Pass chat references as attachments to @github/copilot sdk (#1456)

DonJayamanne · web-flow · commit 526f0dac7cfe · 2025-10-21T07:26:02.000Z
* Pass chat references as attachments to @github/copilot  sdk

* fixes
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
@@ -4098,8 +4098,7 @@
 				"description": "The Claude Code Agent works on your local machine",
 				"when": "config.github.copilot.chat.advanced.claudeCode.enabled",
 				"capabilities": {
-					"supportsFileAttachments": true,
-					"supportsToolAttachments": false
+					"supportsFileAttachments": true
 				},
 				"commands": [
 					{
@@ -4136,8 +4135,7 @@
 				"when": "config.github.copilot.chat.advanced.copilotCLI.enabled",
 				"capabilities": {
 					"supportsFileAttachments": true,
-					"supportsProblemAttachments": true,
-					"supportsToolAttachments": false
+					"supportsProblemAttachments": true
 				}
 			},
 			{
diff --git a/src/extension/agents/copilotcli/node/copilotcliAgentManager.ts b/src/extension/agents/copilotcli/node/copilotcliAgentManager.ts
@@ -3,17 +3,21 @@
  *  Licensed under the MIT License. See License.txt in the project root for license information.
  *--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------*/
 
-import type { AgentOptions, ModelProvider, Session, SessionEvent } from '@github/copilot/sdk';
+import type { AgentOptions, Attachment, ModelProvider, Session, SessionEvent } from '@github/copilot/sdk';
+import * as fs from 'fs/promises';
 import type * as vscode from 'vscode';
 import { IAuthenticationService } from '../../../../platform/authentication/common/authentication';
 import { IEnvService } from '../../../../platform/env/common/envService';
 import { IVSCodeExtensionContext } from '../../../../platform/extContext/common/extensionContext';
 import { ILogService } from '../../../../platform/log/common/logService';
 import { IWorkspaceService } from '../../../../platform/workspace/common/workspaceService';
+import { isLocation } from '../../../../util/common/types';
 import { CancellationToken } from '../../../../util/vs/base/common/cancellation';
 import { Disposable } from '../../../../util/vs/base/common/lifecycle';
+import * as path from '../../../../util/vs/base/common/path';
+import { URI } from '../../../../util/vs/base/common/uri';
 import { IInstantiationService } from '../../../../util/vs/platform/instantiation/common/instantiation';
-import { ChatResponseThinkingProgressPart, LanguageModelTextPart } from '../../../../vscodeTypes';
+import { ChatReferenceDiagnostic, ChatResponseThinkingProgressPart, LanguageModelTextPart } from '../../../../vscodeTypes';
 import { ToolName } from '../../../tools/common/toolNames';
 import { IToolsService } from '../../../tools/common/toolsService';
 import { ICopilotCLISessionService } from './copilotcliSessionService';
@@ -48,13 +52,14 @@ export class CopilotCLIAgentManager extends Disposable {
 		const sessionIdForLog = copilotcliSessionId ?? 'new';
 		this.logService.trace(`[CopilotCLIAgentManager] Handling request for sessionId=${sessionIdForLog}.`);
 
+		const { prompt, attachments } = await this.resolvePrompt(request);
 		// Check if we already have a session wrapper
 		let session = copilotcliSessionId ? this.sessionService.findSessionWrapper<CopilotCLISession>(copilotcliSessionId) : undefined;
 
 		if (session) {
 			this.logService.trace(`[CopilotCLIAgentManager] Reusing CopilotCLI session ${copilotcliSessionId}.`);
 		} else {
-			const sdkSession = await this.sessionService.getOrCreateSDKSession(copilotcliSessionId, request.prompt);
+			const sdkSession = await this.sessionService.getOrCreateSDKSession(copilotcliSessionId, prompt);
 			session = this.instantiationService.createInstance(CopilotCLISession, sdkSession);
 			this.sessionService.trackSessionWrapper(sdkSession.sessionId, session);
 		}
@@ -63,10 +68,91 @@ export class CopilotCLIAgentManager extends Disposable {
 			this.sessionService.setPendingRequest(session.sessionId);
 		}
 
-		await session.invoke(request.prompt, request.toolInvocationToken, stream, modelId, token);
+		await session.invoke(prompt, attachments, request.toolInvocationToken, stream, modelId, token);
 
 		return { copilotcliSessionId: session.sessionId };
 	}
+
+	private async resolvePrompt(request: vscode.ChatRequest): Promise<{ prompt: string; attachments: Attachment[] }> {
+		if (request.prompt.startsWith('/')) {
+			return { prompt: request.prompt, attachments: [] }; // likely a slash command, don't modify
+		}
+
+		const attachments: Attachment[] = [];
+		const allRefsTexts: string[] = [];
+		const diagnosticTexts: string[] = [];
+		const files: { path: string; name: string }[] = [];
+		// TODO@rebornix: filter out implicit references for now. Will need to figure out how to support `<reminder>` without poluting user prompt
+		request.references.filter(ref => !ref.id.startsWith('vscode.prompt.instructions')).forEach(ref => {
+			if (ref.value instanceof ChatReferenceDiagnostic) {
+				// Handle diagnostic reference
+				for (const [uri, diagnostics] of ref.value.diagnostics) {
+					for (const diagnostic of diagnostics) {
+						const severityMap: { [key: number]: string } = {
+							0: 'error',
+							1: 'warning',
+							2: 'info',
+							3: 'hint'
+						};
+						const severity = severityMap[diagnostic.severity] ?? 'error';
+						const code = (typeof diagnostic.code === 'object' && diagnostic.code !== null) ? diagnostic.code.value : diagnostic.code;
+						const codeStr = code ? ` [${code}]` : '';
+						const line = diagnostic.range.start.line + 1;
+						diagnosticTexts.push(`- ${severity}${codeStr} at ${uri.fsPath}:${line}: ${diagnostic.message}`);
+						files.push({ path: uri.fsPath, name: path.basename(uri.fsPath) });
+					}
+				}
+			} else {
+				const filePath = URI.isUri(ref.value) ? ref.value.fsPath : isLocation(ref.value) ? ref.value.uri.fsPath : undefined;
+				if (filePath) {
+					files.push({ path: filePath, name: ref.name || path.basename(filePath) });
+				}
+				const valueText = URI.isUri(ref.value) ?
+					ref.value.fsPath :
+					isLocation(ref.value) ?
+						`${ref.value.uri.fsPath}:${ref.value.range.start.line + 1}` :
+						undefined;
+				if (valueText && ref.range) {
+					// Keep the original prompt untouched, just collect resolved paths
+					const variableText = request.prompt.substring(ref.range[0], ref.range[1]);
+					allRefsTexts.push(`- ${variableText} → ${valueText}`);
+				}
+			}
+		});
+
+		await Promise.all(files.map(async (file) => {
+			try {
+				const stat = await fs.stat(file.path);
+				const type = stat.isDirectory() ? 'directory' : stat.isFile() ? 'file' : undefined;
+				if (!type) {
+					this.logService.error(`[CopilotCLIAgentManager] Ignoring attachment as its not a file/directory (${file.path})`);
+					return;
+				}
+				attachments.push({
+					type,
+					displayName: file.name,
+					path: file.path
+				});
+			} catch (error) {
+				this.logService.error(`[CopilotCLIAgentManager] Failed to attach ${file.path}: ${error}`);
+			}
+		}));
+
+		const reminderParts: string[] = [];
+		if (allRefsTexts.length > 0) {
+			reminderParts.push(`The user provided the following references:\n${allRefsTexts.join('\n')}`);
+		}
+		if (diagnosticTexts.length > 0) {
+			reminderParts.push(`The user provided the following diagnostics:\n${diagnosticTexts.join('\n')}`);
+		}
+
+		let prompt = request.prompt;
+		if (reminderParts.length > 0) {
+			prompt = `<reminder>\n${reminderParts.join('\n\n')}\n\nIMPORTANT: this context may or may not be relevant to your tasks. You should not respond to this context unless it is highly relevant to your task.\n</reminder>\n\n${prompt}`;
+		}
+
+		return { prompt, attachments };
+	}
 }
 
 export class CopilotCLISession extends Disposable {
@@ -92,19 +178,20 @@ export class CopilotCLISession extends Disposable {
 		super.dispose();
 	}
 
-	async *query(prompt: string, options: AgentOptions): AsyncGenerator<SessionEvent> {
+	async *query(prompt: string, attachments: Attachment[], options: AgentOptions): AsyncGenerator<SessionEvent> {
 		// Ensure node-pty shim exists before importing SDK
 		// @github/copilot has hardcoded: import{spawn}from"node-pty"
 		await ensureNodePtyShim(this.extensionContext.extensionPath, this.envService.appRoot);
 
 		// Dynamically import the SDK
 		const { Agent } = await import('@github/copilot/sdk');
 		const agent = new Agent(options);
-		yield* agent.query(prompt);
+		yield* agent.query(prompt, attachments);
 	}
 
 	public async invoke(
 		prompt: string,
+		attachments: Attachment[],
 		toolInvocationToken: vscode.ChatParticipantToolToken,
 		stream: vscode.ChatResponseStream,
 		modelId: ModelProvider | undefined,
@@ -148,7 +235,7 @@ export class CopilotCLISession extends Disposable {
 		};
 
 		try {
-			for await (const event of this.query(prompt, options)) {
+			for await (const event of this.query(prompt, attachments, options)) {
 				if (token.isCancellationRequested) {
 					break;
 				}
diff --git a/src/extension/agents/copilotcli/node/copilotcliToolInvocationFormatter.ts b/src/extension/agents/copilotcli/node/copilotcliToolInvocationFormatter.ts
@@ -5,9 +5,9 @@
 
 import type { SessionEvent, ToolExecutionCompleteEvent, ToolExecutionStartEvent } from '@github/copilot/sdk';
 import * as l10n from '@vscode/l10n';
-import type { ExtendedChatResponsePart } from 'vscode';
+import type { ChatPromptReference, ExtendedChatResponsePart } from 'vscode';
 import { URI } from '../../../../util/vs/base/common/uri';
-import { ChatRequestTurn2, ChatResponseMarkdownPart, ChatResponseThinkingProgressPart, ChatResponseTurn2, ChatToolInvocationPart, MarkdownString } from '../../../../vscodeTypes';
+import { ChatRequestTurn2, ChatResponseMarkdownPart, ChatResponseThinkingProgressPart, ChatResponseTurn2, ChatToolInvocationPart, MarkdownString, Uri } from '../../../../vscodeTypes';
 
 /**
  * CopilotCLI tool names
@@ -62,7 +62,14 @@ export function buildChatHistoryFromEvents(events: readonly SessionEvent[]): (Ch
 					turns.push(new ChatResponseTurn2(currentResponseParts, {}, ''));
 					currentResponseParts = [];
 				}
-				turns.push(new ChatRequestTurn2(stripReminders(event.data.content || ''), undefined, [], '', [], undefined));
+				// TODO @DonJayamanne Temporary work around until we get the zod types.
+				type Attachment = {
+					path: string;
+					type: "file" | "directory";
+					displayName: string;
+				};
+				const references: ChatPromptReference[] = ((event.data.attachments || []) as Attachment[]).map(attachment => ({ id: attachment.path, name: attachment.displayName, value: Uri.file(attachment.path) } as ChatPromptReference));
+				turns.push(new ChatRequestTurn2(stripReminders(event.data.content || ''), undefined, references, '', [], undefined));
 				break;
 			}
 			case 'assistant.message': {
diff --git a/src/extension/chatSessions/vscode-node/copilotCLIChatSessionsContribution.ts b/src/extension/chatSessions/vscode-node/copilotCLIChatSessionsContribution.ts
@@ -4,15 +4,13 @@
  *--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------*/
 
 import * as vscode from 'vscode';
-import { ChatExtendedRequestHandler, ChatReferenceDiagnostic, l10n } from 'vscode';
+import { ChatExtendedRequestHandler, l10n } from 'vscode';
 import { IVSCodeExtensionContext } from '../../../platform/extContext/common/extensionContext';
-import { isLocation } from '../../../util/common/types';
 import { Emitter, Event } from '../../../util/vs/base/common/event';
 import { Disposable, DisposableStore, IDisposable } from '../../../util/vs/base/common/lifecycle';
-import { URI } from '../../../util/vs/base/common/uri';
 import { localize } from '../../../util/vs/nls';
 import { CopilotCLIAgentManager } from '../../agents/copilotcli/node/copilotcliAgentManager';
-import { ExtendedChatRequest, ICopilotCLISessionService } from '../../agents/copilotcli/node/copilotcliSessionService';
+import { ICopilotCLISessionService } from '../../agents/copilotcli/node/copilotcliSessionService';
 import { buildChatHistoryFromEvents } from '../../agents/copilotcli/node/copilotcliToolInvocationFormatter';
 import { ICopilotCLITerminalIntegration } from './copilotCLITerminalIntegration';
 
@@ -194,28 +192,24 @@ export class CopilotCLIChatSessionParticipant {
 	}
 
 	private async handleRequest(request: vscode.ChatRequest, context: vscode.ChatContext, stream: vscode.ChatResponseStream, token: vscode.CancellationToken): Promise<vscode.ChatResult | void> {
-		// Resolve the prompt with references before processing
-		const resolvedPrompt = this.resolvePrompt(request);
-		const processedRequest: ExtendedChatRequest = { ...request, prompt: resolvedPrompt };
-
 		const { chatSessionContext } = context;
 		if (chatSessionContext) {
 			if (chatSessionContext.isUntitled) {
-				const { copilotcliSessionId } = await this.copilotcliAgentManager.handleRequest(undefined, processedRequest, context, stream, undefined, token);
+				const { copilotcliSessionId } = await this.copilotcliAgentManager.handleRequest(undefined, request, context, stream, undefined, token);
 				if (!copilotcliSessionId) {
 					stream.warning(localize('copilotcli.failedToCreateSession', "Failed to create a new CopilotCLI session."));
 					return {};
 				}
 				if (copilotcliSessionId) {
-					this.sessionItemProvider.swap(chatSessionContext.chatSessionItem, { id: copilotcliSessionId, resource: undefined, label: processedRequest.prompt ?? 'CopilotCLI' });
+					this.sessionItemProvider.swap(chatSessionContext.chatSessionItem, { id: copilotcliSessionId, resource: undefined, label: request.prompt ?? 'CopilotCLI' });
 					this.sessionService.clearPendingRequest(copilotcliSessionId);
 				}
 				return {};
 			}
 
 			const { id } = chatSessionContext.chatSessionItem;
 			this.sessionService.setSessionStatus(id, vscode.ChatSessionStatus.InProgress);
-			await this.copilotcliAgentManager.handleRequest(id, processedRequest, context, stream, getModelProvider(_sessionModel.get(id)?.id), token);
+			await this.copilotcliAgentManager.handleRequest(id, request, context, stream, getModelProvider(_sessionModel.get(id)?.id), token);
 			this.sessionService.setSessionStatus(id, vscode.ChatSessionStatus.Completed);
 			return {};
 		}
@@ -224,66 +218,6 @@ export class CopilotCLIChatSessionParticipant {
 		stream.button({ command: `workbench.action.chat.openNewSessionEditor.${this.sessionType}`, title: localize('copilotcli.startNewSession', "Start Session") });
 		return {};
 	}
-
-	private resolvePrompt(request: vscode.ChatRequest): string {
-		if (request.prompt.startsWith('/')) {
-			return request.prompt; // likely a slash command, don't modify
-		}
-
-		const allRefsTexts: string[] = [];
-		const diagnosticTexts: string[] = [];
-		const prompt = request.prompt;
-		// TODO@rebornix: filter out implicit references for now. Will need to figure out how to support `<reminder>` without poluting user prompt
-		request.references.filter(ref => !ref.id.startsWith('vscode.prompt.instructions')).forEach(ref => {
-			if (ref.value instanceof ChatReferenceDiagnostic) {
-				// Handle diagnostic reference
-				for (const [uri, diagnostics] of ref.value.diagnostics) {
-					for (const diagnostic of diagnostics) {
-						const severityMap: { [key: number]: string } = {
-							0: 'error',
-							1: 'warning',
-							2: 'info',
-							3: 'hint'
-						};
-						const severity = severityMap[diagnostic.severity] ?? 'error';
-						const code = (typeof diagnostic.code === 'object' && diagnostic.code !== null) ? diagnostic.code.value : diagnostic.code;
-						const codeStr = code ? ` [${code}]` : '';
-						const line = diagnostic.range.start.line + 1;
-						diagnosticTexts.push(`- ${severity}${codeStr} at ${uri.fsPath}:${line}: ${diagnostic.message}`);
-					}
-				}
-			} else {
-				const valueText = URI.isUri(ref.value) ?
-					ref.value.fsPath :
-					isLocation(ref.value) ?
-						`${ref.value.uri.fsPath}:${ref.value.range.start.line + 1}` :
-						undefined;
-				if (valueText) {
-					// Keep the original prompt untouched, just collect resolved paths
-					const variableText = ref.range ? prompt.substring(ref.range[0], ref.range[1]) : undefined;
-					if (variableText) {
-						allRefsTexts.push(`- ${variableText} → ${valueText}`);
-					} else {
-						allRefsTexts.push(`- ${valueText}`);
-					}
-				}
-			}
-		});
-
-		const reminderParts: string[] = [];
-		if (allRefsTexts.length > 0) {
-			reminderParts.push(`The user provided the following references:\n${allRefsTexts.join('\n')}`);
-		}
-		if (diagnosticTexts.length > 0) {
-			reminderParts.push(`The user provided the following diagnostics:\n${diagnosticTexts.join('\n')}`);
-		}
-
-		if (reminderParts.length > 0) {
-			return `<reminder>\n${reminderParts.join('\n\n')}\n\nIMPORTANT: this context may or may not be relevant to your tasks. You should not respond to this context unless it is highly relevant to your task.\n</reminder>\n\n${prompt}`;
-		}
-
-		return prompt;
-	}
 }
 
 export function registerCLIChatCommands(copilotcliSessionItemProvider: CopilotCLIChatSessionItemProvider, copilotCLISessionService: ICopilotCLISessionService): IDisposable {

Original file line number	Diff line number	Diff line change
`@@ -4098,8 +4098,7 @@`
`4098`	`4098`	`"description": "The Claude Code Agent works on your local machine",`
`4099`	`4099`	`"when": "config.github.copilot.chat.advanced.claudeCode.enabled",`
`4100`	`4100`	`"capabilities": {`
`4101`		`- "supportsFileAttachments": true,`
`4102`		`- "supportsToolAttachments": false`
	`4101`	`+ "supportsFileAttachments": true`
`4103`	`4102`	`},`
`4104`	`4103`	`"commands": [`
`4105`	`4104`	`{`
`@@ -4136,8 +4135,7 @@`
`4136`	`4135`	`"when": "config.github.copilot.chat.advanced.copilotCLI.enabled",`
`4137`	`4136`	`"capabilities": {`
`4138`	`4137`	`"supportsFileAttachments": true,`
`4139`		`- "supportsProblemAttachments": true,`
`4140`		`- "supportsToolAttachments": false`
	`4138`	`+ "supportsProblemAttachments": true`
`4141`	`4139`	`}`
`4142`	`4140`	`},`
`4143`	`4141`	`{`