Things MCP Server

Instructions

Implementation Reference

• src/tools/update-todo.ts:79-151 (handler)

  Core handler function that implements the update_todo tool logic. Uses JSON operations for completion/cancellation and Things.app URL scheme for other updates.
  async (params) => { try { logger.info('Updating to-do', { id: params.id }); const authToken = requireAuthToken(); // Check if we're doing a completion/cancellation operation (use JSON) if (params.completed !== undefined || params.canceled !== undefined) { const attributes: Record<string, any> = {}; if (params.completed !== undefined) { attributes.completed = params.completed; if (params.completionDate) { attributes['completion-date'] = params.completionDate; } } if (params.canceled !== undefined) { attributes.canceled = params.canceled; } const operation: JsonOperation = { type: 'to-do', operation: 'update', id: params.id, attributes }; await executeJsonOperation(operation, authToken); } else { // Use URL scheme for other updates const urlParams: Record<string, any> = { id: params.id, 'auth-token': authToken }; // Map schema parameters to Things URL scheme parameters if (params.title) urlParams.title = params.title; if (params.notes) urlParams.notes = params.notes; if (params.prependNotes) urlParams['prepend-notes'] = params.prependNotes; if (params.appendNotes) urlParams['append-notes'] = params.appendNotes; if (params.when) urlParams.when = params.when; if (params.deadline) urlParams.deadline = params.deadline; if (params.tags) urlParams.tags = params.tags.join(','); if (params.addTags) urlParams['add-tags'] = params.addTags.join(','); if (params.checklistItems) urlParams['checklist-items'] = params.checklistItems.join(','); if (params.prependChecklistItems) urlParams['prepend-checklist-items'] = params.prependChecklistItems.join(','); if (params.appendChecklistItems) urlParams['append-checklist-items'] = params.appendChecklistItems.join(','); if (params.projectId) urlParams['list-id'] = params.projectId; if (params.projectName) urlParams.list = params.projectName; if (params.areaId) urlParams['area-id'] = params.areaId; if (params.areaName) urlParams.area = params.areaName; if (params.headingId) urlParams['heading-id'] = params.headingId; if (params.headingName) urlParams.heading = params.headingName; if (params.creationDate) urlParams['creation-date'] = params.creationDate; const url = buildThingsUrl('update', urlParams); logger.debug('Generated URL', { url: url.replace(authToken, '***') }); await openThingsUrl(url); } return { content: [{ type: "text", text: `Successfully updated to-do: ${params.id}` }] }; } catch (error) { logger.error('Failed to update to-do', { error: error instanceof Error ? error.message : error }); throw error; } }
• src/tools/update-todo.ts:8-72 (schema)

  Zod schema defining the input parameters and validation for the update_todo tool.
  const updateTodoSchema = z.object({ id: z.string().min(1).describe('The unique ID of the to-do to update. This ID can be obtained from the list_todos tool'), title: z.string().min(1).optional().describe('Update the to-do title with a new clear, actionable description of the task'), notes: z.string().max(10000).optional().describe('Replace existing notes with new content (max 10,000 characters). Supports markdown formatting. This completely replaces existing notes'), prependNotes: z.string().optional().describe('Add text to the beginning of existing notes without replacing them. Useful for adding updates or new information'), appendNotes: z.string().optional().describe('Add text to the end of existing notes without replacing them. Useful for adding follow-up information or status updates'), when: z.enum(['today', 'tomorrow', 'evening', 'anytime', 'someday']) .or(z.string().regex(/^\d{4}-\d{2}-\d{2}$/)) .optional() .describe('Reschedule the to-do. Use "today" for immediate action, "tomorrow" for next day, "evening" for later today, "anytime" for no specific time, "someday" for future consideration, or ISO date format (YYYY-MM-DD) for specific date'), deadline: z.string() .regex(/^\d{4}-\d{2}-\d{2}$/) .optional() .describe('Update the deadline in ISO date format (YYYY-MM-DD). Creates or updates deadline reminder in Things.app'), tags: z.array(z.string().min(1)) .max(20) .optional() .describe('Replace all current tags with this new set of tag names (max 20 tags). This completely replaces existing tags'), addTags: z.array(z.string().min(1)) .max(20) .optional() .describe('Add these tag names to existing tags without removing current ones (max 20 total tags). Preserves existing tags'), checklistItems: z.array(z.string().min(1)) .max(100) .optional() .describe('Replace all current checklist items with this new set (max 100 items). This completely replaces existing checklist items'), prependChecklistItems: z.array(z.string().min(1)) .optional() .describe('Add these checklist items to the beginning of the existing checklist without removing current items'), appendChecklistItems: z.array(z.string().min(1)) .optional() .describe('Add these checklist items to the end of the existing checklist without removing current items'), projectId: z.string() .optional() .describe('Move the to-do to a different project by specifying the project ID'), projectName: z.string() .optional() .describe('Move the to-do to a different project by specifying the project name. Things.app will find the project by name'), areaId: z.string() .optional() .describe('Move the to-do to a different area by specifying the area ID'), areaName: z.string() .optional() .describe('Move the to-do to a different area by specifying the area name (e.g., "Work", "Personal", "Health")'), headingId: z.string() .optional() .describe('Move the to-do under a specific heading within the target project by heading ID'), headingName: z.string() .optional() .describe('Move the to-do under a specific heading within the target project by heading name (e.g., "Phase 1", "Research")'), completed: z.boolean() .optional() .describe('Mark the to-do as completed (true) or reopen it (false). Completed to-dos are moved to the Logbook'), canceled: z.boolean() .optional() .describe('Mark the to-do as canceled (true) or restore it (false). Canceled to-dos are moved to the Trash'), creationDate: z.string() .regex(/^\d{4}-\d{2}-\d{2}T\d{2}:\d{2}:\d{2}/) .optional() .describe('Override the creation date with a specific ISO8601 datetime (YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SS). Useful for data migration'), completionDate: z.string() .regex(/^\d{4}-\d{2}-\d{2}T\d{2}:\d{2}:\d{2}/) .optional() .describe('Set a specific completion date using ISO8601 datetime (YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SS). Only used when marking as completed') });
• src/tools/update-todo.ts:74-153 (registration)

  Registration function that registers the 'update_todo' tool with the MCP server, providing name, description, schema, and handler.
  export function registerUpdateTodoTool(server: McpServer): void { server.tool( 'update_todo', 'Update an existing to-do item in Things.app. Modify title, notes, scheduling, tags, checklist items, project/area assignment, and completion status.', updateTodoSchema.shape, async (params) => { try { logger.info('Updating to-do', { id: params.id }); const authToken = requireAuthToken(); // Check if we're doing a completion/cancellation operation (use JSON) if (params.completed !== undefined || params.canceled !== undefined) { const attributes: Record<string, any> = {}; if (params.completed !== undefined) { attributes.completed = params.completed; if (params.completionDate) { attributes['completion-date'] = params.completionDate; } } if (params.canceled !== undefined) { attributes.canceled = params.canceled; } const operation: JsonOperation = { type: 'to-do', operation: 'update', id: params.id, attributes }; await executeJsonOperation(operation, authToken); } else { // Use URL scheme for other updates const urlParams: Record<string, any> = { id: params.id, 'auth-token': authToken }; // Map schema parameters to Things URL scheme parameters if (params.title) urlParams.title = params.title; if (params.notes) urlParams.notes = params.notes; if (params.prependNotes) urlParams['prepend-notes'] = params.prependNotes; if (params.appendNotes) urlParams['append-notes'] = params.appendNotes; if (params.when) urlParams.when = params.when; if (params.deadline) urlParams.deadline = params.deadline; if (params.tags) urlParams.tags = params.tags.join(','); if (params.addTags) urlParams['add-tags'] = params.addTags.join(','); if (params.checklistItems) urlParams['checklist-items'] = params.checklistItems.join(','); if (params.prependChecklistItems) urlParams['prepend-checklist-items'] = params.prependChecklistItems.join(','); if (params.appendChecklistItems) urlParams['append-checklist-items'] = params.appendChecklistItems.join(','); if (params.projectId) urlParams['list-id'] = params.projectId; if (params.projectName) urlParams.list = params.projectName; if (params.areaId) urlParams['area-id'] = params.areaId; if (params.areaName) urlParams.area = params.areaName; if (params.headingId) urlParams['heading-id'] = params.headingId; if (params.headingName) urlParams.heading = params.headingName; if (params.creationDate) urlParams['creation-date'] = params.creationDate; const url = buildThingsUrl('update', urlParams); logger.debug('Generated URL', { url: url.replace(authToken, '***') }); await openThingsUrl(url); } return { content: [{ type: "text", text: `Successfully updated to-do: ${params.id}` }] }; } catch (error) { logger.error('Failed to update to-do', { error: error instanceof Error ? error.message : error }); throw error; } } ); }
• src/index.ts:23-23 (registration)

  Top-level call to register the update_todo tool during server initialization.
  registerUpdateTodoTool(server);
• src/types/things.ts:42-59 (schema)

  TypeScript interface defining the parameters for updating a todo, used for type safety.
  export interface UpdateTodoParams { id: string; 'auth-token': string; title?: string; notes?: string; when?: WhenValue; deadline?: string; tags?: string; 'checklist-items'?: string; list?: string; heading?: string; completed?: boolean; canceled?: boolean; 'prepend-notes'?: string; 'append-notes'?: string; 'add-tags'?: string; 'add-checklist-items'?: string; }