Tools guide
Table of Contents
Introduction
Claris MCP provides AI language models with tools to interact with your FileMaker Server databases and manage contexts. Tools are organized into two main categories based on their purpose and availability across different context states.
Tool categories
Developer tools
Developer tools are administrative tools that enable context configuration and management. These tools allow you to:
-
Create and manage FileMaker connections
-
Configure and describe tools and their schemas
-
Manage developer-based tokens
-
Control context lifecycle transitions
Developer tools are only available in the Edit state. They are automatically removed when transitioning to Test or Live.
Connection-based tools
Connection-based tools are dynamically generated based on the unique structure of the FileMaker application that the developer creates and maintains. When a FileMaker connection is added to a context, the system automatically generates a set of tools that reflect the underlying schema and logic of the application:
-
Several tools are created for each table, enabling operations like find, create, update, and delete.
-
One tool is generated for every script, allowing agents to execute predefined business logic with precision and consistency.
This structure-aware generation ensures that the context is closely aligned with the actual capabilities and layout of the connected Claris systems.
Connection-based tools are available in all context states.
Context lifecycle and tool availability
| State | Developer Tools | Connection-Based Tools | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Editing | ✅ Available | ✅ Available | Active development; configure connections and tools |
| Testing | ❌ Removed | ✅ Available | Testing state; test tools without modification capabilities |
| Deployed | ❌ Removed | ✅ Available | Production; locked configuration (not enforced at this time), tools only |
State transitions
Editing → Testing → Deployed
-
Editing to Testing: Developer tools are removed; context tokens are auto-created for sharing
-
Testing to Deployed: Context locked; only connection-based tools available
-
Testing to Editing: Creates a branch for modifications instead of direct changes
Developer tools reference
Connection management
| Tool Name | Description | State Availability |
|---|---|---|
get_connections
|
Lists all connections and their associated tools | Editing |
preflight_filemaker_connection
|
Tests FileMaker Server credentials and returns available databases with their tables and scripts | Editing |
add_filemaker_connection
|
Creates a new FileMaker Server connection and generates tools | Editing |
update_filemaker_connection
|
Updates an existing connection to add/remove tools or modify details | Editing |
remove_connection
|
Removes a connection and all associated tools | Editing |
Tool configuration
| Tool Name | Description | State Availability |
|---|---|---|
get_connection_based_tools
|
Lists all tools generated from database connections | Editing |
update_connection_based_tool
|
Updates a tool's name, description, schema, or enabled status | Editing |
Authentication
| Tool Name | Description | State Availability |
|---|---|---|
create_developer_token
|
Creates a persistent developer token for CLI-based clients | Editing |
remove_developer_token
|
Removes a developer token to revoke CLI access | Editing |
Context management
| Tool Name | Description | State Availability |
|---|---|---|
get_user_profile
|
Retrieves information about the current user | All states |
get_user_teams
|
Retrieves a list of teams where the user is a manager | Editing |
get_context_details
|
Retrieves detailed information about the current context | Editing |
update_context_team
|
Associates the context with a different Studio team | Editing |
transition_context
|
Transitions the context to a different lifecycle state | Edit, Testing |
Connection-based tool reference
Connection-based tools are automatically generated when you create a FileMaker connection. The tool names follow specific patterns using the table or script names.
Table operation tools (7 per table)
| Tool Pattern | Description | State Availability |
|---|---|---|
get_{table}_definition
|
Retrieves the table schema including field information | All states |
create_{table}_record
|
Creates a new record in the table | All states |
update_{table}_record
|
Updates an existing record in the table | All states |
delete_{table}_record
|
Deletes a record from the table | All states |
search_{table}_records
|
Searches for records using OData query syntax | All states |
list_{table}_records
|
Lists records from the table with pagination | All states |
upload_{table}_{field}_file* |
Uploads a file from a URL to a container field | All states |
get_{table}_{field}_link* |
Retrieves a URL for accessing a container field's content | All states |
*Container field tools are only generated for tables with container fields where there is a supporting layout (requires FileMaker Server 22.0.2 or later with feature flag enabled)
Script execution tools (1 per script)
| Tool Pattern | Description | State Availability |
|---|---|---|
execute_{script}_script
|
Executes a FileMaker script with optional parameters | All states |
Example tool names
For a connection with:
-
Tables:
Customers,Orders -
Scripts:
ProcessOrder,SendEmail -
Container Fields:
Products.Image
The following tools would be generated:
Customer table tools:
-
get_customers_definition -
create_customers_record -
update_customers_record -
delete_customers_record -
search_customers_records -
list_customers_records
Orders table tools:
-
get_orders_definition -
create_orders_record -
update_orders_record -
delete_orders_record -
search_orders_records -
list_orders_records
Script tools:
-
execute_processorder_script -
execute_sendemail_script
Container field tools (if applicable):
-
upload_products_image_file -
get_products_image_link