# Language server - missing references
**URL:** https://discourse.julialang.org/t/language-server-missing-references/88936
**Category:** Tooling
**Created:** [October 19, 2022, 12:03am UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/language-server-missing-references/88936 "2022-10-19T00:03:11Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Kruxigt](https://discourse.julialang.org/u/Kruxigt)
#### Post date: [October 19, 2022, 12:03am UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/language-server-missing-references/88936/1 "2022-10-19T00:03:11Z")
Hello!
I’m trying to use the Helix editor with the Julia LanguageServer. The call to the language server looks like:
> julia --startup-file=yes --history-file=no --quiet -e using LanguageServer; runserver()
Now, the language server seems to work fine for definitions within the file I’m working on, but how do I get it to include all definitions in the current project, ie also from other .jl files? The project is in Julia standard format with its own environment.
---
### Author:  [@dylanxyz](https://discourse.julialang.org/u/dylanxyz)
#### Post date: [October 19, 2022, 6:14am UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/language-server-missing-references/88936/2 "2022-10-19T06:14:16Z")
Maybe passing `--project` to julia should work?
---
### Author:  [@fredrikekre](https://discourse.julialang.org/u/fredrikekre)
#### Post date: [October 19, 2022, 6:37am UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/language-server-missing-references/88936/3 "2022-10-19T06:37:54Z")
You should pass the project path to the server. Here is what neovim does: [nvim-lspconfig/julials.lua at 2dd9e060f21eecd403736bef07ec83b73341d955 · neovim/nvim-lspconfig · GitHub](https://github.com/neovim/nvim-lspconfig/blob/2dd9e060f21eecd403736bef07ec83b73341d955/lua/lspconfig/server_configurations/julials.lua#L37) and here is the logic for finding the project: [nvim-lspconfig/julials.lua at 2dd9e060f21eecd403736bef07ec83b73341d955 · neovim/nvim-lspconfig · GitHub](https://github.com/neovim/nvim-lspconfig/blob/2dd9e060f21eecd403736bef07ec83b73341d955/lua/lspconfig/server_configurations/julials.lua#L19-L35)
---
### Author:  [@Sukera](https://discourse.julialang.org/u/Sukera)
#### Post date: [October 19, 2022, 6:44am UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/language-server-missing-references/88936/4 "2022-10-19T06:44:03Z")
Do you have `roots = ["Project.toml", "Manifest.toml"]` set in your `~/.config/helix/languages.toml`? The default config doesn’t have that set. If you set that, the LS should be able to find everything, as that is used to detect a workspace (and set it from helix’ side during initialization).
---
### Author:  [@Kruxigt](https://discourse.julialang.org/u/Kruxigt)
#### Post date: [October 19, 2022, 8:42am UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/language-server-missing-references/88936/6 "2022-10-19T08:42:39Z")
> [@Sukera](#):
>
> Do you have `roots = ["Project.toml", "Manifest.toml"]` set in your `~/.config/helix/languages.toml`? The default config doesn’t have that set. If you set that, the LS should be able to find everything, as that is used to detect a workspace (and set it from helix’ side during initialization).
I tried that and sadly this does not do any difference for me. Do you have experience with this changing anything?
---
### Author:  [@Kruxigt](https://discourse.julialang.org/u/Kruxigt)
#### Post date: [October 19, 2022, 8:45am UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/language-server-missing-references/88936/7 "2022-10-19T08:45:17Z")
> [@fredrikekre](#):
>
> You should pass the project path to the server. Here is what neovim does: [nvim-lspconfig/julials.lua at 2dd9e060f21eecd403736bef07ec83b73341d955 · neovim/nvim-lspconfig · GitHub](https://github.com/neovim/nvim-lspconfig/blob/2dd9e060f21eecd403736bef07ec83b73341d955/lua/lspconfig/server_configurations/julials.lua#L37) and here is the logic for finding the project: [nvim-lspconfig/julials.lua at 2dd9e060f21eecd403736bef07ec83b73341d955 · neovim/nvim-lspconfig · GitHub](https://github.com/neovim/nvim-lspconfig/blob/2dd9e060f21eecd403736bef07ec83b73341d955/lua/lspconfig/server_configurations/julials.lua#L19-L35)
Thank you for taking the time to point clearly to the solution for Neovim. I have tried similar things but not this exact one. I might try to steal parts of it even though I’m not sure if it should be needed for Helix.
---
### Author:  [@dylanxyz](https://discourse.julialang.org/u/dylanxyz)
#### Post date: [October 19, 2022, 9:45am UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/language-server-missing-references/88936/8 "2022-10-19T09:45:29Z")
I’m managed to get the language server working using this `languages.toml` file:
_Also, make sure you have the `LanguageServer` package installed._
```julia
[[language]]
name = "julia"
scope = "source.julia"
injection-regex = "julia"
file-types = ["jl"]
comment-token = "#"
language-server = { command = "julia", args = ["--startup-file=no", "--history-file=no", "--quiet", "--project", "-e", "using LanguageServer; runserver()"] }
```
It should work if you open helix at the root of your project.
---
### Author:  [@Kruxigt](https://discourse.julialang.org/u/Kruxigt)
#### Post date: [October 19, 2022, 10:00am UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/language-server-missing-references/88936/9 "2022-10-19T10:00:43Z")
> [@dylanxyz](#):
>
> I’m managed to get the language server working using this `languages.toml` file:
It seems that you completely removed the “roots” definition. Is that correct? This looks like the default configuration…?
> [@dylanxyz](#):
>
> It should work if you open helix at the root of your project.
I do try to open it in the root of my project. If correctly configured I guess it should work to open Helix anywhere within my project folder?
To be clear, this is how my language.toml file looks right now
```julia
[[language]]
name = "julia"
scope = "source.julia"
injection-regex = "julia"
file-types = ["jl"]
roots = ["Project.toml", "Manifest.toml"]
comment-token = "#"
language-server = { command = "julia", args = [
"--startup-file=yes",
"--history-file=no",
"--quiet",
"-e",
"using LanguageServer; runserver()",
] }
indent = { tab-width = 4, unit = " " }
```
---
### Author:  [@dylanxyz](https://discourse.julialang.org/u/dylanxyz)
#### Post date: [October 19, 2022, 10:13am UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/language-server-missing-references/88936/10 "2022-10-19T10:13:11Z")
You’re right, i forgot about `roots`. Without roots it should work if you open helix at the root of your project, but i guess with roots defined you can open at any directory.
I think the only problem for you is that you need to pass the `--project` argument when running the language server.
I also won’t recommend using `--startup-file=yes`, because loading the `startup.jl` file may increase the time for the language server to start.
I would change your languages.toml file to this:
```diff
[[language]]
name = "julia"
scope = "source.julia"
injection-regex = "julia"
file-types = ["jl"]
roots = ["Project.toml", "Manifest.toml"]
comment-token = "#"
language-server = { command = "julia", args = [
- "--startup-file=yes",
+ "--startup-file=no",
"--history-file=no",
"--quiet",
+ "--project",
"-e",
"using LanguageServer; runserver()",
] }
indent = { tab-width = 4, unit = " " }
```
---
### Author:  [@Kruxigt](https://discourse.julialang.org/u/Kruxigt)
#### Post date: [October 19, 2022, 10:32am UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/language-server-missing-references/88936/11 "2022-10-19T10:32:05Z")
> [@dylanxyz](#):
>
> I would change your languages.toml file to this:
For some reason, adding the “–project” doesn’t seem to make any difference. I also set startup-file to no.
---
### Author:  [@dylanxyz](https://discourse.julialang.org/u/dylanxyz)
#### Post date: [October 19, 2022, 10:49am UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/language-server-missing-references/88936/12 "2022-10-19T10:49:40Z")
That’s weird. Maybe looking at the `helix.log` file may tell us what’s wrong.
Remove the `~/.cache/helix/helix.log` file, then open helix within your Julia project, wait for the language server to start and then run the command `:log-open`. With the log file open, see if the language server is actually loading the dependencies of your project or if any errors occurred.
---
### Author:  [@Kruxigt](https://discourse.julialang.org/u/Kruxigt)
#### Post date: [October 19, 2022, 11:13am UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/language-server-missing-references/88936/13 "2022-10-19T11:13:35Z")
First of all, thank you so much for all the time you spend trying to help me, much appreciated!
My log file looks something like
```julia
2022-10-19T12:55:52.192 helix_lsp::transport [ERROR] err <- "[ Info: Downloading caches...\n"
2022-10-19T12:55:52.675 helix_lsp::transport [ERROR] err <- "[ Info: Cloud was unable to cache FilePathsBase in the past, we won't try to retrieve it again.\n"
2022-10-19T12:55:52.677 helix_lsp::transport [ERROR] err <- "[ Info: All cache files downloaded.\n"
2022-10-19T12:55:55.420 helix_lsp::transport [ERROR] err <- "[ Info: Loading CSV from cache...\n"
2022-10-19T12:55:57.591 helix_lsp::transport [ERROR] err <- "[ Info: Loading InlineStrings from cache... (0%)\n"
2022-10-19T12:55:57.610 helix_lsp::transport [ERROR] err <- "[ Info: Loading Parsers from cache... (0%)\n"
2022-10-19T12:55:57.634 helix_lsp::transport [ERROR] err <- "[ Info: Loading Dates from cache... (0%)\n"
etc..
```
It looks like the right modules are loaded. Why the [ERROR] though?
---
### Author:  [@Sukera](https://discourse.julialang.org/u/Sukera)
#### Post date: [October 19, 2022, 11:29am UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/language-server-missing-references/88936/14 "2022-10-19T11:29:21Z")
> [@Kruxigt](#):
>
> It looks like the right modules are loaded. Why the [ERROR] though?
That’s just because the language server is using `stderr` for its debug output as well.
It’s odd that setting the `roots` doesn’t work for you, I was under the impression that it did for me 🤔 I can check in a bit though.
---
### Author:  [@dylanxyz](https://discourse.julialang.org/u/dylanxyz)
#### Post date: [October 19, 2022, 11:29am UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/language-server-missing-references/88936/15 "2022-10-19T11:29:34Z")
> [@Kruxigt](#):
>
> Why the [ERROR] though?
That’s because `stdout` is used to exchange the JSON data between the editor and the language server, so all logging is done to `stderr`.
So, if the server loads your project dependencies correctly, then you should get intellisense and autocompletion working for symbols defined in those packages. Do you get `missing references` when trying to use functions defined in other packages (that are installed in your environment)? Or do you only get `missing references` when trying to use a function that you defined in another file?
---
### Author:  [@Kruxigt](https://discourse.julialang.org/u/Kruxigt)
#### Post date: [October 19, 2022, 11:35am UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/language-server-missing-references/88936/16 "2022-10-19T11:35:43Z")
If I have explicitly imported the module in the file it is used in with `using module_x`, then it works! So the only problem seems to be if the `using` is in another file or if the definition itself is in another file in the project.
---
### Author:  [@dylanxyz](https://discourse.julialang.org/u/dylanxyz)
#### Post date: [October 19, 2022, 11:42am UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/language-server-missing-references/88936/17 "2022-10-19T11:42:59Z")
The language server analyzes the `using/import` statements to load the symbols for packages that you use, and `include` to load symbols defined in other files.
Can you share your project structure?
---
### Author:  [@Kruxigt](https://discourse.julialang.org/u/Kruxigt)
#### Post date: [October 19, 2022, 11:48am UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/language-server-missing-references/88936/18 "2022-10-19T11:48:07Z")
Ok! Here might lay my problem. For example one of my files looks like this:
```julia
using DataStructures
const projectdir = dirname(Base.active_project()) * "/"
include(projectdir * "src/Core/Helpers.jl")
include(projectdir * "src/Core/Constituents.jl")
include(projectdir * "src/Core/CoreSettings.jl")
include(projectdir * "src/Core/Entry.jl")
include(projectdir * "src/Core/Entries.jl")
include(projectdir * "src/Core/Collection.jl")
include(projectdir * "src/Core/SimpleFastDB.jl")
include(projectdir * "src/Core/TSDL.jl")
include(projectdir * "src/Core/CoreLayer.jl")
include(projectdir * "src/Core/DataView.jl")
include(projectdir * "src/Core/ShowCollection.jl")
include(projectdir * "src/Core/CoreReturn.jl")
include(projectdir * "src/Core/CollectionSetup.jl")
include(projectdir * "src/Core/SetOperations.jl")
include(projectdir * "src/CollectionTools/CollectionTools.jl")
# include("CoreTest.jl")
Maybe this gives a clue to my problems?
```
---
### Author:  [@dylanxyz](https://discourse.julialang.org/u/dylanxyz)
#### Post date: [October 19, 2022, 11:51am UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/language-server-missing-references/88936/19 "2022-10-19T11:51:53Z")
> [@Kruxigt](#):
>
> `include(projectdir * "src/Core/Helpers.jl")`
You shouldn’t use expressions inside `include`, because the language server can’t execute the code inside `include` to figure out what file to load. You don’t actually need to use `projectdir` here either, just using `include("src/path/to/file.jl")` should work.
---
### Author:  [@Kruxigt](https://discourse.julialang.org/u/Kruxigt)
#### Post date: [October 19, 2022, 11:57am UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/language-server-missing-references/88936/20 "2022-10-19T11:57:49Z")
There we have the solution, probably! Of course I added that stuff not for fun but because it helped in some situations regarding how I use the code. But I might have to consider changing that then!
Thank you so much! I’m very impressed with the level of help I received!
---
### Author:  [@fredrikekre](https://discourse.julialang.org/u/fredrikekre)
#### Post date: [October 19, 2022, 12:30pm UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/language-server-missing-references/88936/21 "2022-10-19T12:30:53Z")
I would recomend installing LanguageServer.jl to it’s own project (e.g. [`~/.julia/environments/nvim-lspconfig/`](https://github.com/fredrikekre/.dotfiles/tree/master/.julia/environments/nvim-lspconfig) in my case). Then you can also use [this Makefile](https://github.com/fredrikekre/.dotfiles/blob/master/.julia/environments/nvim-lspconfig/Makefile) to build a custom sysimage for the server to give instant startup. This might require passing the project environment explicitly though, since your server runs in another one.