github-starred/ollama
2
0
Fork 0
mirror of https://github.com/ollama/ollama.git synced 2026-05-23 22:21:55 -05:00
Code Issues 16.9k Packages Projects Releases 122 Wiki Activity

[GH-ISSUE #9055] Question: Structured Inputs for Tools? #5894

New Issue
Closed
opened 2026-04-12 17:13:50 -05:00 by GiteaMirror · 2 comments
GiteaMirror commented 2026-04-12 17:13:50 -05:00
Owner
Copy Link

Originally created by @sheffler on GitHub (Feb 12, 2025).
Original GitHub issue: https://github.com/ollama/ollama/issues/9055

Originally assigned to: @ParthSareen on GitHub.

I am exploring the use of MCP tools with Ollama. The Tool syntax for Ollama tools allows the definition of the input parameters of a tool as simple types (int, string, etc) or even an array. However, it seems that the current syntax does now allow the ability to describe the schema of the items of an array.

In JsonSchema syntax, a property that is an array will have a "type" of "array" and an associated "items" field that gives the type of the elements of the array.

I have modified an Ollama client to send a Tool definition that includes an "items" field. What I am observing is that the "items" field is stripped off when received by Ollama and logged.

Question: Should there be a facility to describe the types of the items of an array?

See below the "tools" definition (in PYthon syntax) that I sent to Ollama, and the excerpt from the Ollama logs where the "items" fields are not present. Does it make sense to extend the type definition to include more features from JSON schema? Is there an alternate way to more completely describe an array of objects?

tools = [
{
  'type': 'function',
  'function': {
    'name': 'preparation_tool',
    'description': "Prepare the samples for analyze.  Mark samples as 'passed' or 'failed'. ",
    'parameters': {
      'type': 'object',
      'required': ['sample_list'],
      'properties': {
        'sample_list': {
	  'type': 'array',
	  'items': {
	    'properties': {
	      'sample_name': {
	         'description': 'sample name identifier',
		 'title': 'Sample Name', 'type': 'string'
	       },
	       'mass': {
	         'description': 'sample mass in ng',
		 'title': 'Mass', 'type': 'integer'
		}
	      },
	      'required': ['sample_name', 'mass'],
	      'title': 'InputSample',
	      'type': 'object'
	    }
	  }
	}
      }
    }
   },

and from the "server.log"


"type\":\"function\",\"function\":{\"name\":\"preparation_tool\",\"description\":\"Prepare the samples for analyze.  Mark samples as 'passed' or 'failed'. \",\"parameters\":{\"type\":\"object\",\"required\":[\"sample_list\"],\"properties\":{\"sample_list\":{\"type\":\"array\",\"description\":\"\"}}}}}\n{\"type\":\"function\",\"function\":{\"name\":\"analyzer_tool\",\"description\":\"Analyze the samples that have been prepared\",\"parameters\":{\"type\":\"object\",\"required\":[\"preparation_list\"],\"properties\":{\"preparation_list\":{\"type\":\"array\",\"description\":\"\"}}}}}\n\ncan you describe the format of the arguments my preparation_tool requires?<|eot_id|><|start_header_id|>assistant<|end_header_id|>\n\n"
Originally created by @sheffler on GitHub (Feb 12, 2025). Original GitHub issue: https://github.com/ollama/ollama/issues/9055 Originally assigned to: @ParthSareen on GitHub. I am exploring the use of MCP tools with Ollama. The Tool syntax for Ollama tools allows the definition of the input parameters of a tool as simple types (int, string, etc) or even an array. However, it seems that the current syntax does now allow the ability to describe the schema of the items of an array. In JsonSchema syntax, a property that is an array will have a "type" of "array" and an associated "items" field that gives the type of the elements of the array. I have modified an Ollama client to send a Tool definition that includes an "items" field. What I am observing is that the "items" field is stripped off when received by Ollama and logged. Question: Should there be a facility to describe the types of the items of an array? See below the "tools" definition (in PYthon syntax) that I sent to Ollama, and the excerpt from the Ollama logs where the "items" fields are not present. Does it make sense to extend the type definition to include more features from JSON schema? Is there an alternate way to more completely describe an array of objects? ``` tools = [ { 'type': 'function', 'function': { 'name': 'preparation_tool', 'description': "Prepare the samples for analyze. Mark samples as 'passed' or 'failed'. ", 'parameters': { 'type': 'object', 'required': ['sample_list'], 'properties': { 'sample_list': { 'type': 'array', 'items': { 'properties': { 'sample_name': { 'description': 'sample name identifier', 'title': 'Sample Name', 'type': 'string' }, 'mass': { 'description': 'sample mass in ng', 'title': 'Mass', 'type': 'integer' } }, 'required': ['sample_name', 'mass'], 'title': 'InputSample', 'type': 'object' } } } } } }, ``` and from the "server.log" ``` "type\":\"function\",\"function\":{\"name\":\"preparation_tool\",\"description\":\"Prepare the samples for analyze. Mark samples as 'passed' or 'failed'. \",\"parameters\":{\"type\":\"object\",\"required\":[\"sample_list\"],\"properties\":{\"sample_list\":{\"type\":\"array\",\"description\":\"\"}}}}}\n{\"type\":\"function\",\"function\":{\"name\":\"analyzer_tool\",\"description\":\"Analyze the samples that have been prepared\",\"parameters\":{\"type\":\"object\",\"required\":[\"preparation_list\"],\"properties\":{\"preparation_list\":{\"type\":\"array\",\"description\":\"\"}}}}}\n\ncan you describe the format of the arguments my preparation_tool requires?<|eot_id|><|start_header_id|>assistant<|end_header_id|>\n\n" ```
GiteaMirror added the feature request label 2026-04-12 17:13:50 -05:00
GiteaMirror commented 2026-04-12 17:13:52 -05:00
Author
Owner
Copy Link

@sheffler commented on GitHub (Apr 2, 2025):

See https://github.com/ollama/ollama/pull/10091 which addresses this issue.

<!-- gh-comment-id:2773180297 --> @sheffler commented on GitHub (Apr 2, 2025): See https://github.com/ollama/ollama/pull/10091 which addresses this issue.
GiteaMirror commented 2026-04-12 17:13:53 -05:00
Author
Owner
Copy Link

@ParthSareen commented on GitHub (Apr 2, 2025):

Thanks @sheffler will check it out!

<!-- gh-comment-id:2773288875 --> @ParthSareen commented on GitHub (Apr 2, 2025): Thanks @sheffler will check it out!
Sign in to join this conversation.
No Branch/Tag Specified
Branches Tags
Labels
Clear labels
amd
api
app
bug
build
cli
cloud
compatibility
context-length
create
docker
documentation
embeddings
feature request
feedback wanted
good first issue
gpt-oss
gpu
harmony
help wanted
image
install
intel
js
launch
linux
macos
memory
mlx
model
needs more info
networking
nvidia
ollama.com
performance
pull-request
Mirrored from GitHub Pull Request
 python
question
registry
rendering
thinking
tools
top
vulkan
windows
wsl
No Label feature request
Milestone
No items
No Milestone
Projects
Clear projects
No project
Assignees
Clear assignees
GiteaMirror ninjasurge
No Assignees
1 Participants
Notifications
Due Date
No due date set.
Dependencies

No dependencies set.

Reference: github-starred/ollama#5894
Delete Branch "%!s()"

Deleting a branch is permanent. Although the deleted branch may continue to exist for a short time before it actually gets removed, it CANNOT be undone in most cases. Continue?