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Claude Desktop Chat Setup

Claude Desktop is the main end-user-facing Claude app for the local Automation Agent Chat workflow.

This page is for the Chat tab in Claude Desktop and for the Claude Desktop Chat mode in the Automation Agent panel.

Claude Desktop Chat tab

The current supported local path is:

  • install the Automation Agent .mcpb desktop extension
  • install the Automation Agent Claude Skill ZIP
  • then let Claude Desktop Chat launch the local stdio runtime when you use the tools

This page sets up Claude Desktop Chat as an Assistant surface. It does not configure Claude as Workflow AI for saved workflows.

If the two roles are new to you, read AI Setup Roles first.

Which Role Does This Set Up?​

RoleSupported through Claude Desktop Chat?What needs to be configured
Assistantyes, with the Chat tab / stdio path.mcpb desktop extension plus Claude Skill ZIP
Workflow AInouse Claude Code Setup and configure Claude Code CLI instead

Claude Desktop Chat can call Automation Agent tools during a chat session. It is not the command-line provider that saved workflows call from askAgent.

Important:

  • use the panel in Claude Desktop Chat mode
  • that mode expects a client-launched local stdio runtime
  • this is different from Codex / Claude Code mode, which uses the panel-managed local HTTP MCP server

What You Need​

You need two files from the Automation Agent Claude Desktop export folder:

  1. automation-agent-claude-desktop-extension.mcpb
  2. automation-agent-claude-skill.zip

You can open that folder from the Automation Agent panel with:

  • MCP Server
  • Agent Setup
  • Open Desktop Export Folder

Install Steps​

The animation below shows the current install steps for the Claude Skill ZIP and the MCPB package:

Installing the Claude Desktop MCPB and Claude Skill

1. Install the Desktop Extension​

  1. Open the Claude Desktop export folder from the panel.
  2. Double-click automation-agent-claude-desktop-extension.mcpb.
  3. Claude Desktop should open and offer to install the extension.

2. Install the Claude Skill​

  1. Open Claude Desktop.
  2. Go to Customize.
  3. Open Skills.
  4. Click +.
  5. Choose Upload a Skill.
  6. Select automation-agent-claude-skill.zip.

3. Restart Claude Desktop​

After installing both files, fully quit Claude Desktop and open it again.

4. Open Adobe Premiere and the Automation Agent panel​

Then:

  1. open Adobe Premiere
  2. open the Automation Agent panel
  3. switch to the MCP Server tab
  4. make sure the panel is in Claude Desktop Chat mode

In this mode, the panel does not start the usual panel-managed HTTP MCP server. Claude Desktop Chat should launch its own local stdio runtime, and the panel should attach to it.

What The Claude Skill Does​

The Claude Skill is the guidance layer.

It teaches Claude:

  • when to inspect before acting
  • when to ask clarifying questions
  • how to author valid Automation Agent workflows
  • how to recover cleanly from tool or authoring errors

Without that guidance, the server may still connect, but results are usually weaker and less reliable.

What This Page Is For​

Important clarification:

  • the Claude Desktop app currently has three tabs: Chat, Cowork, and Code
  • this page is about the Chat tab
  • the Code tab is Claude Code and uses the separate Claude Code config path (~/.claude.json / .mcp.json)
  • Cowork is currently not a supported local Automation Agent workflow

For the more technical Claude workflow, see:

What Happens After Setup​

After the extension and skill are installed:

  • Claude Desktop Chat should launch the local Automation Agent runtime itself
  • the Automation Agent panel should attach to that runtime
  • you should then be able to call tools like runDslProgram from Chat

If the panel later shows the wrong runtime mode, switch back to Claude Desktop Chat mode and restart Claude Desktop.

If You Also Want Claude As Workflow AI​

Configure Claude Code CLI separately.

In AI Setup, use Guided Setup or Advanced Provider Setup to:

  1. install or find the claude command-line tool
  2. run claude auth login
  3. save and test the Claude Code CLI Workflow AI provider

That provider is what saved workflows can call later. It is separate from the Claude Desktop Chat extension.