RhinoMCP Skill

Control Rhino 3D directly from Clawdbot via TCP socket connection to the RhinoMCP plugin.

Prerequisites

•Rhino 7/8 running on Windows
•RhinoMCP plugin installed and built
•Plugin started: In Rhino command line, type tcpstart (for WSL/remote access)

Note: Use mcpstart for local-only access (Cursor, Claude Desktop), tcpstart for WSL/Clawdbot.

Configuration

Edit config.json:

json

{
  "connection": {
    "host": "172.31.96.1",
    "port": 1999,
    "timeout": 15.0
  },
  "screenshots": {
    "linux_dir": "/home/mcmuff/clawd/projects/rhinomcp-dev/captures",
    "windows_dir": "\\\\wsl.localhost\\Ubuntu\\home\\mcmuff\\clawd\\projects\\rhinomcp-dev\\captures"
  }
}

Quick Test

bash

cd ~/clawd/skills/rhinomcp/scripts
python3 rhino_client.py ping

Scripts Reference

Script	Purpose
`rhino_client.py`	Base TCP client, raw commands
`geometry.py`	Create primitives (box, sphere, cylinder, curves...)
`transforms.py`	Move, rotate, scale, copy, mirror, arrays
`booleans.py`	Union, difference, intersection
`selection.py`	Select by layer, type, name, IDs
`analysis.py`	Object info, properties, bounding box, volume
`curves.py`	Offset, fillet, chamfer, join, explode
`surfaces.py`	Loft, extrude, revolve, sweep
`layers.py`	Create, set, list, delete layers
`materials.py`	PBR materials, assign to layers
`viewport.py`	Views, camera, screenshots
`render.py`	Lights, render settings, render to file
`files.py`	Open, save, import, export (STEP, OBJ, STL...)
`groups.py`	Groups and block definitions
`scene.py`	Document info, batch operations

🎯 Geometry Creation

bash

# Primitives
python3 geometry.py sphere --radius 5 --position 0,0,0 --name "Ball"
python3 geometry.py box --width 10 --length 10 --height 5 --color 255,0,0
python3 geometry.py cylinder --radius 2 --height 8 --layer "Parts"
python3 geometry.py cone --radius 3 --height 6
python3 geometry.py line --start 0,0,0 --end 10,10,0
python3 geometry.py circle --radius 5
python3 geometry.py arc --radius 5 --angle 90
python3 geometry.py polyline --points "0,0,0 10,0,0 10,10,0 0,10,0"

Supported Geometry Types

Type	Key Parameters
POINT	location
LINE	start, end
POLYLINE	points
CIRCLE	center, radius
ARC	center, radius, angle
ELLIPSE	center, radius_x, radius_y
CURVE	points, degree
BOX	width, length, height
SPHERE	radius
CONE	radius, height
CYLINDER	radius, height
MESH	vertices, faces

🔄 Transform Operations

bash

# Move object
python3 transforms.py move <id> --vector 10,0,0

# Rotate object (degrees around axis through point)
python3 transforms.py rotate <id> --angle 45 --axis 0,0,1 --center 0,0,0

# Scale object
python3 transforms.py scale <id> --factor 2.0 --center 0,0,0

# Copy with offset
python3 transforms.py copy <id> --offset 10,0,0

# Mirror across plane
python3 transforms.py mirror <id> --origin 0,0,0 --normal 1,0,0

# Linear array: 5 copies along X
python3 transforms.py linear <id> --direction 1,0,0 --count 5 --distance 10

# Polar array: 8 copies around Z axis
python3 transforms.py polar <id> --center 0,0,0 --axis 0,0,1 --count 8

⚡ Boolean Operations

bash

# Union multiple solids
python3 booleans.py union <id1> <id2> <id3>

# Difference: subtract cutter(s) from base
python3 booleans.py difference <base_id> <cutter_id>

# Intersection
python3 booleans.py intersection <id1> <id2>

# Keep input objects (don't delete)
python3 booleans.py union <id1> <id2> --keep

Note: Objects must be closed solids (Breps).

🎯 Selection

bash

# Select all
python3 selection.py all

# Clear selection
python3 selection.py none

# Get info about selected objects
python3 selection.py get

# Select by layer
python3 selection.py layer "MyLayer"

# Select by object type
python3 selection.py type solid    # solid, curve, surface, mesh, point, etc.

# Select by name (partial match)
python3 selection.py name "Box"

# Select specific IDs
python3 selection.py ids <id1> <id2> <id3>

# Combined filters
python3 selection.py filter --layer "Parts" --type solid

📊 Object Analysis

bash

# Basic object info
python3 analysis.py info <object_id>

# Detailed properties (bounding box, area, volume, centroid)
python3 analysis.py properties <object_id>

# Info about selected objects
python3 analysis.py selected

# Document summary
python3 analysis.py document

〰️ Curve Operations

bash

# Offset curve
python3 curves.py offset <curve_id> --distance 5

# Fillet two curves
python3 curves.py fillet <curve1_id> <curve2_id> --radius 2

# Chamfer two curves
python3 curves.py chamfer <curve1_id> <curve2_id> --distance 3

# Join curves into polycurve
python3 curves.py join <id1> <id2> <id3>

# Explode polycurve into segments
python3 curves.py explode <polycurve_id>

# Keep input (don't delete)
python3 curves.py join <id1> <id2> --keep

🏔️ Surface Operations

bash

# Loft through curves
python3 surfaces.py loft <curve1_id> <curve2_id> <curve3_id>

# Extrude curve along vector
python3 surfaces.py extrude <curve_id> --direction 0,0,10

# Revolve curve around axis
python3 surfaces.py revolve <curve_id> --axis-start 0,0,0 --axis-end 0,0,1 --angle 360

# Sweep curve along rail
python3 surfaces.py sweep <profile_id> <rail_id>

# Create planar surface from closed curve
python3 surfaces.py planar <closed_curve_id>

📁 Layers

bash

python3 layers.py create "MyLayer" --color 255,100,100
python3 layers.py set "MyLayer"
python3 layers.py list
python3 layers.py delete "OldLayer"

🎨 Materials (PBR)

bash

# Metal presets
python3 materials.py preset gold
python3 materials.py preset silver
python3 materials.py preset copper

# Custom PBR material
python3 materials.py pbr "Chrome" --color 200,200,210 --metallic 0.95 --roughness 0.02

# Assign material to layer
python3 materials.py assign "MyLayer" <material_id>

📷 Viewport & Screenshots

bash

# Set standard view
python3 viewport.py view Perspective
python3 viewport.py view Top

# Zoom to fit all
python3 viewport.py zoom

# Zoom to selection
python3 viewport.py zoom --selected

# Orbit camera
python3 viewport.py orbit --yaw 45 --pitch 30

# Set camera position
python3 viewport.py camera --position 100,100,50 --target 0,0,0 --lens 35

# Capture screenshot (saves to linux_dir, returns linux_path)
python3 viewport.py screenshot --width 1920 --height 1080
python3 viewport.py screenshot --output myrender.png

# Render with materials
python3 viewport.py render --output render.png

Screenshots are saved directly to the Linux filesystem via WSL UNC path. The returned linux_path can be read directly.

💡 Render & Lighting

bash

# Set render quality
python3 render.py settings --width 1920 --height 1080 --quality high
python3 render.py settings --background 50,50,50

# Add lights
python3 render.py light point --position 50,50,100 --intensity 1.5
python3 render.py light directional --direction -1,-1,-1
python3 render.py light spot --position 0,0,100 --target 0,0,0

# Render to file
python3 render.py render --output scene.png

📦 Files (Import/Export)

bash

# Open 3DM file
python3 files.py open "/path/to/file.3dm"

# Save current document
python3 files.py save
python3 files.py save --path "/path/to/new.3dm"

# Export to various formats
python3 files.py export output.step
python3 files.py export output.obj --ids <id1> <id2>
python3 files.py export output.stl --format stl

# Import mesh
python3 files.py import model.obj

Supported Export Formats

STEP, IGES, OBJ, STL, DXF, DWG, 3DS, FBX, DAE

📦 Groups & Blocks

bash

# Create group
python3 groups.py group <id1> <id2> --name "MyGroup"

# Ungroup
python3 groups.py ungroup --name "MyGroup"

# Create block definition
python3 groups.py block-create "MyBlock" <id1> <id2> --base 0,0,0

# Insert block instance
python3 groups.py block-insert "MyBlock" --position 10,0,0 --scale 2 --rotation 45

# Explode block
python3 groups.py block-explode <instance_id>

📜 RhinoScript Execution

bash

# Execute inline code
python3 script_exec.py -c "import rhinoscriptsyntax as rs; rs.AddSphere([0,0,0], 10)"

# Execute script file
python3 script_exec.py -f ~/scripts/my_script.py

🔍 Log Monitoring

Check the Rhino log for debugging:

bash

# View recent log entries
tail -30 "/mnt/c/Users/Adi.Muff/AppData/Local/Temp/rhinomcp.log"

# Continuous monitoring
tail -f "/mnt/c/Users/Adi.Muff/AppData/Local/Temp/rhinomcp.log" &

Example: Complete PBR Scene Workflow

bash

# 1. Create layer with material
python3 layers.py create "Gold_Parts" --color 255,215,0
python3 materials.py preset gold
# → Note material_id

# 2. Assign material to layer
python3 materials.py assign "Gold_Parts" <material_id>
python3 layers.py set "Gold_Parts"

# 3. Create geometry
python3 geometry.py sphere --radius 5 --name "Gold_Ball"
python3 geometry.py box --width 10 --length 10 --height 2 --position 0,0,-3

# 4. Boolean difference (cut hole)
python3 geometry.py cylinder --radius 2 --height 5 --position 0,0,-3
python3 booleans.py difference <box_id> <cylinder_id>

# 5. Set camera and capture
python3 viewport.py camera --position 30,30,20 --target 0,0,0 --lens 35
python3 viewport.py screenshot --width 1920 --height 1080
# → Returns linux_path, read directly with Read tool

Troubleshooting

Problem	Solution
Connection refused	Run `tcpstart` in Rhino
Timeout	Increase timeout in config.json
Boolean failed	Ensure objects are closed solids
Screenshot path issues	Check windows_dir UNC path in config
Command not found	Rebuild plugin after C# changes