BoundaryML/baml · error · anyhow::Error

Failed to gather files from directory

Error message

Failed to gather files from directory {}: {}

What it means

BamlProject.load_files wraps gather_files() failures in this message, which includes the project root directory and the underlying error. It means the language server could not enumerate the BAML/workspace files under root_dir_name, so the project state cannot be loaded. Typically the root directory is missing, inaccessible, or unreadable.

Solutions

1. Verify the workspace root directory passed at initialization exists and is readable (ls it from the same user the LSP runs as)
2. Reopen/restart the editor session so the LSP re-initializes with the correct root_uri
3. Fix directory permissions (chmod/chown) or move the project back to the expected path
4. Update any configured workspace root path to the current project location

Example fix

// before
lsp.initialize({ rootUri: "file:///home/me/old-project" });
// after
lsp.initialize({ rootUri: "file:///home/me/current-project" });

use std::path::Path;
fn ensure_root_readable(root: &Path) -> std::io::Result<()> {
    let meta = std::fs::metadata(root)?;
    if !meta.is_dir() {
        return Err(std::io::Error::new(std::io::ErrorKind::Other, "root is not a directory"));
    }
    std::fs::read_dir(root).map(|_| ())
}

match project.load_files() {
    Err(e) if e.to_string().starts_with("Failed to gather files") => {
        eprintln!("Workspace root missing/unreadable: {e}");
        // prompt user to re-initialize with correct root
    }
    r => r,
}

When it happens

Trigger: load_files() called when the project root directory does not exist, was deleted or renamed, lacks read permission, or when the filesystem walk (gather_files) fails with an I/O error.

Common situations: LSP client sending a didOpen/initialize with a stale workspace root path; project checked out to a different location; symlinked or network-mounted directories that are unavailable; permission changes after checkout.

Related errors

• Failed to read file
• a source root already exists at this path
• BAML Generate failed - Project has errors.
• blob path has no parent
• cannot determine directory of current executable

AI-assisted analysis of BoundaryML/baml@bd85ce9dee (2026-09-12). Data as JSON: /api/errors/1e3ef118f9017bba. Report an issue: GitHub.

Appendix: source

Thrown at engine/language_server/src/baml_project/mod.rs:270

    pub fn update_file(&mut self, document_key: &DocumentKey, content: Option<String>) {
        tracing::debug!(
            "Updating file: {}, {}",
            document_key.path().display(),
            content.clone().unwrap_or("None".to_string())
        );
        if let Some(content) = content {
            let text_document = TextDocument::new(content, 0);
            self.files.insert(document_key.clone(), text_document);
        } else {
            self.files.remove(document_key);
        }
        self.cached_runtime = None;
    }

    /// Load files into the current state. Also return the newly loaded files.
    pub fn load_files(&mut self) -> anyhow::Result<HashMap<DocumentKey, TextDocument>> {
        let workspace_file_paths = gather_files(&self.root_dir_name, false).map_err(|e| {
            anyhow::anyhow!(
                "Failed to gather files from directory {}: {}",
                self.root_dir_name.display(),
                e
            )
        })?;
        let workspace_files = workspace_file_paths
            .into_iter()
            .map(|file_path| {
                let document_key = DocumentKey::from_path(&self.root_dir_name, &file_path)
                    .map_err(|e| {
                        anyhow::anyhow!(
                            "Failed to create document key for file {}: {}",
                            file_path.display(),
                            e
                        )
                    })?;
                let contents = std::fs::read_to_string(&file_path).map_err(|e| {
                    anyhow::anyhow!("Failed to read file {}: {}", file_path.display(), e)

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