Skill updates: multi-event triggers, aka.ms links, schedule export, VS Code support

[mikekinsman]

This pull request updates the build-companion skill to support multiple Microsoft flagship events and improves the developer experience across both CLI and VS Code.

Changes

1. Multi-event trigger words

The skill now activates when users mention Ignite, AI Tour, conference, or event — not just Build. Previously, asking about Ignite sessions would route to web search instead of invoking the build-companion skill.

2. aka.ms links for traffic measurement

Replaced raw eventtools.event.microsoft.com URLs with aka.ms redirects:

• https://aka.ms/build2026-session-info
• https://aka.ms/build2025-session-info
• https://aka.ms/ignite2025-session-info

3. Schedule export workflow

New "Create my schedule" workflow that:

• Presents the schedule to the user for review first
• Only creates schedule.md after user confirms
• Flags time conflicts and suggests alternatives

4. Timezone and date handling guidance

• Documents that TimeSlot is local time when startDateTime is populated, possibly UTC when it's null
• Instructs the agent to always display local event time
• Handles the case where upcoming events don't yet have day assignments

5. VS Code support via copilot-instructions.md

Added .github/copilot-instructions.md so that VS Code Copilot Chat discovers and uses the skill when the repo is cloned and opened as a workspace. The CLI /plugin install path remains unchanged.

This keeps the SKILL.md file in its current prominent location (skills/microsoft-events/SKILL.md) for discoverability, while supporting both clients:

• CLI users: /plugin install microsoft/Build-CLI
• VS Code users: Clone the repo → open in VS Code → skill auto-discovered

Testing

Tested locally with Copilot CLI:

• ✅ "What sessions from ignite are relevant for my project" → skill activates
• ✅ aka.ms links resolve and return session JSON
• ✅ Schedule workflow presents data before file creation
• ✅ VS Code picks up skill via copilot-instructions.md when repo is opened as workspace

[pdebruin]

Good changes overall — multi-event support and aka.ms links are clearly needed. A few thoughts:

Strong yes:

• copilot-instructions.md — pragmatic VS Code workaround, love the simplicity (1 line)
• Multi-event support (Ignite 2025, Build 2025) with event IDs and endpoints — the CLI already supports --event, this makes the skill match
• aka.ms wrappers — better for telemetry and URL stability

Worth discussing:

• Time/date handling section (~30 lines) — the edge cases are real, but the agent would figure most of this out from the data shape (null vs populated startDateTime). Is this solving a problem we've seen, or pre-empting one? If pre-empting, consider trimming to just "display times in event local timezone" and let the agent handle the rest.
• Schedule export workflow (~45 lines) — this is the most prescriptive workflow in the skill, with a full markdown template. The core ask ("show me my schedule") is a natural fit, but the detailed template + conflict detection + file creation rules add weight. The skill is already long — could this be trimmed to the core steps without the full output example?

Net: ~75 lines of new instructions on top of an already long skill. The multi-event and aka.ms changes should ship. The schedule export and time handling could be trimmed without losing the functionality — the agent will fill in the details.

Happy to approve once we align on the scope of the schedule/time sections.

[mikekinsman]

Addressed the scope creep feedback — trimmed the schedule export workflow and time/date handling section from ~75 lines down to 2 concise additions:

1. Time display (3 lines): Always use event local timezone; note when day assignments aren't available yet.
2. Schedule export (1 line, appended as step 8 of "Find sessions"): After helping the user build a schedule, offer to save as markdown. Don't create a file until they confirm.

Net change: -62 lines from this branch. The skill stays focused on behavior without prescribing output templates or documenting edge cases the agent handles naturally.

Multi-event triggers, aka.ms links, and VS Code support are all preserved as-is.

[pdebruin]

Clean trim — keeps the functionality without the weight. Ship it.