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Install

The checker is a Python command. The VS Code extension is an optional interface for the same review, plus a schematic viewer and a Markdown project tracker.

Install the local checker from the wheel hosted on this site. The extension is available in the Visual Studio Marketplace and Open VSX. The PyPI listing is pending.
  1. 1

    Command line

    Python 3.11, 3.12, 3.13, or 3.14. The only package dependency is olefile, which reads the Altium file. This command installs the checked wheel directly from enginehall.com. Activate the virtual environment before running enginehall or configuring MCP.

    python3 -m venv .venv
    .venv/bin/python -m pip install https://enginehall.com/engine/enginehall-2.0.0-py3-none-any.whl
    source .venv/bin/activate

    Then, in a project:

    enginehall inspect .
    enginehall review .
  2. 2

    VS Code and Cursor

    Search for EngineHall, publisher newmatik, in the Visual Studio Marketplace or on Open VSX. The viewer and the project tracker work on their own. The review command needs enginehall (or the older pcba) on PATH.

    code --install-extension newmatik.enginehall
  3. 3

    MCP

    With the virtual environment active, an MCP client can start the engine like this. It reviews the design folder on your computer. The extension has a separate server for one sheet and for the project tracker.

    .mcp.json
    {
      "mcpServers": {
        "enginehall": { "command": "enginehall", "args": ["mcp"] }
      }
    }

    To read saved projects from an assistant without installing anything, connect the hosted server at https://enginehall.com/mcp.

    MCP server documentation