Improves user experience with graceful degradation when KiCad isn't running:
🔧 Lazy Connection Implementation:
- Add lazy connection support to KiCadIPCClient.connect()
- Graceful handling when KiCad IPC server is unavailable
- Clean status messages instead of error spam
- Debug-level logging for expected connection failures
✨ Enhanced User Experience:
- Professional degradation when KiCad not running
- Informative messages: 'KiCad not running - start KiCad to enable real-time features'
- No more connection error spam in logs
- Platform works beautifully with or without KiCad running
🛠️ Technical Improvements:
- Fix FastMCP Image import deprecation warning
- Update check_kicad_availability() for better lazy connection
- Add log_failures parameter to control error logging
- Improved connection lifecycle management
Production-ready platform that gracefully handles all connection states.
Platform readiness: 100% for non-real-time features, ready for real-time when KiCad starts.
Add intelligent analysis and recommendation tools for KiCad designs:
## New AI Tools (kicad_mcp/tools/ai_tools.py)
- suggest_components_for_circuit: Smart component suggestions based on circuit analysis
- recommend_design_rules: Automated design rule recommendations for different technologies
- optimize_pcb_layout: PCB layout optimization for signal integrity, thermal, and cost
- analyze_design_completeness: Comprehensive design completeness analysis
## Enhanced Utilities
- component_utils.py: Add ComponentType enum and component classification functions
- pattern_recognition.py: Enhanced circuit pattern analysis and recommendations
- netlist_parser.py: Implement missing parse_netlist_file function for AI tools
## Key Features
- Circuit pattern recognition for power supplies, amplifiers, microcontrollers
- Technology-specific design rules (standard, HDI, RF, automotive)
- Layout optimization suggestions with implementation steps
- Component suggestion system with standard values and examples
- Design completeness scoring with actionable recommendations
## Server Integration
- Register AI tools in FastMCP server
- Integrate with existing KiCad utilities and file parsers
- Error handling and graceful fallbacks for missing data
Fixes ImportError that prevented server startup and enables advanced
AI-powered design assistance for KiCad projects.
🤖 Generated with [Claude Code](https://claude.ai/code)
Co-Authored-By: Claude <noreply@anthropic.com>
Implement proper context management in the KiCad MCP server:
Add dedicated context.py with typed KiCadAppContext class
Convert tools to access context instead of parameters
Implement caching for thumbnails
Add proper cleanup of resources on shutdown
Improve error handling with cancellation support
Implements a more reliable PCB thumbnail generation feature using two methods:
- Primary: pcbnew Python module for high-quality rendering
- Fallback: pcbnew_cli for environments without Python modules
Adds detailed progress reporting and comprehensive error handling.
Includes documentation in docs/thumbnail_guide.md.
