Display language doesn't persist in code-server v3.11.0 running in Docker container when installing from CLI

[aleleba]

OS/Web Information

• Web Browser:
• Local OS:
• Remote OS:
• Remote Architecture:
• code-server --version:
  Version 3.11.0 of Code-Server

Steps to Reproduce

1. Add file "argv.json" to "/home/coder/.local/share/code-server/User/"
2. Reload window
3. Languague change
4. Code of argv.json:

{
    "locale": "es"
}

Expected

Change Languague Display

Actual

Not Change Language Display

Logs

Screenshot

Notes

This issue can be reproduced in VS Code: Yes/No

[jsjoeio]

I was able to successfully reproduce this on macOS + Chrome and code-server 3.10.0

[jsjoeio]

However, you can change the display language if you do the following:

1. Open Command Palette
2. Search for "Configure Display Language"
3. Click "Install additional Languages"
4. Select language pack
5. Reload

Screenshot

And, if you restart code-server the language pack is installed and we set the locale in argsv.json so it persists!

@aleleba can you please double-check that you have the language pack extension installed?

[aleleba]

@jsjoeio, Yes I can confirm that I install the language pack. Currently I install the Spanish Language package directly with a command in my Dockerfile.

What happens in the previous versions of code-server is that when entering for the first time it already opened the Spanish language by default.

I just tried uninstalling and installing the package again, restarted the window and changed the language.

In the same way, I would like the language to be preloaded as before, so that if the Docker container falls, it takes the language configuration at once.

I am attaching the docker docker command I use in the Dockerfile:

RUN code-server --extensions-dir ~/.local/share/code-server/extensions/ --install-extension ms-ceintl.vscode-language-pack-es

I really appreciate the follow-up and the help.

[jsjoeio]

Ah okay, thank you for all the details. So here's a screenshot of my running that command locally (not using Docker):

Hmm...now this is interesting... When I look inside /Users/jp/.local/share/code-server/User, I see an argsv.json and argv.json 🤔

I'll keep both and restart code-server.

It's in Spanish, as expected.

According to VS Code's docs, argv.json is the expected filename to keep the locale.

Let's delete the argsv.json, restart code-server and see what happens. Still in Spanish so that wasn't an issue. (probably a typo from me)

Well, I'm a bit stumped. It feels like this is specific to how code-server is loading/running in your Docker environment. Maybe @code-asher has some insight.

[aleleba]

@jsjoeio, @code-asher, I started to see the changes from version 3.9.3 to version 3.10.0, to see if I can help to find the error and I could observe this change: https://github.com/cdr/code-server/pull/3250/files

I think instead of placing:

yarn gulp compile-build compile-extensions-build

You have to place:

yarn gulp compile-build && yarn gulp compile-extensions-build

To stand in a line.

I don't use yarn and gulp, and I'm not an expert in bash, so I don't really know if that is the case.

I hope to help a little

[jsjoeio]

Maybe @oxy might have some insight too.

[code-asher]

I was able to replicate with:

$ rm ~/.local/share/code-server -r
$ code-server --install-extension ms-ceintl.vscode-language-pack-es
$ echo '{"locale":"es"}' > ~/.local/share/code-server/User/argv.json
$ code-server # Browse to localhost:8080

Strangely, I don't get the option to select es from the command palette either even though the extension is installed.

If I uninstall the extension and re-install then refresh everything works.

I think there is some language bundle generation that happens somewhere that isn't running when doing things in the CLI but is running when doing things through the UI.

[aleleba]

I just noticed another weird behavior in code-server.

When deactivating an extension and reloading the window, this extension is not deactivated.

I think this bug may be linked to that behavior in this version.

[humbinal]

$ code-server --install-extension ms-ceintl.vscode-language-pack-es
$ ll ~/.local/share/code-server/
total 4
drwxr-xr-x 2 root root 59 May 28 22:28 CachedExtensionVSIXs
drwxr-xr-x 2 root root 66 May 28 22:27 coder-logs
drwxr-xr-x 3 root root 59 May 28 22:28 extensions
drwxr-xr-x 3 root root 29 May 28 22:27 logs
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 36 May 28 22:27 machineid
drwxr-xr-x 2 root root  6 May 28 22:27 User

no languagepacks.json found, It's what causes it not to work !!!

when install language pack manually by UI，the languagepacks.json file auto generated at ~/.local/share/code-server/ , and language pack works.

generate languagepacks.json file when exec code-server --install-extension ... will works, but I don't know how to realize...

[ifduyue]

Same here, languagepacks.json is missing after installing language pack in command line.

[aleleba]

I would like to follow up on this error. I would like to know what I can do to help solve it, I really like code-server, but I had to stay in version 3.9.3, where these errors do not occur, how can I help to solve this problem. A pleasure to greet the entire team.

[jsjoeio]

Thanks for offering to help @aleleba!

I think there is some language bundle generation that happens somewhere that isn't running when doing things in the CLI but is running when doing things through the UI.

I think this would be the first place to start. Use the latest version of code-server and see if you can confirm this theory (i.e. can this issue be reproduced when doing things via the CLI and also through the UI?)

[aleleba]

I confirm this theory, when I installed the language from CLI no languagepacks.json found and when doing from IU it works

[jsjoeio]

Nice work! 🎉

Okay since this only happens with the CLI, my guess is we need to investigate there. Maybe we can write a function that checks if the extension to download is a language and if it is, add the languagepacks.json.

Let's double-check with @code-asher though first

P.S. - thanks for updating the title too!

[code-asher]

I'm not sure; we just shell straight out to VS Code to handle the installation so it's odd that it doesn't work. I suppose we should first check what desktop VS Code does. Install an extension then (without launching VS Code!) see if the file exists. If it does, that's weird and I'm not sure how to debug that but we'll cross that bridge if we come to it. If it doesn't, then launch VS Code and see if it appears then. If it does then we might be missing something that is supposed to create the missing file on startup/launch (much like we create missing directories, etc). If this is the case then we'll probably want to look into how desktop VS Code does it and copy/import that.

[dgadelha]

@jsjoeio, do think you can add that to 4.0.3 milestone?

The function you mentioned already exists in VS Code API, it's LocalizationsService.postInstallExtension(), which then calls LanguagePacksCache.update(), who manipulates languagepacks.json.

For what I've seen, seems that LocalizationsService isn't registered on CLI mode when installing on extension, that'd explain why postInstallExtension isn't called.

[jsjoeio]

@dgadelha unfortunately not since I'm at max bandwidth for that sprint, but I can add it as a high priority item.

PRs are also welcome. Thanks for posting those notes! That will definitely speed things up when we get to this.

[alanhe421]

which old version is ok? Or was it an existing BUG all along?

[jsjoeio]

I'm not sure 🤔 @code-asher might know if it previously worked

[code-asher]

I think it never worked.

[aleleba]

Can we make some following up @code-asher ? , If you need any help, it should be a pleasure to help.

[jsjoeio]

@aleleba can you try reproducing this with the latest version of code-server?

[aleleba]

Yes@jsjoeio, I already try and the behavior is the same.

[jsjoeio]

Thank you! If you want to dig in, I'd start here: #3372 (comment)

[code-asher]

I tried this with desktop VS Code (--install-extension, edit argv.json, then launch) and it did not change my language so this seems to be an upstream issue.

[repo-ranger]

This issue has been marked as 'upstream:vscode'. Please file this upstream: link to open issue
This issue will automatically close in 5 seconds.

[repo-ranger]

This issue has been marked as 'upstream:vscode'. Please file this upstream: link to open issue
This issue will automatically close in 5 seconds.

[Anyexyz]

我确认了这个理论，当我从 CLI 安装语言时没有找到 languagepacks.json，而从 IU 安装时它可以工作

I was able to replicate with:

$ rm ~/.local/share/code-server -r
$ code-server --install-extension ms-ceintl.vscode-language-pack-es
$ echo '{"locale":"es"}' > ~/.local/share/code-server/User/argv.json
$ code-server # Browse to localhost:8080

Strangely, I don't get the option to select es from the command palette either even though the extension is installed.

If I uninstall the extension and re-install then refresh everything works.

I think there is some language bundle generation that happens somewhere that isn't running when doing things in the CLI but is running when doing things through the UI.

I was able to replicate with:

$ rm ~/.local/share/code-server -r
$ code-server --install-extension ms-ceintl.vscode-language-pack-es
$ echo '{"locale":"es"}' > ~/.local/share/code-server/User/argv.json
$ code-server # Browse to localhost:8080

Strangely, I don't get the option to select es from the command palette either even though the extension is installed.

If I uninstall the extension and re-install then refresh everything works.

I think there is some language bundle generation that happens somewhere that isn't running when doing things in the CLI but is running when doing things through the UI.

Thank you for your suggestion! Based on your idea, I wrote a Bash script to automatically generate the languagepacks.json file.
You can check it here:

• [Dockerfile](https://cnb.cool/Anyexyz/DevEnv/default-dev-env/-/blob/main/Dockerfile)
• [create_languagepacks](https://cnb.cool/Anyexyz/DevEnv/default-dev-env/-/blob/main/create_languagepacks)

With this setup, the languagepacks.json file will be automatically generated after installing a single language pack, making it easier to switch languages.