Most problems show up in one of two places: the agent’s reply, which includes the reason a tool was refused, and the Console Panel in Studio, which logs the server starting, stopping, and every refused request.
Fixing a Refused Connection
If the agent cannot reach Studio, check these in order:
- Studio is open and the server is running in Agents mode. See Starting the MCP Server.
- The port in the agent’s configuration matches the port the server was started on.
- The agent is running on the same computer as Studio. The server does not accept connections from other machines.
- The agent has reconnected since the server was started. Most clients only connect when they start, so restart the client or reconnect it from its MCP settings.
Fixing a Port Conflict
If the Console Panel shows Failed to bind MCP server to '127.0.0.1:<port>'., another application is already using that port. Enter a different number in the Port field, start the server again, and update the address in the agent.
Opening a Project First
A reply of No project simulation is open. Open or create a file before using simulation tools. means Studio is on the Home Screen. Open or create a project, then ask the agent again.
Resetting Before Changes
A reply of The simulation must be reset before objects or initial conditions can be changed. means the simulation is running, paused, or has been run. Stop or reset it from the Toolbar Panel, or ask the agent to reset it, then repeat the request.
Refreshing the Tool List
The agent reads the tool list when it connects. After updating Studio, reconnect the agent so it sees any new or changed tools.
Finding Missing Telemetry
If telemetry_history or telemetry_export returns no data, database recording was off for the run. Turn it on with simulation_database while the simulation is reset, then run the simulation again. See Turning On Recording.
If recording was on but a value is still missing, the value may be calculated on the object rather than published. Ask the agent to read the matching message field instead, such as Out_BatteryMsg.ChargeFraction.
Keeping the Agent’s Changes
The agent changes the open project, but it does not save it. Save the project with File → Save before closing Studio. Saving after a run stores the setup from before the run started. See Save Files.