create_element

Instructions

Implementation Reference

• src/index.ts:530-565 (handler)

  Main handler for the 'create_element' MCP tool: parses input with ElementSchema, generates ID, converts text to label format, calls createElementOnCanvas to sync to the canvas server, and returns success response.

  case 'create_element': {
    const params = ElementSchema.parse(args);
    logger.info('Creating element via MCP', { type: params.type });
  
    const id = generateId();
    const element: ServerElement = {
      id,
      ...params,
      createdAt: new Date().toISOString(),
      updatedAt: new Date().toISOString(),
      version: 1
    };
  
    // Convert text to label format for Excalidraw
    const excalidrawElement = convertTextToLabel(element);
    
    // Create element directly on HTTP server (no local storage)
    const canvasElement = await createElementOnCanvas(excalidrawElement);
    
    if (!canvasElement) {
      throw new Error('Failed to create element: HTTP server unavailable');
    }
    
    logger.info('Element created via MCP and synced to canvas', { 
      id: excalidrawElement.id, 
      type: excalidrawElement.type,
      synced: !!canvasElement 
    });
    
    return {
      content: [{ 
        type: 'text', 
        text: `Element created successfully!\n\n${JSON.stringify(canvasElement, null, 2)}\n\n✅ Synced to canvas` 
      }]
    };
  }

• src/index.ts:233-258 (registration)

  Tool registration in the tools array: defines name 'create_element', description, and JSON inputSchema, used in server capabilities for MCP tool discovery.

  {
    name: 'create_element',
    description: 'Create a new Excalidraw element',
    inputSchema: {
      type: 'object',
      properties: {
        type: { 
          type: 'string', 
          enum: Object.values(EXCALIDRAW_ELEMENT_TYPES) 
        },
        x: { type: 'number' },
        y: { type: 'number' },
        width: { type: 'number' },
        height: { type: 'number' },
        backgroundColor: { type: 'string' },
        strokeColor: { type: 'string' },
        strokeWidth: { type: 'number' },
        roughness: { type: 'number' },
        opacity: { type: 'number' },
        text: { type: 'string' },
        fontSize: { type: 'number' },
        fontFamily: { type: 'string' }
      },
      required: ['type', 'x', 'y']
    }
  },

• src/index.ts:181-198 (schema)

  Zod schema (ElementSchema) used to parse and validate input arguments in the create_element handler.

  const ElementSchema = z.object({
    type: z.enum(Object.values(EXCALIDRAW_ELEMENT_TYPES) as [ExcalidrawElementType, ...ExcalidrawElementType[]]),
    x: z.number(),
    y: z.number(),
    width: z.number().optional(),
    height: z.number().optional(),
    points: z.array(z.object({ x: z.number(), y: z.number() })).optional(),
    backgroundColor: z.string().optional(),
    strokeColor: z.string().optional(),
    strokeWidth: z.number().optional(),
    roughness: z.number().optional(),
    opacity: z.number().optional(),
    text: z.string().optional(),
    fontSize: z.number().optional(),
    fontFamily: z.string().optional(),
    groupIds: z.array(z.string()).optional(),
    locked: z.boolean().optional()
  });

• src/index.ts:121-124 (helper)

  Helper function called by the handler to perform the actual canvas sync for element creation via POST to /api/elements.

  async function createElementOnCanvas(elementData: ServerElement): Promise<ServerElement | null> {
    const result = await syncToCanvas('create', elementData);
    return result?.element || elementData;
  }

• src/index.ts:507-521 (helper)

  Helper function used in handler to convert 'text' property to Excalidraw-compatible 'label' format for non-text elements.

  function convertTextToLabel(element: ServerElement): ServerElement {
    const { text, ...rest } = element;
    if (text) {
      // For standalone text elements, keep text as direct property
      if (element.type === 'text') {
        return element; // Keep text as direct property
      }
      // For other elements (rectangle, ellipse, diamond), convert to label format
      return {
        ...rest,
        label: { text }
      } as ServerElement;
    }
    return element;
  }