pencil-mcp-batch-design

name	pencil-mcp-batch-design
description	Batch execute design changes. The Agent's 'Hands'. Core capability for inserting, updating, moving, or deleting nodes.
license	Complete terms in LICENSE.txt

Tools

This skill is designed to call the Pencil MCP tool:

• batch_design

If your client namespaces MCP tools, it may appear as mcp__pencil__batch_design.

When to use this skill

Intent Recognition (CRITICAL)

Even if a trigger phrase matches, you must verify the user's intent:

1. Is the user explicitly asking to use "Pencil"?
2. Is the current conversation context clearly about "Pencil" design tasks?

If the answer is NO, do NOT use this skill. (e.g., if the user just says "Draw a rectangle" in a general context, they might mean Stitch, SVG, or Mermaid).

CRITICAL PREREQUISITE: You must ONLY use this skill when the user EXPLICITLY mentions "Pencil".

ALWAYS use this skill when:

• You need to Create, Update, Delete, or Move elements on the canvas.
• The user asks to "Draw", "Insert", "Change", "Remove" something using Pencil.
• You are executing a design plan.

Trigger phrases include:

• "Draw a rectangle with Pencil" (用 Pencil 画一个矩形)
• "Pencil update text content" (Pencil 更新文本内容)
• "Insert component using Pencil" (使用 Pencil 插入组件)
• "Pencil move node" (Pencil 移动节点)
• "Delete selection with Pencil" (用 Pencil 删除选区)

Input Parameters

The batch_design tool accepts a JSON structure defining a list of operations.

• operations (array, required): A list of operation objects.
  • Insert (I): { "type": "insert", "targetId": "...", "node": { ... } }
  • Update (U): { "type": "update", "targetId": "...", "props": { ... } }
  • Replace (R): { "type": "replace", "targetId": "...", "node": { ... } }
  • Delete (D): { "type": "delete", "targetId": "..." }
  • Move (M): { "type": "move", "targetId": "...", "parentId": "..." }

Important Notes:

• Batch Limit: Keep each call to max 25 operations. Split larger tasks.
• Binding Names: Create new binding names for every operation list. DO NOT reuse.
• Component Instances:
  • Use type: "ref" and ref: "ComponentID" to insert instances.
  • Use U() with instance path to override properties.

How to use this skill

1. Plan Operations: specific exactly what needs to change.
2. Construct JSON: Build the valid JSON payload matching the .pen schema.
3. Call Tool: Invoke batch_design.
4. Handle Errors: If an operation fails, the batch rolls back. Check the error message and retry with corrections.

Examples

1. Simple: Insert Text

Insert a simple text node into the current context. See 1-insert-text.json.

2. Medium: Create Layout Frame

Create an Auto-Layout Frame with a child button. See 2-create-layout.json.

3. Complex: Component Instance & Overrides

Insert a component instance and override its internal properties (e.g., changing button text) in one go. See 3-component-instance.json.

Keywords

English keywords: batch design, draw ui, update props, insert node, delete element, move layer, modify canvas

Chinese keywords (中文关键词): 批量设计, 绘制UI, 更新属性, 插入节点, 删除元素, 移动图层, 修改画布

能力边界

✅ 适用场景

• 当你需要使用此技能对应的技术栈时
• 当项目需要遵循最佳实践时
• 当需要快速上手或深入理解核心概念时

⚠️ 需要注意

• 复杂业务逻辑需要结合具体场景调整
• 性能优化需要根据实际数据量评估

❌ 不适用场景

• 不相关的技术栈或框架
• 需要完全自定义的特殊场景

常见陷阱 (Gotchas)

1. 版本兼容性：注意框架版本与依赖库的兼容性，不同版本 API 可能有差异
2. 配置文件格式：配置文件格式错误是最常见的问题，建议使用编辑器的语法检查
3. 环境变量：确保所有必要的环境变量已正确设置，敏感信息不要硬编码
4. 依赖冲突：多版本共存时注意依赖冲突，使用 lock 文件锁定版本
5. 性能陷阱：大数据量场景下注意性能优化，避免 N+1 查询等常见问题

使用流程

Step 1: 环境准备

确保开发环境已安装必要的依赖和工具。

Step 2: 配置初始化

根据项目需求进行基础配置。

Step 3: 核心功能使用

按照示例代码实现核心功能。

Step 4: 测试验证

运行测试确保功能正常。

Step 5: 部署上线

完成开发后进行部署和监控。