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romanstark

Dorico Maestro

by romanstark
OverviewSchemaSourceRelated ServersScoreDiscussionsAdmin
Python
Local

goto_bar

Move the Dorico caret to a specified bar, beat, and staff, entering note input so you can add notes or rests at that exact position.

Instructions

Move the caret to a bar and return the assumed position.

The position is assumed, not read. Dorico exposes no caret coordinates over the
Remote API, so this dead-reckons: it enters note input, rewinds to bar 1 of the
top staff, then steps forward to the bar, staff and beat asked for.

Returns:
    Result dictionary with the assumed caret position and the caveat attached.

Note:
    Because it counts rather than measures, the answer drifts from the truth if
    anything moved the caret in between, and it cannot detect that. Treat it as
    the position it aimed for, and confirm what was written with read_selection
    or by inspecting the score.

    This enters note input, so it is the call to make before add_notes or
    add_rest. To scroll the view without touching the caret, use navigate.

    Ask whether the flow opens with a pickup bar before relying on a bar
    number, because Dorico leaves a pickup out of the count and this lands one
    bar short without the pickup flag. The API cannot tell, so the person with
    the score on screen has to say, or read an exported MusicXML with
    read_score.

    The move costs the same handful of commands at any flow length, so a long
    flow is no less exact than a short one.

Input Schema

TableJSON Schema
NameRequiredDescriptionDefault
barYesBar number, counted from 1, so bar 1 is the first bar of the flow. Not an index.
beatNoBeat within the bar, counted from 1, so 1.0 is the downbeat and 2.5 is halfway through the second beat.
staffNoStaff index, counted from 0, where 0 is the topmost staff in the current layout. Counted differently from a bar number on purpose: bars start at 1, staves at 0.
pickupNoTrue when the flow starts with a pickup (upbeat) bar. Dorico does not number it as bar 1, so bar navigation lands one bar short without this. Nothing in the API reveals a pickup, so ask the person whose score it is, or read an exported MusicXML file with read_score.

Output Schema

TableJSON Schema
NameRequiredDescriptionDefault

No arguments

Schema Changelog

Changes observed during successful MCP inspections. Dates show when Glama detected each change.

  1. Changed4 schema fields changedv0.1.2
    • addedInput schema / properties / bar / description
      Added value: +"Bar number, counted from 1, so bar 1 is the first bar of the flow. Not an index."
    • addedInput schema / properties / beat / description
      Added value: +"Beat within the bar, counted from 1, so 1.0 is the downbeat and 2.5 is halfway through the second beat."
    • addedInput schema / properties / pickup
      Added value: +{
+  "default": false,
+  "description": "True when the flow starts with a pickup (upbeat) bar. Dorico does not number it as bar 1, so bar navigation lands one bar short without this. Nothing in the API reveals a pickup, so ask the person whose score it is, or read an exported MusicXML file with read_score.",
+  "title": "Pickup",
+  "type": "boolean"
+}
    • addedInput schema / properties / staff / description
      Added value: +"Staff index, counted from 0, where 0 is the topmost staff in the current layout. Counted differently from a bar number on purpose: bars start at 1, staves at 0."
  2. Addedv0.1.1

TDQS

A4.9/5.0
Behavior5/5

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

The annotations are all false/unspecified, so the description carries the disclosure burden. It is transparent about dead-reckoning, drift from reality, inability to detect drift, entering note input, and landing one bar short without the pickup flag. This fully reveals the tool's behavioral quirks.

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?

The description is long but every paragraph earns its place: caveat, usage routing, pickup trap, and performance characteristic. It is front-loaded with the core purpose and returns, then structured into clearly labeled notes. No filler or tautology.

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?

Given the tool's complexity, the description is complete: it covers side effects, prerequisites for sequence usage, alternatives, failure modes, and the pickup edge case. An output schema exists for the return value, so the brief 'Returns' note plus schema is sufficient.

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 coverage is 100%, so the baseline is 3; the description adds value by explaining why pickup matters, reinforcing that bars count from 1 while staves count from 0, and advising how to resolve pickup uncertainty. It does not deeply elaborate every parameter, but it goes beyond the schema where it matters most.

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?

The description begins with a specific verb and resource ('Move the caret to a bar') and immediately clarifies that the position is guessed rather than read. It also distinguishes itself from navigate, which scrolls without touching the caret.

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

Usage Guidelines5/5

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

Explicitly states when this is the right call: before add_notes or add_rest because it enters note input. It also names the alternative for pure scrolling ('use navigate') and warns about the pickup-bar situation with guidance to ask the user or check via read_score.

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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