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animate-mcp

animate-mcp

by gekkyo
OverviewSchemaSourceRelated ServersDiscussionsAdmin
TypeScript
Local

edit_timeline

Apply ordered layer and frame edits—add, move, rename or delete layers, and insert, remove, label or shift frames and keyframes—to an Adobe Animate timeline in one batch.

Instructions

Edit layers (addLayer, deleteLayer, moveLayer, renameLayer, setLayerType) and frames (insertFrames, removeFrames, insertKeyframe, clearKeyframe, setLabel, setSpanLength, shiftLayerFrames) in order. Layer references use a name and optional zero-based index; frame numbers are 1-based. shiftLayerFrames moves one layer's full content later without shifting other layers; it uses cut/paste (overwrites the clipboard, and if it fails midway the layer may be left changed: undo in Animate). Stops at the first failed op. deleteLayer and removeFrames require confirm: true. Tween interiors reject frame insertion/removal/keyframe changes. Always run export_scripts again before editing or applying scripts.

Tool call template

Replace each placeholder with a value matching the input schema. Only required parameters are included; add optional parameters as needed.

{
  "id": 1,
  "jsonrpc": "2.0",
  "method": "tools/call",
  "params": {
    "arguments": {
      "timeline": "<timeline>",
      "ops": "<ops>"
    },
    "name": "edit_timeline"
  }
}

Input Schema

NameRequiredDescriptionDefault
opsYes
documentNo
timelineYesScene index (0-based number) or library item path (string)

Schema Changelog

Changes observed during successful MCP inspections.

  1. First observedv0.1.2

TDQS

A4.4/5.0
Behavior4/5

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

With no annotations, the description carries the full behavioral burden and does so well: it discloses sequential execution with fail-fast stopping, the confirm requirement for destructive ops, tween-interior restrictions, and unusually candid risk detail for shiftLayerFrames (clipboard overwrite, possible partial mutation, advice to undo in Animate). It omits what a successful call returns and whether any of these mutations are reversible as a set.

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?

Front-loaded with the op inventory followed by semantics, and essentially every sentence adds information. It reads as a dense wall of clauses with several parenthetical asides, which slightly hurts scannability but not economy.

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 12-variant batch operation with no annotations and no output schema, the definition covers ordering, failure behavior, preconditions, destructive-op safeguards, indexing conventions and the riskiest operation's side effects. The remaining gaps (return value, ripple) are peripheral to calling it correctly.

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

Parameters4/5

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

Schema description coverage is only 33%, so the description must compensate, and it does for the highest-risk fields: layer references as name plus optional zero-based index, 1-based frame numbering, the confirm flag on the two destructive ops, and the meaning of shiftLayerFrames' offset (full-content move for one layer only). Still underexplained are ripple, count/length semantics, and above/below/parent placement parameters.

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?

States a specific verb (edit) and resource (timeline layers and frames), then enumerates every supported operation (addLayer, deleteLayer, moveLayer, renameLayer, setLayerType, insertFrames, removeFrames, insertKeyframe, clearKeyframe, setLabel, setSpanLength, shiftLayerFrames), which maps one-to-one onto the schema's op oneOf branches. The reference to export_scripts as a prerequisite also separates it from that sibling.

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?

Gives real usage context: a prerequisite ("Always run export_scripts again before editing"), execution ordering ("in order", "Stops at the first failed op"), mandatory flags ("deleteLayer and removeFrames require confirm: true") and a hard constraint ("Tween interiors reject frame insertion/removal/keyframe changes"). It never explicitly contrasts with run_jsfl or apply_scripts for general-purpose edits, so the when-not guidance is incomplete.

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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