Pcm Startlist

PCM startlist builder

Compose a startlist for a Pro Cycling Manager race and write the .xml file PCM imports. This skill owns the workflow (find the race, choose teams, choose riders); the deterministic serialization is delegated to the pcm_generate_startlist_xml MCP tool — never hand-write the XML.

Output format (for reference only — the tool emits this)

<startlist>
    <team id="34">
        <cyclist id="7602" />
        <cyclist id="5996" />
    </team>
</startlist>

<team id> = DYN_team.IDteam, <cyclist id> = DYN_cyclist.IDcyclist. The file name is STA_race.gene_sz_filename + .xml (e.g. c0_almeria.xml) and is returned by the tool — don't invent it.

Workflow

1. Get a database path

Every step reads a .cdb database — a player save, an official release or a community update, it makes no difference. If the user hasn't given an absolute databasePath:

• Try pcm_list_saves to find their saves (Windows only — fails on macOS/Linux Wine/Proton prefixes).
• Otherwise ask the user for the absolute .cdb path. Keep it in context; the tools are stateless and need it on every call.

2. Identify the race (get IDrace)

The user names a race; resolve it to an IDrace with pcm_query_database:

SELECT IDrace, gene_sz_race_name, gene_sz_filename
FROM STA_race
WHERE gene_sz_race_name LIKE '%almeria%';

If several match, show the candidates (name + id) and let the user pick. Confirm the gene_sz_filename so the user knows the output file name up front.

3. Decide which teams take part

Either the user supplies the teams, or you propose them. Resolve names to IDteam:

SELECT IDteam, gene_sz_name, gene_sz_shortname FROM DYN_team
WHERE gene_sz_name LIKE '%ineos%';

A typical startlist has ~18–25 teams. If the user just says "the usual teams", ask which division/tier or list candidates rather than guessing.

4. Pick riders per team

A team's full squad is the candidate pool — a startlist usually brings 7 of them (the count is free; the example pack mixes 6 and 7). Get a team's roster:

SELECT IDcyclist, gene_sz_firstname, gene_sz_lastname
FROM DYN_cyclist
WHERE fkIDteam = 34;

To pick riders that fit the race profile, pull the ratings too (the charac_i_* columns — see pcm_search_cyclist, which already surfaces them) and favour the relevant specialty: sprinters/charac_i_sprint for flat finishes, charac_i_mountain for climbs, charac_i_cobble for cobbled classics, etc. If the user has preferences (leaders, exclusions), apply them. Confirm the selection before generating when there's any ambiguity.

5. Generate the file

Call pcm_generate_startlist_xml with databasePath, raceId, and teams:

{
  "databasePath": "/abs/path/OfficialRelease.cdb",
  "raceId": 128,
  "teams": [
    { "id": 34, "cyclists": [7602, 5996, 1381, 3291, 6342, 3912, 5613] },
    { "id": 25, "cyclists": [6346, 8702, 17152, 15300, 7048, 6433, 15398] }
  ]
}

The tool returns { fileName, xml }. If a team has no riders or teams is empty the tool errors — fix the selection and retry.

6. Deliver

Present the returned fileName and xml. Offer to write it to disk (e.g. the user's PCM Startlists/race-import folder or the working directory) — the MCP server is read-only and does not write files, so saving is done outside it.

Notes

• All PCM MCP tools used here are read-only; this workflow never modifies the database.
• IDs, not names, go into the XML — always resolve names to IDteam/IDcyclist via the queries above before calling the tool.