VS Code extension 2.15 blocks Action Server when Data Server/Studio is absent

[joshyorko]

Describe the bug
The Sema4.ai VS Code extension 2.15.0 (2025-09-12) attempts a Data Server handshake before launching Action Server. On hosts without Studio/Data Server (common on Linux), running “Sema4.ai: Start Action Server” fails with:

command 'sema4ai-data.dataserver.status' not found

No Action Server terminal is spawned. The Action Server binary itself still runs when started from CLI, so this appears to be an extension-level regression/coupling. Because the Marketplace governs what versions are available and the extension auto-downloads a fixed Action Server version, pinning/downgrading is not a reliable workaround.

To Reproduce
Steps to reproduce the behavior:

1. Install VS Code (Stable or Insiders) and Sema4.ai VS Code extension 2.15.0 on a machine without Studio/Data Server.
2. Open a workspace containing an agent/action package.
3. Run the command: Sema4.ai: Start Action Server.
4. Observe the error notification and logs. No terminal is created.

Expected behavior

• Action Server should launch even if Data Server/Studio is absent (treat Data Server as optional).
• If Data Server is unavailable, the extension should skip setting SEMA4AI_DATA_SERVER_INFO and continue.
• Provide a way to pin/override the Action Server version/path used by the extension to avoid forced upgrades.

Screenshots

Versions:

• OS: Fedora (Universal Blue) latest; Ubuntu 22.04 LTS; Windows 11 23H2
• Robot Framework Version: N/A
• Robot Framework Language Server Version: N/A
• Client Version: VS Code Stable 1.xx.x and VS Code Insiders (latest)
• Sema4.ai VS Code extension: 2.15.0
• Action Server version auto-downloaded by extension: 2.14.0 (per client code)
• Studio/Data Server: not installed

[joshyorko]

@fabioz as you know this is a breaking change for linux users. Would you provide a suitable workaround for the literally thousands of users who leverage this extension.

[joshyorko]

@fabioz it is IMPOSSIBLE for users to download the data server extension on Linux without Sema4ai Studio which you know is a windows or mac distribution at this time which in effect makes the extension unusable for action-server workflows. I have found the exact same result with the VSCODE Robocorp extension which throws the same error, which I am sure at this point is known.

[joshyorko]

Can someone at the very least acknowledge this. I use linux and action servers at work and due to this ridiculous limitation im unable to even launch action server from the extension.