continia-deploy

name	continia-deploy
description	Compile and deploy AL code to a BC environment. Handles single-app and multi-app deploys with topological dependency ordering. Use when (1) AL code was changed and needs deploying, (2) the user asks to compile and publish, (3) a test fix needs deploying before re-running tests, or (4) a fresh environment needs all apps deployed. Invoke continia-env-setup first if no envId is available.

Deploy AL Code

Compile and publish AL apps to a running BC environment.

The CLI is located at .tools/continia.exe.

Prerequisites

A running environment ID. If unavailable, invoke continia-env-setup first.

Strategy Selection

Single app, deps already published:

continia deploy <envId> <appPath> --json

Single app with local dependencies (or fresh env):

continia deploy <envId> <appPath> --with-deps --json

All workspace apps:

continia deploy <envId> --all --workspace-root <sessionRoot> --json

Override schema sync mode (default: Synchronize; options: Synchronize, ForceSync, Recreate):

continia deploy <envId> <appPath> --sync-mode ForceSync --json

Result Interpretation

JSON output is an array per app:

[{"app": "Continia Software_Continia Core", "compiled": true, "published": true}]

On failure, the error field contains details:

• Missing symbols -- invoke continia-deps to download dependencies, then retry
• AL syntax errors -- fix the code and re-deploy
• "App is already installed" -- add --force or increment the version
• Schema sync errors -- retry with --sync-mode ForceSync (or Recreate as last resort, which drops and recreates tables)
• Connection refused -- environment may have stopped; re-run continia-env-setup

Standalone Operations

Compile only (no publish):

continia compile <appPath> --json

Compile uses the AL VS Code extension's bundled alc.exe (matched against analyzer DLLs by construction — no version mismatch). Override with CONTINIA_ALC_PATH=<path>. Without an AL extension installed, falls back to altool's al compile and warns on stderr — analyzers may fail to load in that mode.

Code analyzers (CodeCop, UICop, AppSourceCop, PerTenantExtensionCop, BCLinterCop) are auto-loaded from <appPath>/.vscode/settings.json (al.codeAnalyzers array). Standard placeholders (${CodeCop}, ${analyzerFolder}BusinessCentral.LinterCop.dll, etc.) resolve against the same AL extension. Missing DLLs warn on stderr and skip — compile still runs.

Publish a pre-built .app file:

continia publish <envId> <appFile> --json
continia publish <envId> <appFile> --sync-mode ForceSync --json

Gotchas

• Deploy from the correct working directory — The CLI discovers apps from the cwd. Run deploy from within the app's parent directory (e.g. continia deploy <envId> Cloud from the DocumentOutput dir). Passing full absolute paths like U:\Git\...\DocumentOutput\Cloud fails with "No app.json found."
• --all deploys too much — --all --workspace-root discovers all apps in the workspace including BC base apps (209+ apps in DO.Support). Deploy specific apps instead of using --all.

Common Pattern: Fix-and-Deploy

1. Fix the AL code
2. continia deploy <envId> <appPath> --json
3. If compile fails, fix errors and retry
4. Once published, invoke continia-test to verify