stanfordnlp/CoreNLP · error · RuntimeException

Error: Haven't dealt with relation " + relation + " yet.

Error message

Error: Haven't dealt with relation " + relation + " yet.

What it means

TreeLocation.evaluate handles only the $+ and $- (right/left sister) relations in its switch; any other relation string reaching this code path hits the default branch and throws "Haven't dealt with relation X yet". It signals an unsupported or malformed relation in a tsurgeon location expression.

Solutions

1. Correct the relation to "$+" or "$-" in the tsurgeon expression
2. Parse the operation through Tsurgeon.parseOperation so malformed relations are rejected up front with a clearer TsurgeonParseException
3. If a new relation is needed, extend the switch in TreeLocation.evaluate

Example fix

// before
parseOperation("insert (NP foo) $~NP");
// after
parseOperation("insert (NP foo) $+NP");

Set<String> supported = Set.of("$+", "$");
// validate relations in the tsurgeon script before evaluating
boolean ok = scriptRelations.stream().allMatch(supported::contains);

null

try { evaluate(loc, tree); } catch (RuntimeException e) { if (e.getMessage().startsWith("Error: Haven't dealt with relation")) { throw new IllegalArgumentException("Unsupported tsurgeon relation", e); } throw e; }

When it happens

Trigger: Calling TreeLocation.evaluate with a relation string other than "$+" or "$-", e.g. a typo like "$++", "$", or a relation inserted programmatically rather than parsed by TsurgeonParser.

Common situations: Hand-constructing Tsurgeon internals instead of using parseOperation; typos in relation names in tsurgeon scripts; library version where a new relation is used but TreeLocation hasn't been updated.

Related errors

• Error: looking for a non-existent parent in tree " + tree +…
• Tsurgeon.processPatternsOnTree failed to match label for…
• Null node fetched by Tsurgeon operation for node:
• Error initializing coref system
• Error making document

AI-assisted analysis of stanfordnlp/CoreNLP@1b7edd19c4 (2026-09-10). Data as JSON: /api/errors/2a179328bb64ae45. Report an issue: GitHub.

Appendix: source

Thrown at src/edu/stanford/nlp/trees/tregex/tsurgeon/TreeLocation.java:73

        newIndex = Integer.parseInt(m.group(1))-1;
        parent = relativeNode;
        if(relation.charAt(1)=='-') // backwards.
          newIndex = parent.children().length - newIndex;
      } else {
        parent = relativeNode.parent(tree);
        if (parent == null) {
          throw new RuntimeException("Error: looking for a non-existent parent in tree " + tree + " for \"" + toString() + '"');
        }
        int index = parent.objectIndexOf(relativeNode);
        switch(relation) {
          case "$+" :
            newIndex = index;
            break;
          case "$-" :
            newIndex = index+1;
            break;
          default :
            throw new RuntimeException("Error: Haven't dealt with relation " + relation + " yet.");
        }
      }
      return new Pair<>(parent, newIndex);
    }
  }

  @Override
  public String toString() {
    return relation + ' ' + child;
  }

}

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