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batch

Destructive

Run several Houdini tools in one call to build node networks, wires, and parameters with one undo and all-or-nothing validation.

Instructions

Run several Houdini tools in one call.

Use it to build a network: many nodes, their wires and their parameters go
in one round trip and one undo group, and a person can undo the whole thing
with one keystroke.

Do not use it when a later step needs to read what an earlier step made.
The list runs without you in the middle, so nothing can branch on a result.

A failed batch changes nothing. Every step is checked before any step
runs, and a step with a wrong argument stops the batch. A step that fails
as it runs stops the list, and the steps before it are undone. A step whose
item failed is a failed step, and so is a parameter write that did not
apply. The error names the index of the step and its error.

Returns JSON with one result for each operation, in the order of the
operations, and the picture of every capture step.

A batch that works cooks the display node of each SOP network that it
touched: `check` gives its point and primitive counts, and the touched
nodes that have errors. Read it before you build on the result.

A capture step with no `output` writes to a file of its own, so one batch
can hold several captures.

Input Schema

TableJSON Schema
NameRequiredDescriptionDefault
operationsYesThe steps, in order. Each is {"tool": "<tool name>", "params": {...}}, with the arguments that the tool takes on its own. Any tool of this server except batch.

Schema Changelog

Changes observed during successful MCP inspections.

  1. Changed3 schema fields changedv0.7.3
    • addedInput schema / properties / operations / description
      Added value: +"The steps, in order. Each is {\"tool\": \"<tool name>\", \"params\": {...}}, with the arguments that the tool takes on its own. Any tool of this server except batch."
    • removedInput schema / properties / operations / title
      Removed value: -"Operations"
    • removedInput schema / title
      Removed value: -"toolArguments"
  2. Changed5 schema fields changedv0.1.1
    • addedInput schema / additionalProperties
      Added value: +false
    • removedInput schema / properties / operations / default
      Removed value: -[]
    • addedInput schema / properties / operations / items / additionalProperties
      Added value: +true
    • addedInput schema / required
      Added value: +[
      +  "operations"
      +]
    • changedInput schema / title
      Previous value: -"batchArguments"New value: +"toolArguments"
  3. First observedv0.1.0

TDQS

A4.7/5.0
Behavior5/5

Does the description disclose side effects, auth requirements, rate limits, or destructive behavior?

Annotations declare destructive/non-idempotent, and the description adds substantial context beyond them: validation-before-execution, the exact failure/rollback semantics (a failed batch changes nothing, prior steps undone), the error format naming step index, the return shape, and the side effect of cooking touched SOP networks so `check` must be read afterward.

Agents need to know what a tool does to the world before calling it. Descriptions should go beyond structured annotations to explain consequences.

Conciseness5/5

Is the description appropriately sized, front-loaded, and free of redundancy?

Purpose and constraints are front-loaded in the first two paragraphs, failure semantics follow, and return behavior closes. Despite length, every paragraph carries a distinct operational fact with no filler.

Shorter descriptions cost fewer tokens and are easier for agents to parse. Every sentence should earn its place.

Completeness5/5

Given the tool's complexity, does the description cover enough for an agent to succeed on first attempt?

For a complex multi-step mutation tool with no output schema, the description covers the essentials: atomic rollback, error identification, return ordering, cook side effects, and capture file behavior. Nothing critical to calling it correctly is missing.

Complex tools with many parameters or behaviors need more documentation. Simple tools need less. This dimension scales expectations accordingly.

Parameters3/5

Does the description clarify parameter syntax, constraints, interactions, or defaults beyond what the schema provides?

Schema description coverage is 100%, and the schema documents that each step is {"tool": ..., "params": ...} with any tool except batch. The description reinforces ordering ('in the order of the operations') but does not add syntax or format beyond the schema, so the baseline of 3 applies.

Input schemas describe structure but not intent. Descriptions should explain non-obvious parameter relationships and valid value ranges.

Purpose5/5

Does the description clearly state what the tool does and how it differs from similar tools?

The first sentence states a specific verb and resource: run several Houdini tools in one call. It is unmistakably the batch executor among siblings like cook, parm_set, and connect, which run one operation each.

Agents choose between tools based on descriptions. A clear purpose with a specific verb and resource helps agents select the right tool.

Usage Guidelines5/5

Does the description explain when to use this tool, when not to, or what alternatives exist?

It gives explicit when-to-use (building a network in one round trip and one undo group) and an explicit when-not-to-use condition: 'Do not use it when a later step needs to read what an earlier step made.' The branching limitation is stated as a hard rule.

Agents often have multiple tools that could apply. Explicit usage guidance like "use X instead of Y when Z" prevents misuse.