vale_status
Verify Vale installation and accessibility to enable prose linting for style and grammar checks in text files.
Instructions
Check if Vale (vale.sh) is installed and accessible. Use this first if other Vale tools fail. Returns installation status, version if available, and installation instructions for the current platform.
Input Schema
TableJSON Schema
| Name | Required | Description | Default |
|---|---|---|---|
No arguments | |||
Implementation Reference
- src/index.ts:258-281 (handler)Handler logic for the 'vale_status' tool. Calls checkValeInstalled() helper and formats the response with installation status, version, platform info, and instructions if needed.
case "vale_status": { debug("Checking Vale installation status..."); const valeCheck = await checkValeInstalled(); debug(`Vale installed: ${valeCheck.installed}, version: ${valeCheck.version}`); return { content: [ { type: "text", text: JSON.stringify({ installed: valeCheck.installed, version: valeCheck.version, platform: process.platform, installation_instructions: valeCheck.installed ? null : getInstallationInstructions(), message: valeCheck.installed ? `Vale is installed and ready to use (${valeCheck.version})` : "Vale is not installed. Please install it to use Vale linting tools.", }, null, 2), }, ], }; } - src/index.ts:203-211 (schema)Input schema and metadata definition for the 'vale_status' tool, including name, description, and empty properties object indicating no input parameters required.
{ name: "vale_status", description: "Check if Vale (vale.sh) is installed and accessible. Use this first if other Vale tools fail. Returns installation status, version if available, and installation instructions for the current platform.", inputSchema: { type: "object", properties: {}, }, }, - src/vale-runner.ts:29-67 (helper)Helper function that implements the core logic: executes 'vale --version' command, caches the result, and returns installation status and version.
export async function checkValeInstalled(): Promise<{ installed: boolean; version?: string; error?: string; }> { // Return cached result if already checked if (valeInstallCache.checked) { return { installed: valeInstallCache.installed, version: valeInstallCache.version, error: valeInstallCache.error, }; } // Perform the check try { const { stdout } = await execAsync("vale --version"); valeInstallCache = { checked: true, installed: true, version: stdout.trim(), }; } catch (error) { valeInstallCache = { checked: true, installed: false, error: error instanceof Error ? error.message : "Vale not found in PATH. To install Vale, go to https://vale.sh/docs/vale-cli/installation/", }; } return { installed: valeInstallCache.installed, version: valeInstallCache.version, error: valeInstallCache.error, }; } - src/index.ts:244-248 (registration)Registration of tool list handler which exposes the 'vale_status' tool schema via the MCP ListToolsRequest.
server.setRequestHandler(ListToolsRequestSchema, async () => { return { tools: TOOLS, }; }); - src/index.ts:251-446 (registration)Registration of the general tool execution handler (CallToolRequestSchema) which dispatches to vale_status case based on tool name.
server.setRequestHandler(CallToolRequestSchema, async (request) => { const { name, arguments: args } = request.params; debug(`Tool called: ${name}`, JSON.stringify(args, null, 2)); try { switch (name) { case "vale_status": { debug("Checking Vale installation status..."); const valeCheck = await checkValeInstalled(); debug(`Vale installed: ${valeCheck.installed}, version: ${valeCheck.version}`); return { content: [ { type: "text", text: JSON.stringify({ installed: valeCheck.installed, version: valeCheck.version, platform: process.platform, installation_instructions: valeCheck.installed ? null : getInstallationInstructions(), message: valeCheck.installed ? `Vale is installed and ready to use (${valeCheck.version})` : "Vale is not installed. Please install it to use Vale linting tools.", }, null, 2), }, ], }; } case "vale_sync": { const { config_path } = args as { config_path?: string }; debug(`vale_sync called - config_path: ${config_path}`); // Check if Vale is available const valeCheck = await checkValeInstalled(); if (!valeCheck.installed) { return createValeNotInstalledResponse(); } // Determine which config to use const effectiveConfigPath = config_path || valeConfigPath; // Run vale sync const syncResult = await syncValeStyles(effectiveConfigPath); debug(`vale_sync result - success: ${syncResult.success}`); if (syncResult.success) { return { content: [ { type: "text", text: `✅ **Vale Sync Successful** ${syncResult.message} ${syncResult.output ? `**Output:**\n\`\`\`\n${syncResult.output}\n\`\`\`` : ""} The styles have been downloaded and are ready to use. You can now run \`check_file\` again.`, }, ], }; } else { return { content: [ { type: "text", text: `❌ **Vale Sync Failed** ${syncResult.message} ${syncResult.error ? `**Error:**\n\`\`\`\n${syncResult.error}\n\`\`\`` : ""} Please check your .vale.ini configuration and ensure: 1. The StylesPath is correct 2. Packages are properly defined 3. You have internet connectivity to download packages See Vale documentation: https://vale.sh/docs/topics/packages/`, }, ], }; } } case "check_file": { const { path: filePath } = args as { path: string }; debug(`check_file called - path: ${filePath}`); if (!filePath) { return { content: [ { type: "text", text: JSON.stringify({ error: "Missing required parameter: path", }), }, ], }; } // Check if Vale is available const valeCheck = await checkValeInstalled(); if (!valeCheck.installed) { return createValeNotInstalledResponse(); } const result = await checkFile(filePath, valeConfigPath); debug(`check_file result - file: ${result.file}, issues found: ${result.issues.length}, errors: ${result.summary.errors}, warnings: ${result.summary.warnings}, suggestions: ${result.summary.suggestions}`); return { content: [ { type: "text", text: result.formatted, }, ], _meta: { structured_data: { file: result.file, issues: result.issues, summary: result.summary, }, }, }; } default: debug(`Unknown tool called: ${name}`); return { content: [ { type: "text", text: JSON.stringify({ error: `Unknown tool: ${name}`, }), }, ], }; } } catch (error) { const errorMessage = error instanceof Error ? error.message : "Unknown error"; const errorDetails = error instanceof Error ? error.stack : "No details available"; // Check if this is an E100 error about missing styles (Fix #4: efficient detection) if (isStylesDirectoryError(errorMessage)) { return { content: [ { type: "text", text: `❌ **Vale Configuration Error** ${errorMessage} This error indicates that Vale's styles directory is missing or the configured packages haven't been downloaded yet. **Solution:** Run the \`vale_sync\` tool to download the required style packages: \`\`\` vale_sync \`\`\` This will: 1. Read your .vale.ini configuration 2. Download all configured style packages 3. Create the necessary styles directory After running \`vale_sync\`, you can try \`check_file\` again. For more information, see: https://vale.sh/docs/topics/packages/`, }, ], }; } return { content: [ { type: "text", text: JSON.stringify({ error: errorMessage, details: errorDetails, }), }, ], }; } });