AL MCP (VS Code facade): al_publish / al_debug block on interactive launch-configuration picker — no non-interactive target, breaks autonomous agent loops

Start with the facade al_publish and al_debug entry points and compare their accepted parameters with standalone almcp, then trace how launch.json selection reaches the AL launch path. Done means both facade tools can select a target or use a documented deterministic default without waiting for a VS Code picker.

1. Describe the bug

When driving the in-VS-Code AL MCP facade tools from an agent (GitHub Copilot Chat), al_publish cannot run unattended. When the active project has more than one configuration in launch.json, the tool triggers VS Code''s interactive "select configuration" QuickPick and then blocks waiting for a human click. An autonomous agent cannot answer a GUI picker, so the call stalls indefinitely.

The facade al_publish exposes no target parameters ΓÇö there is no configuration / launchConfigName, no environmentName / environmentType / server / serverInstance / tenant / authentication. Target resolution is fully delegated to the AL extension''s launch path, which prompts. There is no way to specify the target in the tool call itself.

This differs from the standalone almcp process, whose al_publish does accept projectPath / environmentName / environmentType / tenant / schemaUpdateMode. The facade variant accepts none of these.

al_debug (zero parameters) is affected the same way ΓÇö same launch-config dependency, same picker.

2. To Reproduce

1. Open a workspace whose active project has two or more entries in launch.json.
2. From Copilot Chat, invoke al_publish with debug=false.
3. A "select configuration" QuickPick appears in the VS Code UI.
4. The tool returns {"error":"No configuration selected"} (code: PUBLISH_FAILED) if the picker is dismissed, or hangs until a human selects an entry.

Tool input used:

{ "debug": false, "skipbuild": false, "type": "full" }

(No other parameters are accepted by the facade tool.)

3. Expected behavior

al_publish (and al_debug) should be drivable without UI interaction ΓÇö e.g. one of:

• a configuration / launchConfigName parameter to select a launch.json entry by name, or
• explicit connection parameters (server, serverInstance, tenant, authentication, environmentName, environmentType) like the standalone almcp, or
• a documented deterministic default (e.g. the active Run/Debug selection or first config) with no interactive fallback when invoked via MCP.

4. Context

• al_build is unaffected ΓÇö it takes a clean scope parameter and runs fully unattended.
• The blocker is purely the missing non-interactive target; it is independent of the publish destination (reproduces regardless of whether the target is reachable).

5. Versions

• AL Language: 18.0.x (pre-release)
• VS Code: 1.124.0
• OS: Windows

Internal work item: AB#648588