Dec 05

Configure Visual Studio Code with Dynamics NAV 2018 (Local Server Installation)

After installing Dynamics NAV 2018 I want to configure Visual Studio Code with Dynamics NAV to use new Development tool. 

 I already had Visual Studio Code installed on my computer (Click to download Visual Studio Code) so I open up the application.

Do not follow Section 01 steps because you will run into issues. Read the Section 02 of the instructions to get it work.

Section 01 :

First thing I want to do is download AL Extention. In order to download AL extension follow below steps:

  1. Go to View Menu and click on Extensions. 
  2. Search for AL 
  3. Click Install. 

Once the Extention installation is complete I followed below steps:

  1. Press Alt+A, Alt+L to trigger the Go! command, 
  2. Choose “Your own server”
  3. Once you select the “Your own server” you will see a code like below in the “launch.json” file. 

I change the settings as below :

  "version": "0.2.0",  
   "configurations": [  
     {  
                "type": "al",  
                "request": "launch",  
                "name": "Local server",  
                "server": "http://localhost:7049",  
                "serverInstance": "DynamicsNAV110",  
                "tenant": "default",  
                "authentication": "Windows",  
                "startupObjectId": 22  
     }  
   ]


Once I do that I got an error message, and I could not resolve it. (Could not download symbols. Please see the Visual Studio output log for more details)


Then I thought it is something to do with the Service tier config so I open up the config file and notice that “Enable loading application symbol reference at service startup” is disabled. I enabled it and restart the instance.

Even after that also I could not get to download symbols. Therefore I thought to use a different approach.

Section 02: 

I thought to install AL extension manually by using VSIX file.

  1. Uninstall AL extention from Visual Studio Code.
  2. Click View -> Extention.
  3. Click on … to open the extension menu.
  4. Click on Install from VSIX


You can find VSIX file on the installation medium path: “ModernDevprogram filesMicrosoft Dynamics NAV110Modern Development Environment” or in the “C:Program Files (x86)Microsoft Dynamics NAV110Modern Development Environment”

This will install AL Language Version 0.12.15355

Once the Extention installation is complete I follow below steps

  1. Press Alt+A, Alt+L to trigger the Go! command.
  2. Choose “Your own server”
  3. Once you select the “Your own server” you will see a code like below in the “launch.json” file. 

   "version": "0.2.0",  
   "configurations": [  
     {  
       "type": "al",  
       "request": "launch",  
       "name": "Your own server",  
       "server": "http://localhost",  
       "serverInstance": "nav",  
       "authentication": "UserPassword",  
       "startupObjectId": 22  
     }  
   ]

In my local installation, I use Windows Authentication and my NAV instance is different. Therefore I change the file values as below.

    "version": "0.2.0",  
   "configurations": [  
     {  
       "type": "al",  
       "request": "launch",  
       "name": "Your own server",  
       "server": "http://localhost",  
       "serverInstance": "DynamicsNAV110",  
       "authentication": "Windows",  
       "startupObjectId": 22  
     }  
   ]


Once I update the values and save the file, it successfully downloads the symbols.

Please let me know if you use a different approach or if it workes with online extension installation for you.

Please provide your feedback with a comment.
Thank you and Regards,
Tharanga Chandrasekara

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1 comment

    • Unknown on December 30, 2017 at 10:40 am
    • #

    Thank you very much! You're start!!! it worked finally!!!

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