AL MCP in VSGHCP Chat - cannot publish/download with MCP only with VS Code tools

[TKapitan]

Please include the following with each issue:

1. Describe the bug
I'm testing AL MCP in VS Code GHCP chat alongside the VS Code tools I used for our agents in past weeks. I cannot figure out what's wrong.

2. To Reproduce

1. al_auth_login works
2. al_publish returns an error

Input

{
  "projectPath": "c:\\Users\\XX\\ALProjects\\X\\ZZZ-ZZZ_ZZZ\\app",
  "environmentName": "AUDev",
  "environmentType": "Sandbox",
  "tenant": "Z-X-X-X-X",
  "schemaUpdateMode": "ForceSync",
  "forceUpgrade": false,
  "skipBuild": false
}

Output

{"succeeded":false,"message":"Build failed. Check diagnostics for details.","nextSteps":[],"errorDetails":{"code":"CompilationFailed","description":"AL compilation failed with errors","possibleCauses":["Syntax errors in AL code","Missing dependencies","Incompatible API versions","Missing or incompatible symbol references"],"suggestedActions":["Check the Problems panel in VS Code for specific compilation errors","Download symbols using al_downloadsymbols tool if missing","Review and fix syntax errors in AL code","Check app.json dependencies are correct"],"alternatives":["Try al_downloadsymbols tool to download symbols first","Check dependencies with al_getpackagedependencies"],"missingPrerequisites":[],"diagnosticHints":["Check the Problems panel for compilation errors and diagnostics","Check the AL Language extension output panel for details"],"retryable":true},"warnings":[]}

3. al_getdiagnostics shows nothing

Input

{
  "projectPath": "c:\\Users\\XX\\ALProjects\\_Fusion5\\XX\\app"
}

Output

{"succeeded":true,"diagnostics":[],"errorCount":0,"truncated":false}

4. al_downloadsymbols shows error

Input

{
  "environmentName": "AUDev",
  "environmentType": "Sandbox",
  "projectPath": "c:\\Users\\XX\\ALProjects\\_Fusion5\\XX\\app",
  "tenant": "Z-X-X-X-X",
}

Output

{"succeeded":false,"message":"No project found in workspace.","nextSteps":[],"errorDetails":{"code":"InvalidProject","description":"The current workspace is not a valid AL project","possibleCauses":["Invalid app.json configuration","Invalid project structure","Unsupported project version"],"suggestedActions":["Check if app.json exists and is valid","Create a new AL project","Verify the project structure matches AL conventions"],"alternatives":[],"missingPrerequisites":[],"diagnosticHints":[],"retryable":false},"warnings":[]}

The VS Code facade tools are working correctly

Workspace has two AL projects - app and test subfolders

3. versions

• AL Language: 17.0.2273547
• GitHub Copilot Chat: 0.42.3
• Version: 1.114.0 (user setup)
• Commit: e7fb5e96c0730b9deb70b33781f98e2f35975036
• Date: 2026-04-01T09:27:11Z
• Electron: 39.8.3
• ElectronBuildId: 13658728
• Chromium: 142.0.7444.265
• Node.js: 22.22.1
• V8: 14.2.231.22-electron.0
• OS: Windows_NT x64 10.0.26200

[PooyaKharamesh]

It appears you are calling the AL MCP Server tools (standalone almcp process), but the MCP server may not have any projects loaded into its workspace.
This would also explain why the VS Code facade tools work: they route through the VS Code language server, which automatically discovers projects from the VS Code workspace. The standalone MCP server runs as a separate process and does not share that workspace.
To work around this, after al_auth_login, call al_addproject with projectPath pointing to the app subfolder, then retry al_downloadsymbols followed by al_publish.
Alternatively, update the MCP server configuration to start with --projects pointing to the AL project folders (for example, the app and test directories that contain app.json).