# Loonghao Dcc MCP Houdini Houdini Dev

> houdini-dev

- Skill: `tomevault-io/loonghao-dcc-mcp-houdini-houdini-dev` (Agent Skill, multi-file: 2 files)
- Install (CLI): `npx skillmds@latest add tomevault-io/loonghao-dcc-mcp-houdini-houdini-dev`
- Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/tomevault-io/loonghao-dcc-mcp-houdini-houdini-dev/raw
- Safety review: pending (external: skill-scanner PASS, skillspector PASS)
- Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex
- Category: AI & ML
- Author: tomevault-io (https://skillmd.com/u/tomevault-io)
- Updated: 2026-09-17
- Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/tomevault-io/loonghao-dcc-mcp-houdini-houdini-dev

---


# houdini-dev

Development workflow helpers for agents iterating on Houdini Python tools.
Stays **outside** the minimal startup surface (load explicitly with
`load_skill("houdini-dev")`). The intended loop:

1. `attach_project("/path/to/tool")` once for the project root.
2. Edit files in the normal workspace.
3. `reload_modules(prefix="mytool")` → `run_entrypoint("mytool.cli:main")`.
4. Inspect the concise stdout/stderr/traceback summary.

Set `DCC_MCP_HOUDINI_DEV_ROOTS` to a path-list of trusted roots to restrict
which local projects `attach_project` / `run_script` will accept.

## Tool groups

- **`dev-project`:** `attach_project`, `reload_modules`.
- **`dev-run`:** `run_entrypoint`, `run_script` (captured output).
- **`dev-debug`:** `start_debugpy` (safe `127.0.0.1:5678` default,
  already-running detection).
- **`dev-introspect`** (read-only): `introspect_hom` — members/signatures,
  node-type categories, and available node types.
- **`dev-ui`:** `ui_snapshot` (read-only), `ui_action`.

## Context limitations

- **Headless hython:** `ui_snapshot` / `ui_action` return a clean
  `supported=false` result instead of failing when no UI is available.
- **Trusted roots:** when `DCC_MCP_HOUDINI_DEV_ROOTS` is set, project and
  script paths outside those roots are refused with a structured error.
- **debugpy:** requires `debugpy` installed in the Houdini Python env; a
  second call reports `already_running=true` rather than re-binding the port.
- **HOM only with hou:** `introspect_hom` and the UI tools require `hou`;
  they degrade through `skill_error` when it cannot be imported.

## Tracer-bullet flow

1. `attach_project("/projects/mytool")`
2. `introspect_hom(category="Sop", name_filter="attrib")` → discover node types
3. `reload_modules(prefix="mytool", reimport=true)`
4. `run_entrypoint("mytool.build:run", kwargs={"dry_run": true})`
5. `ui_snapshot()` → confirm the active desktop when running interactively

---
> Source: [loonghao/dcc-mcp-houdini](https://github.com/loonghao/dcc-mcp-houdini) — distributed by [TomeVault](https://tomevault.io).
<!-- tomevault:4.0:skill_md:2026-06-15 -->