get_assignment
Retrieve detailed Canvas assignment information including descriptions, submission requirements, and embedded links using course and assignment IDs.
Instructions
Retrieves detailed information about a specific assignment, including its description, submission requirements, and embedded links.
Input Schema
TableJSON Schema
| Name | Required | Description | Default |
|---|---|---|---|
| courseId | Yes | Course ID | |
| assignmentId | Yes | Assignment ID | |
| formatType | No | Format type: full (HTML), plain (text only), or markdown (formatted) | markdown |
Implementation Reference
- src/tools/get-assignment.ts:18-173 (handler)The main handler function that fetches the assignment from the Canvas API, processes its description according to the specified format, extracts links, and builds a comprehensive Markdown response including details like due date, submission types, rubric, and special requirements.
async ({ courseId, assignmentId, formatType }) => { try { const assignment = await canvasApiRequest<CanvasAssignment>(`/courses/${courseId}/assignments/${assignmentId}`); let description: string; let links: { text: string; href: string }[] = []; if (assignment.description) { links = extractLinks(assignment.description); } switch (formatType) { case 'full': description = assignment.description || 'No description available'; break; case 'plain': description = htmlToPlainText(assignment.description) || 'No description available'; break; case 'markdown': default: description = assignment.description ? convertHtmlToMarkdown(assignment.description) : 'No description available'; break; } const details = [ `# ${assignment.name}`, ``, `**Course ID:** ${courseId}`, `**Assignment ID:** ${assignment.id}`, `**Due Date:** ${formatDate(assignment.due_at)}`, `**Points Possible:** ${assignment.points_possible}`, `**Status:** ${assignment.published ? 'Published' : 'Unpublished'}${assignment.only_visible_to_overrides ? ' (Only visible to specific students)' : ''}`, ``, `## Submission Requirements`, `- **Submission Type:** ${assignment.submission_types?.join(', ') || 'Not specified'}`, ]; // Add allowed file extensions if relevant if (assignment.submission_types?.includes('online_upload') && assignment.allowed_extensions?.length) { details.push(`- **Allowed File Types:** ${assignment.allowed_extensions.map(ext => `\`.${ext}\``).join(', ')}`); } // Add attempt limits if specified if (assignment.allowed_attempts !== null && assignment.allowed_attempts !== -1) { details.push(`- **Allowed Attempts:** ${assignment.allowed_attempts}`); } // Add grading type info details.push(`- **Grading Type:** ${assignment.grading_type.replace(/_/g, ' ').toLowerCase()}`); // Add time restrictions if any if (assignment.unlock_at || assignment.lock_at) { details.push(`- **Time Restrictions:**`); if (assignment.unlock_at) { details.push(` - Available from: ${formatDate(assignment.unlock_at)}`); } if (assignment.lock_at) { details.push(` - Locks at: ${formatDate(assignment.lock_at)}`); } } // Add group assignment info if relevant if (assignment.has_group_assignment) { details.push(`- **Group Assignment:** Yes`); } // Add peer review info if enabled if (assignment.peer_reviews) { details.push(`- **Peer Reviews Required:** Yes`); } // Add word count requirement if specified if (assignment.word_count) { details.push(`- **Required Word Count:** ${assignment.word_count}`); } // Add external tool info if present if (assignment.external_tool_tag_attributes?.url) { details.push(`- **External Tool Required:** Yes`); details.push(` - Tool URL: ${assignment.external_tool_tag_attributes.url}`); if (assignment.external_tool_tag_attributes.new_tab) { details.push(` - Opens in new tab: Yes`); } } // Add plagiarism detection info if (assignment.turnitin_enabled || assignment.vericite_enabled) { details.push(`- **Plagiarism Detection:**`); if (assignment.turnitin_enabled) details.push(` - Turnitin enabled`); if (assignment.vericite_enabled) details.push(` - VeriCite enabled`); } // Add rubric information if available if (assignment.rubric && assignment.rubric.length > 0) { details.push('', '## Rubric'); if (assignment.use_rubric_for_grading) { details.push('*This rubric is used for grading*', ''); } assignment.rubric.forEach(criterion => { details.push(`### ${criterion.description} (${criterion.points} points)`); if (criterion.long_description) { details.push(criterion.long_description); } details.push(''); }); } // Add special requirements const specialReqs = []; if (assignment.anonymize_students) specialReqs.push('Anonymous Grading Enabled'); if (assignment.require_lockdown_browser) specialReqs.push('Lockdown Browser Required'); if (assignment.annotatable_attachment_id) specialReqs.push('Annotation Required'); if (specialReqs.length > 0) { details.push('', '## Special Requirements', ''); specialReqs.forEach(req => details.push(`- ${req}`)); } // Add lock status if relevant if (assignment.locked_for_user) { details.push('', '## Access Restrictions', ''); details.push(assignment.lock_explanation || 'This assignment is currently locked.'); } details.push( ``, `## Description`, ``, description ); // Add links section if any links were found if (links.length > 0) { details.push('', '## Required Materials and Links', ''); links.forEach(link => { details.push(`- [${link.text}](${link.href})`); }); } return { content: [{ type: "text", text: details.join('\n') }] }; } catch (error) { return { content: [{ type: "text", text: `Failed to fetch assignment details: ${(error as Error).message}` }], isError: true }; } } - src/tools/get-assignment.ts:12-17 (schema)Zod schema defining the input parameters for the get_assignment tool: courseId, assignmentId, and optional formatType.
{ courseId: z.string().or(z.number()).describe("Course ID"), assignmentId: z.string().or(z.number()).describe("Assignment ID"), formatType: z.enum(['full', 'plain', 'markdown']).default('markdown') .describe("Format type: full (HTML), plain (text only), or markdown (formatted)"), }, - src/tools/get-assignment.ts:8-175 (registration)Registers the 'get_assignment' tool on the MCP server using server.tool(), providing name, description, input schema, and handler function.
export function registerGetAssignmentTool(server: McpServer) { server.tool( "get_assignment", "Retrieves detailed information about a specific assignment, including its description, submission requirements, and embedded links.", { courseId: z.string().or(z.number()).describe("Course ID"), assignmentId: z.string().or(z.number()).describe("Assignment ID"), formatType: z.enum(['full', 'plain', 'markdown']).default('markdown') .describe("Format type: full (HTML), plain (text only), or markdown (formatted)"), }, async ({ courseId, assignmentId, formatType }) => { try { const assignment = await canvasApiRequest<CanvasAssignment>(`/courses/${courseId}/assignments/${assignmentId}`); let description: string; let links: { text: string; href: string }[] = []; if (assignment.description) { links = extractLinks(assignment.description); } switch (formatType) { case 'full': description = assignment.description || 'No description available'; break; case 'plain': description = htmlToPlainText(assignment.description) || 'No description available'; break; case 'markdown': default: description = assignment.description ? convertHtmlToMarkdown(assignment.description) : 'No description available'; break; } const details = [ `# ${assignment.name}`, ``, `**Course ID:** ${courseId}`, `**Assignment ID:** ${assignment.id}`, `**Due Date:** ${formatDate(assignment.due_at)}`, `**Points Possible:** ${assignment.points_possible}`, `**Status:** ${assignment.published ? 'Published' : 'Unpublished'}${assignment.only_visible_to_overrides ? ' (Only visible to specific students)' : ''}`, ``, `## Submission Requirements`, `- **Submission Type:** ${assignment.submission_types?.join(', ') || 'Not specified'}`, ]; // Add allowed file extensions if relevant if (assignment.submission_types?.includes('online_upload') && assignment.allowed_extensions?.length) { details.push(`- **Allowed File Types:** ${assignment.allowed_extensions.map(ext => `\`.${ext}\``).join(', ')}`); } // Add attempt limits if specified if (assignment.allowed_attempts !== null && assignment.allowed_attempts !== -1) { details.push(`- **Allowed Attempts:** ${assignment.allowed_attempts}`); } // Add grading type info details.push(`- **Grading Type:** ${assignment.grading_type.replace(/_/g, ' ').toLowerCase()}`); // Add time restrictions if any if (assignment.unlock_at || assignment.lock_at) { details.push(`- **Time Restrictions:**`); if (assignment.unlock_at) { details.push(` - Available from: ${formatDate(assignment.unlock_at)}`); } if (assignment.lock_at) { details.push(` - Locks at: ${formatDate(assignment.lock_at)}`); } } // Add group assignment info if relevant if (assignment.has_group_assignment) { details.push(`- **Group Assignment:** Yes`); } // Add peer review info if enabled if (assignment.peer_reviews) { details.push(`- **Peer Reviews Required:** Yes`); } // Add word count requirement if specified if (assignment.word_count) { details.push(`- **Required Word Count:** ${assignment.word_count}`); } // Add external tool info if present if (assignment.external_tool_tag_attributes?.url) { details.push(`- **External Tool Required:** Yes`); details.push(` - Tool URL: ${assignment.external_tool_tag_attributes.url}`); if (assignment.external_tool_tag_attributes.new_tab) { details.push(` - Opens in new tab: Yes`); } } // Add plagiarism detection info if (assignment.turnitin_enabled || assignment.vericite_enabled) { details.push(`- **Plagiarism Detection:**`); if (assignment.turnitin_enabled) details.push(` - Turnitin enabled`); if (assignment.vericite_enabled) details.push(` - VeriCite enabled`); } // Add rubric information if available if (assignment.rubric && assignment.rubric.length > 0) { details.push('', '## Rubric'); if (assignment.use_rubric_for_grading) { details.push('*This rubric is used for grading*', ''); } assignment.rubric.forEach(criterion => { details.push(`### ${criterion.description} (${criterion.points} points)`); if (criterion.long_description) { details.push(criterion.long_description); } details.push(''); }); } // Add special requirements const specialReqs = []; if (assignment.anonymize_students) specialReqs.push('Anonymous Grading Enabled'); if (assignment.require_lockdown_browser) specialReqs.push('Lockdown Browser Required'); if (assignment.annotatable_attachment_id) specialReqs.push('Annotation Required'); if (specialReqs.length > 0) { details.push('', '## Special Requirements', ''); specialReqs.forEach(req => details.push(`- ${req}`)); } // Add lock status if relevant if (assignment.locked_for_user) { details.push('', '## Access Restrictions', ''); details.push(assignment.lock_explanation || 'This assignment is currently locked.'); } details.push( ``, `## Description`, ``, description ); // Add links section if any links were found if (links.length > 0) { details.push('', '## Required Materials and Links', ''); links.forEach(link => { details.push(`- [${link.text}](${link.href})`); }); } return { content: [{ type: "text", text: details.join('\n') }] }; } catch (error) { return { content: [{ type: "text", text: `Failed to fetch assignment details: ${(error as Error).message}` }], isError: true }; } } ); } - src/index.ts:27-27 (registration)Top-level registration call that invokes registerGetAssignmentTool on the main server instance to enable the tool.
registerGetAssignmentTool(server);