# VS Code Integration Guide This guide shows you how to integrate the Ultimate Google Docs & Drive MCP Server with VS Code using the MCP extension. ## Prerequisites Before setting up VS Code integration, make sure you have: 1. **Completed the main setup** - Follow the [README.md](README.md) setup instructions first 2. **VS Code installed** - Download from [code.visualstudio.com](https://code.visualstudio.com/) 3. **Working MCP server** - Verify your server works with Claude Desktop first ## Installation ### Step 1: Install the MCP Extension 1. Open VS Code 2. Go to Extensions (Ctrl+Shift+X / Cmd+Shift+X) 3. Search for "MCP" or "Model Context Protocol" 4. Install the official MCP extension ### Step 2: Configure the MCP Server 1. Open VS Code Settings (Ctrl+, / Cmd+,) 2. Search for "MCP" in settings 3. Find "MCP: Servers" configuration 4. Add a new server configuration: ```json { "google-docs-drive": { "command": "node", "args": ["${workspaceFolder}/dist/index.js"], "env": { "NODE_ENV": "production" } } } ``` ### Step 3: Verify Configuration 1. Open the Command Palette (Ctrl+Shift+P / Cmd+Shift+P) 2. Type "MCP: Restart Servers" and run it 3. Check the Output panel and select "MCP" from the dropdown 4. You should see your server connecting successfully ## Usage Once configured, you can use the MCP server with AI assistants in VS Code: ### Document Operations ``` "List my recent Google Docs from the last 7 days" "Read the content of document ID: 1ABC..." "Create a new document called 'Project Notes' in my Work folder" "Search for documents containing 'meeting notes'" ``` ### File Management ``` "Show me the contents of my root Drive folder" "Create a folder called 'Project X' in folder ID: 1DEF..." "Move document ID: 1GHI... to the Project X folder" "Copy my template document and rename it to 'New Report'" ``` ### Document Editing ``` "Add a heading 'Summary' to the beginning of document ID: 1JKL..." "Format all text containing 'important' as bold in my document" "Insert a table with 3 columns and 5 rows at the end of the document" "Apply paragraph formatting to make all headings centered" ``` ## Troubleshooting ### Server Not Starting 1. **Check the path** - Ensure the absolute path in your configuration is correct 2. **Verify build** - Run `npm run build` in your project directory 3. **Check permissions** - Ensure `token.json` and `credentials.json` exist and are readable ### Authentication Issues 1. **Re-authorize** - Delete `token.json` and run the server manually once: ```bash cd /path/to/your/mcp-googledocs-server node dist/index.js ``` 2. **Follow the authorization flow** again 3. **Restart VS Code** after successful authorization ### Tool Not Found Errors 1. **Restart MCP servers** using Command Palette 2. **Check server logs** in VS Code Output panel (MCP channel) ## Available Tools The server provides these tools in VS Code: ### Document Discovery - `listGoogleDocs` - List documents with filtering - `searchGoogleDocs` - Search by name/content - `getRecentGoogleDocs` - Get recently modified docs - `getDocumentInfo` - Get detailed document metadata ### Document Editing - `readGoogleDoc` - Read document content - `appendToGoogleDoc` - Add text to end - `insertText` - Insert at specific position - `deleteRange` - Remove content - `applyTextStyle` - Format text (bold, italic, colors) - `applyParagraphStyle` - Format paragraphs (alignment, spacing) - `formatMatchingText` - Find and format text - `insertTable` - Create tables - `insertPageBreak` - Add page breaks ### File Management - `createFolder` - Create new folders - `listFolderContents` - List folder contents - `getFolderInfo` - Get folder metadata - `moveFile` - Move files/folders - `copyFile` - Copy files/folders - `renameFile` - Rename files/folders - `deleteFile` - Delete files/folders - `createDocument` - Create new documents - `createFromTemplate` - Create from templates ## Tips for Better Integration 1. **Use specific document IDs** - More reliable than document names 2. **Combine operations** - Create and format documents in single requests 3. **Check tool results** - Review what was actually done before proceeding 4. **Use templates** - Create template documents for consistent formatting ## Security Notes - The server uses OAuth 2.0 for secure authentication - Credentials are stored locally in `token.json` and `credentials.json` - Never share these files or commit them to version control - The server only has access to your Google Drive, not other Google services ## Example Workflows ### Create a Formatted Report ``` 1. "Create a new document called 'Monthly Report' in my Reports folder" 2. "Add the title 'Monthly Performance Report' as a centered Heading 1" 3. "Insert a table with 4 columns and 6 rows for the data" 4. "Add section headings for Executive Summary, Key Metrics, and Action Items" ``` ### Organize Project Documents ``` 1. "Create a folder called 'Q1 Project' in my Work folder" 2. "Search for all documents containing 'Q1' in the title" 3. "Move the found documents to the Q1 Project folder" 4. "Create a new document called 'Q1 Project Overview' in that folder" ``` This integration brings the full power of Google Docs and Drive management directly into your VS Code workflow!