xiaozhi Tools

xiaozhi Tools is a Python-based MCP connector with a graphical interface (originally VB6) that helps you deploy and interact with Xiaozhi AI's MCP protocol tools. The project exposes a collection of automated controls for remote PC operations and a suite of API tools (including general utilities, news, quotes, lifestyle prompts, and various data lookups) that can be accessed through the connector. Users run the Python package to start the tool, which provides a GUI for selecting and sending commands to a target computer or service, using the MCP protocol as the communication backbone. The included API tools pull data from public or configured sources, easing tasks like fetching quotes, jokes, horoscopes, weather, stock quotes, news headlines, and other small utilities, while the control utilities let you launch programs, open URLs, run shell commands, capture screenshots, manage files, adjust system volume, and perform other desktop automation tasks.

To use it, start the server with the Python module and open the GUI. From the interface, you can select predefined actions (e.g., launch a program, open a URL, run a command, capture a screenshot, change desktop wallpaper, or control volume), or invoke the API toolset to fetch external data. The toolset is sectioned into core PC-control commands, API utilities (e.g., life quotes, hot lists, horoscopes, daily phrases), ALAPI integrations, and media/controls for music software. Each tool typically returns data or performs an action on the connected client or host, enabling a unified MCP-based automation workflow.

Prerequisites:

• Windows 10 or newer (as recommended by the project)
• Python 3.10 or newer installed and added to PATH
• Internet access to install dependencies

Installation steps:

1. Install Python from the official website (https://www.python.org/).
2. Open a terminal or command prompt and upgrade pip: pip install --upgrade pip
3. Install the MCP tool package (replace the package name with the actual PyPI package if different): pip install zhongzitongxue-xiaozhi-mcptools
4. Verify installation by running the module entry point: python -m zhongzitongxue_xiaozhi_mcptools
5. If you have a local build or a wheel, install it similarly and run the module or script as specified by the project documentation.

Notes:

• Ensure firewall or antivirus software allows the application to communicate over the required MCP ports.
• If the project provides a bundled executable or a VB6 runtime, follow any project-specific setup notes to ensure the GUI launches correctly.

Tips and common issues:

• Environment variables: PYTHONUNBUFFERED=1 helps with real-time log output in some terminals.
• If the GUI fails to start, verify that Python 3.10+ is correctly installed and that the module name matches the package you installed.
• Some features rely on external APIs (e.g., ALAPI-based tools). You may need API keys or tokens; follow the 'Important' notes in the documentation where applicable.
• For Windows, ensure the script has permission to capture screenshots, read/write files, and perform system-level actions if you use those features.
• If you encounter module import errors, reinstall the package or install missing dependencies listed in the project’s requirements.txt.
• When using ALAPI tools, register and obtain the required token from the ALAPI website as indicated by the documentation.