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Workbench

Workbench is the review queue for CODE and DATA work handed to Genie by Local MCP clients such as Codex, Cursor, Claude Desktop, or another local IDE agent.

It keeps external-agent work visible and user-controlled. MCP can stage a prompt or an XML draft, but it cannot run providers, mutate FileMaker, or apply code during the tool call.

Where it appears

Section titled “Where it appears”

Open Workbench from the tool belt with the checklist icon.

Workbench items show:

  • title
  • mode: CODE or DATA
  • source client
  • status
  • prompt or XML preview
  • reviewer notes
  • warnings
  • action buttons

Each item can be:

  • Run: send it through Genie
  • Copy: copy the staged prompt
  • Remove: dismiss it from the queue

Workbench panel with staged CODE items from Codex

Workbench can also receive raw XML drafts from MCP clients. These show as External XML items with the XML preview, notes, warnings, and the same review controls.

Workbench panel showing a raw XML draft staged from Claude

What happens when you run an item

Section titled “What happens when you run an item”

Running an item does the same kind of work as sending a prompt from the composer.

Genie:

  1. applies any stored metadata selection from the staged item
  2. adds the prompt to chat
  3. switches into the staged mode
  4. enters the normal Genie pipeline

For CODE, that means scoped planning, bounded generation, preview/copy/apply review, and native Script Workspace safety still apply. For DATA, the usual confirmation and SQL guardrails still apply. For External XML, the artifact was generated outside Genie, so review the XML and warnings before applying.

How MCP agents should stage work

Section titled “How MCP agents should stage work”

An IDE agent should call genie_get_capabilities before staging. That capability result explains which work belongs in CODE, DATA, genie_query, normal planning, or manual FileMaker instructions.

For metadata-grounded script work, the agent should call genie_prepare_metadata_selection first, then pass the returned metadata_selection into genie_stage_new_script or genie_stage_edit_script for the one staged item that needs it.

CODE staging contract

Section titled “CODE staging contract”

CODE Workbench items are intentionally narrow.

Stage CODE only for:

  • one new FileMaker script
  • one edit to a script already attached or selected in Genie

Use genie_stage_new_script for new scripts and genie_stage_edit_script for attached-script edits. Agents should choose one explicit script staging tool before calling Genie.

Do not stage:

  • multiple scripts in one prompt
  • create or replace script prompts
  • named-script edits when the script is not attached or selected in Genie
  • CREATE TABLE, ALTER TABLE, INSERT, UPDATE, DELETE, TRUNCATE, or other DATA SQL
  • ASK/planning prompts
  • read-only QUERY prompts
  • table occurrences, relationships, layouts, buttons, Web Viewers, portals, layout objects, or privilege/security work

If an IDE agent needs several scripts, it should create one genie_stage_new_script or genie_stage_edit_script call per script.

Raw XML drafts

Section titled “Raw XML drafts”

Raw XML staging is for agent-produced FileMaker XML drafts that should be reviewed inside Genie instead of pasted blindly from an external chat. It is useful when an MCP client has already produced a FileMaker XML artifact and Genie should keep the handoff visible in Workbench.

External XML drafts are not Stage A/B validated model output. Treat the warning banner as part of the contract: preview the XML, copy it if you want to inspect elsewhere, and apply only after you trust the artifact.

DATA and QUERY routing

Section titled “DATA and QUERY routing”

QUERY is not a Workbench stage. Use genie_query for read-only SELECT preview or run work outside Workbench.

Use genie_stage_data for supported FileMaker SQL writes and table/field DDL that the user will confirm in Genie. For table creation, the IDE agent should inspect Genie metadata first, stage only missing supported tables or fields, and use wording like:

Create the following tables:

Do not stage DATA prompts that rely on IF NOT EXISTS, CREATE INDEX, index-management instructions, or manual relationship/layout work.

Do not mix DATA and CODE in the same item. Script creation/editing belongs in a separate CODE stage.

Rejections are guidance

Section titled “Rejections are guidance”

Unsupported Workbench submissions return normal ok: false MCP results. They are not usually transport errors.

Those results may include:

  • recommended_actions
  • recommended_tool_calls
  • recommended_resources
  • stage_prompt_template
  • metadata_precheck

That payload is for the IDE agent. It should inspect, split, rewrite, or present manual FileMaker instructions locally, then restage only supported Genie work.

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