Specify notebook_dir when launching the lab

[potoo0]

jlab 2.x support specify notebook_dir when launching the lab, such as jupyter lab ./,
but the following command not function in jlab 3.0.5, it is still keep the notebook_dir specified in the global config file.

jupyter lab ./
jupyter lab --notebook-dir=./
jupyter lab --ServerApp.root_dir=./

[jasongrout]

It seems you deleted the template that encourages you to go through the trouble-shooting guide (https://jupyterlab.readthedocs.io/en/stable/getting_started/issue.html) and asks for important information to try to understand what might be going on on your computer. Please fill out the template (including error messages, etc.): https://github.com/jupyterlab/jupyterlab/blob/master/.github/ISSUE_TEMPLATE/bug_report.md. It sounds like you may have extra config to let us know about too in order to reproduce the issue.

I just tried with a fresh install of JLab 3.0.5 in a clean conda environment on macOS Catalina, and jupyter lab /some/directory and jupyter lab --notebook-dir=/some/directory worked as we would expect, opening the filebrowser to that directory.

[potoo0]

In my case, arg --notebook-dir doesn't work, here is my env:

python:

• os: windows 10 20H2
• python: 3.8.5

jupyter:

% jupyter --version
jupyter core     : 4.6.3
jupyter-notebook : 6.2.0
qtconsole        : not installed
ipython          : 7.10.0
ipykernel        : 5.3.4
jupyter client   : 6.1.7
jupyter lab      : 3.0.7
nbconvert        : 6.0.2
ipywidgets       : 7.5.1
nbformat         : 5.0.7
traitlets        : 5.0.4

jupyterlab startup command:

cd E:\tmp
jupyter lab --notebook-dir=./

startup log:

[I 2021-01-20 09:23:26.989 ServerApp] jupyterlab | extension was successfully linked.
[I 2021-01-20 09:23:26.989 ServerApp] jupyterlab_code_formatter | extension was successfully linked.
[W 2021-01-20 09:23:26.993 NotebookApp] 'notebook_dir' has moved from NotebookApp to ServerApp. This config will be passed to ServerApp. Be sure to update your config before our next release.
[W 2021-01-20 09:23:26.998 ServerApp] notebook_dir is deprecated, use root_dir
[W 2021-01-20 09:23:27.004 ServerApp] The 'min_open_files_limit' trait of a ServerApp instance expected an int, not the NoneType None.
[I 2021-01-20 09:23:27.020 LabApp] JupyterLab extension loaded from d:\miniconda3\lib\site-packages\jupyterlab
[I 2021-01-20 09:23:27.020 LabApp] JupyterLab application directory is d:\miniconda3\share\jupyter\lab
[I 2021-01-20 09:23:27.023 ServerApp] jupyterlab | extension was successfully loaded.
[I 2021-01-20 09:23:27.024 ServerApp] jupyterlab_code_formatter | extension was successfully loaded.
[I 2021-01-20 09:23:27.202 ServerApp] nbclassic | extension was successfully loaded.
[I 2021-01-20 09:23:27.203 ServerApp] Serving notebooks from local directory: E:\Code\Python\2-advance_tutorial
[I 2021-01-20 09:23:27.203 ServerApp] Jupyter Server 1.2.2 is running at:
[I 2021-01-20 09:23:27.203 ServerApp] http://localhost:8888/lab?token=

As shown in the third-to-last line of the log, the notebook_dir is configured in the user config file, instead of the arg specified at startup.

[potoo0]

The problem is because the c.NotebookApp.notebook_dir in jupyter_notebook_config.py overwrites the notebook-dir or ServerApp.root_dir passed from the command line. If I comment the c.NotebookApp.notebook_dir in jupyter_notebook_config.py, the dir set by the command line parameter works as expected.
Maybe the notebook_dir/root_dir set via the command line should have the highest priority.

[jasongrout]

Is this related? jupyter-server/jupyter_server#400

[potoo0]

Solved by upgrade jupyter_server from 1.2.2 to 1.3.0.