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VS Code MCP Setup

Connect with setup

With uv installed:

uvx solidworks-mcp-python setup --client vscode

Setup adds a solidworks server to your user %APPDATA%\Code\User\mcp.json, leaving your other servers alone. It also offers to remove older entries for this server, such as one that runs run-mcp.ps1 through PowerShell.

Or add it by hand

Run MCP: Open User Configuration from the Command Palette (Ctrl+Shift+P) and add:

{
  "servers": {
    "solidworks": {
      "type": "stdio",
      "command": "uvx",
      "args": ["solidworks-mcp-python"]
    }
  }
}

If VS Code can't find uvx, use its full path, from (Get-Command uvx).Source. For mock mode, which needs no SolidWorks, use "args": ["solidworks-mcp-python", "--mock"].

Linux/WSL: mock mode only Use this for docs, tests or mock-mode development; it can't drive SolidWorks. 
{
  "servers": {
    "solidworks": {
      "type": "stdio",
      "command": "C:\\Windows\\System32\\wsl.exe",
      "args": [
        "-d",
        "YOUR_WSL_DISTRO",
        "--",
        "/home/YOUR_USERNAME/.local/bin/micromamba",
        "run",
        "-n",
        "solidworks_mcp",
        "python",
        "-m",
        "solidworks_mcp.server",
        "--mock"
      ]
    }
  }
}

Check it works

Open SolidWorks, then run MCP: List Servers and start (or restart) solidworks. Its output should include:

  • SolidWorks COM interface is available
  • Connected to SolidWorks
  • Discovered 155 tools (the count grows as tools are added)

VS Code labels every line the server writes to stderr as [warning]. That is the server's normal log, so those labels aren't problems.

Troubleshooting

  • Could not connect to SolidWorks: SolidWorks wasn't open when the server started. Open it, then restart solidworks from MCP: List Servers.
  • Tools return simulated data: the entry has "args": ["--mock"]. Run setup again without --mock.
  • The same tools appear twice: an older entry for this server is still in mcp.json. Run setup again and accept removing it.
  • ModuleNotFoundError: run .\install.ps1 again.

More fixes are in the Installation guide's Troubleshooting.