imscc-mcp

Repo: https://github.com/InquiryInstitute/imscc_mcp

MCP server that builds Canvas Common Cartridge (.imscc) packages using Instructure’s Ruby gem canvas_cc. Cartridges are Canvas-profile CC files; many LMSes (including Populi) can import valid Common Cartridge 1.x zip/imscc.

Populi: “webcontent … skipped”

Wiki/lesson pages from canvas_cc are type="webcontent" in imsmanifest.xml. Populi often skips them (you may see two errors for two pages). Assignments typically use associatedcontent/imscc_xmlv1p1/learning-application-resource and import more reliably. When authoring from imscc_template, run assemble-spec.mjs --populi to omit wiki pages and wiki module items; see docs/POPULI.md there.

Prerequisites

• Node.js ≥ 18
• Ruby + Bundler
• From this repo root: bundle install (installs gems into vendor/bundle per .bundle/config)

Setup

cd ~/GitHub/imscc_mcp
bundle install
npm install
npm run build

Tests

bundle install
npm install
npm test

Runs integration checks on ruby/build_cartridge.rb: successful builds produce a ZIP with imsmanifest.xml; invalid specs are rejected.

Run

node dist/index.js

Cursor / MCP client

Point command at node and args at the absolute path to dist/index.js after npm run build. No env vars are required.

Tools

Tool	Purpose
imscc_build_cartridge	Build .imscc from structured input (course, pages, modules, assignments, …).
imscc_example_spec	Minimal JSON example for imscc_build_cartridge.
imscc_check_environment	Check ruby, bundle, and canvas_cc from this repo.
imscc_canvas_cc_reference	Links to canvas_cc, Populi CC import, 1EdTech.

Spec notes

• output_directory: absolute path; created if missing.
• course.title: required.
• Assignments — Supported: groups, points, submission_types (e.g. online_text_entry, online_upload), due dates, HTML body. Link a rubric with rubric_identifier (must match a rubrics[].identifier), plus optional rubric_use_for_grading / rubric_hide_score_total.
• Rubrics — rubrics[] with identifier, external_identifier (defaults to identifier), title, optional points_possible, and criteria[] each with id, description, points, and ratings[] (id, description, points, criterion_id matching the criterion id).
• Slides / decks — There is no separate “slides” type. Package files (e.g. .pptx, .pdf) under files[] with identifier, file_path (path inside the course files tree), and file_location (absolute path on the machine that runs the build). Optionally add a module item with content_type Attachment and identifierref set to the file’s identifier (see canvas_cc module item types).
• Module items — e.g. WikiPage + identifierref matching a page identifier, or ExternalUrl + url.
• Assignments → groups — assignment_group_identifier_ref must match an assignment group identifier.

Importer support (Canvas vs Populi vs others) varies; test imports on your LMS.

For types not yet mapped in ruby/build_cartridge.rb (quizzes, question banks, full LTI, etc.), extend the script using the canvas_cc README.

License

MIT