houdini-lookdev

name	houdini-lookdev
description	Authoring skill — lookdev and shader-network operations: inspect materials, libraries, shader nodes and assignments; get/set shader parameters with type-aware validation; inspect and rewire shader connections; reset assignments; and manage adapter-owned material presets. Pair with houdini-materials for material creation/assignment.
license	MIT
compatibility	dcc-mcp-houdini 0.1+, Houdini 20.5+, dcc-mcp-core 0.19.45+
allowed-tools	Bash Read Write Edit
metadata	{"dcc-mcp":{"dcc":"houdini","layer":"domain","stage":"authoring","version":"1.0.0","tags":["houdini","lookdev","material","shader","vop","matnet","karma","materialx","preset","authoring"],"search-hint":"material shader lookdev parameter connect disconnect assignment preset save load karma materialx vop","tools":"tools.yaml"}}

houdini-lookdev

Typed lookdev tools that complement houdini-materials (which creates and assigns materials). Most tools are affinity: main; the filesystem-only preset tools list_presets / delete_preset are affinity: any.

Tool groups

• lookdev-query (read-only): list_materials, list_assignments, get_material_parms, get_shader_connections.
• lookdev-edit: set_material_parms, connect_shader, disconnect_shader (destructive), reset_material (destructive).
• presets: save_preset, list_presets, load_preset, delete_preset — JSON files under ~/.dcc-mcp/houdini/material_presets/ (override with DCC_MCP_HOUDINI_MATERIAL_PRESET_DIR).

Context limitations

• Karma / MaterialX: MaterialX subnets live under a matnet/mat library; pass the exact material_path (the surface output node). Parameter names differ from principledshader, so prefer get_material_parms to discover names before set_material_parms.
• VOP networks: connect_shader / disconnect_shader operate on node input slots; use get_shader_connections to read inputNames() first.
• Presets store evaluated parameter values only (not node graphs); loading onto a different material_type is allowed but reported as a warning.

Tracer-bullet flow

1. houdini_materials__create_material(material_name="clay")
2. get_material_parms("/mat/clay") → discover parm names
3. set_material_parms("/mat/clay", {"basecolor": [0.8,0.4,0.2], "rough": 0.6})
4. houdini_materials__assign_material("/obj/geo1", "/mat/clay")
5. save_preset("/mat/clay", "warm_clay") → load_preset onto another material