Ale: `elixir-ls` language server does not start

[outkine]

Information

VIM version
NVIM v0.3.1

OS
Arch Linux

What went wrong

elixir-ls doesn't start when editing an elixir file, and manually running :ALELint does nothing. My g:ale_elixir_elixir_ls_release variable is set correctly. This may have to do with me using asdf to manage elixir versions, although manually running the language server executable from vim with !~/.language-servers/elixir-ls-release/language_server.sh does work.

:ALEInfo

 Current Filetype: elixir
Available Linters: ['credo', 'dialyxir', 'dogma', 'elixir-ls', 'mix']
  Enabled Linters: ['elixir-ls']
 Suggested Fixers: 
  'mix_format' - Apply mix format to a file.
  'remove_trailing_lines' - Remove all blank lines at the end of a file.
  'trim_whitespace' - Remove all trailing whitespace characters at the end of every line.
 Linter Variables:

 Global Variables:

let g:ale_cache_executable_check_failures = v:null
let g:ale_change_sign_column_color = 0
let g:ale_command_wrapper = v:null
let g:ale_completion_delay = 100
let g:ale_completion_enabled = 1
let g:ale_completion_max_suggestions = 50
let g:ale_echo_cursor = 1
let g:ale_echo_msg_error_str = 'Error'
let g:ale_echo_msg_format = '%code: %%s'
let g:ale_echo_msg_info_str = 'Info'
let g:ale_echo_msg_warning_str = 'Warning'
let g:ale_enabled = 1
let g:ale_fix_on_save = 1
let g:ale_fixers = {'reason': ['refmt'], 'elixir': ['mix_format'], 'vue': ['prettier', 'eslint'], 'html': ['prettier'], 'javascript': ['prettier', 'eslint'], 'ocaml': ['ocamlformat'], 'python': ['yapf']}
let g:ale_history_enabled = 1
let g:ale_history_log_output = 1
let g:ale_keep_list_window_open = 0
let g:ale_lint_delay = 200
let g:ale_lint_on_enter = 1
let g:ale_lint_on_filetype_changed = 1
let g:ale_lint_on_insert_leave = 0
let g:ale_lint_on_save = 1
let g:ale_lint_on_text_changed = 'always'
let g:ale_linter_aliases = {}
let g:ale_linters = {'reason': ['merlin'], 'elixir': ['elixir-ls'], 'javascript': ['eslint'], 'ocaml': ['merlin']}
let g:ale_linters_explicit = 0
let g:ale_list_vertical = 0
let g:ale_list_window_size = 10
let g:ale_loclist_msg_format = '%code: %%s'
let g:ale_lsp_root = {}
let g:ale_max_buffer_history_size = 20
let g:ale_max_signs = -1
let g:ale_maximum_file_size = v:null
let g:ale_open_list = 0
let g:ale_pattern_options = v:null
let g:ale_pattern_options_enabled = v:null
let g:ale_set_balloons = 0
let g:ale_set_highlights = 1
let g:ale_set_loclist = 1
let g:ale_set_quickfix = 0
let g:ale_set_signs = 1
let g:ale_sign_column_always = 0
let g:ale_sign_error = '>>'
let g:ale_sign_info = '--'
let g:ale_sign_offset = 1000000
let g:ale_sign_style_error = '>>'
let g:ale_sign_style_warning = '--'
let g:ale_sign_warning = '--'
let g:ale_statusline_format = v:null
let g:ale_type_map = {}
let g:ale_use_global_executables = v:null
let g:ale_virtualtext_cursor = 0
let g:ale_warn_about_trailing_blank_lines = 1
let g:ale_warn_about_trailing_whitespace = 1
  Command History:
**[[THIS IS EMPTY]]**

[skbolton]

yeah I am in this same boat. I have done all the configuration I can think of and when I do ALEInfo it never shows it trying to talk to the ls

[skbolton]

actually might have found the issue for me. If I set the g:ale_elixir_elixir_ls_release to a path that contains home as ~ then it cant find it. When a do the path spelled out it works fine.

[skbolton]

I don't know if this is the right way to handle this (new to vim) but having it this way in my vimrc worked

let g:ale_elixir_elixir_ls_release = $HOME . '/elixir-ls/rel'

I didn't want to hard code the home patch because on my machines its a little different. If I have something wrong here I would like the feedback. Or if this is something that is a known issue we should get it documented

[outkine]

After I replaced the ~ with a hard-coded path ALE does start the elixir-ls server, but I'm still not getting any errors.

[skbolton]

and :ALEGoToDefinition isn't working?

[outkine]

It appears to be working part of the time...

[skbolton]

I got mine working consistently, it takes a sec to start up but it works afterwards. If you want to bounce ideas off of each other to see if its something in your vimrc let me know.

[andyl]

My experience: the first time I run :ALEGoToDefinition, the CPU goes to 50% for 45 seconds or so, and nothing happens in the vim UI. After that, :ALEGoToDefinition works as expected, sub-second response time. (Note: I had to use an absolute path for the elixir-ls/rel directory...)

[skbolton]

I did notice a slow start up. Tomorrow I will run again with diagnostics and see if I get the same cpu spike.

[outkine]

So :ALEGoToDefinition may be working, but there's still no linting indicators for me. Is that happening with you too?

[npearson72]

Seeing the same thing here. Anyone closer to figuring this out?

[mhanberg]

Make sure that the elixir-ls was built with the same elixir and erlang versions that your project is using.

[adam-e-trepanier]

I got this to work with the following...and it is awesome.

1. What @mhanberg said is spot on
2. asdf install elixir ref:v1.81 # I think the important part having the source for ale and elixir_ls to look up.
3. asdf global elixir ref:v1.8.1
4. let g:ale_elixir_elixir_ls_release = $HOME.'/lsps/elixir-ls/rel'. # obviously you're path would be diff.

For listing make sure you have your fixers and linters set properly.

Plug 'w0rp/ale'
let g:ale_linters = {
\  'elixir': ['credo', 'dialyxir', 'elixir-ls'],
\  'ruby': ['rubocop', 'solargraph'],
\  'javascript': ['prettier', 'eslint', 'tsserver'],
\}

let g:ale_fixers = {
\  '*': ['remove_trailing_lines', 'trim_whitespace'],
\  'javascript': ['prettier'],
\  'html': ['prettier'],
\  'ruby': ['rubocop'],
\  'elixir': ['mix_format'],
\}

Hope that helps.

[w0rp]

You might also want to try setting b:ale_lsp_root to some project root path, if ALE can't discover the project root automatically.

[outkine]

@mhanberg's solution works for me. Can we close?

[w0rp]

Yes, that makes sense. You can also use b:ale_elixir_elixir_ls_release in an ftplugin file so you can set different releases for different projects.