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The assistant cannot see your library

You see: The assistant says it has no Shotwork tools, or finds none of your shots. Or, in Connect an AI Assistant, Claude Desktop's row reads Not installed on this computer. although it is, or Installed, but not connected yet. after you connected it. Or Couldn't update the settings, saying Claude Desktop's config file could not be read and will not be modified.

Why: Claude Desktop reads its settings only when it starts, so a new connection takes effect after a full restart. Shotwork counts Claude Desktop as installed once it has run at least once. A connection points at the copy of Shotwork that made it, so moving or reinstalling Shotwork means connecting again. And the assistant sees the shot lists registered in the Library, from their saved files, not whatever happens to be open.

Fix:

  1. Quit Claude Desktop completely, including from the system tray or menu bar, and open it again.
  2. In Shotwork, choose File › Library… and check that the shot lists you want are listed in Files. Add any that are missing with Add Shot List…, and save any unsaved changes.
  3. If the row reads Not installed on this computer., open Claude Desktop once, then choose Check Again.
  4. If it reads Installed, but not connected yet., choose Connect, then restart Claude Desktop.

If that didn't work: Couldn't update the settings means Claude Desktop's config file is not valid JSON, and Shotwork will not overwrite it. Fix the file, or add Shotwork to it by hand. See Connect an AI assistant and Connect a coding agent for the entry to add.