Microsoft Language Server Protocol (LSP): A possible revolution for Notepad++?
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Microsoft Language Server Protocol (LSP) defines the protocol used between an editor or IDE and a language server that provides language features like autocomplete, go to definition, find all references etc.:
https://microsoft.github.io/language-server-protocol/
Some cool editors are already making use of it, completely transforming the original editor being used for the communication with LSP:
https://microsoft.github.io/language-server-protocol/implementors/tools/
I think that compatibility with LSP would give Notepad++ a huge boost towards acting as an IDE. Given any programming language, it could be possible for example to check for syntax errors in real-time, look for definitions, get some info through mouse hovering on a variable, etc. All of this into Notepad++. Here are some of the LSP-based existent projects, with the supported programming languages:
https://microsoft.github.io/language-server-protocol/implementors/servers/
It seems that someone is already trying to implement LSP into Notepad++ by writing a specific plugin for it:
https://github.com/dail8859/NppLSP
Someone else instead suggested to write a script in some language, for example, Python, by making use of the already existent “Python Script” plugin:
I think think this would lend to results similar to the ones achieved by this great plugin for Python programming in Notepad++:
https://github.com/bitagoras/PyPadPlusPlus
So, I decided to open this thread to discuss the possible integration of Notepad++ with LSP. What do you think about it?
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An LSP client for Npp would be AWESOME!!!
I’m kinda new to PythonScript plugin but from what I understand it should be possible
to create one but a dedicated plugin would be better, from my point of view, as it
could introduce the needed windows more easily. At least, I haven’t figured out how
to make this work using PythonScript plugin yet. -
Yes, it would be awesome and, especially, a possible thing to do in Notepad++. The proper way to implement the LSP client into Notepad++ should, however, be discussed. Currently, some ways would be:
- By making use of Python Script
- Advantage: Ease of modification? Portability?
- Disadvantages: Slowness? Optimization?
- By writing a dedicated plugin
- Example: https://github.com/dail8859/NppLSP
I think Notepad++ is already the best choice when coding with some programming languages. Consider for example OpenEdge ABL, and see how this developer completely transformed Notepad++ into an IDE perfectly fitted for that language:
https://jcaillon.github.io/3P/
Many features were added with that plugin: a powerful auto-complete, linting, syntax checking, code browsing, go to definition, and so on… I just wished something similar to this existed for C/C++ (and many other languages), for Notepad++!
I’m curious to know how many people would be interested in an integration of Notepad++ with LSP because this, in my opinion, it would hugely expand the current capabilities of this almost excellent editor.
- By making use of Python Script
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I’ve made some thoughts about implementing a LSP server.
All the cool stuff like auto-completion, signature help etc… aren’t part of this yet.
This is more about the general workflow and potential risks.
If someone has already read the specification or is aware how this is going to work,
or has general ideas, then I would appreciate any input.Just in case it isn’t obvious - this would be the workflow for python code.
def On… are the callbacks which are triggered by npp, the init function
is the one which is going to be called as the very first function at all.def __init__(): # read config file # create a dict of configured lspservers and their startup parameters # sanity check - check if known lspservers do still exist as file on disk # if not, log error and ignore config entry # create a dict of known languages npp/lsp # dict key notepad.getCurrentLang().name should return the lsp equivalent # def OnBufferActivated(args): # if notepad.getCurrentLang().name not in lspclient.dictOfLSPServers # return - nothing to do # else # if lspserver is not running # start lspserver # if process is running # send initialize request # wait for response (how long??) # if initialize response received # send initialized # else # what to do?? send a second time?? document says NO # ignore the lspserver for the rest of npp runtime?? # else # log error and (ignore the lspserver for the rest of npp runtime??) # # if didOpen was not already sent # send didOpen # else # send didChange ?? there seem to be no equivalent of buffer activated # should we send a didClose each time the active buffer changes?? # From the docs: # The document open notification is sent from the client to the server to signal newly opened text documents. # The document’s truth is now managed by the client and the server must not try to read the document’s truth # using the document’s Uri. Open in this sense means it is managed by the client. # It doesn’t necessarily mean that its content is presented in an editor. # An open notification must not be sent more than once without a corresponding close notification send before. # This means open and close notification must be balanced and the max open count for a particular textDocument is one. # Note that a server’s ability to fulfill requests is independent of whether a text document is open or closed. # # # The overall potential risk here is that it takes some time before a lspserver is completely started # which means the user might start typing and expects interaction which isn't possible at this time yet. # Maybe a startup parameter flag startLSPServer on npp startup could be helpful but this means lspserver # gets started even if it is not needed. # In addition, I assume that publishDiagnostics notification is send upon didOpen/Change notification # which would be another hint to have this run in its own thread but what if one constantly switches buffers? # I assume queuing and checking if the notification is still valid is needed. def OnFileBeforeSave(args): # send willSave notification # don't understand the meaning of the willSaveWaitUntil request. # Why should one allow to modify source code before closing the file - does not make sense to me. # From the docs # The document will save request is sent from the client to the server before the document is actually saved. # The request can return an array of TextEdits which will be applied to the text document before it is saved. # Please note that clients might drop results if computing the text edits took too long or if a server # constantly fails on this request. This is done to keep the save fast and reliable. def OnFileClosed(args): # send didClose notification def OnFileOpened(args): # normally we would send didOpen notification from here but because this callback is not reliable, # you won't see this callback on npp startup, we use OnBufferActivated callback to send the didOpen notification def OnFileSaved(args): # send didSave notification def OnLangChanged(args): # trigger an OnBufferActivated callback should be all we need to do, to be on the save side def OnReady(args): # maybe do some init here instead of atstartup.py - is it reliable?? def OnShutdown(args): # send shutdown request and exit notification -
Ok - I found some time and created a python script based LSP client and it works in its early alpha stage quiet well.
Now I need some help - as npp is a general purpose editor it supports a wide range of languages and this means
my nppLspClient would, possibly, have to handle those different LSP servers.
As I don’t know all of the possible languages :-) I would like to ask for help in identifying, creating and running those servers and
most important providing some test scripts/programs in order for me to be able to test it.
Just in case someone wants to point me to https://microsoft.github.io/language-server-protocol/implementors/servers/
I already know it :-) but, for example, I don’t know how I can create and run a typescript based LSP server.
Of course I could start investigating this but I would prefer to spend the time to work on the current client
and someone who knows typescript would possibly have the answer already, so if you can help - please do so :-DThank you.
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I’m interested in supporting your development by making some experiments with the followings:
Do you think those could be of help?
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sorry, totally missed this one - mostly related to the fact that
I cannot login with my google account anymore but … that’s another story …I don’t know how vhdtool can be used as this is, currently,
a linux only version but the rust_hdl seems interesting.Currently there are a couple of manual steps which are needed to be done and in debug mode it is very slow. Would you mind
to provide a simple sample vhdl script with a short description
what you expect to see/work and I’ll give it a try because if it
doesn’t work like the python lsp server than it is easier to debug
locally instead of communicating over the community.
Once I can make it work I would provide you with the info how
to setup PythonScript plugin and the lsp client in order to do more detailed tests on your side. -
This old discussion almost going on 2 years - any progress? What were the challenges with NppLSP - technical or just time? Is the “python script based LSP client” still in existence - any improvements / testing?
Cheers.
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I have moved to using Jedi, Flakes … directly through the PythonScript
plugin instead of through an external process, but the code still exists, yes.
I haven’t checked/tested it with the latest Npp/PS yet,
but I will do it and let you know.
Are you looking for a specific programming language?
If so, can you give me a sample script and hints how to
set up the LSP server for this language?
I have also neglected the further development of the LSP protocol.
Let’s see what else needs to be added. -
@Ekopalypse said in Microsoft Language Server Protocol (LSP): A possible revolution for Notepad++?:
Are you looking for a specific programming language?
Perl would be my goto as it’s the language I best understand from both a coding and setup / installation perspective. There is Perl::LanguageServer, but without a client in an IDE, I’ve never set it up or tested it.
I don’t use PythonScript, but could if it would have a Python solution - I do a lot of little Python scripts nowadays and it’s not my favorite - I just don’t know it as well as Perl so I code slower. Auto-complete and “Intellisense-like” info would help so that’s why I was looking this up. I do only Python3 however - is N++ PythonScript still at Python2?
Cheers.
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There is an alpha version available which is stable.
I’ve been using PS3 since its introduction, the only caveat is that it only supports utf8-encoded scintilla buffers.
Since I only use utf8 this is not a problem for me and I have had no problems so far.
I deleted my perl installation some time ago, can you give me a tip
which one I should use to have a smooth (not to worry about) installation. -
@Ekopalypse said in Microsoft Language Server Protocol (LSP): A possible revolution for Notepad++?:
I’ve been using PS3 since its introduction, the only caveat is that it only supports utf8-encoded scintilla buffers.
Arg, I use ANSI / Unix file endings as default. I suppose I could try using UTF8 files and see if that introduces any encoding issues with the scripts and environments I’m running. PS3 would be essential though for me.
I deleted my perl installation some time ago, can you give me a tip
which one I should use to have a smooth (not to worry about) installation.Shame :-) Maybe @PeterJones can weigh in too being a Perl expert, but I prefer Strawberry Perl . I’m not using the latest version - just haven’t upgraded my install in some time, but the latest available should be fine and stable.
I’m also willing to do some testing myself if you prefer to “give” me your PythonScript (v3) setup with “Jedi, Flakes” and I can try it out on some Python scripts.
I think ideally, like you mentioned above, Language Server Protocol in Notepad++ will probably best be implemented through a proper plugin and be able to connect to any Language Server (e.g., Python, Perl like we’re talking, but also C/C++ and others). Of course, that’s a pretty heavy lift methinks. Hoping @dail has some update on NppLSP, but based on GitHub activity, I think not ;-(
Cheers.
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I am on my way now, I will come back to it some time later today. ~4-5 hours.
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I do only Python3 however - is N++ PythonScript still at Python2?
I use ANSI / Unix file endings as default. I suppose I could try using UTF8 files and see if that introduces any encoding issues with the scripts and environments I’m running. PS3 would be essential though for me.
Curious about this.
First, line-endings don’t matter (in this).
Second, definitely try UTF8; the sooner the world can forget about “ANSI” the better off things will be. :-)Lastly, for “pythonscripting” I don’t see a big difference between Python2 and Python3, syntactically. Sure, if you are doing some “deeper” things, then maybe, but for the vast majority of scripts I’ve done, when I finally move to PS3 (haven’t yet I guess due to laziness) I don’t expect to have to change anything.
So I guess my point is, if you want to stick with ANSI, it seems reasonable to work with the Python2 version of PS, as such an “investment” isn’t “lost” later.
@Ekopalypse may have some further thoughts on this; am I off-base in my thinking, here?
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@Alan-Kilborn said in Microsoft Language Server Protocol (LSP): A possible revolution for Notepad++?:
Lastly, for “pythonscripting” I don’t see a big difference between Python2 and Python3, syntactically
Agree, it’s not that hard to port our Py2 to Py3 stuff. What I wasn’t sure about was using PythonScript2 to do language parsing and analysis on Python3 scripts I’ll be writing for work stuff - not to be run as Notepad++ Python scripts. That may not make a difference, but wanted to clarify.
Cheers.
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@Michael-Vincent said in Microsoft Language Server Protocol (LSP): A possible revolution for Notepad++?:
This old discussion almost going on 2 years - any progress? What were the challenges with NppLSP - technical or just time? Is the “python script based LSP client” still in existence - any improvements / testing?
Cheers.
I obviously haven’t touched the code in quite a while and don’t have any immediate plans to pick it back up any time soon.
The struggles I had at the time were severe lack of documentation. Yes there was documentation, but they covered the basics and individual pieces. Also it came down to just having enough time as well to fight through the documentation.
Specifically what was lacking was the higher level usage-case. What gets sent before other messages, what parameter effects later behavior, when to send these commands, recommended best practices, etc.
On top of this was the problem of transitioning to a newer specification…so some LSP servers supported one, and not the other. Other LSP servers partially supported one of them with certain features not supported, or had broken implementations.
My hope is that over the past 2 years the environment has improved.
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Thank you for the feedback!
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I guess the most critical part of changing from 2 to 3 is how python handles strings and this is the
reason that PS3 is still in alpha because, as far as I understand, this isn’t currently handled in boost::python.@Michael-Vincent
not sure I understand correctly what you are trying to achieve.
If you want to get auto completion and such stuff to work with python3 scripts in notepad++,
you normally have to use PS3 plugin.
Using PS2 plugin would mean you have to start a python3 process, run this in combination with a
a jedi.py script which then parses your notepad++ .py file and outputs it findings to stdout which then is
parsed back to PS2. Doesn’t sound desirable. -
@Ekopalypse said in Microsoft Language Server Protocol (LSP): A possible revolution for Notepad++?:
If you want to get auto completion and such stuff to work with python3 scripts in notepad++,
you normally have to use PS3 plugin.Yes, that’s my desire. I’m not interested in writing Notepad++ PythonScript automation, I’m interested in using Notepad++ to write scripts in version 3 of the Python language to be used for my work projects and while writing those scripts, I’d like to have some “Language Server” features (i.e., autocomplete, etc) above and beyond the standard Notepad++ “function name completion” through the use of a Language Server “plugin” (or in this case, PS3 adapted script capability you speak of).
I hope that makes sense now in exhaustive detail. I realize the confusion around “PythonScript” and “python scripts” :-)
Cheers.
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@Michael-Vincent
ok, this is my “lsp” script (called python_ide.py)''' Basic functionality which one would expect from a full-fledged IDE ''' import sys from Npp import ( editor, editor1, editor2, notepad, SCINTILLANOTIFICATION, NOTIFICATION, LANGTYPE ) from pyflakes import api from pyflakes import reporter as rep import jedi jedi.preload_module(['os',]) class IDE(rep.Reporter): def __init__(self): rep.Reporter.__init__(self, sys.stdout, sys.stderr) self.auto_indent = True self.check_types = False self.linting = True self.reporter = None self.is_python = False self.STYLE_WARNING = 55 self.excluded_styles = [1, 3, 4, 6, 7, 12, 16, 17, 18, 19] self.prev_completion_list = [] def initialize(self): editor1.styleSetFont(self.STYLE_WARNING, 'Consolas') editor1.styleSetItalic(self.STYLE_WARNING,True) editor1.styleSetFore(self.STYLE_WARNING, (200,160,12)) editor1.styleSetBack(self.STYLE_WARNING, notepad.getEditorDefaultBackgroundColor()) editor2.styleSetFont(self.STYLE_WARNING, 'Consolas') editor2.styleSetItalic(self.STYLE_WARNING,True) editor2.styleSetFore(self.STYLE_WARNING, (200,160,12)) editor2.styleSetBack(self.STYLE_WARNING, notepad.getEditorDefaultBackgroundColor()) editor.callbackSync(self.on_charadded, [SCINTILLANOTIFICATION.CHARADDED]) editor.callbackSync(self.on_modified, [SCINTILLANOTIFICATION.MODIFIED]) notepad.callback(self.on_buffer_activated, [NOTIFICATION.BUFFERACTIVATED]) notepad.callback(self.on_file_saved, [NOTIFICATION.FILESAVED]) self.is_python = notepad.getCurrentLang() == LANGTYPE.PYTHON def on_modified(self, args): if args['modificationType'] & 0x100000 == 0x100000 and args['text'] in ['\r','\n', '\r\n']: self._indent(args['position'], args['text']) def on_buffer_activated(self, args): self.is_python = notepad.getCurrentLang() == LANGTYPE.PYTHON self.path = notepad.getCurrentFilename() def on_file_saved(self, args): if self.is_python: editor.annotationClearAll() self.lint() def on_charadded(self, args): if self.is_python: c = chr(args['ch']) if c in '\r\n:-+*/#=)': return pos = editor.getCurrentPos() if editor.getStyleAt(pos) in self.excluded_styles: return source = editor.getText() + c line = editor.lineFromPosition(pos) + 1 column = editor.getColumn(pos) if c == '(': script = jedi.Script(code=source).get_signatures(line, column) self.show_calltip(script, pos) else: if c == '.' and editor.callTipActive(): editor.callTipCancel() script = jedi.Script(code=source).complete(line, column) self.autocomplete(script, pos) def unexpectedError(self, filename, msg): # HACK: to avoid encoding declaration in Unicode string error if msg != 'problem decoding source': print(f'File "{filename}", line {0}, unexpected error:{msg}') def syntaxError(self, filename, msg, lineno, offset, text): line = text.splitlines()[-1] if offset is not None: offset -= (len(text) - len(line)) + 1 else: offset='' print(f'File "{filename}", line {lineno},{offset} Error:{msg}') print(f' => {line}') self.show_error(filename,lineno, msg) def flake(self, message): msg = message.message % message.message_args for line_ignore_msg in ['# ignore_undefined_name', '# ignore_unused_import',]: if line_ignore_msg in editor.getLine(message.lineno-1 if message.lineno>0 else message.lineno): return self.show_error(message.filename, message.lineno, msg) def show_error(self, filename, line_no, msg): line_no = line_no-1 if line_no>0 else line_no editor.annotationSetText(line_no, f'{msg}') editor.annotationSetVisible(2) editor.annotationSetStyle(line_no, self.STYLE_WARNING) editor.ensureVisible(line_no) editor.gotoLine(line_no) editor.verticalCentreCaret() def lint(self): if self.linting: filename = notepad.getCurrentFilename() if filename.endswith('.py'): api.check(editor.getText(), filename, self) def autocomplete(self, completions, pos): if completions: completion_list = sorted([x.name for x in completions if not x.name.startswith('_')]) if completion_list: if self.prev_completion_list != completion_list: self.prev_completion_list = completion_list word_start = editor.wordStartPosition(pos, True) already_typed = pos - word_start already_typed = 0 if already_typed < 0 else already_typed editor.autoCShow(already_typed, ' '.join(completion_list)) def show_calltip(self, call_tips, pos): if call_tips: tips = ', '.join([x.name for x in call_tips[0].params]) tips += '\n' if tips.strip(): editor.callTipShow(pos, f' {tips[:-1]} ') def _indent(self, position, text): if self.is_python and self.auto_indent: indent = editor.getLineIndentation(editor.lineFromPosition(position)) if (editor.getCharAt(position-1) == 58 and # 58 == : editor.getStyleAt(position-1) not in self.excluded_styles): tabwidth = editor.getTabWidth() text += ' '*(indent//tabwidth+1)*tabwidth else: text += ' '*indent editor.changeInsertion(text)and this is what I have in user startup.py
from python_ide import IDE __ide = IDE() __ide.initialize()You need to pip-install pyflakes and jedi and use the PS3 alpha version.
A word of warning, although I don’t think it will affect you.
I had crashes when using this together with Npp objects.
As long as you only use standard Python scripts/modules, as you mentioned,
you should not have this problem.
