dcc-mcp-maya: Instructions file for Claude Code

CLAUDE.md — Claude Desktop / Anthropic API Integration Guide

Claude-specific integration notes for dcc-mcp-maya. For the full project map, see AGENTS.md.

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What This Project Does

dcc-mcp-maya embeds an MCP Streamable HTTP server directly inside Autodesk Maya. Claude Desktop (or any Anthropic API client using MCP) can call 72+ Maya tools over HTTP without any external gateway process.

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Claude Desktop Configuration

Add to claude_desktop_config.json:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "maya": {
      "url": "http://127.0.0.1:9765/mcp"
    }
  }
}

File locations:

• macOS: ~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json
• Windows: %APPDATA%\Claude\claude_desktop_config.json

If running multi-instance mode with gateway, use the gateway port instead:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "maya": {
      "url": "http://127.0.0.1:9765/mcp"
    }
  }
}

Restart Claude Desktop after editing.

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Progressive Loading — Important for Claude

By default, dcc-mcp-maya starts in minimal mode with only a few built-in tools active:

• execute_python, execute_mel
• get_scene_info, get_selection, get_session_info
• search_tools, list_skills, load_skill

All other skills appear as __skill__<name> stubs. When Claude needs a tool from an unloaded skill, it should:

1. Call load_skill("maya-primitives") to expand the skill.
2. Then call the desired tool (e.g., maya_primitives__create_sphere).

This keeps the initial tools/list small and fast for Claude to parse.

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Claude-Specific Tips

• Viewport feedback: Ask Claude to call capture_viewport after geometry changes. The result is a base64-encoded PNG that Claude can "see" in the conversation.
• Cancellation: Claude can send notifications/cancelled for long renders. Skill scripts that poll check_maya_cancelled() will exit cleanly.
• Code execution: Prefer search_skills → load_skill → typed tools with inputSchema. Use execute_python only when no skill covers the task (bulk in-Maya loops, OpenMaya gaps, one-offs). Operators can refuse it with DCC_MCP_MAYA_DISABLE_EXECUTE_PYTHON=1 or DCC_MCP_MAYA_DISABLE_ARBITRARY_SCRIPT=1.