How do I install the Connect skill?

Run npx skillmds@latest add chienchuanw/connect in your terminal (requires Node.js), paste this page's agent-chat prompt into Claude, Cursor, or any MCP-connected agent, or download the SKILL.md file and copy it into your agent's skills directory.

Is Connect safe to use?

This skill has not completed SkillMD's automated safety review yet. SkillMD never runs a skill's scripts for you; review the SKILL.md before installing.

Which AI agents work with Connect?

This skill is tagged as working with Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex. SKILL.md is an open format, so most agents that read a skills directory can load it too.

Is Connect free to use?

Yes. Installing skills from SkillMD is free, and the skill stays under its author's original license.

Who published Connect?

chienchuanw (@chienchuanw) published this skill. Their other Agent Skills are listed on their SkillMD profile.

Connect by chienchuanw — Agent Skill

Name: Connect
Author: chienchuanw

Connect

Install, register, and verify the gma2 MCP server so Claude can drive a grandMA2 lighting console (or onPC) over Telnet. Use this whenever the user wants to "connect to grandMA2", "set up the MA2 console", "install gma2 mcp", "hook up the lighting desk", asks why the gma2 tools aren't available, or is about to run any other gma2 skill (presets / setlist / bpm) and the server isn't connected yet. This is the entry point for the whole gma2 plugin — run it first.

chienchuanw 8d803d0 3.5 KB Updated Sep 17, 2026

File contents

gma2 connect

Register the gma2 MCP server with Claude Code, point it at the console, and confirm the link is live by reading back the patch. Every other gma2 skill (presets, setlist, bpm) assumes this server is connected.

What you need from the user

Console IP (GMA_HOST) — the address of the machine running grandMA2 / onPC, reachable on the network (e.g. an Ethernet link). Required.
User / password — default administrator / admin. Ask only if non-default.
Path to the gma2-mcp repo — the MCP server's code. Required to register it. Ask if you don't already know it (commonly ~/Documents/gma2-mcp).

Steps

Register the server (replace the IP and repo path):

claude mcp add gma2 \
  -e GMA_HOST=<IP> -e GMA_USER=administrator -e GMA_PASSWORD=admin \
  -- uv --directory <path-to-gma2-mcp> run python -m src.server

To re-point an existing registration, claude mcp remove gma2 first.

Confirm registration: claude mcp get gma2 should show ✔ Connected. This only means the server process speaks the protocol — not that the Telnet link to the console is up (that happens lazily on the first real command).
Heads-up the user about the next-session rule: a freshly added MCP server's tools (the mcp__gma2__* tools) load on the next Claude Code session, not the current one. So you usually can't call them in the same session you added them. Tell the user to start a new session, then verify with a real command.
Verify the console link (next session, or as a fallback now): ask Claude to run a harmless read like "list the groups" / "list fixtures 1 thru 60", or use the send_raw_command tool with List Group. Getting real patch data back is the true proof the Telnet link works.

Reading the patch (recommended)

Map the rig before doing anything else — other skills need the Fixture IDs. Query List Fixture 1 Thru 1000 and List Group. This tells you which fixture types are patched and at which IDs (e.g. frame = Fine 600L at 101–109).

Read-back gotcha: this console's Telnet truncates long replies if read too fast. Use a generous read delay (≈1.5 s) and reasonable timeout, and prefer List Fixture 1 Thru 1000 in one shot over many small ranges.

Troubleshooting

First command fails / no patch — Telnet not enabled on the onPC (Setup → Network), wrong IP, or user/password mismatch. Port 30000 is the command port; 30001 is read-only log output.
Fix and "current page" are per-user — the server logs in as Administrator, but the operator usually runs as a different user. Show data (sequences, macros, pages, views, executor assignments, button functions) is global and shared; only executor Fix and the current page are user-scoped. So a Fix issued over this connection only affects Administrator's pages — the operator must fix on their own user. Correct syntax here is Fix Executor x.y (a toggle); do not add On.

---name: connectdescription: Install, register, and verify the gma2 MCP server so Claude can drive a grandMA2 lighting console (or onPC) over Telnet. Use this whenever the user wants to "connect to grandMA2", "set up the MA2 console", "install gma2 mcp", "hook up the lighting desk", asks why the gma2 tools aren't available, or is about to run any other gma2 skill (presets / setlist / bpm) and the server isn't connected yet. This is the entry point for the whole gma2 plugin — run it first.---# gma2 connectRegister the **gma2** MCP server with Claude Code, point it at the console, andconfirm the link is live by reading back the patch. Every other gma2 skill(`presets`, `setlist`, `bpm`) assumes this server is connected.## What you need from the user- **Console IP** (`GMA_HOST`) — the address of the machine running grandMA2 / onPC, reachable on the network (e.g. an Ethernet link). Required.- **User / password** — default `administrator` / `admin`. Ask only if non-default.- **Path to the `gma2-mcp` repo** — the MCP server's code. Required to register it. Ask if you don't already know it (commonly `~/Documents/gma2-mcp`).## Steps1. **Register the server** (replace the IP and repo path): ```bash claude mcp add gma2 \ -e GMA_HOST=<IP> -e GMA_USER=administrator -e GMA_PASSWORD=admin \ -- uv --directory <path-to-gma2-mcp> run python -m src.server ``` To re-point an existing registration, `claude mcp remove gma2` first.2. **Confirm registration**: `claude mcp get gma2` should show **✔ Connected**. This only means the server *process* speaks the protocol — not that the Telnet link to the console is up (that happens lazily on the first real command).3. **Heads-up the user about the next-session rule**: a freshly added MCP server's tools (the `mcp__gma2__*` tools) load on the **next** Claude Code session, not the current one. So you usually can't call them in the same session you added them. Tell the user to start a new session, then verify with a real command.4. **Verify the console link** (next session, or as a fallback now): ask Claude to run a harmless read like "list the groups" / "list fixtures 1 thru 60", or use the `send_raw_command` tool with `List Group`. Getting real patch data back is the true proof the Telnet link works.## Reading the patch (recommended)Map the rig before doing anything else — other skills need the Fixture IDs. Query`List Fixture 1 Thru 1000` and `List Group`. This tells you which fixture types arepatched and at which IDs (e.g. `frame` = Fine 600L at 101–109).**Read-back gotcha:** this console's Telnet truncates long replies if read toofast. Use a generous read delay (≈1.5 s) and reasonable timeout, and prefer`List Fixture 1 Thru 1000` in one shot over many small ranges.## Troubleshooting- **First command fails / no patch** — Telnet not enabled on the onPC (Setup → Network), wrong IP, or user/password mismatch. Port 30000 is the command port; 30001 is read-only log output.- **`Fix` and "current page" are per-user** — the server logs in as `Administrator`, but the operator usually runs as a *different* user. Show data (sequences, macros, pages, views, executor assignments, button functions) is global and shared; only **executor Fix** and the **current page** are user-scoped. So a `Fix` issued over this connection only affects Administrator's pages — the operator must fix on their own user. Correct syntax here is `Fix Executor x.y` (a toggle); do not add `On`.

Frequently asked questions