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

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

• 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 Uns → DataServers

3. Uncheck Allow MCP For Designer

This setting is per-solution.

Connecting Claude Desktop

1. Open Claude Desktop

2. Go to Settings → Developer → Edit Config

3. Open "claude_desktop_config.json"

4. Add the configuration:

{ "mcpServers": { "FrameworX-Designer": { "command": "<ProductPath>\\fx-10\\MCP\\DesignerMCP.exe", "transport": "stdio" } } }

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

2. Save and close

3. Restart Claude Desktop completely (close via 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.

Verifying Connection

1. Open Claude Desktop

2. Go to Settings → Developer

3. Verify "FrameworX-Designer" shows status "running"

4. Open a new chat and click Search and Tools — Designer tools should be listed

5. 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 (3 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

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 (2 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

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')

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

Claude doesn't see Designer tools

• Ensure claude_desktop_config.json path is correct (double backslashes)

• Restart Claude completely (close via Task Manager)

• Verify Designer MCP shows "running" in Claude settings

"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

Changes not appearing in Designer

• Refresh Designer view (F5)

• For displays, close and reopen the display editor

• Verify operation completed in Claude's response

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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