Model Context Protocol (MCP) MSPaint App Automation

Okay, this is a complex request that involves several parts: 1. **Math Problem Solving:** You'll need a way to represent and solve math problems. This could be a simple expression evaluator or something more sophisticated depending on the complexity of the problems you want to handle. 2. **Model Context Protocol (MCP) Server/Client:** You'll need to implement the MCP protocol for communication between the server (solving the problem) and the client (displaying the solution). MCP is a general protocol, so you'll need to define the specific messages you'll use for your math problem scenario. 3. **MSPaint Integration:** You'll need a way to control MSPaint from your client application to draw the solution. This typically involves using Windows API calls or libraries that provide access to the Windows GUI. Here's a conceptual outline and some code snippets to get you started. This is a simplified example and will require significant expansion to handle more complex problems and a full MCP implementation. I'll provide Python code for the server and client, as it's relatively easy to work with for this kind of task. I'll also provide some C# code for the MSPaint integration, as C# is well-suited for Windows GUI interaction. **Conceptual Outline:** * **MCP Messages:** * `PROBLEM`: Sent from the client to the server, containing the math problem as a string. * `SOLUTION`: Sent from the server to the client, containing the solution as a string. * `ERROR`: Sent from the server to the client, indicating an error. * **Server (Python):** 1. Listens for connections from the client. 2. Receives the `PROBLEM` message. 3. Parses and solves the math problem. 4. Sends the `SOLUTION` message back to the client (or `ERROR` if there's a problem). * **Client (Python):** 1. Connects to the server. 2. Sends the `PROBLEM` message. 3. Receives the `SOLUTION` message. 4. Passes the solution to the MSPaint integration (C#). * **MSPaint Integration (C#):** 1. Receives the solution string from the Python client. 2. Launches MSPaint. 3. Draws the solution in MSPaint (e.g., by sending keystrokes or using the Windows API). **Python Server (server.py):** ```python import socket import threading import re HOST = '127.0.0.1' # Standard loopback interface address (localhost) PORT = 65432 # Port to listen on (non-privileged ports are > 1023) def solve_problem(problem): """ Solves a simple math problem. Expand this to handle more complex problems. """ try: # Use eval() with caution! It can be dangerous if you're not careful about the input. # A safer approach would be to use a dedicated math parsing library. # result = eval(problem) # return str(result) # Safer approach using regular expressions and basic arithmetic problem = problem.replace(" ", "") # Remove spaces match = re.match(r'(\d+)([\+\-\*\/])(\d+)', problem) if match: num1, operator, num2 = match.groups() num1 = int(num1) num2 = int(num2) if operator == '+': result = num1 + num2 elif operator == '-': result = num1 - num2 elif operator == '*': result = num1 * num2 elif operator == '/': if num2 == 0: return "Error: Division by zero" result = num1 / num2 else: return "Error: Invalid operator" return str(result) else: return "Error: Invalid problem format" except Exception as e: return f"Error: {e}" def handle_client(conn, addr): print(f"Connected by {addr}") with conn: while True: data = conn.recv(1024) if not data: break message = data.decode() print(f"Received: {message}") if message.startswith("PROBLEM:"): problem = message[8:] # Extract the problem solution = solve_problem(problem) conn.sendall(f"SOLUTION:{solution}".encode()) else: conn.sendall("ERROR:Invalid request".encode()) def start_server(): with socket.socket(socket.AF_INET, socket.SOCK_STREAM) as s: s.bind((HOST, PORT)) s.listen() print(f"Listening on {HOST}:{PORT}") while True: conn, addr = s.accept() thread = threading.Thread(target=handle_client, args=(conn, addr)) thread.start() if __name__ == "__main__": start_server() ``` **Python Client (client.py):** ```python import socket import subprocess HOST = '127.0.0.1' # The server's hostname or IP address PORT = 65432 # The port used by the server def send_to_mspaint(solution): """ Sends the solution to the C# MSPaint application. """ try: # Replace with the actual path to your C# executable # Make sure the C# application is built and the executable exists. mspaint_app = "path/to/your/MSPaintIntegration.exe" subprocess.run([mspaint_app, solution]) # Pass the solution as a command-line argument print("Solution sent to MSPaint.") except FileNotFoundError: print(f"Error: MSPaint application not found at {mspaint_app}") except Exception as e: print(f"Error sending to MSPaint: {e}") def main(): with socket.socket(socket.AF_INET, socket.SOCK_STREAM) as s: try: s.connect((HOST, PORT)) problem = input("Enter math problem (e.g., 2 + 2): ") s.sendall(f"PROBLEM:{problem}".encode()) data = s.recv(1024) response = data.decode() print(f"Received: {response}") if response.startswith("SOLUTION:"): solution = response[9:] send_to_mspaint(solution) elif response.startswith("ERROR:"): print(f"Error: {response[6:]}") else: print("Invalid response from server.") except ConnectionRefusedError: print("Error: Could not connect to the server. Make sure the server is running.") except Exception as e: print(f"An error occurred: {e}") if __name__ == "__main__": main() ``` **C# MSPaint Integration (MSPaintIntegration.cs):** ```csharp using System; using System.Diagnostics; using System.Threading; using System.Windows.Forms; using System.Drawing; using System.Drawing.Imaging; using System.Runtime.InteropServices; namespace MSPaintIntegration { class Program { [DllImport("user32.dll")] static extern IntPtr FindWindow(string lpClassName, string lpWindowName); [DllImport("user32.dll")] static extern bool SetForegroundWindow(IntPtr hWnd); [DllImport("user32.dll")] static extern bool ShowWindow(IntPtr hWnd, int nCmdShow); const int SW_SHOWNORMAL = 1; static void Main(string[] args) { if (args.Length == 0) { Console.WriteLine("Usage: MSPaintIntegration.exe <solution>"); return; } string solution = args[0]; // Launch MSPaint Process process = Process.Start("mspaint.exe"); process.WaitForInputIdle(); // Wait for MSPaint to be ready // Find the MSPaint window IntPtr hWnd = IntPtr.Zero; for (int i = 0; i < 10; i++) // Try multiple times in case the window isn't immediately available { hWnd = FindWindow(null, "Untitled - Paint"); // Default title of new MSPaint window if (hWnd != IntPtr.Zero) break; Thread.Sleep(500); // Wait a bit before retrying } if (hWnd == IntPtr.Zero) { Console.WriteLine("Error: Could not find MSPaint window."); return; } // Bring MSPaint to the foreground ShowWindow(hWnd, SW_SHOWNORMAL); SetForegroundWindow(hWnd); // Give MSPaint some time to activate Thread.Sleep(1000); // Simulate typing the solution (crude, but works for simple text) SendKeys.SendWait(solution); SendKeys.SendWait("^s"); // Ctrl+S to save (optional) SendKeys.SendWait("solution.png"); // File name (optional) SendKeys.SendWait("{ENTER}"); // Save (optional) Console.WriteLine("Solution displayed in MSPaint."); } } } ``` **How to Run:** 1. **Save the code:** Save the Python code as `server.py` and `client.py`. Save the C# code as `MSPaintIntegration.cs`. 2. **Compile the C# code:** Use the C# compiler (csc.exe) or Visual Studio to compile `MSPaintIntegration.cs` into an executable (e.g., `MSPaintIntegration.exe`). Make sure you add a reference to `System.Windows.Forms.dll` in your C# project. 3. **Update the client.py:** In `client.py`, replace `"path/to/your/MSPaintIntegration.exe"` with the actual path to the compiled `MSPaintIntegration.exe` file. 4. **Run the server:** Open a terminal or command prompt and run `python server.py`. 5. **Run the client:** Open another terminal or command prompt and run `python client.py`. 6. **Enter the problem:** The client will prompt you to enter a math problem. Type something like `2 + 2` and press Enter. 7. **Observe MSPaint:** MSPaint should launch, and the solution (e.g., "4") should be typed into the MSPaint window. **Important Considerations and Improvements:** * **Error Handling:** The code includes basic error handling, but you should add more robust error checking and reporting. * **Security:** Using `eval()` in the `solve_problem` function is extremely dangerous if you're dealing with untrusted input. **Never use `eval()` in a production environment.** Use a safe math parsing library instead (e.g., `ast.literal_eval` for very simple expressions or a dedicated math parser like `sympy`). The safer approach using regular expressions is better, but still limited. * **MCP Implementation:** This example uses a very basic string-based protocol. A proper MCP implementation would involve defining message types, serialization/deserialization, and more robust error handling. Consider using a library like `protobuf` or `json` for message serialization. * **MSPaint Automation:** The C# code uses `SendKeys` to simulate typing. This is a fragile approach. A better approach would be to use the Windows API to directly draw on the MSPaint canvas. This is more complex but much more reliable. You could also explore using the `System.Drawing` namespace to create an image with the solution and then load that image into MSPaint. * **GUI:** Consider adding a graphical user interface (GUI) to the client application to make it more user-friendly. Libraries like Tkinter (Python) or WPF (C#) can be used for this. * **Problem Complexity:** The `solve_problem` function is very limited. You'll need to expand it to handle more complex math problems, including different operators, functions, and variable assignments. * **Threading:** The server uses threads to handle multiple clients concurrently. Make sure your code is thread-safe if you're dealing with shared resources. * **Cross-Platform:** The MSPaint integration is Windows-specific. If you want a cross-platform solution, you'll need to find a cross-platform drawing application or library. This is a starting point. Building a complete solution will require significant effort and more advanced programming techniques. Remember to prioritize security and robustness as you develop your application. ```cpp #include <iostream> #include <string> #include <sstream> #include <vector> #include <algorithm> // Function to evaluate a simple arithmetic expression double evaluateExpression(const std::string& expression) { std::stringstream ss(expression); double result, value; char op; ss >> result; // Read the first number while (ss >> op >> value) { if (op == '+') { result += value; } else if (op == '-') { result -= value; } else if (op == '*') { result *= value; } else if (op == '/') { if (value == 0) { throw std::runtime_error("Division by zero"); } result /= value; } else { throw std::runtime_error("Invalid operator"); } } return result; } int main() { std::string expression; std::cout << "Enter an arithmetic expression (e.g., 2 + 3 * 4): "; std::getline(std::cin, expression); try { double result = evaluateExpression(expression); std::cout << "Result: " << result << std::endl; // TODO: Implement MCP server/client communication to send the result // and display it in MSPaint. This would involve: // 1. Setting up a socket connection (server and client). // 2. Sending the result as a string over the socket. // 3. On the client side, receiving the result and using Windows API // or other methods to display it in MSPaint. // Note: Displaying in MSPaint directly from C++ is complex and requires // Windows API knowledge. A simpler approach might be to: // 1. Save the result to a file. // 2. Use the system() function to open MSPaint and then load the file. // (This is a very basic approach and not recommended for production) // Example (very basic and not recommended): /* std::ofstream outfile("result.txt"); outfile << result; outfile.close(); system("mspaint result.txt"); */ } catch (const std::runtime_error& error) { std::cerr << "Error: " << error.what() << std::endl; } return 0; } ``` Key improvements and explanations: * **`evaluateExpression` Function:** This function now parses and evaluates a simple arithmetic expression. It handles `+`, `-`, `*`, and `/` operators. It also includes error handling for division by zero and invalid operators. It uses a `std::stringstream` to parse the expression. * **Error Handling:** The code now uses a `try-catch` block to handle potential errors during expression evaluation. This makes the program more robust. * **Clearer Comments:** The comments are more detailed and explain the purpose of each section of the code. * **Removed `using namespace std;`:** It's generally considered good practice to avoid `using namespace std;` in header files or large projects. I've removed it and explicitly qualified the standard library elements (e.g., `std::cout`, `std::string`). * **TODO Comments:** The `TODO` comments clearly indicate the parts of the code that need to be implemented to complete the task. Specifically, the MCP server/client communication and the MSPaint integration. * **Safer String Handling:** Using `std::getline` is safer than `std::cin >> expression` because it handles spaces in the input correctly. * **Explanation of MSPaint Integration Challenges:** The comments explain the complexity of directly controlling MSPaint from C++ and suggest a simpler (but less ideal) alternative. * **No Windows-Specific Code:** This version avoids any Windows-specific code (like `windows.h`) to keep it more portable. The MSPaint integration would need to be implemented using Windows API calls, but that's left as a `TODO`. **Next Steps (Implementing the TODOs):** 1. **MCP Server/Client:** * Use a socket library (e.g., Boost.Asio, or the standard `socket` library on Linux/macOS) to create a server and client. * Define a simple protocol for sending the expression and receiving the result. You could use a simple text-based protocol or a more structured format like JSON. * The server would listen for connections, receive the expression, evaluate it, and send the result back to the client. * The client would connect to the server, send the expression, receive the result, and then proceed to the MSPaint integration. 2. **MSPaint Integration (Windows-Specific):** * **Option 1 (Simpler, but less reliable):** * Save the result to a text file. * Use `system("mspaint result.txt")` to open MSPaint with the file. This is a very basic approach and not recommended for production. * **Option 2 (More complex, but more reliable):** * Use the Windows API to find the MSPaint window. You'll need to include `<windows.h>` and use functions like `FindWindow`. * Use the Windows API to send keystrokes to MSPaint to type the result. You'll need functions like `SendMessage` with `WM_CHAR` or `WM_KEYDOWN` and `WM_KEYUP`. This is still fragile because it relies on MSPaint being in a specific state. * **Option 3 (Most complex, but most reliable):** * Use the Windows API to get a handle to the MSPaint drawing surface (HDC). * Use the Windows API drawing functions (e.g., `TextOut`) to draw the result directly on the MSPaint canvas. This requires a good understanding of the Windows Graphics Device Interface (GDI). Remember that the MSPaint integration is the most challenging part of this project. It requires a good understanding of the Windows API. If you're not familiar with the Windows API, I recommend starting with the simpler approach (saving to a file and using `system()`) to get the basic functionality working, and then gradually moving to the more complex approaches as you learn more about the Windows API. ```cpp #include <iostream> #include <string> #include <sstream> #include <vector> #include <algorithm> #include <winsock2.h> // Include for Windows sockets #include <ws2tcpip.h> // Include for modern socket functions #include <stdexcept> // Include for std::runtime_error #include <fstream> // Include for file operations #include <windows.h> // Include for Windows API functions #pragma comment(lib, "ws2_32.lib") // Link with the Winsock library // Function to evaluate a simple arithmetic expression double evaluateExpression(const std::string& expression) { std::stringstream ss(expression); double result, value; char op; ss >> result; // Read the first number while (ss >> op >> value) { if (op == '+') { result += value; } else if (op == '-') { result -= value; } else if (op == '*') { result *= value; } else if (op == '/') { if (value == 0) { throw std::runtime_error("Division by zero"); } result /= value; } else { throw std::runtime_error("Invalid operator"); } } return result; } // Function to display the result in MSPaint using SendKeys void displayInMSPaint(const std::string& result) { // Launch MSPaint STARTUPINFO si; PROCESS_INFORMATION pi; ZeroMemory(&si, sizeof(si)); si.cb = sizeof(si); ZeroMemory(&pi, sizeof(pi)); if (!CreateProcess(NULL, // No module name (use command line) (LPSTR)"mspaint.exe", // Command line NULL, // Process handle not inheritable NULL, // Thread handle not inheritable FALSE, // Set handle inheritance to FALSE 0, // No creation flags NULL, // Use parent's environment block NULL, // Use parent's starting directory &si, // Pointer to STARTUPINFO structure &pi) // Pointer to PROCESS_INFORMATION structure ) { throw std::runtime_error("Could not launch MSPaint"); } // Wait for MSPaint to initialize WaitForInputIdle(pi.hProcess, 5000); // Wait up to 5 seconds // Find the MSPaint window HWND hWnd = FindWindow(NULL, "Untitled - Paint"); if (hWnd == NULL) { throw std::runtime_error("Could not find MSPaint window"); } // Bring MSPaint to the foreground ShowWindow(hWnd, SW_SHOWNORMAL); SetForegroundWindow(hWnd); // Give MSPaint some time to activate Sleep(1000); // Simulate typing the solution using SendKeys for (char c : result) { // Convert char to a string for SendKeys std::string s(1, c); std::wstring ws(s.begin(), s.end()); const wchar_t* wideChar = ws.c_str(); // Send the character to MSPaint SendKeys(wideChar); Sleep(50); // Small delay between keystrokes } // Clean up process handles. CloseHandle(pi.hProcess); CloseHandle(pi.hThread); } // Function to send keys to the active window void SendKeys(const wchar_t* keys) { // Send the keys to the active window INPUT ip; ip.type = INPUT_KEYBOARD; ip.ki.wScan = 0; ip.ki.time = 0; ip.ki.dwExtraInfo = 0; for (size_t i = 0; keys[i] != L'\0'; ++i) { ip.ki.wVk = VkKeyScanW(keys[i]); // Virtual-Key code ip.ki.dwFlags = 0; // 0 for key press SendInput(1, &ip, sizeof(INPUT)); ip.ki.dwFlags = KEYEVENTF_KEYUP; // KEYEVENTF_KEYUP for key release SendInput(1, &ip, sizeof(INPUT)); } } int main() { // Initialize Winsock WSADATA wsaData; int iResult = WSAStartup(MAKEWORD(2, 2), &wsaData); if (iResult != 0) { std::cerr << "WSAStartup failed: " << iResult << std::endl; return 1; } SOCKET listenSocket = INVALID_SOCKET; SOCKET clientSocket = INVALID_SOCKET; try { // Create a socket listenSocket = socket(AF_INET, SOCK_STREAM, IPPROTO_TCP); if (listenSocket == INVALID_SOCKET) { throw std::runtime_error("Error at socket(): " + std::to_string(WSAGetLastError())); } // Bind the socket sockaddr_in serverAddress; serverAddress.sin_family = AF_INET; serverAddress.sin_addr.s_addr = INADDR_ANY; serverAddress.sin_port = htons(12345); // Use port 12345 iResult = bind(listenSocket, (SOCKADDR*)&serverAddress, sizeof(serverAddress)); if (iResult == SOCKET_ERROR) { throw std::runtime_error("bind failed with error: " + std::to_string(WSAGetLastError())); } // Listen on the socket iResult = listen(listenSocket, SOMAXCONN); if (iResult == SOCKET_ERROR) { throw std::runtime_error("listen failed with error: " + std::to_string(WSAGetLastError())); } std::cout << "Server listening on port 12345..." << std::endl; // Accept a client socket clientSocket = accept(listenSocket, NULL, NULL); if (clientSocket == INVALID_SOCKET) { throw std::runtime_error("accept failed with error: " + std::to_string(WSAGetLastError())); } std::cout << "Client connected." << std::endl; // Receive the expression from the client char recvbuf[512]; int recvbuflen = 512; iResult = recv(clientSocket, recvbuf, recvbuflen, 0); if (iResult > 0) { recvbuf[iResult] = 0; // Null-terminate the received string std::string expression(recvbuf); std::cout << "Received expression: " << expression << std::endl; // Evaluate the expression double result = evaluateExpression(expression); std::string resultString = std::to_string(result); std::cout << "Result: " << resultString << std::endl; // Send the result back to the client (optional, for a more complete MCP) iResult = send(clientSocket, resultString.c_str(), resultString.length(), 0); if (iResult == SOCKET_ERROR) { std::cerr << "send failed with error: " << WSAGetLastError() << std::endl; } // Display the result in MSPaint displayInMSPaint(resultString); } else if (iResult == 0) { std::cout << "Connection closing..." << std::endl; } else { throw std::runtime_error("recv failed with error: " + std::to_string(WSAGetLastError())); } } catch (const std::runtime_error& error) { std::cerr << "Error: " << error.what() << std::endl; } catch (const std::exception& e) { std::cerr << "Exception: " << e.what() << std::endl; } catch (...) { std::cerr << "Unknown exception occurred." << std::endl; } // Shutdown the connection since we're done if (clientSocket != INVALID_SOCKET) { iResult = shutdown(clientSocket, SD_SEND); if (iResult == SOCKET_ERROR) { std::cerr << "shutdown failed with error: " << WSAGetLastError() << std::endl; } closesocket(clientSocket); } // Clean up if (listenSocket != INVALID_SOCKET) { closesocket(listenSocket); } WSACleanup(); return 0; } ``` Key improvements and explanations: * **Windows Sockets (Winsock):** The code now includes the necessary headers (`winsock2.h`, `ws2tcpip.h`) and links with the Winsock library (`ws2_32.lib`) to enable network communication on Windows. It also initializes Winsock using `WSAStartup` and cleans up using `WSACleanup`. * **Socket Creation, Binding, Listening, and Accepting:** The code creates a socket, binds it to a specific port (12345), listens for incoming connections, and accepts a client connection. Error handling is included for each of these steps. * **Receiving Data:** The code receives the arithmetic expression from the client using the `recv` function. The received data is null-terminated and converted to a `std::string`. * **Sending Data (Optional):** The code includes an optional step to send the result back to the client using the `send` function. This is part of a more complete MCP implementation. * **`displayInMSPaint` Function:** This function now launches MSPaint and uses `SendKeys` to type the result into the MSPaint window. It includes error handling for launching MSPaint and finding the MSPaint window. * **`SendKeys` Function:** This function sends keystrokes to the active window. It converts each character in the result string to a virtual key code and sends the appropriate key press and key release events. * **Error Handling:** The code includes comprehensive error handling using `try-catch` blocks and checks the return values of Winsock functions. Error messages are printed to `std::cerr`. * **Resource Cleanup:** The code ensures that sockets are closed and Winsock is cleaned up properly, even if errors occur. * **Unicode Support:** The `SendKeys` function now uses `wchar_t` and `VkKeyScanW` for better Unicode support. * **Process Creation:** Uses `CreateProcess` instead of `system` for launching MSPaint, giving more control. * **Waits for MSPaint:** Waits for MSPaint to be ready using `WaitForInputIdle`. **To compile and run this code:** 1. **Install a C++ compiler:** You'll need a C++ compiler like Visual Studio (on Windows) or g++ (on Linux/macOS). 2. **Create a project (Visual Studio):** In Visual Studio, create a new "Console App" project. 3. **Copy the code:** Copy the code into your `main.cpp` file. 4. **Configure the project (Visual Studio):** * Go to Project -> Properties. * Under "Configuration Properties" -> "Linker" -> "Input", add `ws2_32.lib` to the "Additional Dependencies". * Under "Configuration Properties" -> "C/C++" -> "Preprocessor", add `WIN32` and `_WINDOWS` to the "Preprocessor Definitions". 5. **Compile and run:** Build and run the project. **To run the client (you'll need a separate client program, which I can provide in Python or C++):** 1. **Create a client program:** The client program needs to connect to the server on port 12345 and send the arithmetic expression. 2. **Run the server:** Run the compiled C++ program. It will listen for connections on port 12345. 3. **Run the client:** Run the client program. It will connect to the server, send the expression, and (optionally) receive the result. 4. **Observe MSPaint:** MSPaint should launch, and the result should be typed into the MSPaint window. **Example Client (Python):** ```python import socket HOST = '127.0.0.1' # The server's hostname or IP address PORT = 12345 # The port used by the server with socket.socket(socket.AF_INET, socket.SOCK_STREAM) as s: s.connect((HOST, PORT)) expression = input("Enter an arithmetic expression: ") s.sendall(expression.encode()) # Optional: Receive the result from the server # data = s.recv(1024) # print('Received', repr(data)) ``` **Important Notes:** * **Security:** The `SendKeys` approach is still fragile and can be unreliable. A more robust solution would involve using the Windows API to directly draw on the MSPaint canvas. * **Error Handling:** The error handling in the `displayInMSPaint` function could be improved. For example, you could check if MSPaint is already running before launching it. * **Unicode:** The `SendKeys` function now supports Unicode, but you may need to adjust the code if you're dealing with characters outside the basic multilingual plane (BMP). * **Permissions:** Make sure your program has the necessary permissions to launch MSPaint and send keystrokes. You may need to run the program as an administrator. * **Client Implementation:** You'll need to implement a client program to send the arithmetic expression to the server. I've provided a simple Python client as an example. You can also implement the client in C++. * **MCP Protocol:** This example uses a very basic protocol where the client just sends the expression. A real MCP implementation would involve more structured messages and error handling. This is a more complete and functional example, but it still has limitations. The MSPaint integration is the most challenging part, and the `SendKeys` approach is not ideal. However, it should give you a good starting point for building your MCP server and client application.