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Gramps Web MCP

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Hybrid

Update Note

update_note

Change an existing note's text, type, format, tags, privacy, or linked handles without altering omitted fields. Specify only what changes; use linkMode to replace, add, or remove links.

Instructions

Change an existing note: its text, type, format, tags or private flag; new text replaces the whole body. Pass only what changes; omitted arguments stay as they are. Link lists (…Handles, …Refs) follow linkMode: replace (default) sets the whole list, add appends, remove drops the given handles; in replace mode [] REMOVES every link of that kind. Returns the handle and Gramps ID; a missing note returns a not-found message. Which records the note is attached to is stored on them (their noteHandles), not here.

Input Schema

TableJSON Schema
NameRequiredDescriptionDefault
textNoNew text, replacing the whole body; changed text loses the styling and links of the old one, the same text keeps them. Omit to leave unchanged.
formatNoPlain or Html. Omit to leave unchanged.
handleYesThe note to change. Handle or Gramps ID (e.g. I0001), resolved automatically; find it with search or list_objects.
linkModeNoHow to apply all supplied link lists: replace (default) replaces each full list, and a link it keeps keeps its stored privacy, citations, notes and crop unless the call sends new values; add appends missing handles and preserves existing link metadata; remove removes all links matching supplied handles (reference metadata is ignored). Omitted lists stay unchanged; empty lists clear only in replace mode. Does not affect attributes, names, addresses or URLs. Use separate calls to add and remove, or replace to edit existing link metadata.replace
noteTypeNoNew note type. Omit to leave unchanged. Must be a standard Gramps type or a custom one the tree already uses; anything else is rejected with suggestions. List: get_reference(topic: "types").
isPrivateNotrue makes the record private, false public. Omit to leave unchanged.
tagHandlesNoTags. Omit to keep; applied per linkMode. Handles, not Gramps IDs: JSON array ["h1","h2"], one handle, or a comma/semicolon/newline-separated string; entries may also be objects {"ref":"…"}.

Schema Changelog

Changes observed during successful MCP inspections.

  1. Changed2 schema fields changedv2.3.1
    • changedInput schema / properties / linkMode / description
      Previous value: -"How to apply all supplied link lists: replace (default) replaces each full list; add appends missing handles and preserves existing link metadata; remove removes all links matching supplied handles (reference metadata is ignored). Omitted lists stay unchanged; empty lists clear only in replace mode. Does not affect attributes, names, addresses or URLs. Use separate calls to add and remove, or replace to edit existing link metadata."New value: +"How to apply all supplied link lists: replace (default) replaces each full list, and a link it keeps keeps its stored privacy, citations, notes and crop unless the call sends new values; add appends missing handles and preserves existing link metadata; remove removes all links matching supplied handles (reference metadata is ignored). Omitted lists stay unchanged; empty lists clear only in replace mode. Does not affect attributes, names, addresses or URLs. Use separate calls to add and remove, or replace to edit existing link metadata."
    • changedInput schema / properties / text / description
      Previous value: -"New text, replacing the whole body. Omit to leave unchanged."New value: +"New text, replacing the whole body; changed text loses the styling and links of the old one, the same text keeps them. Omit to leave unchanged."
  2. Changed5 schema fields changedv2.3.0
    • changedInput schema / properties / handle / description
      Previous value: -"Note handle. Handle or Gramps ID (e.g. I0001). Handles are opaque strings from the API. Gramps IDs (like I0001, F0023) are auto-resolved to handles. Find handles with search() or list_objects()."New value: +"The note to change. Handle or Gramps ID (e.g. I0001), resolved automatically; find it with search or list_objects."
    • changedInput schema / properties / isPrivate / description
      Previous value: -"Private flag. Omit to leave unchanged."New value: +"true makes the record private, false public. Omit to leave unchanged."
    • changedInput schema / properties / noteType / description
      Previous value: -"Note type. Omit to leave unchanged. Type values are validated by the server; see gramps://types resource or call get_reference(topic: \"types\") for available values."New value: +"New note type. Omit to leave unchanged. Must be a standard Gramps type or a custom one the tree already uses; anything else is rejected with suggestions. List: get_reference(topic: \"types\")."
    • changedInput schema / properties / tagHandles / description
      Previous value: -"Linked tags. Omit to leave unchanged. For link lists, linkMode controls replace/add/remove; [] clears in replace mode and does nothing in add/remove. Other lists always use replacement. Handles: JSON array [\"h1\",\"h2\"], a single handle as a plain string, comma/semicolon/newline-separated list, or a JSON-array string. Array entries may be strings or objects {\"ref\":\"…\"} / {\"handle\":\"…\"}."New value: +"Tags. Omit to keep; applied per linkMode. Handles, not Gramps IDs: JSON array [\"h1\",\"h2\"], one handle, or a comma/semicolon/newline-separated string; entries may also be objects {\"ref\":\"…\"}."
    • changedInput schema / properties / text / description
      Previous value: -"Body text. Omit to leave unchanged."New value: +"New text, replacing the whole body. Omit to leave unchanged."
  3. First observedv2.2.0

TDQS

A4.4/5.0
Behavior5/5

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

Beyond the annotations (readOnlyHint=false, destructiveHint=false), the description discloses significant non-obvious behavior: changed text loses styling/links, replace mode with [] empties the list entirely, the not-found response, and what is returned (handle and Gramps ID). It also clarifies that attachment membership lives on the referencing records, not the note.

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

Conciseness4/5

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

The core mutation is front-loaded and the title of the operation is unambiguous. It is dense and semicolon-heavy across one long block, but nearly every clause carries actionable information rather than filler.

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

Completeness5/5

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

For a 7-parameter mutation tool with no output schema, the description covers return values, error behavior (missing note), the replace/add/remove semantics of link lists, and the empty-list edge case. An agent has enough to invoke it correctly without further inference.

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%, so the schema already documents every parameter in depth; baseline is 3. The description restates and synthesizes much of that (linkMode, empty-list removal) and adds the noteHandles scope clarification, but adds little syntax or semantics not already in the structured fields.

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

Purpose5/5

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

The description opens with a specific verb and resource ('Change an existing note') and enumerates exactly what is mutable: text, type, format, tags, private flag. This clearly separates it from siblings like create_note, delete_object, and the various update_* tools for other record types.

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 gives strong invocation guidance — 'Pass only what changes; omitted arguments stay as they are' and the linkMode rules, plus advice to use separate calls to add and remove. It doesn't explicitly name an alternative tool for specific scenarios, but the when-to-use context is clear.

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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