> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.unstructured.io/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Get started with Unstructured Transform for the IBM Bob IDE

> Learn how to install the Unstructured Transform MCP server into the IBM Bob IDE. You can then point to your files and have Transform start producing partitioned, enriched, chunked, and embedded data based on your files in minutes.

## Requirements

Before you begin, you must have the following:

* An IBM Cloud account. To see if you have an account, [log in to your IBM Cloud account](https://cloud.ibm.com/login). [Create an IBM Cloud account](https://cloud.ibm.com/registration).
* An IBM Bob plan. To see if you have a plan, use the IBMid for your IBM Cloud account to [log in to IBM Bob](https://bob.ibm.com/login).
* The IBM Bob IDE installed on your local development machine. [Install the IBM Bob IDE](https://bob.ibm.com/download).
* Node.js installed on your local development machine. To see if it is, in your terminal, run `node -v` or `node --version`. [Install Node.js](https://nodejs.org/en/download).
* If you used the [IBM Bob Shell](/transform/get-started/ibm-bob-shell) to install the Transform MCP server, it could
  already be available to you in the IBM Bob IDE. If so, you can skip ahead to [parse your source files](#parse-your-source-files). To see if it is, do the following in the IBM Bob IDE:

  1. In the Command Palette (from the main menu, click **View**, then **Command Palette**), enter the command
     `>Bob: Settings`. Be sure to begin the command with `>`.
  2. On the **Bob Settings** editor tab's side pane, click **MCP**.
  3. If the Transform MCP server is installed, you will see **Unstructured Transform** in the list
     of installed MCP servers.

## Install the Transform MCP server

<Tip>
  You should be able to instruct the IBM Bob IDE to install the Transform MCP server by asking the IBM Bob IDE the following:

  ```text theme={null}
  Install the Unstructured Transform MCP server by using these instructions: 
  https://docs.unstructured.io/transform/get-started/ibm-bob-ide.md
  ```

  During this process, the IBM Bob IDE will open a browser window where you sign in to Transform to complete authentication. If you do not have a Transform account, click **Register** and then follow the on-screen directions to finish authenticating. Once authenticated, close the browser and return to the IBM Bob IDE.

  If this does not work, to install the Transform MCP server manually, complete the following steps.
</Tip>

If you were able to successfully install the Transform MCP server by using the preceding prompt, skip ahead to [parse your source files](#parse-your-source-files).

1. Open the IBM Bob IDE's `mcp.json` settings file in a text editor. This file is typically located at:

   * For macOS and Linux: `~/.bob/settings/mcp.json` (global) or `.bob/mcp.json` (within an individual workspace)
   * For Windows: `%APPDATA%\Bob\settings\mcp.json` (global) or `.bob\mcp.json` (within an individual workspace)

2. Add the following entry to the `mcpServers` object:

   ```json theme={null}
   {
     "mcpServers": {
       "unstructured-transform": {
         "command": "npx",
         "args": ["-y", "mcp-remote", "https://mcp.transform.unstructured.io"],
         "alwaysAllow": [
           "request_file_upload_url",
           "start_transform_job",
           "check_job_status",
           "get_job_results",
           "start_extraction_job",
           "suggest_extraction_schema_for_file",
           "get_instructions"
         ],
         "disabled": false
       }
     }
   }
   ```

3. Save and close the `mcp.json` file.

4. Start the IBM Bob IDE. If it is already running, quit and then restart it.

5. If prompted, log in to Bob with your IBM Cloud account.

6. A web browser tab will appear, prompting you to authenticate with Transform. If you do not have a Transform account, click **Register** and then follow the on-screen directions to finish authenticating.

7. The Transform MCP server is ready for you to start using.

To confirm whether the Transform MCP server is connected and all of its tools are available to you, do the following:

1. In the IBM Bob IDE's Command Palette (from the main menu, click **View**, then **Command Palette**),
   enter the command `>Bob: Settings`. Be sure to begin the command with `>`.

2. On the **Bob Settings** editor tab's side pane, click **MCP**.

3. If the Transform MCP server is installed and connected, you will see **Unstructured Transform** in the list
   with a **Status** of **Connected**.

   If it is not connected, click the **Connect** button, and follow any on-screen directions to finish connecting.

   If **Unstructured Transform** is not visible, try using the MCP servers filter drop-down to choose **All**, or click the refresh icon (**Refresh all servers**).

4. Make sure that all of the Transform MCP server's tools are available to you. To do this, click the **Unstructured Transform** list entry. In the **Tools** list, make sure that each tool has its **Always allow** box checked, and switch on its toggle labeled **Enable or disable this tool for use in prompts**.

## Parse your source files

Parsing requests have the following limits:

* Each file must be of a [supported file type](/transform/supported-file-types).
* Each file must be 50 MB or less in size.
* Each request must have 10 files or fewer.
* Only 5 requests can be running at a time.

The Transform MCP server is designed to notify the IBM Bob IDE about these limits. Because of this, the IBM Bob IDE should notify you whenever it encounters a file that exceeds 50 MB in size. Also, the IBM Bob IDE should formulate strategies to send requests that are 10 files or fewer and not cause more than 5 requests to be running at a time.

1. After you install the Transform MCP server and start the IBM Bob IDE, open the folder that stores the files you want Transform to parse (from the main menu, click **File > Open Folder**).
2. If the **IBM Bob** panel is not visible, open it (from the main menu, click **View > Open View > IBM Bob**).
3. In the **IBM Bob** editor tab, enter the following prompt:

   ```text theme={null}
   Use the Unstructured Transform MCP server to parse the files in this project.

   Provide the results as JSON files, one JSON file per source file.
   ```

   As needed, adapt the phrase `in this project` in the preceding prompt to indicate a more specific project folder. Also, as needed, guide the IBM Bob IDE as to where to write Transform's output into the project.

   Transform parses your input files and delivers its results to you as a set of output files, one output file per input file.

## Extract structured data

If you want to pull specific fields from your files, instead of converting the files in full, ask for an *extraction*. To determine what structured data Transform can extract from your files, use a prompt similar to the following:

```text theme={null}
Use the Unstructured Transform MCP server to extract structured data from these files.

I don't have a schema — suggest one based on what's in the document, show it to me, and then run the extraction with it.
```

Your tool parses each file first, then extracts the field values from the parsed element JSON; this is because the Transform MCP extraction tools read a file's parsed output, rather than the raw file itself. Transform returns results as JSON matching the schema, wrapped with the source filename so you can tell a batch apart.

If you know the specific fields you want, include them in your prompt to guide Transform in extracting just the information that's important to you. For more information, including prompting patterns and performance considerations, see [Structured data extraction](/transform/sde).

## Next steps

* [Control Transform file parsing output](/transform/output): Control how the Unstructured Transform MCP server instructs Transform to partition, enrich, chunk, and embed the data based on your files.
* [Control Transform structured data extraction](/transform/sde): Control how the Unstructured Transform MCP server extracts and formats structured data from your files.
* [Control Transform generated sample code](/transform/code): Control how the Unstructured Transform MCP server generates sample curl or Python code that demonstrates how to use Transform to partition, enrich, chunk, and embed the data based on your files.

## Questions? Need help?

* For technical support, [request support](/support/request).