Set Variable

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

No annotations are provided, so the description carries the full behavioral burden. It implies a state mutation (marking a cell as a variable) but says nothing about what is changed, whether it is reversible, what permissions are needed, or what 'legacy wrapper' means operationally. 'Legacy' hints at deprecation without any concrete behavioral detail.

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

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

A single short sentence with no filler, appropriately front-loaded. However, its brevity comes at the cost of substance rather than being an efficient expression of a complete idea.

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

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

This is a state-mutating tool with no annotations, no output schema, and only a one-line description. The deprecation/'legacy' implication and the optimization-variable semantics an agent needs to call it correctly are both left unexplained, leaving the definition inadequate for its complexity.

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

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

Schema description coverage is 100%, so the baseline is 3. The description's phrase 'surface cell variable' loosely maps to the surface and cell parameters but adds no syntax, constraints, or default behavior beyond what the schema already documents.

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

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

States a verb+resource pair (make a surface cell variable), which is more specific than the title alone, but the meaning of 'variable' in this context (optimization variable) is never explained. The 'legacy wrapper' framing adds ambiguity rather than clarity, and no sibling tool is named for contrast.

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

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

The word 'Legacy' strongly implies a preferred alternative exists but the description never names it or states when this tool should still be used versus zemax_get_variables or zemax_set_variable_constraints. No when-to-use or when-not-to-use guidance is given.

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