vscode rst preview is empty when using a Remote Tunnel connection

[antoinetran]

Expected behavior

In vscode, clicking on preview will display the generated html.

Actual behavior

The preview box is empty (black). But the generated html is working. If I do

cd  /home/trana/.vscode-server/data/User/workspaceStorage/e774f83a6abe422ecf21e3256a93ad60/swyddfa.esbonio/sphinx/html/
python -m http.server

I can then access the page though web.

Log output

[client] Python extension is available
[client] Activating python extension
[client] Running Command: /home/trana/venv-vscode/bin/python -c import sys ; print("{0.major}.{0.minor}.{0.micro}".format(sys.version_info))
[client] Python version: '3.11.2'
[client] Running Command: /home/trana/venv-vscode/bin/python -m esbonio --version
[client] Server version '0.16.5'
[client] Server version '0.16.5'
[client] Update checks are disabled
[client] Server start command: /home/trana/venv-vscode/bin/python -m esbonio
[client] LanguageClientOptions: {
  "documentSelector": [
    {
      "scheme": "file",
      "language": "restructuredtext"
    },
    {
      "scheme": "file",
      "language": "python"
    }
  ],
  "initializationOptions": {
    "sphinx": {
      "buildDir": "/home/trana/.vscode-server/data/User/workspaceStorage/e774f83a6abe422ecf21e3256a93ad60/swyddfa.esbonio/sphinx",
      "builderName": "html",
      "confDir": null,
      "configOverrides": {},
      "doctreeDir": null,
      "forceFullBuild": false,
      "keepGoing": false,
      "makeMode": true,
      "numJobs": 1,
      "quiet": false,
      "silent": false,
      "srcDir": null,
      "tags": [],
      "verbosity": 0,
      "warningIsError": false
    },
    "server": {
      "logLevel": "debug",
      "logFilter": [],
      "hideSphinxOutput": false,
      "showDeprecationWarnings": false,
      "completion": {
        "preferredInsertBehavior": "replace"
      }
    }
  },
  "outputChannel": {
    "name": "Esbonio"
  }
}
[client] Starting Language Server
[esbonio.lsp] Loaded extension 'esbonio.lsp.directives'
[esbonio.lsp] Loaded extension 'esbonio.lsp.roles'
[esbonio.lsp] Loaded extension 'esbonio.lsp.rst.directives'
[esbonio.lsp] Loaded extension 'esbonio.lsp.rst.roles'
[esbonio.lsp] Loaded extension 'esbonio.lsp.sphinx.autodoc'
[esbonio.lsp] Loaded extension 'esbonio.lsp.sphinx.codeblocks'
[esbonio.lsp] Loaded extension 'esbonio.lsp.sphinx.domains'
[esbonio.lsp] Loaded extension 'esbonio.lsp.sphinx.directives'
[esbonio.lsp] Loaded extension 'esbonio.lsp.sphinx.images'
[esbonio.lsp] Loaded extension 'esbonio.lsp.sphinx.includes'
[esbonio.lsp] Loaded extension 'esbonio.lsp.sphinx.roles'
[esbonio.lsp] User Config {
  "buildDir": "/home/trana/.vscode-server/data/User/workspaceStorage/e774f83a6abe422ecf21e3256a93ad60/swyddfa.esbonio/sphinx"
}
[esbonio.lsp] Workspace Folder: 'file:///home/trana/git'
[esbonio.lsp] Sphinx Args {
  "buildername": "html",
  "confdir": "/home/trana/git/REDACTED/docs",
  "confoverrides": {},
  "doctreedir": "/home/trana/.vscode-server/data/User/workspaceStorage/e774f83a6abe422ecf21e3256a93ad60/swyddfa.esbonio/sphinx/doctrees",
  "freshenv": false,
  "keep_going": false,
  "outdir": "/home/trana/.vscode-server/data/User/workspaceStorage/e774f83a6abe422ecf21e3256a93ad60/swyddfa.esbonio/sphinx/html",
  "parallel": 1,
  "srcdir": "/home/trana/git/REDACTED/docs",
  "status": null,
  "tags": [],
  "verbosity": 0,
  "warning": null,
  "warningiserror": false
}
Running Sphinx v8.2.3
loading translations [en]...
done
[esbonio.lsp] Reporting diagnostic at file:///home/trana/git/REDACTED/docs/conf.py:1
WARNING: html_static_path entry '_static' does not exist
loading pickled environment...
done
[esbonio.lsp] Skipping extension 'sphinx.addnodes', missing 'esbonio_setup' fuction
[esbonio.lsp] Skipping extension 'sphinx.builders.changes', missing 'esbonio_setup' fuction
[esbonio.lsp] Skipping extension 'sphinx.builders.epub3', missing 'esbonio_setup' fuction
[esbonio.lsp] Skipping extension 'sphinx.ext.mathjax', missing 'esbonio_setup' fuction
[esbonio.lsp] Skipping extension 'sphinx.builders.html', missing 'esbonio_setup' fuction
[esbonio.lsp] Skipping extension 'sphinx.builders.dirhtml', missing 'esbonio_setup' fuction
[esbonio.lsp] Skipping extension 'sphinx.builders.dummy', missing 'esbonio_setup' fuction
[esbonio.lsp] Skipping extension 'sphinx.builders.gettext', missing 'esbonio_setup' fuction
[esbonio.lsp] Skipping extension 'sphinx.builders.latex.transforms', missing 'esbonio_setup' fuction
[esbonio.lsp] Skipping extension 'sphinx.builders.latex', missing 'esbonio_setup' fuction
[esbonio.lsp] Skipping extension 'sphinx.builders.linkcheck', missing 'esbonio_setup' fuction
[esbonio.lsp] Skipping extension 'sphinx.builders.manpage', missing 'esbonio_setup' fuction
[esbonio.lsp] Skipping extension 'sphinx.builders.singlehtml', missing 'esbonio_setup' fuction
[esbonio.lsp] Skipping extension 'sphinx.builders.texinfo', missing 'esbonio_setup' fuction
[esbonio.lsp] Skipping extension 'sphinx.builders.text', missing 'esbonio_setup' fuction
[esbonio.lsp] Skipping extension 'sphinx.builders.xml', missing 'esbonio_setup' fuction
[esbonio.lsp] Skipping extension 'sphinx.config', missing 'esbonio_setup' fuction
[esbonio.lsp] Skipping extension 'sphinx.domains.c', missing 'esbonio_setup' fuction
[esbonio.lsp] Skipping extension 'sphinx.domains.changeset', missing 'esbonio_setup' fuction
[esbonio.lsp] Skipping extension 'sphinx.domains.citation', missing 'esbonio_setup' fuction
[esbonio.lsp] Skipping extension 'sphinx.domains.cpp', missing 'esbonio_setup' fuction
[esbonio.lsp] Skipping extension 'sphinx.domains.index', missing 'esbonio_setup' fuction
[esbonio.lsp] Skipping extension 'sphinx.domains.javascript', missing 'esbonio_setup' fuction
[esbonio.lsp] Skipping extension 'sphinx.domains.math', missing 'esbonio_setup' fuction
[esbonio.lsp] Skipping extension 'sphinx.directives', missing 'esbonio_setup' fuction
[esbonio.lsp] Skipping extension 'sphinx.domains.python', missing 'esbonio_setup' fuction
[esbonio.lsp] Skipping extension 'sphinx.domains.rst', missing 'esbonio_setup' fuction
[esbonio.lsp] Skipping extension 'sphinx.domains.std', missing 'esbonio_setup' fuction
[esbonio.lsp] Skipping extension 'sphinx.directives.admonitions', missing 'esbonio_setup' fuction
[esbonio.lsp] Skipping extension 'sphinx.directives.code', missing 'esbonio_setup' fuction
[esbonio.lsp] Skipping extension 'sphinx.directives.other', missing 'esbonio_setup' fuction
[esbonio.lsp] Skipping extension 'sphinx.directives.patches', missing 'esbonio_setup' fuction
[esbonio.lsp] Skipping extension 'sphinx.extension', missing 'esbonio_setup' fuction
[esbonio.lsp] Skipping extension 'sphinx.parsers', missing 'esbonio_setup' fuction
[esbonio.lsp] Skipping extension 'sphinx.registry', missing 'esbonio_setup' fuction
[esbonio.lsp] Skipping extension 'sphinx.roles', missing 'esbonio_setup' fuction
[esbonio.lsp] Skipping extension 'sphinx.transforms', missing 'esbonio_setup' fuction
[esbonio.lsp] Skipping extension 'sphinx.transforms.compact_bullet_list', missing 'esbonio_setup' fuction
[esbonio.lsp] Skipping extension 'sphinx.transforms.i18n', missing 'esbonio_setup' fuction
[esbonio.lsp] Skipping extension 'sphinx.transforms.references', missing 'esbonio_setup' fuction
[esbonio.lsp] Skipping extension 'sphinx.transforms.post_transforms', missing 'esbonio_setup' fuction
[esbonio.lsp] Skipping extension 'sphinx.transforms.post_transforms.code', missing 'esbonio_setup' fuction
[esbonio.lsp] Skipping extension 'sphinx.transforms.post_transforms.images', missing 'esbonio_setup' fuction
[esbonio.lsp] Skipping extension 'sphinx.versioning', missing 'esbonio_setup' fuction
[esbonio.lsp] Skipping extension 'sphinx.environment.collectors.dependencies', missing 'esbonio_setup' fuction
[esbonio.lsp] Skipping extension 'sphinx.environment.collectors.asset', missing 'esbonio_setup' fuction
[esbonio.lsp] Skipping extension 'sphinx.environment.collectors.metadata', missing 'esbonio_setup' fuction
[esbonio.lsp] Skipping extension 'sphinx.environment.collectors.title', missing 'esbonio_setup' fuction
[esbonio.lsp] Skipping extension 'sphinx.environment.collectors.toctree', missing 'esbonio_setup' fuction
[esbonio.lsp] Skipping extension 'alabaster', missing 'esbonio_setup' fuction
[esbonio.lsp] Skipping extension 'sphinxcontrib.applehelp', missing 'esbonio_setup' fuction
[esbonio.lsp] Skipping extension 'sphinxcontrib.devhelp', missing 'esbonio_setup' fuction
[esbonio.lsp] Skipping extension 'sphinxcontrib.htmlhelp', missing 'esbonio_setup' fuction
[esbonio.lsp] Skipping extension 'sphinxcontrib.serializinghtml', missing 'esbonio_setup' fuction
[esbonio.lsp] Skipping extension 'sphinxcontrib.qthelp', missing 'esbonio_setup' fuction
[esbonio.lsp] Building...
[client] Build start.
building [mo]: targets for 0 po files that are out of date
writing output...

building [html]: targets for 0 source files that are out of date
updating environment:
0 added, 0 changed, 0 removed
reading sources...

looking for now-outdated files...
none found
no targets are out of date.
preparing documents...
done
copying assets...
copying static files...
Writing evaluated template result to /home/trana/.vscode-server/data/User/workspaceStorage/e774f83a6abe422ecf21e3256a93ad60/swyddfa.esbonio/sphinx/html/_static/language_data.js
Writing evaluated template result to /home/trana/.vscode-server/data/User/workspaceStorage/e774f83a6abe422ecf21e3256a93ad60/swyddfa.esbonio/sphinx/html/_static/documentation_options.js
Writing evaluated template result to /home/trana/.vscode-server/data/User/workspaceStorage/e774f83a6abe422ecf21e3256a93ad60/swyddfa.esbonio/sphinx/html/_static/basic.css
Writing evaluated template result to /home/trana/.vscode-server/data/User/workspaceStorage/e774f83a6abe422ecf21e3256a93ad60/swyddfa.esbonio/sphinx/html/_static/alabaster.css
copying static files: done
copying extra files...
copying extra files: done
copying assets: done
generating indices...
genindex
done
writing additional pages...
search
done
dumping search index in English (code: en)...
done
dumping object inventory...
done
build succeeded.

The HTML pages are in ../.vscode-server/data/User/workspaceStorage/e774f83a6abe422ecf21e3256a93ad60/swyddfa.esbonio/sphinx/html.

(Optional) Settings from conf.py

[alcarney]

Interesting... it looks like you have debug logs enabled, but I'd expect there to be more output than what we can see here. Then again, it's been a long time since I looked at v0.16.x in any detail! 😅

The HTML pages are in ../.vscode-server/...

Are using the extension over a remote connection? I suspect the extension is not able to determine the corresponding html file for the current source file, I'm not sure if the 0.x version of the extension ever supported remote connections properly 🤔

At this point, it is probably worth trying the pre-release version of the extension. Aside from a few missing features (see #901), it is now much better than the current stable versions.

[antoinetran]

Interesting... it looks like you have debug logs enabled, but I'd expect there to be more output than what we can see here. Then again, it's been a long time since I looked at v0.16.x in any detail! 😅

The HTML pages are in ../.vscode-server/...

Are using the extension over a remote connection? I suspect the extension is not able to determine the corresponding html file for the current source file, I'm not sure if the 0.x version of the extension ever supported remote connections properly 🤔

Yes I am using with Remote Tunnel.

At this point, it is probably worth trying the pre-release version of the extension. Aside from a few missing features (see #901), it is now much better than the current stable versions.

Ok I tried to upgrade to esbonio (python) from 0.16.5 to 1.0.0b12 and esbonio extension from 0.10.X to 0.96.4. It is a bit different but still not working.

Instead of a black panel, I have a loading that never ends:

Logs of esbonio in vscode are:

[client] Starting Language Server
[esbonio] Initialising esbonio v1.0.0b12, using Python v3.11.2 on Linux-6.1.0-37-cloud-amd64-x86_64-with-glibc2.36
[esbonio] Language client: Visual Studio Code 1.101.2
[esbonio.Configuration] ConfigChangeEvent(scope='file:///REDACTED', value=SphinxConfig(enable_dev_tools=False, python_command=[], build_command=[], config_overrides={}, env_passthrough=[], cwd='/home/trana/git', fallback_env='REDACTED/.vscode-server/extensions/swyddfa.esbonio-0.96.6/bundled/env', python_path=[]), previous=None)
[esbonio.Configuration] ConfigChangeEvent(scope='', value=LoggingConfig(level='info', format='[%(name)s] %(message)s', filepath=None, stderr=True, window=False, config={}, show_deprecation_warnings=False), previous=None)
[esbonio.Configuration] ConfigChangeEvent(scope='', value=ManagerConfig(build_triggers=SphinxBuildTriggers(on_save=True, on_change=2.0)), previous=None)
[esbonio.Configuration] ConfigChangeEvent(scope='', value=PreviewConfig(bind='localhost', http_port=0, ws_port=0, synchronize_scroll='bothWays', show_line_markers=False), previous=None)
[esbonio.Configuration] ConfigChangeEvent(scope='', value=CompletionConfig(preferred_insert_behavior='replace'), previous=None)
Running Sphinx v7.4.7
loading translations [en]... done
WARNING: html_static_path entry '_static' does not exist
loading pickled environment... done
[esbonio.PreviewManager] Preview available at: http://localhost:35081/?ws=ws%3A%2F%2Flocalhost%3A40667

There is a webserver at the suggested port and the curl shows the html pages are correct, as before the upgrade.

[antoinetran]

Oh and I can see the new esbonio extension (vscode) 0.96.6 now does not requires to install esbonion in the pip venv locally. It automatically uses the esbonio python 1.0.0b12

[antoinetran]

Ok, as a workaround, I changed the preview port and bind so that it is exposed to the web. I directly access it from laptop to the VM. Not ideal from a security point of view, but nothing confidential.

[antoinetran]

Ohh I also tried vscode tunnel in web mode this time, I have this error

So it means my laptop local browser tried to connect to localhost, altought the webserver is in the VM remotely.

Related to vscode tunnel in IDE mode (not web mode), I guess it opened a forwarded port for this reason, so that the preview panel tries to reach this forwarded port. I have trouble accessing the forwarded port in my browser, it takes ages to load, while the direct access (without microsoft forwarded port) work instantaneously.

Well, if someone has an idea of what to search, I can help, otherwise, I will just use the workaround above ^^

[alcarney]

Glad to hear that you have a workaround for now at least.

I've not tried the Remote Tunnel style of connection before... I would have assumed VSCode would forward the port automatically for you

Ohh I also tried vscode tunnel in web mode this time, I have this error

Hmm... I've personally not seen anything VSCode related work in Firefox for a long time now 😢, perhaps it's worth trying it in a Chrome-based browser?

I guess it opened a forwarded port for this reason, so that the preview panel tries to reach this forwarded port. I have trouble accessing the forwarded port in my browser, it takes ages to load,

When using the extension via Codespaces at least, I had to open the port-forwarded links in a dedicated browser tab to "activate" them somehow. Then after going back to VSCode and closing and re-opening the preview things would start working - perhaps it's a similar situation with remote tunnels? 🤔