Claude Desktop / Anthropic API Integration Guide

Vendor integration notes for dcc-mcp-maya. Moved here from the repo root so that AGENTS.md stays the only agent contract file at the root. Anything not specific to this vendor belongs in AGENTS.md, not here. Claude-specific integration notes for dcc-mcp-maya. For the full project map, see AGENTS.md.

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.

Claude Desktop Configuration

Add to claude_desktop_config.json:

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:

json

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

Restart Claude Desktop after editing.

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:

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

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

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.

Quick Test Prompts

"Create a red sphere in Maya" "List all cameras in the scene and select the perspective camera" "Capture the viewport so I can see the current state" "Load the maya-animation skill and set a keyframe on the sphere's translateY at frame 10"

Claude Desktop / Anthropic API Integration Guide ​

What This Project Does ​

Claude Desktop Configuration ​

Progressive Loading — Important for Claude ​

Claude-Specific Tips ​

Quick Test Prompts ​

See Also ​