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canvas-parent-mcp

by chrischall
OverviewSchemaSourceRelated ServersDiscussionsAdmin
TypeScript
Remote

canvas_get_conversation

Read-only

Fetch a complete Canvas conversation thread with every message while keeping it unread. Use it to review discussion history without changing read status.

Instructions

Get a full Canvas conversation thread with all messages. Read-only: does not mark the conversation as read.

Input Schema

TableJSON Schema
NameRequiredDescriptionDefault
idYes
viewNoResponse shape: "compact" (default) drops fields the response already carries elsewhere; "full" returns every field this server understands. compact removes the avatar URLs Canvas attaches to user objects (avatar_url, avatar_image_url); "full" returns Canvas's payload untouched. Link fields (url, html_url, preview_url) survive both rungs. No field projection: this server passes Canvas's payload through verbatim and has no verified record of which of its fields a caller needs.

Schema Changelog

Changes observed during successful MCP inspections.

  1. Changed1 schema field changedv2.0.0
    • changedInput schema / $schema
      Previous value: -"http://json-schema.org/draft-07/schema#"New value: +"https://json-schema.org/draft/2020-12/schema"
  2. Changed1 schema field changedv1.5.4
    • addedInput schema / properties / view
      Added value: +{
+  "description": "Response shape: \"compact\" (default) drops fields the response already carries elsewhere; \"full\" returns every field this server understands. compact removes the avatar URLs Canvas attaches to user objects (avatar_url, avatar_image_url); \"full\" returns Canvas's payload untouched. Link fields (url, html_url, preview_url) survive both rungs. No field projection: this server passes Canvas's payload through verbatim and has no verified record of which of its fields a caller needs.",
+  "enum": [
+    "compact",
+    "full"
+  ],
+  "type": "string"
+}
  3. Addedv1.2.5

TDQS

A3.5/5.0
Behavior4/5

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

Annotations already cover the safety profile (readOnlyHint, openWorldHint), but the description adds a genuinely useful side-effect disclosure: it does not mark the conversation as read, which is non-obvious for Canvas conversations that are normally flagged read on view. It stops short of describing return shape or pagination.

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

Conciseness5/5

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

Two tight sentences with the core action front-loaded and the read-only caveat immediately after. There is no filler or restatement of the tool name.

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

Completeness3/5

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

With no output schema, the description reasonably signals that a full thread of messages comes back, and the read-only note covers side effects. But it leaves the identity of the required 'id' unresolved and says nothing about pagination or large-thread behavior, gaps an agent must resolve by guessing.

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

Parameters2/5

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

Schema description coverage is only 50%: the 'view' enum is exhaustively documented in the schema, but the required 'id' parameter carries no description anywhere, and the description does not say whether it is a conversation ID, user ID, or thread ID. That omission is exactly where the description should have compensated.

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

Purpose4/5

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

States a specific verb and resource ('Get a full Canvas conversation thread with all messages'), which differentiates it from the sibling canvas_list_conversations by implying a single thread rather than a list. It does not name the sibling explicitly, so the differentiation is inferred rather than stated.

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

Usage Guidelines3/5

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

Usage is implied by 'Get a full conversation thread' versus listing conversations, and the 'does not mark as read' note hints at when a non-mutating read is wanted. However, there is no explicit when-to-use statement and no named alternative the way a stronger definition would provide.

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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