chore(release): v1.5.0

Users are now prompted to choose their preferred font family and roughness
style during both `setup` and `update`. Preferences are saved to
~/.claude/skills/excalidraw-skill/preferences.json, which the MCP server
already reads at startup via loadPreferences(). This ensures third-party
users who install via npx get preferences configured before first use.

Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 4.6 <noreply@anthropic.com>

.gitignore

@@ -15,6 +15,9 @@ public/dist/
 .cursor/
 .claude/
 
+# User preferences (only the example ships)
+skills/excalidraw-skill/preferences.json
+
 # Development artifacts
 *.excalidraw
 

package-lock.json

@@ -1,12 +1,12 @@
 {
   "name": "@sanjibdevnath/mcp-excalidraw-local",
-  "version": "1.3.0",
+  "version": "1.5.0",
   "lockfileVersion": 3,
   "requires": true,
   "packages": {
     "": {
       "name": "@sanjibdevnath/mcp-excalidraw-local",
-      "version": "1.3.0",
+      "version": "1.5.0",
       "hasInstallScript": true,
       "license": "MIT",
       "dependencies": {

package.json

@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "@sanjibdevnath/mcp-excalidraw-local",
-  "version": "1.3.0",
+  "version": "1.5.0",
   "description": "Fully local MCP server for Excalidraw with SQLite persistence, multi-tenancy, auto-sync, real-time canvas, and 32 tools",
   "main": "dist/index.js",
   "type": "module",

skills/excalidraw-skill/SKILL.md

@@ -15,6 +15,79 @@ Run these checks **in order**:
 
 See `references/cheatsheet.md` for the full MCP-vs-REST mapping and REST API gotchas.
 
+## Step 1: Load User Preferences
+
+Before creating any elements, load the user's diagram preferences. These control default font, roughness, stroke width, etc.
+
+### Preference Resolution Order (most specific wins)
+
+| Priority | Scope | Location | Persists |
+|----------|-------|----------|----------|
+| 1 (highest) | Session | In-memory (set via prompt during this conversation) | No — current session only |
+| 2 | Folder | `.claude/excalidraw-preferences.json` in the current project root | Yes — per-project |
+| 3 | Global | `~/.claude/skills/excalidraw-skill/preferences.json` | Yes — all projects |
+| 4 (lowest) | Hardcoded | Server defaults (fontFamily: 1, roughness: 0, fontSize: 20, strokeWidth: 2) | — |
+
+### How to Load
+
+1. **Check folder-level first**: Read `.claude/excalidraw-preferences.json` from the current working directory (or project root). If it exists and has `defaults`, use those values.
+2. **Fall back to global**: Read `~/.claude/skills/excalidraw-skill/preferences.json`. If it exists and has `defaults`, use those values.
+3. **If neither exists** → run the **First-Time Setup** prompt below.
+4. **Merge**: Folder preferences override global; global overrides hardcoded. Only override fields that are explicitly set.
+
+### First-Time Setup (Interactive)
+
+If no preferences file exists at either location, **prompt the user before drawing anything**:
+
+> **Excalidraw Preferences Setup**
+>
+> I don't have any saved diagram preferences yet. Let me set up your defaults so every diagram looks the way you want.
+
+Ask these questions (use `AskUserQuestion` tool if available, otherwise ask inline):
+
+1. **Font family** — Which font for all text?
+   - Excalifont (hand-drawn) = 1
+   - Helvetica (sans-serif) = 2
+   - Cascadia (monospace) = 3
+   - Comic Shanns = 4
+   - Nunito = 6
+   - Lilita One = 7
+
+2. **Roughness** — Diagram style?
+   - Clean/professional (roughness: 0) — recommended
+   - Hand-drawn sketch (roughness: 1)
+   - Very rough (roughness: 2)
+
+3. **Scope** — Where to save?
+   - **This session only** — don't save to disk, just use for this conversation
+   - **This project** — save to `.claude/excalidraw-preferences.json` in project root
+   - **Global (all projects)** — save to `~/.claude/skills/excalidraw-skill/preferences.json`
+
+Then save the preferences JSON to the chosen location:
+
+```json
+{
+  "defaults": {
+    "fontFamily": <user_choice>,
+    "fontSize": 20,
+    "roughness": <user_choice>,
+    "strokeWidth": 2
+  }
+}
+```
+
+For session-only scope, just hold the values in memory and apply them to every element in this conversation.
+
+### Applying Preferences
+
+Once loaded, apply `defaults` to **every element** that supports the property:
+- `fontFamily` → all text-containing elements (text, rectangles with labels, diamonds, ellipses, arrows with labels)
+- `fontSize` → text elements and labels (unless the element explicitly overrides it)
+- `roughness` → all elements
+- `strokeWidth` → arrows and lines
+
+User-specified values in individual element calls always override preferences.
+
 ## Core Principles (Read Before Any Diagram)
 
 These principles were learned through extensive iterative use. Violating them produces bad diagrams.

skills/excalidraw-skill/preferences.example.json

@@ -0,0 +1,18 @@
+{
+  "_comment": "Excalidraw MCP user preferences. Copy to preferences.json to activate.",
+  "_fontReference": {
+    "1": "Excalifont (hand-drawn)",
+    "2": "Helvetica (sans-serif)",
+    "3": "Cascadia (monospace)",
+    "4": "Comic Shanns",
+    "5": "Liberation Sans",
+    "6": "Nunito",
+    "7": "Lilita One"
+  },
+  "defaults": {
+    "fontFamily": 1,
+    "fontSize": 20,
+    "roughness": 0,
+    "strokeWidth": 2
+  }
+}

skills/excalidraw-skill/references/cheatsheet.md

@@ -94,16 +94,15 @@
 |---------|----------------|-----------------|
 | Shape labels | `"text": "My Label"` (auto-converts) | `"label": {"text": "My Label"}` |
 | Arrow binding | `"startElementId": "id"` / `"endElementId": "id"` | `"start": {"id": "id"}` / `"end": {"id": "id"}` |
-| `fontFamily` | String `"1"` or omit | String `"1"` or omit (never a number) |
+| `fontFamily` | Number or string — use value from user preferences (see Step 1 in SKILL.md) | String — use value from user preferences |
 | Tenant scoping | Auto (uses active tenant) | Include `X-Tenant-Id` header on every request |
 
 ### Element Creation Best Practices
 
-- **Always set `roughness: 0`** for clean, professional diagrams (default is hand-drawn).
-- **Always set `strokeWidth: 2`** on arrows for visibility.
+- **Always apply user preferences** — load from Step 1 in SKILL.md and apply `fontFamily`, `roughness`, `fontSize`, `strokeWidth` to every element.
 - **Create shapes first, arrows second** (two separate `batch_create_elements` calls).
 - **Assign custom `id`** to every shape so arrows can reference it.
-- **Size shapes for their text** — Virgil font is ~30% wider than standard. Use sizing formulas from SKILL.md.
+- **Size shapes for their text** — use sizing formulas from SKILL.md.
 - `points` accepts both `[[x,y]]` tuples and `[{x,y}]` objects — normalized automatically.
 - **Curved arrows**: Use `"roundness": {"type": 2}` with 3+ points. **Elbowed arrows**: Use `"elbowed": true`.
 

src/index.ts

@@ -65,6 +65,47 @@ const CANVAS_PORT = process.env.CANVAS_PORT || process.env.PORT || '3000';
 const EXPRESS_SERVER_URL = process.env.EXPRESS_SERVER_URL || `http://localhost:${CANVAS_PORT}`;
 const ENABLE_CANVAS_SYNC = true;
 
+// User preferences for element defaults (font, roughness, etc.)
+// Resolution: folder-level .claude/excalidraw-preferences.json > global ~/.claude/skills/excalidraw-skill/preferences.json > hardcoded
+interface ExcalidrawPreferences {
+  fontFamily: number;
+  fontSize: number;
+  roughness: number;
+  strokeWidth: number;
+}
+
+const HARDCODED_DEFAULTS: ExcalidrawPreferences = {
+  fontFamily: 1,
+  fontSize: 20,
+  roughness: 0,
+  strokeWidth: 2,
+};
+
+function loadPreferences(): ExcalidrawPreferences {
+  const locations = [
+    path.join(process.cwd(), '.claude', 'excalidraw-preferences.json'),
+    path.join(process.env.HOME || '~', '.claude', 'skills', 'excalidraw-skill', 'preferences.json'),
+  ];
+
+  for (const loc of locations) {
+    try {
+      if (fs.existsSync(loc)) {
+        const raw = JSON.parse(fs.readFileSync(loc, 'utf-8'));
+        if (raw?.defaults) {
+          logger.info(`Loaded user preferences from ${loc}`);
+          return { ...HARDCODED_DEFAULTS, ...raw.defaults };
+        }
+      }
+    } catch (e) {
+      logger.warn(`Failed to read preferences from ${loc}: ${e}`);
+    }
+  }
+
+  return HARDCODED_DEFAULTS;
+}
+
+const USER_PREFS = loadPreferences();
+
 // One-time tokens for clear_canvas confirmation (token → expiry timestamp)
 const pendingClearTokens = new Map<string, { expiresAt: number; elementCount: number }>();
 const CLEAR_TOKEN_TTL_MS = 120_000; // 2 minutes
@@ -2199,8 +2240,8 @@ server.setRequestHandler(CallToolRequestSchema, async (request: CallToolRequest)
           if (el.type === 'text') {
             base.text = text ?? '';
             base.originalText = text ?? '';
-            base.fontSize = rest.fontSize ?? 20;
-            base.fontFamily = rest.fontFamily ?? 1;
+            base.fontSize = rest.fontSize ?? USER_PREFS.fontSize;
+            base.fontFamily = rest.fontFamily ?? USER_PREFS.fontFamily;
             base.textAlign = rest.textAlign ?? 'center';
             base.verticalAlign = rest.verticalAlign ?? 'middle';
             base.autoResize = rest.autoResize ?? true;
@@ -2294,8 +2335,8 @@ server.setRequestHandler(CallToolRequestSchema, async (request: CallToolRequest)
               locked: false,
               text: labelText,
               originalText: labelText,
-              fontSize: isArrow ? 14 : (rest.fontSize ?? 16),
-              fontFamily: rest.fontFamily ?? 1,
+              fontSize: isArrow ? 14 : (rest.fontSize ?? USER_PREFS.fontSize),
+              fontFamily: rest.fontFamily ?? USER_PREFS.fontFamily,
               textAlign: 'center',
               verticalAlign: 'middle',
               autoResize: true,

src/setup.ts

@@ -118,7 +118,7 @@ function detectInstalledAgents(): AgentDef[] {
 // ── Phase 1: Environment Check ──────────────────────────────
 
 async function phaseEnvironment(rl: readline.Interface): Promise<boolean> {
-  heading('1/3', 'Environment');
+  heading('1/4', 'Environment');
   let allOk = true;
 
   // Node.js version
@@ -182,10 +182,103 @@ async function phaseEnvironment(rl: readline.Interface): Promise<boolean> {
   return allOk;
 }
 
+// ── Preference Setup ─────────────────────────────────────────
+
+const FONT_OPTIONS: { value: number; label: string }[] = [
+  { value: 1, label: 'Excalifont (hand-drawn)' },
+  { value: 2, label: 'Helvetica (sans-serif)' },
+  { value: 3, label: 'Cascadia (monospace)' },
+  { value: 4, label: 'Comic Shanns' },
+  { value: 6, label: 'Nunito' },
+  { value: 7, label: 'Lilita One' },
+];
+
+const ROUGHNESS_OPTIONS: { value: number; label: string }[] = [
+  { value: 0, label: 'Clean / professional' },
+  { value: 1, label: 'Hand-drawn sketch' },
+  { value: 2, label: 'Very rough' },
+];
+
+function getGlobalPreferencesPath(): string {
+  return path.join(os.homedir(), '.claude', 'skills', 'excalidraw-skill', 'preferences.json');
+}
+
+function globalPreferencesExist(): boolean {
+  return fs.existsSync(getGlobalPreferencesPath());
+}
+
+function writePreferencesFile(filePath: string, prefs: { fontFamily: number; fontSize: number; roughness: number; strokeWidth: number }): void {
+  const dir = path.dirname(filePath);
+  if (!fs.existsSync(dir)) {
+    fs.mkdirSync(dir, { recursive: true });
+  }
+  const content = {
+    defaults: prefs,
+  };
+  fs.writeFileSync(filePath, JSON.stringify(content, null, 2) + '\n', 'utf-8');
+}
+
+async function phasePreferences(rl: readline.Interface, phaseLabel: string): Promise<void> {
+  heading(phaseLabel, 'Diagram Preferences');
+
+  const prefsPath = getGlobalPreferencesPath();
+
+  if (globalPreferencesExist()) {
+    try {
+      const raw = JSON.parse(fs.readFileSync(prefsPath, 'utf-8'));
+      const d = raw?.defaults;
+      if (d) {
+        const fontLabel = FONT_OPTIONS.find(f => f.value === d.fontFamily)?.label ?? `font ${d.fontFamily}`;
+        const roughLabel = ROUGHNESS_OPTIONS.find(r => r.value === d.roughness)?.label ?? `roughness ${d.roughness}`;
+        ok(`Current: ${fontLabel}, ${roughLabel}, fontSize ${d.fontSize}, strokeWidth ${d.strokeWidth}`);
+        const change = await confirm(rl, 'Change preferences?', false);
+        if (!change) return;
+      }
+    } catch {
+      warn(`Could not read ${prefsPath}, will reconfigure.`);
+    }
+  }
+
+  info('These defaults apply to every diagram (font, style, etc.).');
+  info('');
+
+  // Font
+  process.stdout.write('\n  Font family:\n');
+  FONT_OPTIONS.forEach((f, i) => {
+    const marker = f.value === 1 ? ' (default)' : '';
+    process.stdout.write(`    ${CYAN}[${i + 1}]${RESET} ${f.label}${marker}\n`);
+  });
+  const fontAnswer = (await ask(rl, 'Choose [1]: ')).trim();
+  const fontIdx = fontAnswer === '' ? 0 : parseInt(fontAnswer, 10) - 1;
+  const fontFamily = (fontIdx >= 0 && fontIdx < FONT_OPTIONS.length) ? FONT_OPTIONS[fontIdx]!.value : 1;
+
+  // Roughness
+  process.stdout.write('\n  Diagram style:\n');
+  ROUGHNESS_OPTIONS.forEach((r, i) => {
+    const marker = r.value === 0 ? ' (default)' : '';
+    process.stdout.write(`    ${CYAN}[${i + 1}]${RESET} ${r.label}${marker}\n`);
+  });
+  const roughAnswer = (await ask(rl, 'Choose [1]: ')).trim();
+  const roughIdx = roughAnswer === '' ? 0 : parseInt(roughAnswer, 10) - 1;
+  const roughness = (roughIdx >= 0 && roughIdx < ROUGHNESS_OPTIONS.length) ? ROUGHNESS_OPTIONS[roughIdx]!.value : 0;
+
+  const prefs = { fontFamily, fontSize: 20, roughness, strokeWidth: 2 };
+
+  try {
+    writePreferencesFile(prefsPath, prefs);
+    const fontLabel = FONT_OPTIONS.find(f => f.value === fontFamily)?.label ?? `${fontFamily}`;
+    const roughLabel = ROUGHNESS_OPTIONS.find(r => r.value === roughness)?.label ?? `${roughness}`;
+    ok(`Saved: ${fontLabel}, ${roughLabel}`);
+    ok(`File: ${prefsPath}`);
+  } catch (err) {
+    fail(`Failed to save preferences: ${(err as Error).message}`);
+  }
+}
+
 // ── Phase 2: Skill Installation ─────────────────────────────
 
 async function phaseSkillInstall(rl: readline.Interface): Promise<void> {
-  heading('2/3', 'Agent Skill');
+  heading('2/4', 'Agent Skill');
 
   const wantSkill = await confirm(rl, 'Install the Excalidraw agent skill?');
   if (!wantSkill) {
@@ -347,7 +440,7 @@ function writeInstructionDirective(filePath: string, format: 'claude-md' | 'curs
 // ── Phase 3: MCP Configuration ──────────────────────────────
 
 async function phaseMcpConfig(rl: readline.Interface): Promise<void> {
-  heading('3/3', 'MCP Configuration');
+  heading('4/4', 'MCP Configuration');
 
   const wantConfig = await confirm(rl, 'Add MCP server to agent configs automatically?');
   if (!wantConfig) {
@@ -519,7 +612,7 @@ export async function runUpdate(): Promise<void> {
 
   try {
     // ── Phase 1: Detect existing skill installations ──────────
-    heading('1/2', 'Skill Update');
+    heading('1/3', 'Skill Update');
 
     const allInstalls = findExistingSkillInstalls();
     const existing = allInstalls.filter(i => i.exists);
@@ -612,8 +705,11 @@ export async function runUpdate(): Promise<void> {
       }
     }
 
-    // ── Phase 2: MCP config check ────────────────────────────
-    heading('2/2', 'MCP Configuration');
+    // ── Phase 2: Preferences ─────────────────────────────────
+    await phasePreferences(rl, '2/3');
+
+    // ── Phase 3: MCP config check ────────────────────────────
+    heading('3/3', 'MCP Configuration');
 
     for (const agent of detectedAgents) {
       if (agent.mcpConfigType === 'json-file' && agent.mcpConfigPath) {
@@ -685,6 +781,7 @@ export async function runSetup(): Promise<void> {
   try {
     await phaseEnvironment(rl);
     await phaseSkillInstall(rl);
+    await phasePreferences(rl, '3/4');
     await phaseMcpConfig(rl);
 
     process.stdout.write(`\n  ${GREEN}${BOLD}Done!${RESET} Open ${CYAN}http://localhost:3000${RESET} to verify the canvas.\n\n`);