Premiere Pro MCP Server

Stop Playback

stop_playback

Stops active-sequence timeline playback via QE. Requests for source stop are refused because available APIs cannot stop the Source Monitor alone.

Instructions

Request that active-sequence timeline playback stop through QE. The legacy API does not provide a same-call playhead readback, so stopped state is not reported as verified. Only the timeline can be stopped: Premiere's scripting APIs have no documented call that stops the Source Monitor alone, so target "source" returns an error instead of stopping the timeline.

Input Schema

TableJSON Schema

Name	Required	Description	Default
`target`	No	What to stop. Default "timeline". "source" is refused because no documented API stops only the Source Monitor.

Output Schema

TableJSON Schema

Name	Required	Description
`ok`	Yes	Whether the tool completed successfully.
`data`	No	Tool-specific result data when ok is true; on failure, diagnostic detail when the tool provides it.
`tool`	Yes	The registered MCP tool name.
`error`	No	Failure detail when ok is false.

Schema Changelog

Changes observed during successful MCP inspections.

Changed3 schema fields changedv1.18.6Sep 30, 2026

addedInput schema / additionalProperties
```
Added value: +false
```

addedInput schema / properties

Added value: +{
+  "target": {
+    "description": "What to stop. Default \"timeline\". \"source\" is refused because no documented API stops only the Source Monitor.",
+    "enum": [
+      "timeline",
+      "source"
+    ],
+    "type": "string"
+  }
+}

changedOutput schema / properties / data / description

Previous value: -"Tool-specific result data when ok is true."New value: +"Tool-specific result data when ok is true; on failure, diagnostic detail when the tool provides it."

Changed1 schema field changedv1.14.9Sep 8, 2026
- removedInput schema / properties
```
Removed value: -{}
```

Changed2 schema fields changedv1.14.4Aug 29, 2026

changedInput schema / $schema

Previous value: -"http://json-schema.org/draft-07/schema#"New value: +"https://json-schema.org/draft/2020-12/schema"

changedOutput schema / (root)

Previous value: -nullNew value: +{
+  "$schema": "https://json-schema.org/draft/2020-12/schema",
+  "additionalProperties": false,
+  "properties": {
+    "data": {
+      "description": "Tool-specific result data when ok is true."
+    },
+    "error": {
+      "description": "Failure detail when ok is false.",
+      "type": "string"
+    },
+    "ok": {
+      "description": "Whether the tool completed successfully.",
+      "type": "boolean"
+    },
+    "tool": {
+      "description": "The registered MCP tool name.",
+      "minLength": 1,
+      "type": "string"
+    }
+  },
+  "required": [
+    "ok",
+    "tool"
+  ],
+  "type": "object"
+}

First observedv1.1.1May 28, 2026

TDQS

A4.1/5.0

Behavior4/5

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

Annotations only cover the safety profile (non-readonly, non-destructive). The description adds genuinely useful behavioral context beyond them: playback is stopped via QE, the stopped state cannot be verified because the legacy API provides no same-call playhead readback, and 'source' errors out rather than stopping. That verification caveat is exactly the kind of trait annotations cannot convey.

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?

Three sentences, front-loaded with the action, with no filler. The source-error clause is slightly redundant with the schema's own enum description, but every sentence still carries operational weight.

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

Completeness4/5

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

An output schema exists, so return values need not be explained. The description covers the action, the source-refusal behavior, and the verification limitation, leaving little an agent would need before calling it.

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 coverage is 100% and the enum value descriptions already explain why 'source' is refused, so the single parameter is fully documented in structured data. The description largely restates that reasoning rather than adding new syntax or format meaning, making baseline 3 appropriate.

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+resource ('active-sequence timeline playback stop') and implicitly distinguishes itself from the inverse sibling play_timeline. An agent can tell exactly what operation this performs without opening the schema.

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?

Explicitly defines the negative case: only the timeline can be stopped and target 'source' returns an error, so the agent knows not to attempt source-monitor stopping. It stops short of naming an alternative tool, but the when-not condition is unambiguous.

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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