Piping Toolset Engineering Data

Locate a value in a standard

get_pointer

Read-onlyIdempotent

For a quantity whose value this server does not return (for example PVP2011-57100 nozzle allowables, ASCE 7-22 SDS, Ip, CAR and Rpo, AISC Fy/Fu, ACI anchor product values, API 617/611/612 and NEMA SM 23 coefficients, API 650 Annex P coefficients, and any dataset currently returned as a location only), return where to read it: standard, edition, table or figure, the row key and columns, and the inputs needed. Never returns a value.

Tool call template

Replace each placeholder with a value matching the input schema. Only required parameters are included; add optional parameters as needed.

{
  "id": 1,
  "jsonrpc": "2.0",
  "method": "tools/call",
  "params": {
    "arguments": {
      "standard": "<standard>",
      "quantity": "<quantity>"
    },
    "name": "get_pointer"
  }
}

Input Schema

Name	Required	Description	Default
`quantity`	Yes	What you need, e.g. 'SDS' or 'allowable nozzle loads class 150'
`standard`	Yes	Standard, e.g. 'ASCE 7-22', 'API 617', 'PVP2011-57100'

Output Schema

Name	Required	Description	Default
`pointers`	Yes

Schema Changelog

Changes observed during successful MCP inspections.

First observedNov 12, 2026

TDQS

A3.8/5.0

Behavior4/5

Does the description disclose side effects, auth requirements, rate limits, or destructive behavior?

Annotations already cover the safety profile (readOnly, idempotent, non-destructive, closed-world), so the description does not need to repeat it. It adds genuinely useful behavioral context instead: the return is a citation/pointer, not a value, and the enumeration of datasets that are 'currently returned as a location only' signals a real limitation of the server. It stops short of saying what happens when no location is known.

Agents need to know what a tool does to the world before calling it. Descriptions should go beyond structured annotations to explain consequences.

Conciseness3/5

Is the description appropriately sized, front-loaded, and free of redundancy?

Purpose is front-loaded, but the opening sentence is buried under a long parenthetical cramming nine example families into one clause, which hurts scanability. The closing 'Never returns a value' is the most valuable sentence and is well placed, but the middle enumeration could be trimmed or moved.

Shorter descriptions cost fewer tokens and are easier for agents to parse. Every sentence should earn its place.

Completeness4/5

Given the tool's complexity, does the description cover enough for an agent to succeed on first attempt?

With an output schema present and rich annotations, the description only needs to establish intent and behavior, which it does. The agent knows what it gets back (location, edition, table, row key, columns, required inputs) and what it will never get back (a value). Minor gap: no guidance on what to do when the quantity is not indexed in the standard.

Complex tools with many parameters or behaviors need more documentation. Simple tools need less. This dimension scales expectations accordingly.

Parameters3/5

Does the description clarify parameter syntax, constraints, interactions, or defaults beyond what the schema provides?

Schema description coverage is 100% and the schema already gives example values for both 'quantity' and 'standard', so the schema carries the parameter burden. The description's mention of 'the inputs needed' hints that the tool may report additional required inputs but does not explain how 'quantity' phrasing affects matching. Baseline 3 applies.

Input schemas describe structure but not intent. Descriptions should explain non-obvious parameter relationships and valid value ranges.

Purpose4/5

Does the description clearly state what the tool does and how it differs from similar tools?

The description names a specific operation — return the location (standard, edition, table/figure, row key, columns, inputs) rather than a value — and explicitly states the negative 'Never returns a value,' which sharply separates it from a value-returning sibling. The one weakness is that the trigger condition ('a quantity whose value this server does not return') requires the agent to already know what the server returns, without naming the alternative tool.

Agents choose between tools based on descriptions. A clear purpose with a specific verb and resource helps agents select the right tool.

Usage Guidelines4/5

Does the description explain when to use this tool, when not to, or what alternatives exist?

It states the use case clearly and reinforces it with a concrete example list (PVP2011-57100 nozzle allowables, ASCE 7-22 SDS, AISC Fy/Fu, etc.) that tells the agent what kinds of requests belong here. There is no explicit 'do not use this when...' exclusion clause pointing at lookup_value, so the routing is implied rather than spelled out.

Agents often have multiple tools that could apply. Explicit usage guidance like "use X instead of Y when Z" prevents misuse.

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