Connect an AI Assistant to PrintTiler with MCP

Quick start

1. Enable MCP in PrintTiler (off by default).
2. Authorize folders and configure a compatible local STDIO client.
3. Review state and preview; approve before PDF export.

Example workflow

Illustrative prompts only—not an actual transcript.

1. Read the current PrintTiler state and report the actual tile columns, rows, and page count. Do not change anything.

2. Open /Users/me/Documents/poster.png (authorized input). Set A4 portrait, Custom Fit, 2 pages across and 3 down. Preview and report the actual page count; aspect lock may affect it. STOP—do not export.

3. Inspect readiness and preview, then STOP and ask for my approval. Only after I approve, export a PDF to /Users/me/Documents/output.pdf.

Requested page grids may preserve aspect lock: inspect the actual preview count; 2 × 3 does not guarantee six pages.

Requirements

PrintTiler 1.14.0 or later on macOS 12 or later, plus an installed, trusted MCP client that supports local STDIO servers. This guide covers local clients, not remote web connectors. PrintTiler’s MCP service needs no extra Python, Node, or Swift installation; the client must already be installed.

Set up your client

1. Open Settings → MCP → Enable in PrintTiler. MCP is off by default; the app remembers your choice.
2. Open Settings → MCP → Setup MCP… and select your client. Copy the actual executable path generated by the app; it may not be installed in /Applications.
3. Click File Access… at the lower left of Setup MCP. Use Add Folder… to authorize input folders for reading and output folders for reading/writing. The two lists are separate; Remove revokes a selected folder grant.
4. Follow the matching client instructions below, then close Setup MCP before asking the assistant to use tools.

Configuration formats

The app-generated configuration values are authoritative; samples below are illustrative only. JSON clients use a stdio command and arguments; TOML clients use a server table and timeout. Always copy the current values displayed by Setup MCP. No remote server URL or “open -a” launcher is needed.

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "printtiler": {
      "command": "<executable path shown by Setup MCP>",
      "args": ["--mcp-stdio"]
    }
  }
}

[mcp_servers.printtiler]
command = "<executable path shown by Setup MCP>"
args = ["--mcp-stdio"]
tool_timeout_sec = 210

File access and privacy

File Access… configures separate lists: input folders are read-only and output folders allow read/write. Add or remove multiple folders as needed. Access to an unlisted input folder prompts Authorize Folder at directory level. Saving an existing file requires client elicitation confirmation when supported, otherwise the macOS save panel; a new file in an authorized output folder may be saved without another dialog. Example preview may send image content and layout metadata to the assistant, subject to the provider’s policies. PrintTiler does not upload files to its servers. MCP does not print: there is no printing tool. Turn it off in Settings > MCP and revoke folder grants when desired.

Use the five tools

The five available tools are printtiler_get_state, printtiler_open_document, printtiler_set_layout, printtiler_preview, and printtiler_export_pdf. They act on the current frontmost document window; avoid editing it simultaneously. A safe sequence is inspect state, open an authorized local file, set layout, preview, then export PDF. A requested 3-by-2 grid is not a guarantee of exactly six pages: read the actual preview columns, rows, and page count before export.

If PrintTiler is not running, the first actual tool call can open the app. MCP must already have been enabled; a tool call never silently enables it.

Example prompt

Example: ‘Read the current state. Open /Users/me/Documents/input.png. Set A4 portrait, Custom Fit, 3 pages across and 2 down. Show the preview and report the actual columns, rows, and page count. STOP and ask for my approval. Only after I approve, export to /Users/me/Documents/output.pdf.’ Replace the example paths with authorized absolute local paths. Inspect the output before retrying after a timeout.

Troubleshooting

If the app moved, copy the newly generated configuration. If setup is busy, close Setup MCP before tool calls. If permission is denied, authorize the folder through the app; do not bypass permissions with chmod. For an invalid client configuration, check that client’s local STDIO support and isolate its configuration. Not every client bearing a Claude or Codex name has been tested or is guaranteed compatible. The server timeout is 180 seconds including dialogs; clients should allow longer (the generated Codex value is 210 seconds). After a timeout, inspect whether output was already created before retrying.

PDF printing · Overlap settings · A4 size

Continue with the PDF, overlap, and paper-size guides, or read the privacy policy.

• PDF printing
• Overlap settings
• A4 size
• Privacy