Elpy: 'error in process filter: Overlapping strings detected' error thrown when typing strings

[lgp171188]

Summary

error in process filter: Overlapping strings detected error thrown when typing strings on typing either of the quote characters.

The following is the error in the Messages buffer

error in process filter: elpy-rpc--default-error-callback: Overlapping strings detected
error in process filter: Overlapping strings detected

Steps to reproduce

Type a string by typing either the double quotes or the single quotes character. Emacs freezes and throws the error in the minibuffer repeatedly, thereby making it impossible to type further.

My configuration

OS

macOS High Sierra 10.13.4
GNU Emacs 26.1 (Emacs For Mac OS X installed using homebrew)

Result of (elpy-config)

Elpy Configuration

Virtualenv........:  (/Users/gnarayan/d/python/mailadm/venv/)
RPC Python........: 3.6.5 (/Users/gnarayan/d/python/mailadm/venv/bin/python)
Interactive Python: python (/Users/gnarayan/d/python/mailadm/venv/bin/python)
Emacs.............: 26.1
Elpy..............: 1.17.0
Jedi..............: 0.12.0
Rope..............: Not found (0.10.7 available)
Autopep8..........: Not found (1.3.5 available)
Yapf..............: Not found (0.22.0 available)
Syntax checker....: flake8 (/Users/gnarayan/d/python/mailadm/venv/bin/flake8)

Elpy configuration in my init.el

(use-package elpy
  :pin melpa-stable
  :init
  (elpy-enable)
  :config
  (delete 'elpy-module-highlight-indentation elpy-modules))

[galaunay]

Thanks for the report.

Could you update to the latest elpy version (1.21.0, even in melpa-stable) and check if it is still happening ?

[lgp171188]

@galaunay, I updated to the latest stable elpy version 1.21.0 and no longer see this at this moment. Will reopen this issue if I encounter it again.

[genovese]

I continue to see this problem even in 1.24.0. Every time I start a quote (single or triple), there is a tangible hang-time and this error is produced. It is a non-trivial hang time that varies in length but is always a distraction. It is reduced, though still present, if I try to type all the quotes quickly.

My elpy config is below. All the subpackages have been updated quite recently.

Thanks!

Elpy Configuration

Virtualenv........: None
RPC Python........: 3.7.0 (/usr/local/bin/python3)
Interactive Python: python3 (/usr/local/bin/python3)
Emacs.............: 26.1
Elpy..............: 1.24.0
Jedi..............: 0.12.1 (0.13.1 available)
Rope..............: 0.11.0
Autopep8..........: 1.4
Yapf..............: 0.23.0 (0.24.0 available)
Black.............: 18.6b4 (18.9b0 available)
Syntax checker....: flake8 (/usr/local/bin/flake8)

Emacs Config

(use-package elpy
   :config (elpy-enable))

(with-eval-after-load 'elpy
   (remove-hook 'elpy-modules 'elpy-module-flymake)
   (add-hook 'elpy-mode-hook 'flycheck-mode))

SystemInfo

Mac OS X 10.12.6
Emacs 26.1

[dionisos2]

(same problem with the version 1.25.0 on archlinux)

[galaunay]

There is an issue in python.el linked to the similar error message (see here).

It can be triggered using this simple example:

def f(): 
    "

def g(): 
    """That's a docstring""" 
    return '' 

If you run (python-info-current-defun) with the cursor just after the first ".

The function (python-info-current-defun) is called by elpy when generating eldoc infos.

If this is really the problem here, you should be able to get rid of it by setting (setq elpy-eldoc-show-current-function nil).

Please let me know if it work !

[dionisos2]

Thank for your help @galaunay (and sorry for the late answer)

Your example triggered the error ("Overlapping strings detected"), so I set elpy-eldoc-show-current-function to nil.
(I think it fixed the problem)

[galaunay]

Great,

I think this is the good workaround to use, until the python.el issue is fixed.

Please re-open if the problem re-appears with the fix.

[Cerebus]

Happening again. Workaround above works.

Emacs.............: 26.3
Elpy..............: 1.33.0
Virtualenv........: <elided>
Interactive Python: python 3.7.6 
RPC virtualenv....: rpc-venv 
 Python...........: python3 3.7.6 
 Jedi.............: 0.16.0
 Rope.............: 0.16.0
 Autopep8.........: 1.5
 Yapf.............: 0.29.0
 Black............: 19.10b0
Syntax checker....: flake8 (/usr/local/bin/flake8)