VS Code Host doesn't deliver Rename event to all clients instantiated for each workspace folder in a multi-root workspace

[selim-nasir]

Does this issue occur when all extensions are disabled?: Yes

• VS Code Version: 1.83.0
• OS Version: Windows 10 Enterprise 21H2
• vscode-languageclient Version: 8.1.0

We have custom VS Code Language Client extension that creates an instance of vscode-languageclient.LanguageClient per workspace folder in a multi-rooted workspace. Each instance of LanguageClient starts an instance of custom Language Server (written in C#).
As an example, myworkspace folder comprises 3 workspace folders, for each of which a LanguageClient instance is created.

myworkspace.code-workspace
{
"folders": [
{
"path": "workspace-folderA"
},
{
"path": "workspace-folderB"
},
{
"path": "workspace-folderC"
}],
}

When the user hovers on an element in any code file in one of workspace folders, this hover event is delivered to all instances of Language Servers through LanguageClients. This is the expected behavior. But for renaming in VS Code, the behavior is different:

When the user renames an element in any code file in one of workspace folders (workspace-folderA, for example), rename event is delivered only one of Language Server instances (Language Server instance running for workspace-folderB, for example). Other Language Server instances never receive such event for handling. According to our business logic, all LanguageClients should be notified of renames, because there can be code elements in other workspace folders referencing the renamed element.

In case of renaming, the provideRenameEdits method inside the vscode-languageclient/lib/common/rename.js (from the installed module) is called only once for one of LanguageClients which sends the request to its associated Language Server. In case of hover though, provideHover method (hover.js) gets called for all LanguageClients, as expected. It may be the case that VS Code Host delivers rename event only to single LanguageClient. After many subsequent closing and reopening the workspace, it's been observed that the selection of LanguageClient to send the rename event is arbitrary.

[vscodenpa]

Thanks for creating this issue! It looks like you may be using an old version of VS Code, the latest stable release is 1.85.0. Please try upgrading to the latest version and checking whether this issue remains.

Happy Coding!

[selim-nasir]

The issue still persists with the release 1.85.0

[burkeholland]

You may want to try this question over on the Extension Discussion boards where other VS Code extension authors hang out. Chances are someone may know the answer to this one...

https://github.com/microsoft/vscode-discussions

[r3m0t]

See #98352

[selim-nasir]

Thanks a lot @r3m0t for your response. The #98352 is about handling of prepareRename, however, in our case we don't even implement prepareRename handlers. It seems that the part that may be relevant in that ticket discussions is this: #98352 (comment) and next reply states that the problem is actually about prepareRename: #98352 (comment)

The comment 634149010 says rename case should work for multiple handlers but this isn't the observed behavior in our case. That's why I'm looking after a clue about the root-cause.

By the way, different from Razor scenario, our Language Servers are instantiated per workspace folder and work with different set of files in these folders for which they're responsible. For a given file in a workspace, there's no more than one Language Server working on it, however, if there's a renaming in one of files in a workspace folder, other Language Servers running for other workspace folders should also get a notification to update references to the name which is being renamed.