John's Essentials

pdf_excel_to_pdf

Excel to PDF — Convert Excel spreadsheets (.xlsx / .xls / .csv / .ods) to PDF with fit-to-page, orientation control, paper size, sheet selection, repeat header rows, custom header/footer, PDF/A output, password protection, watermark, and per-sheet split mode. Hybrid pipeline: excelize preprocesses the xlsx (page layout, sheet visibility) then LibreOffice converts. [category: pdf]

Input Schema

TableJSON Schema

Name	Required	Description	Default
`file`	Yes	Input spreadsheet (.xlsx, .xls, .csv, .ods)
`pdfa`	No	Archival PDF/A output. 2b is the safe default.	none
`scale`	No	Print scaling percent. Overrides fitToPage when set.
`footer`	No	Per-page footer template. Same tokens as header.
`header`	No	Per-page header template. Tokens: {page}, {pages}, {sheet}, {date}, {filename}.
`sheets`	No	Sheet selection: 'all', comma-separated names (e.g. 'Sales,Ledger'), or comma-separated 0-based indexes (e.g. '0,2'). Non-selected sheets are hidden before conversion.
`margins`	No	default\|narrow\|normal\|wide (Excel's inch presets); default keeps the sheet's own margins. Only applies to .xlsx input; unknown → default.	default
`quality`	No	Output compression quality preset.
`password`	No	Open password for the output PDF (user password).
`bookmarks`	No	Add PDF bookmarks, one per sheet.
`fitToPage`	No	Fit each sheet to a page. 'width' prevents column cutoff; 'one-page' squeezes each sheet onto a single page.	none
`gridlines`	No	Show gridlines. Empty leaves the sheet's own setting.
`paperSize`	No	a4 (default) \| letter \| legal \| tabloid \| a3. Only applies to .xlsx input (excelize preprocess); unknown values silently become a4.	a4
`splitMode`	No	combined = one multi-page PDF; per-sheet = ZIP with one PDF per sheet.	combined
`repeatRows`	No	Print titles — rows that repeat on every page. e.g. '1' or '1-3'.
`orientation`	No	Page orientation. 'auto' picks landscape for sheets with ≥8 data columns.	auto
`showHeaders`	No	Show row/column headers (A/B/C + 1/2/3). Empty leaves the sheet's own setting.
`permPassword`	No	Owner password for permission restrictions. Optional.
`watermarkText`	No	Optional text watermark stamped on every page of the output.

Schema Changelog

Changes observed during successful MCP inspections. Dates show when Glama detected each change.

First observedSep 5, 2026

TDQS

A3.5/5.0

Behavior4/5

Does the description disclose side effects, auth requirements, rate limits, or destructive behavior?

Beyond the minimal annotations, the description adds valuable behavioral context: it reveals the hybrid pipeline ('excelize preprocesses the xlsx ... then LibreOffice converts'), which explains why some layout options are xlsx-only, and it mentions per-sheet split mode output as a ZIP. It does not contradict the annotations.

Agents need to know what a tool does to the world before calling it. Descriptions should go beyond structured annotations to explain consequences.

Conciseness4/5

Is the description appropriately sized, front-loaded, and free of redundancy?

The description is front-loaded with the core conversion purpose and formats, followed by a dense but organized feature list and a one-sentence pipeline explanation. It is longer than minimal but each clause communicates a distinct capability; only the redundant 'Excel to PDF —' prefix is unnecessary.

Shorter descriptions cost fewer tokens and are easier for agents to parse. Every sentence should earn its place.

Completeness4/5

Given the tool's complexity, does the description cover enough for an agent to succeed on first attempt?

For a 19-parameter converter with no output schema, the description covers formats, major features, output modes, and the internal pipeline, and the schema covers all parameters. It remains slightly incomplete on the default return format/response shape for the non-split case, but the overall definition is sufficient for an agent to invoke the tool correctly.

Complex tools with many parameters or behaviors need more documentation. Simple tools need less. This dimension scales expectations accordingly.

Parameters3/5

Does the description clarify parameter syntax, constraints, interactions, or defaults beyond what the schema provides?

Input schema description coverage is 100%, so the schema already documents every parameter. The description's feature list ('fit-to-page, orientation control, paper size, sheet selection...') summarizes capabilities but adds no parameter-level meaning beyond what the schema provides.

Input schemas describe structure but not intent. Descriptions should explain non-obvious parameter relationships and valid value ranges.

Purpose4/5

Does the description clearly state what the tool does and how it differs from similar tools?

The description opens with a specific verb and resource: 'Convert Excel spreadsheets (.xlsx / .xls / .csv / .ods) to PDF', which clearly identifies the tool's function and supported formats. It does not explicitly distinguish this single-file converter from the sibling tools pdf_excel_to_pdf_batch and pdf_excel_to_pdf_inspect, so it is clear but lacks sibling differentiation.

Agents choose between tools based on descriptions. A clear purpose with a specific verb and resource helps agents select the right tool.

Usage Guidelines2/5

Does the description explain when to use this tool, when not to, or what alternatives exist?

No guidance is given about when to choose this tool over alternatives. It does not mention the batch variant for multiple files or the inspect variant for pre-conversion checks, and there are no conditions or exclusions stated beyond the feature list.

Agents often have multiple tools that could apply. Explicit usage guidance like "use X instead of Y when Z" prevents misuse.

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TDQS

B3.2/5.0

Disambiguation2/5

Multiple tool pairs are near-identical: octopus_mkdir/octopus_make_folder and octopus_move/octopus_move_file are literal duplicates, analyze_hash/generate_hash both compute hashes, convert_word_to_pdf overlaps convert_document, and photo_compress/photo_compress_to_size plus pdf_thumbnails/pdf_to_images have fuzzy boundaries. The descriptions are detailed and cross-reference each other helpfully, but at 144 tools an agent will regularly misselect.

Naming Consistency3/5

The dominant {category}_{verb}_{object} snake_case pattern (pdf_*, photo_*, convert_*, analyze_*, media_*) is largely consistent and predictable. However, outliers like chatwithyourpdf and describe_image break the category-prefix convention, and the octopus namespace mixes bare verbs (read, write, mkdir) with verb_noun forms (make_folder, move_file, search_meta) inconsistently.

Tool Count2/5

144 tools is an extreme count for any MCP server. The broad scope (PDF, photo, video, audio, conversion, analysis, generation, file storage, web, e-sign) justifies some volume, but the count is inflated by batch and inspect variants (pdf_to_excel + batch + inspect), duplicate tools, and overlapping converters. An agent faces an overwhelming selection surface.

Completeness4/5

Per-domain coverage is remarkably deep: PDF spans merge/split/compress/protect/unlock/metadata/OCR/watermark and bidirectional conversion; photo covers editing, format conversion, face handling, OCR, and collage; file storage has full CRUD plus search. Minor gaps exist (no audio transcription, no video metadata editing, no deletion of PDF pages is actually covered via pdf_delete_pages) but the surface has no dead ends for its declared domains.

Resources

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