OmniFocus MCP Server

Instructions

Implementation Reference

• src/omnifocus/client.ts:85-96 (handler)

  Core handler function implementing the logic to fetch active tasks from OmniFocus by generating and executing a JXA script, parsing the JSON output.
  async getActiveTasks(filters: TaskFilters = {}): Promise<OmniFocusTask[]> { console.error('[DEBUG] getActiveTasks called with filters:', JSON.stringify(filters)); const jxaScript = buildJxaScriptForTasks(true); const output = this.executeScript(jxaScript); try { const tasks = JSON.parse(output); return tasks; } catch (e) { console.error('[DEBUG] Failed to parse OmniFocus JXA output:', output); throw new Error('Failed to parse OmniFocus output as JSON'); } }
• src/server.ts:46-50 (registration)

  Tool registration in the MCP ListTools response, including name, description, and input schema (empty object since no parameters required).
  { name: 'get_active_tasks', description: "Call this tool to get a list of all active (uncompleted) tasks from the user's OmniFocus. Use it when the user asks for their 'active tasks', 'current tasks', or 'open tasks'.", inputSchema: { type: 'object', properties: {} } },
• src/server.ts:77-79 (handler)

  MCP CallToolRequest handler dispatch for 'get_active_tasks', invoking the OmniFocusClient method.
  case 'get_active_tasks': result = await this.client.getActiveTasks(); break;
• src/types/omnifocus.ts:6-32 (schema)

  TypeScript interface defining the structure of OmniFocusTask, used as the return type for getActiveTasks.
  export interface OmniFocusTask { id: string; name: string; note: string; completed: boolean; completionDate?: string | null; creationDate: string; modificationDate: string; dueDate?: string | null; deferDate?: string | null; estimatedMinutes?: number | null; flagged: boolean; repetitionRule?: string | null; sequential: boolean; project?: { id: string; name: string; } | null; context?: { id: string; name: string; } | null; containingProject?: { id: string; name: string; } | null; }
• src/omnifocus/omnifocus-jxa.ts:3-73 (helper)

  Helper function generating the JXA (JavaScript for Automation) script executed in OmniFocus to retrieve active tasks, including filtering logic.
  export function buildJxaScriptForTasks(activeOnly: boolean): string { return ` (() => { const app = Application('OmniFocus'); app.includeStandardAdditions = true; const ofDoc = app.defaultDocument; function safe(obj, method) { try { return obj && typeof obj[method] === 'function' ? obj[method]() : null; } catch { return null; } } function getContext(task) { const ctx = safe(task, 'context'); return ctx ? { id: safe(ctx, 'id'), name: safe(ctx, 'name') } : null; } function getProject(task) { const proj = safe(task, 'containingProject'); return proj ? { id: safe(proj, 'id'), name: safe(proj, 'name') } : null; } function isInTemplatesFolder(project) { let folder = safe(project, 'folder'); while (folder) { if (safe(folder, 'name') === 'Templates') return true; folder = safe(folder, 'parentFolder'); } return false; } function isExcludedTask(task) { const name = safe(task, 'name') || ''; const note = safe(task, 'note') || ''; if (name.includes('«') || name.includes('»') || note.includes('«') || note.includes('»')) return true; if (name.includes('⚙️') || note.includes('⚙️')) return true; const proj = safe(task, 'containingProject'); if (!proj) return false; return isInTemplatesFolder(proj); } function getTaskData(task) { return { id: safe(task, 'id'), name: safe(task, 'name'), note: safe(task, 'note'), completed: safe(task, 'completed'), status: safe(task, 'status'), completionDate: safe(task, 'completionDate') ? safe(task, 'completionDate').toISOString() : null, creationDate: safe(task, 'creationDate') ? safe(task, 'creationDate').toISOString() : null, modificationDate: safe(task, 'modificationDate') ? safe(task, 'modificationDate').toISOString() : null, dueDate: safe(task, 'dueDate') ? safe(task, 'dueDate').toISOString() : null, deferDate: safe(task, 'deferDate') ? safe(task, 'deferDate').toISOString() : null, estimatedMinutes: safe(task, 'estimatedMinutes'), flagged: safe(task, 'flagged'), repetitionRule: safe(task, 'repetitionRule'), sequential: safe(task, 'sequential'), project: safe(task, 'project'), context: getContext(task), containingProject: getProject(task) }; } const allTasks = Array.from(ofDoc.flattenedTasks()); const filteredTasks = allTasks.filter(task => { if (isExcludedTask(task)) return false; const statusObj = safe(task, 'status') ? task.status() : null; const statusName = statusObj ? safe(statusObj, 'name') : ''; if (${activeOnly ? 'true' : 'false'}) { // Exclude completed or dropped tasks return !task.completed() && !/dropped/i.test(statusName); } return true; }); const result = filteredTasks.map(getTaskData); return JSON.stringify(result); })(); `; }