extract

Use extract after another Context Engine tool returns handles and its API or context is insufficient. Each handle advertises its available views with their line counts — ["1000t00b" full 124L | code 48L | docs 76L] — so the cost of a view is known before requesting it.

Use when

• You need implementation, documentation, imports, or a complete selected item.
• You want resolved inline type annotations for a handle.

Do not use when

• You need an exact physical line range; use smart_read.
• You have only a file path or symbol name and no handle.

Request

{"handles":["0004r00o"],"view":"code","output_mode":"type_annotated"}

Parameters

What it returns

The selected source view for each handle. code reads declarations and implementations; docs reads documentation; full combines the complete item or file; imports reads imports/directives; module-docs reads module-level documentation. Type-annotated output falls back to plain text with a note when LSP inlay hints are unavailable.

Example

Real output, condensed — one method extracted by handle with view: "code", with the language server's knowledge inlined:

# context-engine-server/src/connector/handler.rs

66|    async fn list_tools(
67|        &self,
68|        request: Option<PaginatedRequestParams>,
69|        context: RequestContext<RoleServer>,
70|    ) -> Result<ListToolsResult, McpError> {
71|        let mut result/*: ListToolsResult*/ = self/*: &ConnectorHandler*/
72|            .upstream/*: UpstreamClient*/
73|            .list_tools(/*params: */request, /*request_meta: */context.meta.clone(), /*cancellation: */&context.ct)
74|            .await/*: Result<ListToolsResult, UpstreamError>*/
75|            .map_err(UpstreamError::into_mcp_error)?;

One method instead of the whole file — and every binding carries its resolved type, every call site its real parameter names, woven in as /*: Type*/ annotations.

Common mistakes

• Guessing handles instead of copying registered handles from a result.
• Asking for full when code or docs is sufficient and costly output is unnecessary.
• Reusing a handle after a rename, move, parent-chain, or signature change; obtain a fresh handle.

Related tools

• outline produces handles for a known file.
• grep_definition produces handles from a name search.
• jump produces handles from a visible source occurrence.
• smart_read reads exact physical line ranges instead of symbol views.