MCP Connector MicroStation Documentation

MCP Connector MicroStation connects AI assistants to a live Bentley MicroStation session on your machine. Once connected, your AI can read and author the design file: scan elements, create and modify geometry, manage levels, cells, references and annotation, and build 3D SmartSolids. Two parts ship together and talk over a local connection: an MCP server your AI client launches, and a plug-in that loads inside MicroStation. Nothing needs to be configured between them.

Requirements

• Bentley MicroStation 2023 to 2026 (Windows, 64-bit)
• The connector runs as a managed AddIn inside MicroStation, so MicroStation itself must be installed on the same machine.
• Windows 10 or 11

AI Applications

• Claude Desktop
• Claude Code
• Cursor
• VS Code
• Any other MCP client (via manual configuration below)

Installation

Connect Your AI Client

The MCP server is a single executable installed with the plug-in bundle:

Claude Desktop and Cursor

The installer registers the server automatically in Claude Desktop (claude_desktop_config.json) and Cursor (.cursor\mcp.json). Just restart the client after installing. If you ever need to add it by hand, use the JSON below.

Manual configuration (any MCP client)

Add this to your client's MCP server configuration:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "AUTOM8LABS_MicroStation": {
      "command": "C:\\ProgramData\\AUTOM8LABS\\MCPConnectorMicroStation\\Bridge\\MCPConnectorMicroStation.Bridge.exe"
    }
  }
}

Claude Code

Register the same executable from a terminal:

VS Code

Add the server to your MCP configuration (for example .vscode/mcp.json in a workspace):

{
  "servers": {
    "AUTOM8LABS_MicroStation": {
      "type": "stdio",
      "command": "C:\\ProgramData\\AUTOM8LABS\\MCPConnectorMicroStation\\Bridge\\MCPConnectorMicroStation.Bridge.exe"
    }
  }
}

Optional: raw key-in and script execution

send_keyin, run_vba_macro and run_python_script require Pro and are disabled by default. To enable them, create the Windows user environment variable MCP_CONNECTOR_ENABLE_COMMAND_EXEC with value 1, then close and restart MicroStation so its process receives the setting. Setting this only in an AI client's MCP server configuration does not enable the native plug-in.

In Windows, open Edit environment variables for your account, choose New under User variables, enter the name and value above, and confirm. Remove the variable and restart MicroStation to disable execution again. These tools can run arbitrary commands or code in the host; enable them only when that access is intended.

Local AI Setup

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "AUTOM8LABS_MicroStation": {
      "command": "C:\\ProgramData\\AUTOM8LABS\\MCPConnectorMicroStation\\Bridge\\MCPConnectorMicroStation.Bridge.exe"
    }
  }
}

Free vs Pro

Two editions ship in one install:

• Free (43 native tools, plus two Bridge recovery tools) is read-only inspection: a connectivity check, plus tools that scan elements, read properties, ranges and tags, list levels, models, cells, references, saved views, dimension styles and paper sizes, and navigate the view with zoom, fit and rotate. Nothing in the free edition creates, modifies, or maintains the design file. No key is needed; it just works.
• Pro (119 additional native tools and a session launcher) unlocks everything else: geometry and cell placement, 3D SmartSolid modelling with booleans and feature editing, transforms and symbology, annotation and dimensioning, level management with DGNLIB standards checking, reference authoring, camera and fence control, batch DGN to DWG conversion, print to PDF, and file housekeeping.

Pro is a per-seat subscription: £10 per seat per month or £100 per seat per year. See the product page for purchasing.

In the tool reference below, every tool is marked Free or Pro. On a free install, Pro tools are not listed to the AI client at all, and the MicroStation plug-in checks entitlement before executing paid operations, independently of the tool list shown by the AI client.

Licence Activation and Management

Licensing lives entirely in the MicroStation plug-in. There is no key to set in the AI client.

• One seat per machine. A seat covers every AI client on that machine: Claude Desktop, Claude Code, Cursor, VS Code, and any other MCP client.
• Moving machines. Click Deactivate in the licence dialog to free the seat, then activate on the new PC.
• Working offline. A validated key keeps working offline between licence checks, so short offline stretches never block your work.

Quickstart

Tool Reference

Browse the full reference below. Categories and tool names are listed alphabetically. Each tool has an example prompt you can click to copy, paste into your AI client and adapt to your model.

The 165 client tools include 162 native tools, a Pro session launcher and two Free Bridge recovery tools. The Edition column shows whether each tool is Free or requires Pro. The plug-in checks the licence before executing Pro tools.

Replace example file paths, names and dimensions with your own. Coordinates and distances use the design file's master units unless stated otherwise. For prompts about a selected element, select it in MicroStation first.

3D SmartSolids

Annotation and Dimensions

Cells

Connectivity

Element Symbology

Elements and Selection

Fence

Files and Models

Geometry Creation

Key-ins

Levels

Printing

References

Ribbon and Automation

Saved Views

Solid Booleans and Feature Editing

Standards and DGNLIB

Tags

Transform and Modify

Views and Navigation

WorkSpace and WorkSet Configuration

Troubleshooting

The AI says it is not connected to MicroStation

• MicroStation must be running with a design file open. Open the first session yourself. Pro can then start an additional session with start_microstation_session.
• In MicroStation, run MCPCONNECTOR STATUS to check the plug-in state. If it reports not running, run MCPCONNECTOR START.
• Ask your AI to run the ping tool. It reports whether the link is up and, if not, why.

The plug-in did not load

• The plug-in auto-loads when MicroStation starts. If the AUTOM8LABS ribbon is missing, restart MicroStation, then run MCPCONNECTOR START at the command line.
• Confirm the bundle exists at C:\ProgramData\AUTOM8LABS\MCPConnectorMicroStation. If it is missing, re-run the installer.
• Check that your MicroStation release is between 2023 and 2026.

Pro tools are missing after activating

• With MicroStation running, the Bridge reads the edition from the connected plug-in. Reconnect your AI client and start a new conversation to refresh any cached tool list after activation. Administrator permissions may also restrict which tools appear.
• Confirm the licence state in MicroStation via Manage Licence on the AUTOM8LABS ribbon.

The AI client does not list the server

• Restart the client completely after installing; a window reload is not always enough.
• For clients other than Claude Desktop and Cursor, add the manual configuration yourself.

send_keyin is not available

• Raw key-in execution requires Pro and is off by default. Create the Windows user environment variable MCP_CONNECTOR_ENABLE_COMMAND_EXEC with value 1, then restart MicroStation. Check any administrator tool restrictions. See raw command execution setup.

FAQ

Changelog