AutoCAD MCP Server - Complete Documentation

🏗️ A powerful Python-based Model Context Protocol (MCP) server that provides programmatic control over AutoCAD through COM automation.

Youtube video of the working demo https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KQpxiXvF4cc

Transform your AutoCAD workflow with intelligent building structure creation, automatic layer management, and comprehensive entity manipulation - all through Claude and other MCP clients.

🚀 Quick Start (30 seconds)

# 1. Clone and setup
git clone https://github.com/yourusername/autocad-mcp-server
cd autocad-mcp-server
pip install -e .

# 2. Start AutoCAD (must be running)
# Open AutoCAD application

# 3. Test the server
python test_script.py

📋 Table of Contents

• Prerequisites
• Installation
• Configuration with Claude Desktop
• Running the Server
• Basic Usage Examples
• Advanced Features
• API Reference
• Troubleshooting
• Development

Prerequisites

System Requirements

• Operating System: Windows (COM automation requirement)
• AutoCAD: Any version 2000+ with COM support
• Python: 3.8 or higher
• Claude Desktop: Latest version (for MCP integration)

Required Software

1. AutoCAD Installation

   • Any AutoCAD version (AutoCAD, AutoCAD LT, Civil 3D, etc.)
   • Must have valid license and be able to run
   • COM automation must be enabled (default in most installations)

2. Python Environment

   • Python 3.8+ installed
   • Administrative privileges may be required for COM registration

Installation

Method 1: Using pip (Recommended)

# Clone the repository
git clone https://github.com/yourusername/autocad-mcp-server
cd autocad-mcp-server

# Create virtual environment
python -m venv venv

# Activate environment (Windows)
venv\Scripts\activate

# Install the package
pip install -e .

Method 2: Using uv (Faster)

# Install uv if not already installed
pip install uv

# Clone and setup
git clone https://github.com/yourusername/autocad-mcp-server
cd autocad-mcp-server

# Create environment and install
uv venv
uv pip install -e .

Dependencies Installed

• mcp>=1.0.0 - Model Context Protocol framework
• pywin32>=306 - Windows COM automation

Configuration with Claude Desktop

Step 1: Locate Claude Desktop Config

Find your Claude Desktop configuration file:

• Windows: %APPDATA%\Claude\claude_desktop_config.json
• macOS: ~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json

Step 2: Add MCP Server Configuration

Edit the config file to include your AutoCAD MCP server:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "autocad-mcp": {
      "command": "python",
      "args": [
        "C:\\path\\to\\your\\autocad-mcp-server\\test_script.py"
      ],
      "env": {
        "PYTHONPATH": "C:\\path\\to\\your\\autocad-mcp-server"
      }
    }
  }
}

Important: Replace C:\\path\\to\\your\\autocad-mcp-server with your actual project path.

Step 3: Alternative Configuration (If Installed via pip)

If you installed the package globally:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "autocad-mcp": {
      "command": "autocad-mcp",
      "args": []
    }
  }
}

Step 4: Restart Claude Desktop

1. Close Claude Desktop completely
2. Restart the application
3. Verify the MCP server appears in available tools

Running the Server

Method 1: Standalone Testing

# Activate your environment
venv\Scripts\activate  # Windows
# source venv/bin/activate  # macOS/Linux

# Start AutoCAD first (important!)
# Open AutoCAD application

# Run the test script
python test_script.py

Expected Output:

✅ Successfully connected to AutoCAD
📄 Drawing: Drawing1.dwg
📊 Entities: 0
🚀 MCP Server starting...
Server running and waiting for client connections...

... View full README on GitHub