Let $\mathfrak{A}$ be a $C^{*}$-algebra with real rank zero which has the stable weak cancellation property. Let $\mathfrak{I}$ be an ideal of $\mathfrak{A}$ such that $\mathfrak{I}$ is stable and satisfies the corona factorization property. We prove that $ 0 \to \mathfrak{I} \to \mathfrak{A} \to \mathfrak{A} / \mathfrak{I} \to 0 $ is a full extension if and only if the extension is stenotic and $K$-lexicographic. {As an immediate application, we extend the classification result for graph $C^*$-algebras obtained by Tomforde and the first named author to the general non-unital case. In combination with recent results by Katsura, Tomforde, West and the first author, our result may also be used to give a purely $K$-theoretical description of when an essential extension of two simple and stable graph $C^*$-algebras is again a graph $C^*$-algebra.}

We produce a complete description of the lattice of gauge-invariant ideals in $C^*(\Lambda)$ for a finitely aligned $k$-graph $\Lambda$. We provide a condition on $\Lambda$ under which every ideal is gauge-invariant. We give conditions on $\Lambda$ under which $C^*(\Lambda)$ satisfies the hypotheses of the Kirchberg--Phillips classification theorem.