'rust-analyzer.exe' in official toolchain '1.76.0-x86_64-pc-windows-msvc'.\n"
2025-02-15T03:15:30.268 helix_lsp::transport [ERROR] rust-analyzer err: <- StreamClosed
2025-02-15T03:15:30.269 helix_lsp [ERROR] failed to initialize language server: server closed the stream
2025-02-15T03:15:51.830 helix_view::document [ERROR] Failed to copy metadata on write: Incorrect function. (os error 1)
2025-02-15T03:15:58.924 helix_lsp::transport [ERROR] rust-analyzer err <- "warning: could not canonicalize path: 'R:\\helix\\helix-loader\\src'\n"
2025-02-15T03:15:58.925 helix_lsp::transport [ERROR] rust-analyzer err <- "warning: could not canonicalize path: 'R:\\helix\\helix-loader'\n"
2025-02-15T03:15:58.925 helix_lsp::transport [ERROR] rust-analyzer err <- "warning: could not canonicalize path: 'R:\\helix'\n"
2025-02-15T03:15:58.925 helix_lsp::transport [ERROR] rust-analyzer err <- "warning: could not canonicalize path: 'R:\\helix\\rust-toolchain.toml'\n"
2025-02-15T03:15:59.635 helix_lsp::transport [ERROR] rust-analyzer err <- "error: Unknown binary 'rust-analyzer.exe' in official toolchain '1.76.0-x86_64-pc-windows-msvc'.\n"
2025-02-15T03:15:59.670 helix_lsp::transport [ERROR] rust-analyzer err: <- StreamClosed
2025-02-15T03:15:59.670 helix_lsp [ERROR] failed to initialize language server: server closed the stream
2025-02-15T03:16:10.742 helix_view::document [ERROR] Failed to copy metadata on write: Incorrect function. (os error 1)
2025-02-15T04:01:11.285 helix_lsp::transport [ERROR] rust-analyzer err <- "warning: could not canonicalize path: 'R:\\helix\\helix-loader\\src'\n"
2025-02-15T04:01:11.286 helix_lsp::transport [ERROR] rust-analyzer err <- "warning: could not canonicalize path: 'R:\\helix\\helix-loader'\n"
2025-02-15T04:01:11.286 helix_lsp::transport [ERROR] rust-analyzer err <- "warning: could not canonicalize path: 'R:\\helix'\n"
2025-02-15T04:01:11.286 helix_lsp::transport [ERROR] rust-analyzer err <- "warning: could not canonicalize path: 'R:\\helix\\rust-toolchain.toml'\n"
2025-02-15T04:01:11.996 helix_lsp::transport [ERROR] rust-analyzer err <- "error: Unknown binary 'rust-analyzer.exe' in official toolchain '1.76.0-x86_64-pc-windows-msvc'.\n"
2025-02-15T04:01:12.027 helix_lsp::transport [ERROR] rust-analyzer err: <- StreamClosed
2025-02-15T04:01:12.027 helix_lsp [ERROR] failed to initialize language server: server closed the stream
2025-02-15T04:13:57.047 globset [DEBUG] glob converted to regex: Glob { glob: "*/Dockerfile.*", re: "(?-u)^.*/Dockerfile\\..*$", opts: GlobOptions { case_insensitive: false, literal_separator: false, backslash_escape: false, empty_alternates: false }, tokens: Tokens([ZeroOrMore, Literal('/'), Literal('D'), Literal('o'), Literal('c'), Literal('k'), Literal('e'), Literal('r'), Literal('f'), Literal('i'), Literal('l'), Literal('e'), Literal('.'), ZeroOrMore]) }
2025-02-15T04:13:57.047 globset [DEBUG] glob converted to regex: Glob { glob: "*/dockerfile.*", re: "(?-u)^.*/dockerfile\\..*$", opts: GlobOptions { case_insensitive: false, literal_separator: false, backslash_escape: false, empty_alternates: false }, tokens: Tokens([ZeroOrMore, Literal('/'), Literal('d'), Literal('o'), Literal('c'), Literal('k'), Literal('e'), Literal('r'), Literal('f'), Literal('i'), Literal('l'), Literal('e'), Literal('.'), ZeroOrMore]) }
2025-02-15T04:13:57.047 globset [DEBUG] glob converted to regex: Glob { glob: "*/Containerfile.*", re: "(?-u)^.*/Containerfile\\..*$", opts: GlobOptions { case_insensitive: false, literal_separator: false, backslash_escape: false, empty_alternates: false }, tokens: Tokens([ZeroOrMore, Literal('/'), Literal('C'), Literal('o'), Literal('n'), Literal('t'), Literal('a'), Literal('i'), Literal('n'), Literal('e'), Literal('r'), Literal('f'), Literal('i'), Literal('l'), Literal('e'), Literal('.'), ZeroOrMore]) }
2025-02-15T04:13:57.047 globset [DEBUG] glob converted to regex: Glob { glob: "*/containerfile.*", re: "(?-u)^.*/containerfile\\..*$", opts: GlobOptions { case_insensitive: false, literal_separator: false, backslash_escape: false, empty_alternates: false }, tokens: Tokens([ZeroOrMore, Literal('/'), Literal('c'), Literal('o'), Literal('n'), Literal('t'), Literal('a'), Literal('i'), Literal('n'), Literal('e'), Literal('r'), Literal('f'), Literal('i'), Literal('l'), Literal('e'), Literal('.'), ZeroOrMore]) }
2025-02-15T04:13:57.047 globset [DEBUG] glob converted to regex: Glob { glob: "*/.*ignore", re: "(?-u)^.*/\\..*ignore$", opts: GlobOptions { case_insensitive: false, literal_separator: false, backslash_escape: false, empty_alternates: false }, tokens: Tokens([ZeroOrMore, Literal('/'), Literal('.'), ZeroOrMore, Literal('i'), Literal('g'), Literal('n'), Literal('o'), Literal('r'), Literal('e')]) }
2025-02-15T04:13:57.047 globset [DEBUG] glob converted to regex: Glob { glob: "*/BUILD.*", re: "(?-u)^.*/BUILD\\..*$", opts: GlobOptions { case_insensitive: false, literal_separator: false, backslash_escape: false, empty_alternates: false }, tokens: Tokens([ZeroOrMore, Literal('/'), Literal('B'), Literal('U'), Literal('I'), Literal('L'), Literal('D'), Literal('.'), ZeroOrMore]) }
2025-02-15T04:13:57.047 globset [DEBUG] glob converted to regex: Glob { glob: "*/.env.*", re: "(?-u)^.*/\\.env\\..*$", opts: GlobOptions { case_insensitive: false, literal_separator: false, backslash_escape: false, empty_alternates: false }, tokens: Tokens([ZeroOrMore, Literal('/'), Literal('.'), Literal('e'), Literal('n'), Literal('v'), Literal('.'), ZeroOrMore]) }
2025-02-15T04:13:57.047 globset [DEBUG] glob converted to regex: Glob { glob: "*/.envrc.*", re: "(?-u)^.*/\\.envrc\\..*$", opts: GlobOptions { case_insensitive: false, literal_separator: false, backslash_escape: false, empty_alternates: false }, tokens: Tokens([ZeroOrMore, Literal('/'), Literal('.'), Literal('e'), Literal('n'), Literal('v'), Literal('r'), Literal('c'), Literal('.'), ZeroOrMore]) }
2025-02-15T04:13:57.047 globset [DEBUG] glob converted to regex: Glob { glob: "*/conf/*/*.{inc,conf}", re: "(?-u)^.*/conf/.*/.*\\.(?:conf|inc)$", opts: GlobOptions { case_insensitive: false, literal_separator: false, backslash_escape: false, empty_alternates: false }, tokens: Tokens([ZeroOrMore, Literal('/'), Literal('c'), Literal('o'), Literal('n'), Literal('f'), Literal('/'), ZeroOrMore, Literal('/'), ZeroOrMore, Literal('.'), Alternates([Tokens([Literal('c'), Literal('o'), Literal('n'), Literal('f')]), Tokens([Literal('i'), Literal('n'), Literal('c')])])]) }
2025-02-15T04:13:57.047 globset [DEBUG] glob converted to regex: Glob { glob: "*/Jenkinsfile.*", re: "(?-u)^.*/Jenkinsfile\\..*$", opts: GlobOptions { case_insensitive: false, literal_separator: false, backslash_escape: false, empty_alternates: false }, tokens: Tokens([ZeroOrMore, Literal('/'), Literal('J'), Literal('e'), Literal('n'), Literal('k'), Literal('i'), Literal('n'), Literal('s'), Literal('f'), Literal('i'), Literal('l'), Literal('e'), Literal('.'), ZeroOrMore]) }
2025-02-15T04:13:57.047 globset [DEBUG] built glob set; 1 literals, 0 basenames, 0 extensions, 0 prefixes, 145 suffixes, 11 required extensions, 10 regexes
2025-02-15T04:17:35.416 globset [DEBUG] glob converted to regex: Glob { glob: "*/Dockerfile.*", re: "(?-u)^.*/Dockerfile\\..*$", opts: GlobOptions { case_insensitive: false, literal_separator: false, backslash_escape: false, empty_alternates: false }, tokens: Tokens([ZeroOrMore, Literal('/'), Literal('D'), Literal('o'), Literal('c'), Literal('k'), Literal('e'), Literal('r'), Literal('f'), Literal('i'), Literal('l'), Literal('e'), Literal('.'), ZeroOrMore]) }
2025-02-15T04:17:35.416 globset [DEBUG] glob converted to regex: Glob { glob: "*/dockerfile.*", re: "(?-u)^.*/dockerfile\\..*$", opts: GlobOptions { case_insensitive: false, literal_separator: false, backslash_escape: false, empty_alternates: false }, tokens: Tokens([ZeroOrMore, Literal('/'), Literal('d'), Literal('o'), Literal('c'), Literal('k'), Literal('e'), Literal('r'), Literal('f'), Literal('i'), Literal('l'), Literal('e'), Literal('.'), ZeroOrMore]) }
2025-02-15T04:17:35.416 globset [DEBUG] glob converted to regex: Glob { glob: "*/Containerfile.*", re: "(?-u)^.*/Containerfile\\..*$", opts: GlobOptions { case_insensitive: false, literal_separator: false, backslash_escape: false, empty_alternates: false }, tokens: Tokens([ZeroOrMore, Literal('/'), Literal('C'), Literal('o'), Literal('n'), Literal('t'), Literal('a'), Literal('i'), Literal('n'), Literal('e'), Literal('r'), Literal('f'), Literal('i'), Literal('l'), Literal('e'), Literal('.'), ZeroOrMore]) }
2025-02-15T04:17:35.416 globset [DEBUG] glob converted to regex: Glob { glob: "*/containerfile.*", re: "(?-u)^.*/containerfile\\..*$", opts: GlobOptions { case_insensitive: false, literal_separator: false, backslash_escape: false, empty_alternates: false }, tokens: Tokens([ZeroOrMore, Literal('/'), Literal('c'), Literal('o'), Literal('n'), Literal('t'), Literal('a'), Literal('i'), Literal('n'), Literal('e'), Literal('r'), Literal('f'), Literal('i'), Literal('l'), Literal('e'), Literal('.'), ZeroOrMore]) }
2025-02-15T04:17:35.416 globset [DEBUG] glob converted to regex: Glob { glob: "*/.*ignore", re: "(?-u)^.*/\\..*ignore$", opts: GlobOptions { case_insensitive: false, literal_separator: false, backslash_escape: false, empty_alternates: false }, tokens: Tokens([ZeroOrMore, Literal('/'), Literal('.'), ZeroOrMore, Literal('i'), Literal('g'), Literal('n'), Literal('o'), Literal('r'), Literal('e')]) }
2025-02-15T04:17:35.416 globset [DEBUG] glob converted to regex: Glob { glob: "*/BUILD.*", re: "(?-u)^.*/BUILD\\..*$", opts: GlobOptions { case_insensitive: false, literal_separator: false, backslash_escape: false, empty_alternates: false }, tokens: Tokens([ZeroOrMore, Literal('/'), Literal('B'), Literal('U'), Literal('I'), Literal('L'), Literal('D'), Literal('.'), ZeroOrMore]) }
2025-02-15T04:17:35.416 globset [DEBUG] glob converted to regex: Glob { glob: "*/.env.*", re: "(?-u)^.*/\\.env\\..*$", opts: GlobOptions { case_insensitive: false, literal_separator: false, backslash_escape: false, empty_alternates: false }, tokens: Tokens([ZeroOrMore, Literal('/'), Literal('.'), Literal('e'), Literal('n'), Literal('v'), Literal('.'), ZeroOrMore]) }
2025-02-15T04:17:35.416 globset [DEBUG] glob converted to regex: Glob { glob: "*/.envrc.*", re: "(?-u)^.*/\\.envrc\\..*$", opts: GlobOptions { case_insensitive: false, literal_separator: false, backslash_escape: false, empty_alternates: false }, tokens: Tokens([ZeroOrMore, Literal('/'), Literal('.'), Literal('e'), Literal('n'), Literal('v'), Literal('r'), Literal('c'), Literal('.'), ZeroOrMore]) }
2025-02-15T04:17:35.416 globset [DEBUG] glob converted to regex: Glob { glob: "*/conf/*/*.{inc,conf}", re: "(?-u)^.*/conf/.*/.*\\.(?:conf|inc)$", opts: GlobOptions { case_insensitive: false, literal_separator: false, backslash_escape: false, empty_alternates: false }, tokens: Tokens([ZeroOrMore, Literal('/'), Literal('c'), Literal('o'), Literal('n'), Literal('f'), Literal('/'), ZeroOrMore, Literal('/'), ZeroOrMore, Literal('.'), Alternates([Tokens([Literal('c'), Literal('o'), Literal('n'), Literal('f')]), Tokens([Literal('i'), Literal('n'), Literal('c')])])]) }
2025-02-15T04:17:35.416 globset [DEBUG] glob converted to regex: Glob { glob: "*/Jenkinsfile.*", re: "(?-u)^.*/Jenkinsfile\\..*$", opts: GlobOptions { case_insensitive: false, literal_separator: false, backslash_escape: false, empty_alternates: false }, tokens: Tokens([ZeroOrMore, Literal('/'), Literal('J'), Literal('e'), Literal('n'), Literal('k'), Literal('i'), Literal('n'), Literal('s'), Literal('f'), Literal('i'), Literal('l'), Literal('e'), Literal('.'), ZeroOrMore]) }
2025-02-15T04:17:35.416 globset [DEBUG] built glob set; 1 literals, 0 basenames, 0 extensions, 0 prefixes, 145 suffixes, 11 required extensions, 10 regexes

Platform

Windows

Terminal Emulator

Powershell 7

Installation Method

source / releases page

Helix Version

Current master / 25.01.1

[pascalkuthe]

What does cannot be cannonicalized mean? That would usually mean that the directory does note exist. Helix does not support running in a directory that has been deleted

[GoldenGuy1000]

It's a proper path on a mounted (temporary) filesystem. The files still exist as of the time of running .\hx.exe
& I mean that's the error. Windows doesn't like the path & will not give you a canonical version of it.

See the linked PR for how I was able to get Helix to run, it is very simple.

[GoldenGuy1000]

@pascalkuthe I added some more context to the repro section. I am using ImDisk to create a RAM disk & installing+running Helix on that, which causes Helix to crash immediately.