Daz Mcp Server

vangard-daz-mcp

Version 0.4.0 | MCP Server for DAZ Studio

A Model Context Protocol (MCP) server that exposes DAZ Studio operations to Claude and other MCP clients. Built on FastMCP and wraps the DazScriptServer HTTP plugin.

---

What Is This?

This MCP server allows Claude (via Claude Desktop or other MCP clients) to control DAZ Studio directly:

• Query scene information (figures, cameras, lights, spatial positions)
• Read and modify node properties (transforms, morphs)
• Discover and apply morphs, including searching by name pattern
• Traverse and manipulate scene hierarchies (parent/child, skeleton)
• Apply emotional expressions to characters
• Coordinate multi-character interactions (look-at, reach-toward, hug, handshake)
• Execute batch operations (set multiple properties in one call, 5-10x faster)
• Control cameras and viewport (orbit, frame, presets)
• Create keyframe animations and export as image sequences
• Trigger synchronous or asynchronous renders with cancellation support
• Apply professional lighting presets and cinematography composition rules
• Browse and query the DAZ content library
• Save and restore named scene checkpoints
• Generate complete scenes from natural language descriptions
• Create multi-camera shot sequences (orbit, push-in, shot-reverse-shot)
• Choreograph animated conversations with dialogue beats
• Record and replay operation macros for workflow automation
• Execute arbitrary DazScript code
• Access comprehensive DazScript documentation and examples

The server acts as a bridge: MCP Client ↔ vangard-daz-mcp ↔ DazScriptServer plugin ↔ DAZ Studio 4.5+ or 6.25+

---

Prerequisites

Before using this server, you need:

1. DAZ Studio installed and running — compatible with:

• DAZ Studio 4.5+ (legacy/classic versions)
• DAZ Studio 6.25+ (current versions)

1. DazScriptServer plugin — must match your DAZ Studio version:

• Download from: https://github.com/bluemoonfoundry/daz-script-server
• Install the DS4 build for DAZ Studio 4.x, or the DS6 build for DAZ Studio 6.x
• Plugin must be running on port 18811 (default)
• Authentication must be configured (API token auto-generated on first run)

1. Python 3.11+ for running the MCP server
2. uv package manager (recommended) or pip

---

Installation

1. Install uv (if you don't have it)

macOS / Linux:

curl -LsSf https://astral.sh/uv/install.sh | sh

Windows (PowerShell):

powershell -ExecutionPolicy ByPass -c "irm https://astral.sh/uv/install.ps1 | iex"

See uv installation docs for other options.

2. Clone and install

# Clone the repository
git clone https://github.com/bluemoonfoundry/daz-mcp-server.git
cd daz-mcp-server

# Install dependencies (creates .venv automatically)
uv sync

# Verify it works
uv run vangard-daz-mcp --help

Using pip (alternative)

git clone https://github.com/bluemoonfoundry/daz-mcp-server.git
cd daz-mcp-server

pip install .

# Run the server
vangard-daz-mcp

---

Configuration

Environment Variables

Configure the server via environment variables:

| Variable | Default | Description | |----------|---------|-------------| | DAZ_HOST | localhost | DazScriptServer hostname | | DAZ_PORT | 18811 | DazScriptServer port | | DAZ_TIMEOUT | 30.0 | Request timeout in seconds (increase for long renders) | | DAZ_API_TOKEN | (from file) | API token for authentication | | DAZ_CONTENT_BROWSER_URL | http://localhost:8080 | Content browser API URL (if using a separate content service) |

Authentication

The server automatically reads the API token from ~/.daz3d/dazscriptserver_token.txt (the file created by DazScriptServer).

Override with environment variable:

export DAZ_API_TOKEN="your-token-here"

Important: DazScriptServer must have authentication enabled (default). The MCP server cannot connect without a valid token.

---

MCP Client Configuration

Claude Desktop

Config file location:

• macOS: ~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json
• Windows: %APPDATA%\Claude\claude_desktop_config.json

macOS / Linux:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "vangard-daz-mcp": {
      "command": "uv",
      "args": [
        "run",
        "--project",
        "/absolute/path/to/daz-mcp-server",
        "vangard-daz-mcp"
      ],
      "env": {
        "DAZ_HOST": "localhost",
        "DAZ_PORT": "18811"
      }
    }
  }
}

Windows:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "vangard-daz-mcp": {
      "command": "uv",
      "args": [
        "run",
        "--project",
        "C:\\Users\\YourName\\daz-mcp-server",
        "vangard-daz-mcp"
      ],
      "env": {
        "DAZ_HOST": "localhost",
        "DAZ_PORT": "18811"
      }
    }
  }
}

Replace the path with the actual location where you cloned the repo. Use --project (not --directory) so uv run picks up the project's .venv.

After saving the config, restart Claude Desktop. The DAZ Studio tools will appear in Claude's tool palette.

---

Cursor

Add to .cursor/mcp.json in your project, or ~/.cursor/mcp.json for global access:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "vangard-daz-mcp": {
      "command": "uv",
      "args": [
        "run",
        "--project",
        "/absolute/path/to/daz-mcp-server",
        "vangard-daz-mcp"
      ],
      "env": {
        "DAZ_HOST": "localhost",
        "DAZ_PORT": "18811"
      }
    }
  }
}

---

VS Code (GitHub Copilot / MCP extension)

Add to .vscode/mcp.json in your workspace:

{
  "servers": {
    "vangard-daz-mcp": {
      "type": "stdio",
      "command": "uv",
      "args": [
        "run",
        "--project",
        "/absolute/path/to/daz-mcp-server",
        "vangard-daz-mcp"
      ],
      "env": {
        "DAZ_HOST": "localhost",
        "DAZ_PORT": "18811"
      }
    }
  }
}

---

Verifying the connection

After configuration, ask your MCP client:

Check if DAZ Studio is running

Claude will call daz_status. A successful response looks like:

{ "running": true, "version": "1.3.0" }

If it fails, see the [Troubleshooting](#troubleshooting) section below.

---

Domain Reference Files (SKILL files)

The repository ships six SKILL files — curated knowledge documents that you can ask Claude (or any MCP client) to read before working in a particular area of DAZ Studio. They exist because LLMs have reasonable general knowledge about 3D software but will make confident, wrong assumptions about DAZ Studio specifics — inverted rotation signs, broken API methods, generation-specific bone names, and so on. Loading the right SKILL file before a task corrects those assumptions and produces dramatically better results.

How to use them

Ask Claude to read the relevant file at the start of a session or task:

Read the file SKILL_DAZ_STUDIO.md before we begin.

Before writing any DazScript code, read SKILL_DAZSCRIPT.md.

You can load more than one if your task spans domains:

Read SKILL_DAZ_STUDIO.md and SKILL_CINEMA.md — we're going to set up a portrait shot.

---

SKILL file reference

| File | Domain | Load when… | |------|--------|------------| | [SKILL_DAZ_STUDIO.md](SKILLDAZSTUDIO.md) | DAZ Studio conventions | Starting any session — covers coordinate system inversions, camera Y-rotation being backwards, bone rotation limits, and known tool limitations | | [SKILL_DAZSCRIPT.md](SKILLDAZSCRIPT.md) | DazScript API | Writing or debugging custom scripts via daz_execute — documents verified-working API patterns and a list of broken/wrong methods to avoid | | [SKILL_SCENE.md](SKILLSCENE.md) | Scene management | Working with scene hierarchy, content library, spatial layout, materials, or batch operations | | [SKILL_ACTORS.md](SKILLACTORS.md) | Characters & posing | Working with morphs, emotions, body language, gaze direction, wardrobe, or multi-character interactions | | [SKILL_CINEMA.md](SKILLCINEMA.md) | Cameras, lighting & rendering | Composing shots, setting up lighting rigs, animating cameras, or running renders | | [SKILL_DEVELOPMENT.md](SKILL_DEVELOPMENT.md) | MCP server internals | Modifying or extending the MCP server itself — module layout, how to add tools, the script registry |

---

When to load SKILL_DAZ_STUDIO.md

This is the most important file and the one most likely to save you from a frustrating session. Key things it corrects:

• Camera Y rotation is inverted — positive values turn the camera left, not right. Every other 3D application does this the other way.
• daz_look_at_point applies rotations in the wrong direction — always verify in the viewport and correct manually.
• daz_orbit_camera_around aims at the figure's root (feet), not the face — use explicit world-space coordinates for portrait work instead.
• Genesis 9 faces +Z by default — "in front of" a character is at a positive Z coordinate.
• Focal distance requires true 3D distance — using Z distance alone throws portrait shots out of focus.

---

Available Tools

📚 Documentation Tools

daz_script_help

Get DazScript documentation, examples, and best practices.

Arguments:

• topic (string, default "overview"): Documentation topic to retrieve

Available Topics:

• overview - DazScript environment basics
• gotchas - Critical mistakes that cause timeouts or errors
• camera - Camera creation, positioning, and aiming
• light - Light creation, types, and three-point lighting
• environment - Iray environment settings and lighting modes
• scene - Scene management (new, save, load, selection)
• properties - Node properties, transforms, and morphs
• content - Browsing and loading content from library
• coordinates - Coordinate system and positioning reference
• posing - Figure posing, bone hierarchy, morphs vs poses, rotation gotchas
• morphs - Morph discovery, searching, value ranges, and management
• hierarchy - Scene hierarchy, parent-child relationships, parenting operations
• interaction - Multi-character interaction, look-at mechanics, world-space posing
• batch - Batch operations patterns and performance optimization
• viewport - Viewport and camera control, spherical positioning, presets
• animation - Keyframe animation, timeline control, image sequence export
• rendering - Rendering workflows, multi-camera, batch render, animation export

Returns: Formatted documentation with examples

Use when: Before writing custom DazScript code to learn correct patterns and avoid common mistakes.

Example:

daz_script_help("camera")  # Get camera documentation
daz_script_help("gotchas") # Learn critical gotchas

---

🔍 Inspection Tools

daz_status

Check DAZ Studio connectivity and version.

Returns:

{
  "running": true,
  "version": "1.3.0"
}

Use when: Verifying DAZ Studio is running and the connection works.

---

daz_scene_info

Get a snapshot of the current scene.

Returns:

{
  "sceneFile": "/path/to/scene.duf",
  "selectedNode": "Genesis 9",
  "figures": [
    {"name": "Genesis9", "label": "Genesis 9", "type": "DzFigure"}
  ],
  "cameras": [
    {"name": "Camera", "label": "Camera 1"}
  ],
  "lights": [
    {"name": "DistantLight", "label": "Distant Light", "type": "DzDistantLight"}
  ],
  "totalNodes": 3247
}

Use when: You need an overview of what's in the scene (characters, cameras, lights).

Note: Does not enumerate all nodes (scenes can have 1000+ nodes). Use daz_execute for fine-grained queries.

---

daz_get_node

Read all numeric properties of a node by its label or internal name.

Arguments:

• node_label (string): Display label or internal name (e.g., "Genesis 9")

Returns:

{
  "name": "Genesis9",
  "label": "Genesis 9",
  "type": "DzFigure",
  "properties": {
    "X Translate": 0.0,
    "Y Translate": 0.0,
    "Z Translate": 0.0,
    "X Rotate": 0.0,
    "Y Rotate": 0.0,
    "Z Rotate": 0.0,
    "Scale": 100.0,
    "Head Size": 0.5
  }
}

Use when: You need to read transforms, morphs, or other numeric properties on a node.

---

daz_get_selected_nodes

Return the nodes currently selected in the DAZ Studio viewport.

Returns:

{
  "count": 2,
  "nodes": [
    {"label": "Genesis 9", "name": "Genesis9"},
    {"label": "Camera 1", "name": "Camera"}
  ]
}

Use when: The user has manually selected items in DAZ Studio and wants the AI to act on that selection.

---

🔬 Morph Discovery Tools

daz_list_morphs

List all morphs (numeric properties) on a node with their current values.

Arguments:

• node_label (string): Node display label or internal name
• include_zero (bool, default False): Include morphs with zero values

Returns:

{
  "morphs": [
    {"label": "Height", "name": "Height", "value": 1.05, "path": "Morphs/Body"},
    {"label": "Head Size", "name": "HeadSize", "value": 0.9, "path": "Morphs/Head"}
  ],
  "count": 2,
  "nodeLabel": "Genesis 9"
}

Use when:

• Discovering what morphs are available on a figure
• Checking which morphs are currently active
• Building morph selection UIs
• Exploring character customization options

Example:

# List only active morphs (non-zero values)
daz_list_morphs("Genesis 9", include_zero=False)

# List ALL available morphs (warning: may return 500-1000+ morphs)
daz_list_morphs("Genesis 9", include_zero=True)

Note: Genesis figures can have 1000+ morphs. Use include_zero=False to see only active morphs, or use daz_search_morphs to filter by pattern.

---

daz_search_morphs

Search for morphs matching a name pattern.

Arguments:

• node_label (string): Node display label or internal name
• pattern (string): Substring to search for (case-insensitive)
• include_zero (bool, default False): Include morphs with zero values

Returns:

{
  "morphs": [
    {"label": "Smile", "name": "Smile", "value": 0.0, "path": "Morphs/Expressions"},
    {"label": "Smile Open", "name": "SmileOpen", "value": 0.0, "path": "Morphs/Expressions"}
  ],
  "count": 2,
  "pattern": "smile",
  "nodeLabel": "Genesis 9"
}

Use when:

• Finding specific morphs (e.g., all smile morphs, head morphs)
• Discovering morphs by category or body part
• Building filtered morph lists

Example:

# Find all smile-related morphs
daz_search_morphs("Genesis 9", "smile", include_zero=True)

# Find active head morphs only
daz_search_morphs("Genesis 9", "head", include_zero=False)

# Find all facial expression morphs
daz_search_morphs("Genesis 9", "express", include_zero=True)

Common search patterns:

• "smile", "frown", "express" - Facial expressions
• "head", "face", "nose" - Facial features
• "arm", "leg", "body" - Body parts
• "muscle", "tone", "fit" - Body definition
• "height", "scale" - Size adjustments

---

🌳 Scene Hierarchy Tools

daz_get_node_hierarchy

Get complete hierarchy tree for a node with all descendants.

Arguments:

• node_label (string): Root node display label or internal name
• max_depth (int, default 10): Maximum recursion depth (0 = unlimited)

Returns:

{
  "node": "Genesis 9",
  "hierarchy": {
    "label": "Genesis 9",
    "name": "Genesis9",
    "type": "DzFigure",
    "children": [
      {
        "label": "hip",
        "name": "hip",
        "type": "DzBone",
        "children": [...]
      }
    ]
  },
  "totalDescendants": 127
}

Use when:

• Understanding skeleton structure
• Exploring bone relationships
• Mapping complex scene hierarchies
• Finding all descendants of a no

…

Source & license

This open-source MCP server is cataloged on AgentStack and links to its original source — we do not rehost the code.

• Author: bluemoonfoundry
• Source: bluemoonfoundry/daz-mcp-server
• License: MIT

Install and usage instructions live in the source repository linked above.