{"record":{"id":"fa44d1d5eedf18b5","repo":"micro-editor/micro","slug":"unable-to-load-help-text-for-s-v","errorCode":null,"errorMessage":"Unable to load help text for %s: %v","messagePattern":"Unable to load help text for (.+?): (.+?)","errorType":"exception","errorClass":null,"httpStatus":null,"severity":"warning","filePath":"internal/action/command.go","lineNumber":432,"sourceCode":"// ReopenCmd reopens the buffer (reload from disk)\nfunc (h *BufPane) ReopenCmd(args []string) {\n\tif h.Buf.Modified() {\n\t\tInfoBar.YNPrompt(\"Save file before reopen?\", func(yes, canceled bool) {\n\t\t\tif !canceled && yes {\n\t\t\t\th.Save()\n\t\t\t\th.ReOpen()\n\t\t\t} else if !canceled {\n\t\t\t\th.ReOpen()\n\t\t\t}\n\t\t})\n\t} else {\n\t\th.ReOpen()\n\t}\n}\n\nfunc (h *BufPane) openHelp(page string, hsplit bool, forceSplit bool) error {\n\tif data, err := config.FindRuntimeFile(config.RTHelp, page).Data(); err != nil {\n\t\treturn errors.New(fmt.Sprintf(\"Unable to load help text for %s: %v\", page, err))\n\t} else {\n\t\thelpBuffer := buffer.NewBufferFromString(string(data), page+\".md\", buffer.BTHelp)\n\t\thelpBuffer.SetName(\"Help \" + page)\n\t\thelpBuffer.SetOptionNative(\"hltaberrors\", false)\n\t\thelpBuffer.SetOptionNative(\"hltrailingws\", false)\n\n\t\tif h.Buf.Type == buffer.BTHelp && !forceSplit {\n\t\t\th.OpenBuffer(helpBuffer)\n\t\t} else if hsplit {\n\t\t\th.HSplitBuf(helpBuffer)\n\t\t} else {\n\t\t\th.VSplitBuf(helpBuffer)\n\t\t}\n\t}\n\treturn nil\n}\n\n// HelpCmd tries to open the given help page according to the split type","sourceCodeStart":414,"sourceCodeEnd":450,"githubUrl":"https://github.com/micro-editor/micro/blob/1c8b82b32e408a5faf340039ed92d5266bea3293/internal/action/command.go#L414-L450","documentation":"Returned by (*BufPane).openHelp (internal/action/command.go:432) when config.FindRuntimeFile(config.RTHelp, page).Data() fails — the help markdown for the requested topic cannot be located or read in any runtime search path. Micro resolves help files from the installed runtime directory (or $MICRO_RUNTIME_PATH / -runtime-path flag); an unknown topic or a broken runtime installation both land here. The underlying error is embedded with %v.","triggerScenarios":"Typing > help colorscheem (typo topic) or > help plugins when runtime/help/plugins.md is missing because micro was installed without its runtime files, MICRO_RUNTIME_PATH points at an incomplete directory, or a snap/flatpak package split the runtime assets from the binary.","commonSituations":"Package-manager installs that omit the 'runtime' tree; users setting MICRO_RUNTIME_PATH for custom colorschemes but forgetting to copy help/; invoking HelpCmd from a Lua plugin with a topic string that has no matching .md file.","solutions":["Check the topic name against the shipped pages: help, colors, keybindings, plugins, options, writing-plugins, ... (Tab-complete in the command bar)","Verify runtime assets exist: ls $(micro -version shows config dir) or locate runtime/help/help.md; if absent, reinstall via the official release or package that ships them","If you overrode runtime lookup, include help/: cp -r /usr/share/micro/runtime/help $MICRO_RUNTIME_PATH/ or unset MICRO_RUNTIME_PATH","Pass '-runtime-path /path/to/runtime' (or fix the env var) when the binary lives apart from its assets"],"exampleFix":"// before\n> help colorscheem   // Unable to load help text for colorscheem: file does not exist\n\n// after\n> help colors","handlingStrategy":"validation","validationCode":"// Verify the help topic resolves before opening (public config API)\nif config.FindRuntimeFile(config.RTHelp, page) == nil {\n    return fmt.Errorf(\"no help page %q — try 'help', 'keybindings', 'colors', 'plugins'\", page)\n}\nreturn h.openHelp(page, hsplit, forceSplit)","typeGuard":null,"tryCatchPattern":"if err := h.openHelp(page, hsplit, forceSplit); err != nil {\n    if strings.HasPrefix(err.Error(), \"Unable to load help text\") {\n        InfoBar.Error(err)        // show in infobar, keep editing\n        return                    // non-fatal: do not propagate\n    }\n    return err\n}","preventionTips":["Confirm topic names via > help followed by Tab completion","When setting MICRO_RUNTIME_PATH, copy the whole runtime tree including help/","Package micro with its runtime assets; test 'micro -runtime-path' in container images"],"tags":["help","runtime","resources","installation","command"],"backgroundTag":null,"analyzedSha":"1c8b82b32e408a5faf340039ed92d5266bea3293","analyzedAt":"2026-08-15T20:01:45.134Z","schemaVersion":2},"datasetVersion":"2026-08-15T22:17:37.221Z"}