mcp: feedback on autostart (microsoft#258650)

- Fixes microsoft#258445 (error when sending a request)
- Show verbose progress if MCP startup takes >5s
- Don't show the server button for new tools if autostart is enabled

Author: connor4312

src/vs/workbench/contrib/chat/common/chatServiceImpl.ts

@@ -22,14 +22,12 @@ import { localize } from '../../../../nls.js';
 import { IConfigurationService } from '../../../../platform/configuration/common/configuration.js';
 import { IInstantiationService } from '../../../../platform/instantiation/common/instantiation.js';
 import { ILogService } from '../../../../platform/log/common/log.js';
-import { mcpAutoStartConfig, McpAutoStartValue } from '../../../../platform/mcp/common/mcpManagement.js';
 import { Progress } from '../../../../platform/progress/common/progress.js';
 import { IStorageService, StorageScope, StorageTarget } from '../../../../platform/storage/common/storage.js';
 import { ITelemetryService } from '../../../../platform/telemetry/common/telemetry.js';
 import { IWorkspaceContextService } from '../../../../platform/workspace/common/workspace.js';
 import { IExtensionService } from '../../../services/extensions/common/extensions.js';
-import { IMcpServer, IMcpService, McpConnectionState, McpServerCacheState, McpStartServerInteraction } from '../../mcp/common/mcpTypes.js';
-import { startServerAndWaitForLiveTools } from '../../mcp/common/mcpTypesUtils.js';
+import { IMcpService } from '../../mcp/common/mcpTypes.js';
 import { IChatAgent, IChatAgentCommand, IChatAgentData, IChatAgentHistoryEntry, IChatAgentRequest, IChatAgentResult, IChatAgentService } from './chatAgents.js';
 import { ChatModel, ChatRequestModel, ChatRequestRemovalReason, IChatModel, IChatRequestModel, IChatRequestVariableData, IChatResponseModel, IExportableChatData, ISerializableChatData, ISerializableChatDataIn, ISerializableChatsData, normalizeSerializableChatData, toChatHistoryContent, updateRanges } from './chatModel.js';
 import { chatAgentLeader, ChatRequestAgentPart, ChatRequestAgentSubcommandPart, ChatRequestSlashCommandPart, ChatRequestTextPart, chatSubcommandLeader, getPromptText, IParsedChatRequest } from './chatParserTypes.js';
@@ -774,31 +772,6 @@ export class ChatService extends Disposable implements IChatService {
 		return newTokenSource.token;
 	}
 
-	private async _checkForMcpAutostart(token: CancellationToken) {
-		let todo: IMcpServer[] = [];
-
-		const autoStartConfig = this.configurationService.getValue<McpAutoStartValue>(mcpAutoStartConfig);
-
-		// don't try re-running errored servers, let the user choose if they want that
-		const candidates = this.mcpService.servers.get().filter(s => s.connectionState.get().state !== McpConnectionState.Kind.Error);
-
-		if (autoStartConfig === McpAutoStartValue.OnlyNew) {
-			todo = candidates.filter(s => s.cacheState.get() === McpServerCacheState.Unknown);
-		} else if (autoStartConfig === McpAutoStartValue.NewAndOutdated) {
-			todo = candidates.filter(s => {
-				const c = s.cacheState.get();
-				return c === McpServerCacheState.Unknown || c === McpServerCacheState.Outdated;
-			});
-		}
-
-		if (!todo.length) {
-			return;
-		}
-
-		const interaction = new McpStartServerInteraction();
-		await Promise.all(todo.map(server => startServerAndWaitForLiveTools(server, { interaction }, token)));
-	}
-
 	private _sendRequestAsync(model: ChatModel, sessionId: string, parsedRequest: IParsedChatRequest, attempt: number, enableCommandDetection: boolean, defaultAgent: IChatAgent, location: ChatAgentLocation, options?: IChatSendRequestOptions): IChatSendRequestResponseState {
 		const followupsCancelToken = this.refreshFollowupsCancellationToken(sessionId);
 		let request: ChatRequestModel;
@@ -851,6 +824,10 @@ export class ChatService extends Disposable implements IChatService {
 			const stopWatch = new StopWatch(false);
 			store.add(token.onCancellationRequested(() => {
 				this.trace('sendRequest', `Request for session ${model.sessionId} was cancelled`);
+				if (!request) {
+					return;
+				}
+
 				this.telemetryService.publicLog2<ChatProviderInvokedEvent, ChatProviderInvokedClassification>('interactiveSessionProviderInvoked', {
 					timeToFirstProgress: undefined,
 					// Normally timings happen inside the EH around the actual provider. For cancellation we can measure how long the user waited before cancelling
@@ -952,7 +929,7 @@ export class ChatService extends Disposable implements IChatService {
 					const command = detectedCommand ?? agentSlashCommandPart?.command;
 					await Promise.all([
 						this.extensionService.activateByEvent(`onChatParticipant:${agent.id}`),
-						this._checkForMcpAutostart(token),
+						this.mcpService.autostart(token),
 					]);
 
 					// Recompute history in case the agent or command changed

src/vs/workbench/contrib/mcp/browser/mcpCommands.ts

@@ -83,7 +83,10 @@ export class ListMcpServerCommand extends Action2 {
 			f1: true,
 			menu: [{
 				when: ContextKeyExpr.and(
-					ContextKeyExpr.or(McpContextKeys.hasUnknownTools, McpContextKeys.hasServersWithErrors),
+					ContextKeyExpr.or(
+						ContextKeyExpr.and(ContextKeyExpr.equals(`config.${mcpAutoStartConfig}`, McpAutoStartValue.Never), McpContextKeys.hasUnknownTools),
+						McpContextKeys.hasServersWithErrors,
+					),
 					ChatContextKeys.chatModeKind.isEqualTo(ChatModeKind.Agent),
 					ChatContextKeys.lockedToCodingAgent.negate()
 				),
@@ -511,7 +514,7 @@ export class MCPServerActionRendering extends Disposable implements IWorkbenchCo
 					});
 
 					const single = servers.length === 1;
-					const names = servers.map(s => isServer(s) ? link(s) : '`' + s.label + '`').map(l => single ? l : `- ${l}\n`).join(', ');
+					const names = servers.map(s => isServer(s) ? link(s) : '`' + s.label + '`').map(l => single ? l : `- ${l}`).join('\n');
 					let markdown: MarkdownString;
 					if (state === DisplayedState.NewTools) {
 						markdown = new MarkdownString(single

src/vs/workbench/contrib/mcp/common/mcpContextKeys.ts

@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ import { localize } from '../../../../nls.js';
 import { IContextKeyService, RawContextKey } from '../../../../platform/contextkey/common/contextkey.js';
 import { bindContextKey } from '../../../../platform/observable/common/platformObservableUtils.js';
 import { IWorkbenchContribution } from '../../../common/contributions.js';
-import { LazyCollectionState, IMcpService, McpServerCacheState, McpConnectionState } from './mcpTypes.js';
+import { IMcpService, LazyCollectionState, McpConnectionState, McpServerCacheState } from './mcpTypes.js';
 
 
 export namespace McpContextKeys {
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ export class McpContextKeysController extends Disposable implements IWorkbenchCo
 
 	constructor(
 		@IMcpService mcpService: IMcpService,
-		@IContextKeyService contextKeyService: IContextKeyService
+		@IContextKeyService contextKeyService: IContextKeyService,
 	) {
 		super();
 

src/vs/workbench/contrib/mcp/common/mcpService.ts

@@ -4,14 +4,21 @@
  *--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------*/
 
 import { RunOnceScheduler } from '../../../../base/common/async.js';
+import { CancellationToken, CancellationTokenSource } from '../../../../base/common/cancellation.js';
 import { Disposable } from '../../../../base/common/lifecycle.js';
 import { autorun, IObservable, observableValue, transaction } from '../../../../base/common/observable.js';
+import { localize } from '../../../../nls.js';
+import { ICommandService } from '../../../../platform/commands/common/commands.js';
+import { IConfigurationService } from '../../../../platform/configuration/common/configuration.js';
 import { IInstantiationService } from '../../../../platform/instantiation/common/instantiation.js';
 import { ILogService } from '../../../../platform/log/common/log.js';
+import { mcpAutoStartConfig, McpAutoStartValue } from '../../../../platform/mcp/common/mcpManagement.js';
+import { IProgressService, ProgressLocation } from '../../../../platform/progress/common/progress.js';
 import { StorageScope } from '../../../../platform/storage/common/storage.js';
 import { IMcpRegistry } from './mcpRegistryTypes.js';
 import { McpServer, McpServerMetadataCache } from './mcpServer.js';
-import { IMcpServer, IMcpService, McpCollectionDefinition, McpServerCacheState, McpServerDefinition, McpToolName } from './mcpTypes.js';
+import { IMcpServer, IMcpService, McpCollectionDefinition, McpConnectionState, McpServerCacheState, McpServerDefinition, McpStartServerInteraction, McpToolName } from './mcpTypes.js';
+import { startServerAndWaitForLiveTools } from './mcpTypesUtils.js';
 
 type IMcpServerRec = { object: IMcpServer; toolPrefix: string };
 
@@ -31,6 +38,9 @@ export class McpService extends Disposable implements IMcpService {
 		@IInstantiationService private readonly _instantiationService: IInstantiationService,
 		@IMcpRegistry private readonly _mcpRegistry: IMcpRegistry,
 		@ILogService private readonly _logService: ILogService,
+		@IProgressService private readonly progressService: IProgressService,
+		@ICommandService private readonly commandService: ICommandService,
+		@IConfigurationService private readonly configurationService: IConfigurationService
 	) {
 		super();
 
@@ -49,6 +59,58 @@ export class McpService extends Disposable implements IMcpService {
 		}));
 	}
 
+	public async autostart(token?: CancellationToken): Promise<void> {
+		const autoStartConfig = this.configurationService.getValue<McpAutoStartValue>(mcpAutoStartConfig);
+
+		// don't try re-running errored servers, let the user choose if they want that
+		const candidates = this.servers.get().filter(s => s.connectionState.get().state !== McpConnectionState.Kind.Error);
+
+		let todo: IMcpServer[] = [];
+		if (autoStartConfig === McpAutoStartValue.OnlyNew) {
+			todo = candidates.filter(s => s.cacheState.get() === McpServerCacheState.Unknown);
+		} else if (autoStartConfig === McpAutoStartValue.NewAndOutdated) {
+			todo = candidates.filter(s => {
+				const c = s.cacheState.get();
+				return c === McpServerCacheState.Unknown || c === McpServerCacheState.Outdated;
+			});
+		}
+
+		if (!todo.length) {
+			return;
+		}
+
+		const interaction = new McpStartServerInteraction();
+		const cts = new CancellationTokenSource(token);
+
+		await this.progressService.withProgress(
+			{
+				location: ProgressLocation.Notification,
+				cancellable: true,
+				delay: 5_000,
+				total: todo.length,
+				buttons: [localize('mcp.autostart.configure', 'Configure MCP Autostart')]
+			},
+			report => {
+				const remaining = new Set(todo);
+				const doReport = () => report.report({ message: localize('mcp.autostart.progress', 'Starting MCP server: {0}', [...remaining].map(r => r.definition.label).join(', ')), total: todo.length, increment: 1 });
+				doReport();
+				return Promise.all(todo.map(async server => {
+					await startServerAndWaitForLiveTools(server, { interaction }, cts.token);
+					remaining.delete(server);
+					doReport();
+				}));
+			},
+			btn => {
+				if (btn === 0) {
+					this.commandService.executeCommand('workbench.action.openSettings', mcpAutoStartConfig);
+				}
+				cts.cancel();
+			},
+		);
+
+		cts.dispose();
+	}
+
 	public resetCaches(): void {
 		this.userCache.reset();
 		this.workspaceCache.reset();

src/vs/workbench/contrib/mcp/common/mcpTypes.ts

@@ -209,6 +209,10 @@ export interface IMcpService {
 
 	/** Set if there are extensions that register MCP servers that have never been activated. */
 	readonly lazyCollectionState: IObservable<{ state: LazyCollectionState; collections: McpCollectionDefinition[] }>;
+
+	/** Auto-starts pending servers based on user settings. */
+	autostart(token?: CancellationToken): Promise<void>;
+
 	/** Activatese extensions and runs their MCP servers. */
 	activateCollections(): Promise<void>;
 }

src/vs/workbench/contrib/mcp/test/common/mcpResourceFilesystem.test.ts

@@ -7,6 +7,8 @@ import * as assert from 'assert';
 import { Barrier, timeout } from '../../../../../base/common/async.js';
 import { URI } from '../../../../../base/common/uri.js';
 import { ensureNoDisposablesAreLeakedInTestSuite } from '../../../../../base/test/common/utils.js';
+import { NullCommandService } from '../../../../../platform/commands/test/common/nullCommandService.js';
+import { TestConfigurationService } from '../../../../../platform/configuration/test/common/testConfigurationService.js';
 import { FileChangeType, FileSystemProviderErrorCode, FileType, IFileChange, IFileService } from '../../../../../platform/files/common/files.js';
 import { ServiceCollection } from '../../../../../platform/instantiation/common/serviceCollection.js';
 import { TestInstantiationService } from '../../../../../platform/instantiation/test/common/instantiationServiceMock.js';
@@ -46,7 +48,7 @@ suite('Workbench - MCP - ResourceFilesystem', () => {
 		const registry = new TestMcpRegistry(parentInsta1);
 
 		const parentInsta2 = ds.add(parentInsta1.createChild(new ServiceCollection([IMcpRegistry, registry])));
-		const mcpService = ds.add(new McpService(parentInsta2, registry, new NullLogService()));
+		const mcpService = ds.add(new McpService(parentInsta2, registry, new NullLogService(), {} as any, NullCommandService, new TestConfigurationService()));
 		mcpService.updateCollectedServers();
 
 		const instaService = ds.add(parentInsta2.createChild(new ServiceCollection(

src/vs/workbench/contrib/mcp/test/common/testMcpService.ts

@@ -16,6 +16,10 @@ export class TestMcpService implements IMcpService {
 
 	}
 
+	autostart(): Promise<void> {
+		return Promise.resolve();
+	}
+
 	public lazyCollectionState = observableValue(this, { state: LazyCollectionState.AllKnown, collections: [] });
 
 	activateCollections(): Promise<void> {