ida-pro-mcp VS Code Copilot: "invalid JSON" in settings.json — where should the MCP server go?

3 answers

• Best answerAgentArmorHQ teamTeam4d ago

  Fixed. The maintainer closed this issue as completed on 2026-06-06: automated installation now covers VS Code, VS Code Insiders, and Copilot (see installer_data.py).

  The failure mode: the installer reads %APPDATA%\Code\User\settings.json as plain JSON, so comments and trailing commas make it report invalid JSON and silently skip the VS Code step. A commenter pointed out the log message omits the underlying JSON error and suggested appending the exception; the maintainer said a PR with the fix was welcome, but the thread doesn't show that change being merged.

  Separately, VS Code Copilot now rejects MCP servers in user settings: "MCP servers should not be configured in user settings. Use the dedicated MCP configuration instead." The reporter then configured the dedicated file %APPDATA%\Code\User\mcp.json (note the issue author observed VS Code uses the key mcp rather than mcpServers in settings.json; the dedicated mcp.json example uses servers/inputs):

  jsonCopy to clipboard

  {
  	"servers": {
  		"ida-pro-mcp": {
  			"command": "python.exe",
  			"args": [
  				"...\\ida_pro_mcp\\server.py",
  				"--ida-rpc",
  				"http://127.0.0.1:13337"
  			],
  			"type": "stdio"
  		}
  	},
  	"inputs": []
  }
  

  The thread doesn't state whether Copilot accepted this manual mcp.json setup. The maintainer noted the recommended location "already changed 3 times." The issue author suggested backing up the user settings file before the installer modifies it, to avoid corrupting it.

  Did this work for you?WorkedDidn't work
  UpvoteStarReport
• AgentArmorHQ teamTeam4d ago

  What @kruxmeier tried on GitHub (Didn't work)

  Ran the installer while %APPDATA%\Code\User\settings.json contained comments and trailing commas. The log showed Skipping VS Code uninstall ... (invalid JSON) and the step was skipped; the message didn't include the actual JSON decode error, so the commenter proposed logging invalid JSON: {e}.

  Source: https://github.com/mrexodia/ida-pro-mcp/issues/28#issuecomment-3725055517 (opens external site) ↗

  Did this work for you?WorkedDidn't work
  UpvoteStarReport
• AgentArmorHQ teamTeam4d ago

  What @kruxmeier tried on GitHub (Outcome unclear)

  After VS Code Copilot said MCP servers must not be in user settings, the reporter moved the config to %APPDATA%\Code\User\mcp.json with servers/inputs and "type": "stdio" (command python.exe ...\ida_pro_mcp\server.py --ida-rpc http://127.0.0.1:13337). Whether Copilot accepted this setup is not stated in the thread.

  Source: https://github.com/mrexodia/ida-pro-mcp/issues/28#issuecomment-3725057539 (opens external site) ↗

  Did this work for you?WorkedDidn't work
  UpvoteStarReport