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Enable AI-powered solution configuration through Model Context Protocol integration.

Documentation pages: AI Integration  | MCP for Designer In Action | AI MCP for Designer Connector

Integration Architecture

Key Capabilities

• Navigate Designer UI — AI can observe and interact with the Designer interface
• Create Objects — Generate Tags, Displays, Alarms, and other solution objects
• Modify Configuration — Update existing objects with AI assistance
• Import JSON — Bulk import configurations generated by AI
• Query Objects — Search and inspect existing solution configuration
• Generate XAML — Create display content with proper FrameworX patterns
• Take Screenshots — Capture Designer state for context

When to Use MCP for Designer

Visual Indicator

When AI is connected to Designer, you'll see:

• "AI MCP" badge — Orange label in the toolbar area

• Orange border — Glowing border around the main working area

This provides clear visual feedback that AI is actively controlling the Designer.

Prerequisites

• FrameworX 10.1 Designer

• .NET 8.0 runtime

• Node.js (optional — allows AI to read screenshot and inspect_application results directly, otherwise user must upload files manually)

• Claude Desktop or compatible MCP client

• Network connectivity (if Designer runs on remote machine)

Configuration

Enable/Disable MCP for Designer

MCP for Designer is Enabled by default. To disable:

1. Open FrameworX Designer

2. Navigate to

Edit

3. Uns →

Settings → MCP
4. Enable MCP Server
5. Note the Port number (default: 3102)
6. Click Apply

7. DataServers

8. Uncheck Allow MCP For Designer

This setting is per-solution.

Connecting Claude Desktop

Configure Claude Desktop to connect to the Designer MCP server:

1. Open Claude Desktop

2. Go to Settings → Developer → Edit Config

3. Open

the

4. "claude_desktop_config.json"

file

6. Add the

MCP for Designer

7. configuration:

{

"mcpServers":

{

"FrameworX-Designer":

{

"command":

"<ProductPath>\\fx-10\\

MCP\\

DesignerMCP.exe", "transport": "stdio" }, "filesystem": { "command": "npx", "args":

[ "-y"

, "@modelcontextprotocol/server-filesystem", "C:\\Users\\<username>\\Documents\\FrameworX\\Exchange", "C:\\Users\\Public\\Documents\\FrameworX\\Transfers" ] } } }

1. Replace <ProductPath> with your FrameworX installation directory (use double backslashes)

2. Replace <username> with your Windows username

3. Save and close

the file

5. Restart Claude Desktop completely (close via

Windows

6. Task Manager)

Tip: You can run both MCP for Designer and MCP for Runtime simultaneously by including both configurations in your claude_desktop_config.json file.

The filesystem MCP server is optional — it allows AI to directly read the files produced by get_screenshot and inspect_application. Without it, those tools still work but the user must manually upload the resulting files into the conversation for AI to see them. All other Designer tools work independently of the filesystem server.

The filesystem server requires Node.js. If not already installed:

1. Go to https://nodejs.org

2. Download the LTS (Long Term Support) version — choose Windows Installer (.msi), 64-bit

3. Run the installer: click Next, accept the license, keep the default install path, make sure "Add to PATH" is selected, then click Install

Verifying Connection

1. Open Claude Desktop

2. Go to Settings → Developer

3. Verify "FrameworX-Designer

" shows

4. " and "filesystem" both show status "running"

5. Open a new chat and click Search and Tools —

you should see the

6. Designer tools should be listed

Available Tools

Built-in Tools

AI MCP for Designer provides these pre-configured tools:

Example Queries

Creating Objects:

• "Create a new analog tag called Tank1_Level with engineering units in gallons, range 0-1000"
• "Create 10 temperature sensor tags named Sensor_T01 through Sensor_T10"
• "Add a high alarm at 85 and high-high alarm at 95 to all temperature tags"

Querying Configuration:

• "List all tags in the Boiler area"
• "Show me the alarm configuration for Tank1_Level"
• "What displays reference the tag Pump1_Status?"

Generating Displays:

• "Create a simple display showing Tank1_Level with a gauge and numeric value"
• "Generate a 2x3 grid dashboard for all pump status tags"
• "Add a trend chart showing the last 24 hours of temperature data"

Modifying Configuration:

• "Change the high alarm limit on all temperature tags from 80 to 85"
• "Update the description on all tags in Area1 to include 'Production Line A'"
• "Rename tag OldName to NewName and update all references"

Integration with AI Context Documents

For AI to generate valid FrameworX configuration, it uses context documents that describe the platform's data model and XAML patterns:

These documents are located in Support Resources and are optimized for AI consumption. FrameworX feeds automatically that information for AI to give it context on how to create solutions.

Best Practices

Review Before Committing

AI-generated configuration should always be reviewed before saving:

• Verify object names and hierarchy placement
• Check property values and units
• Validate alarm configurations
• Test display layouts and bindings

Use Version Control

• Save solution backups before bulk AI operations
• Use FrameworX solution versioning features
• Consider Git integration for exported JSON files

Effective Prompting

For best results when working with AI MCP for Designer:

Start Small

2. In Designer, verify the orange "AI MCP" badge appears

Available Tools

Solution Management (4 tools)

The solutions visible to the MCP for Designer are only the ones in folders defined as Allow Remote Access, by the Solution Center tool. By default the solutions in the sub-folder ..\Documents\FrameworXSolutions are visible.

→ See Solution Center — Server Information

MCP Authorization

The first open_solution, create_solution, or inspect_external_solution call in a conversation triggers an MCP authorization prompt. Approve it once — subsequent calls need no further authorization.

Object Operations (5 tools)

Singleton Tables: SolutionSettings, AlarmsGlobalSettings, RuntimeStartup, and RuntimeExecutionProfiles have a single configuration row — no Name column needed. Use get_objects to read, write_objects(mode='upsert')to modify.

Schema & Discovery (4 tools)

Protocol search examples:

• list_protocols(search='siemens') → S7, S7Plus

• list_protocols(search='allen') → EtherNet/IP, DF1, ControlLogix

• list_protocols(search='modbus') → Modbus TCP, Modbus RTU

Display element queries:

• list_elements() — List all element types by category

• list_elements('Canvas') — Canvas display structure

• list_elements('Dashboard') — Dashboard grid and cell structure

• list_elements('WizardSymbol') — Industrial symbols: BLOWER, MOTOR, PUMP, TANK, VALVE

Dynamic behavior queries:

• list_dynamics() — Overview of all dynamics grouped by category

• list_dynamics('color') — FillColor, LineColor, TextColor dynamics

• list_dynamics('action') — ActionDynamic for click handlers

• list_dynamics('animation') — Rotate, Move, Scale, Skew dynamics

• list_dynamics('FillColorDynamic') — Full schema with property definitions

Designer UI & Control (3 tools)

designer_action available actions:

Note: get_objects and write_objects auto-navigate the Designer UI to the relevant context. Use navigate only for pages without configuration objects (DataExplorer tools, AlarmsMonitor, etc.).

Page-specific actions: Some Designer pages expose additional context-specific actions (e.g., expand_all, collapse_all on table views). These appear in get_state responses as tabActions and can be passed directly to designer_action.

Documentation & Knowledge (3 tools)

search_docs modes:

• Search mode: search_docs('alarm configuration') — returns titles and snippets

• Fetch mode: search_docs(fetch_url='<url from results>') — returns full page content with code examples

Documentation labels: concept, tutorial, how-to, example, reference, connector, code, control, use-case, skill

AI Skills: Use search_docs('', labels='skill') to discover available step-by-step implementation guides. Skills are multi-module playbooks that prevent common mistakes in complex configurations.

inspect_external_solution workflow:

1. search_docs(query, labels='example') — find documented solution examples

2. inspect_external_solution(solution_path) — list available JSON files

3. inspect_external_solution(solution_path, file_name='Tags.json') — read specific configuration

inspect_application workflow:

1. inspect_application() — exports current solution to Exchange/<AppName>/ folder

2. AI uses the filesystem MCP server to list and read exported JSON files

3. Useful for solution analysis, documentation, comparison, and migration

Exchange Folder

Several MCP tools use the Exchange folder to share files between the Designer and AI, rather than embedding large data in MCP responses. The filesystem MCP server (configured during setup) gives AI direct read access to these files.

This file-based approach keeps MCP responses lightweight and avoids large base64-encoded data in the conversation context.

Security

MCP Category and Update Protection

Objects created by AI receive Category = "MCP" (via SolutionCategories) to track AI-created vs manually-created.

How it works:

1. AI creates object → Category set to "MCP"

2. User edits in Designer → "MCP" removed

3. AI updates → Limited to Description field

4. To re-enable → Manually add "MCP" to Category

Solution Authentication

Solutions can have security enabled with user accounts and edit permissions.

How authentication works with AI:

1. AI opens solution → response includes current username (Guest by default) and edit permissions

2. If permissions are not Unrestricted, AI informs the user that some operations may be restricted

3. User provides credentials → AI calls designer_action('logon', 'username:password')

4. Successful login → permissions expand to match the user's role

5. designer_action('logoff') returns to Guest

AI can browse and read the solution even as Guest. Permission restrictions only affect write operations.

Security: AI never echoes, logs, or repeats passwords in its responses.

Table Types Quick Reference

Syntax Quick Reference

Path Syntax

• Folder separator: / (slash) — only for Tags and Symbols: Tag.Area1/Line1/Tank1

• Namespace/member separator: . (dot) — for all other access: Server.DateTimeInfo.Second

• UDT members: Tag.Area1/Line1/Loop1.Setpoint (dot after tag path for member access)

• Built-in namespaces: dot only, never slash: Alarm.Group.Critical.TotalCount

Critical: Never use . for folders or / for members. Tag.Area1.Line1.Tank1 is WRONG. Tag.Area1/Line1/Loop1/Setpoint is WRONG.

Common Workflows

• Creating Tags
  • "Create a Double tag called TankLevel in the Tanks folder with range 0-100"
• Device Communication
  • "Connect to a Siemens S7-1500 PLC at 192.168.1.10"
  • AI will: Search protocols → Present options → Create Channel → Create Node → Help map Points
• Creating Displays
  • "Create a dashboard with 4 cells showing TankLevel, TankTemp, PumpStatus, and AlarmCount"
• Configuring Alarms
  • "Create high and low alarms for TankLevel: High at 90 (Critical), Low at 10 (Warning)"
• Finding Object Usage
  • "Where is tag Tank1Level used?"
  • AI uses: designer_action('find_object', 'Tag.Tank1Level') — opens Find Results panel in Designer showing all cross-references.
• Deleting Objects Safely
  • "Delete the old TestDisplay"
  • AI uses: designer_action('find_object', 'Display.TestDisplay') to check references first, then delete_objects if safe.
• Renaming with Safe Refactoring
  • "Rename Tag.OldName to Tag.NewName"
  • AI uses: rename_object — all cross-references update automatically (linked by ID, not name).
• Applying Changes Without Restart
  • "Apply my tag changes to the running system"
  • AI uses: designer_action('hot_reload')
• Logging In to Secured Solutions
  • "Log in as admin"
  • AI prompts for password, then uses: designer_action('logon', 'admin:password')
• Inspecting Application Configuration
  • "Export and analyze the current solution"
  • AI uses: inspect_application() to export JSON files to the Exchange folder, then reads them via the filesystem server for analysis.

Best Practices

Be Specific

Instead of "Create some tags", say:

"Create these tags in the Production folder: MixerSpeed (Double, 0-1000 RPM), MixerRunning (Digital), BatchCount (Integer)"

Validate Before Bulk Operations

"Validate this configuration before creating 50 tags"

AI uses write_objects with dry_run=true to check for errors without committing.

Use Skills for Complex Tasks

"Search for a skill on Modbus TCP configuration"

AI searches for step-by-step guides that prevent common mistakes.

Review Changes

"Show me the recent changes" or "Navigate to the Tags tab"

Troubleshooting

Designer MCP Server not starting

• Verify .NET 8.0 runtime is installed

• Check that Designer is running

• Confirm MCP is enabled in Designer settings

• Check firewall settings

for the configured port

Claude doesn't see Designer tools

• Ensure claude_desktop_config.json path is correct (

use

• double backslashes)

• Restart Claude completely (close via Task Manager)

• Verify Designer MCP shows "running" in Claude settings

AI creates objects in wrong location

• Specify full path in your request (e.g., "in the Boiler/Tanks folder")
• Ask AI to show the solution structure first
• Provide explicit parent object references

Generated XAML doesn't render correctly

Filesystem MCP server not connecting

• Verify Node.js is installed (node --version in command prompt)

• Check that the Exchange folder path in config matches your Windows username

• Verify "filesystem" shows "running" in Claude Desktop → Settings → Developer

"Update blocked" message

• Object doesn't have MCP in Category

• User edited the object, removing MCP

• AI can only update Description field

• To enable: add "MCP" to Category in Designer

• Ask AI to use simpler layouts first
• Reference existing working displays as examples
Check for missing namespace declarations

Changes not appearing in Designer

• Refresh

the

• Designer view

• Check if object was created in a different location

• (F5)

• For displays, close and reopen the display editor

• Verify operation completed

Verify the operation completed successfully

• in Claude's response

Related Documentation

AI MCP for Runtime

For querying live data from running solutions:

• AI MCP for Runtime Connector — Query tags, alarms, and historian
• AI MCP for Runtime Tutorial — Step-by-step guide

Quick Start Tutorial

Learn AI-assisted configuration step by step:

• AI MCP for Designer Tutorial — Create your first objects with AI

Example Implementation

See MCP in action:

• SolarPanels MCP Demo — Full solution with MCP integration

Technology Information

• AI-Ready by Design — Platform architecture for AI integration

Reference Information

No visual indicator (orange border)

• Verify MCP connection is active in Claude Desktop

• Check Designer settings for MCP enabled

• Restart Designer if needed

Permission errors on write operations

• Solution may have security enabled

• Ask AI to check current permissions: look at the security field in the response

• Log in with appropriate credentials: tell AI "log in as [username]"

• After successful login, retry the operation

Related Documentation

• [AI Integration]

• [MCP for Designer In Action]

• [AI MCP for Runtime Connector]

• [AI ML Integration Connector]

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