[FIX] Bloated token usage for images workflow

Author: healkeiser

_tmp/conversation.md

@@ -26,6 +26,23 @@ def _get_node(node_path: str) -> hou.Node:
     return node
 
 
+def _focus_network_editor(node: hou.Node) -> None:
+    """Best-effort: layout the parent network, then pan the editor to *node*."""
+    try:
+        parent = node.parent()
+        if parent is not None:
+            parent.layoutChildren()
+        for pane_tab in hou.ui.paneTabs():
+            if pane_tab.type() == hou.paneTabType.NetworkEditor:
+                if parent is not None:
+                    pane_tab.cd(parent.path())
+                pane_tab.setCurrentNode(node)
+                pane_tab.homeToSelection()
+                return
+    except Exception:
+        pass
+
+
 ###### chops.get_chop_data
 
 def _get_chop_data(
@@ -140,6 +157,7 @@ def _create_chop_node(
         )
 
     node.moveToGoodPosition()
+    _focus_network_editor(node)
 
     return {
         "node_path": node.path(),

houdini/scripts/python/fxhoudinimcp_server/handlers/chop_handlers.py

@@ -28,6 +28,23 @@ def _get_cop_node(node_path: str) -> hou.Node:
     return node
 
 
+def _focus_network_editor(node: hou.Node) -> None:
+    """Best-effort: layout the parent network, then pan the editor to *node*."""
+    try:
+        parent = node.parent()
+        if parent is not None:
+            parent.layoutChildren()
+        for pane_tab in hou.ui.paneTabs():
+            if pane_tab.type() == hou.paneTabType.NetworkEditor:
+                if parent is not None:
+                    pane_tab.cd(parent.path())
+                pane_tab.setCurrentNode(node)
+                pane_tab.homeToSelection()
+                return
+    except Exception:
+        pass
+
+
 ###### cops.get_cop_info
 
 def get_cop_info(node_path: str) -> dict:
@@ -268,6 +285,8 @@ def create_cop_node(
             f"under {parent_path}: {e}"
         )
 
+    _focus_network_editor(node)
+
     return {
         "success": True,
         "node_path": node.path(),

houdini/scripts/python/fxhoudinimcp_server/handlers/cop_handlers.py

@@ -25,6 +25,23 @@
 
 ###### Helpers
 
+def _focus_network_editor(node: hou.Node) -> None:
+    """Best-effort: layout the parent network, then pan the editor to *node*."""
+    try:
+        parent = node.parent()
+        if parent is not None:
+            parent.layoutChildren()
+        for pane_tab in hou.ui.paneTabs():
+            if pane_tab.type() == hou.paneTabType.NetworkEditor:
+                if parent is not None:
+                    pane_tab.cd(parent.path())
+                pane_tab.setCurrentNode(node)
+                pane_tab.homeToSelection()
+                return
+    except Exception:
+        pass
+
+
 def _require_pxr() -> None:
     """Raise if pxr modules are not available."""
     if not HAS_PXR:
@@ -449,6 +466,7 @@ def _create_lop_node(
             parm.set(prim_path)
 
     node.moveToGoodPosition()
+    _focus_network_editor(node)
 
     return {
         "node_path": node.path(),
@@ -503,6 +521,7 @@ def _set_usd_attribute(
 """
     python_node.parm("python").set(snippet.strip())
     python_node.moveToGoodPosition()
+    _focus_network_editor(python_node)
 
     # Cook to apply
     python_node.cook(force=True)
@@ -839,6 +858,7 @@ def _create_light(
                 parm.set(position[i])
 
     node.moveToGoodPosition()
+    _focus_network_editor(node)
 
     # Determine the prim path
     prim_path_parm = node.parm("primpath")
@@ -986,6 +1006,7 @@ def _set_light_properties(
     python_node.setInput(0, node)
     python_node.parm("python").set(snippet)
     python_node.moveToGoodPosition()
+    _focus_network_editor(python_node)
     python_node.cook(force=True)
 
     return {
@@ -1105,8 +1126,11 @@ def _create_light_rig(
         node.moveToGoodPosition()
         created_nodes.append(node.path())
 
-    # Layout all children
-    parent.layoutChildren()
+    # Focus on the last created light to keep the editor alive
+    if created_nodes:
+        last_node = hou.node(created_nodes[-1])
+        if last_node is not None:
+            _focus_network_editor(last_node)
 
     return {
         "nodes": created_nodes,

houdini/scripts/python/fxhoudinimcp_server/handlers/lops_handlers.py

@@ -26,6 +26,23 @@ def _get_node(node_path: str) -> hou.Node:
     return node
 
 
+def _focus_network_editor(node: hou.Node) -> None:
+    """Best-effort: layout the parent network, then pan the editor to *node*."""
+    try:
+        parent = node.parent()
+        if parent is not None:
+            parent.layoutChildren()
+        for pane_tab in hou.ui.paneTabs():
+            if pane_tab.type() == hou.paneTabType.NetworkEditor:
+                if parent is not None:
+                    pane_tab.cd(parent.path())
+                pane_tab.setCurrentNode(node)
+                pane_tab.homeToSelection()
+                return
+    except Exception:
+        pass
+
+
 def _material_summary(node: hou.Node) -> dict[str, Any]:
     """Return a compact summary dict for a material node."""
     return {
@@ -197,6 +214,7 @@ def _create_material_network(
                     pass
 
     node.moveToGoodPosition()
+    _focus_network_editor(node)
 
     return {
         "material_path": node.path(),
@@ -258,6 +276,7 @@ def _assign_material(
     mat_sop.setDisplayFlag(True)
     mat_sop.setRenderFlag(True)
     mat_sop.moveToGoodPosition()
+    _focus_network_editor(mat_sop)
 
     return {
         "material_sop_path": mat_sop.path(),

houdini/scripts/python/fxhoudinimcp_server/handlers/material_handlers.py

@@ -34,11 +34,13 @@ def _node_summary(node: hou.Node) -> dict:
 
 
 def _focus_network_editor(node: hou.Node) -> None:
-    """Best-effort: pan the network editor to *node* so the user sees it."""
+    """Best-effort: layout the parent network, then pan the editor to *node*."""
     try:
+        parent = node.parent()
+        if parent is not None:
+            parent.layoutChildren()
         for pane_tab in hou.ui.paneTabs():
             if pane_tab.type() == hou.paneTabType.NetworkEditor:
-                parent = node.parent()
                 if parent is not None:
                     pane_tab.cd(parent.path())
                 pane_tab.setCurrentNode(node)

houdini/scripts/python/fxhoudinimcp_server/handlers/node_handlers.py

@@ -110,20 +110,12 @@ def render_viewport(
     # Handle frame number that flipbook may insert into the filename
     actual_path = _find_flipbook_output(output_path, cur_frame)
 
-    # Read the captured image and base64-encode it so the MCP client
-    # can display it inline.
+    # Downscale + JPEG-compress before base64 to avoid token bloat.
     image_base64 = None
-    mime_type = "image/png"
-    actual_lower = actual_path.lower()
-    if actual_lower.endswith((".jpg", ".jpeg")):
-        mime_type = "image/jpeg"
-
+    mime_type = "image/jpeg"
     if os.path.isfile(actual_path):
-        try:
-            with open(actual_path, "rb") as f:
-                image_base64 = base64.b64encode(f.read()).decode("ascii")
-        except Exception as e:
-            logger.warning("Could not read captured viewport image: %s", e)
+        from fxhoudinimcp_server.handlers.viewport_handlers import _downscale_and_encode
+        image_base64, mime_type = _downscale_and_encode(actual_path)
 
     return {
         "success": True,
@@ -524,23 +516,23 @@ def render_node_network(
     network_editor.setCurrentNode(node)
     network_editor.homeToSelection()
 
-    # Capture the network editor as an image
-    try:
-        network_editor.saveAsImage(output_path)
-    except AttributeError:
-        # Fallback: use the desktop screenshot approach
-        try:
-            desktop = hou.ui.curDesktop()
-            desktop.saveAsImage(output_path)
-        except Exception as e:
-            raise RuntimeError(
-                f"Failed to capture network editor screenshot: {e}"
-            )
+    # Capture the network editor as an image via Qt widget grab
+    from fxhoudinimcp_server.handlers.viewport_handlers import (
+        _capture_pane_tab_qt, _downscale_and_encode,
+    )
+    _capture_pane_tab_qt(network_editor, output_path)
+
+    image_base64 = None
+    mime_type = "image/jpeg"
+    if os.path.isfile(output_path):
+        image_base64, mime_type = _downscale_and_encode(output_path)
 
     return {
         "success": True,
         "node_path": node_path,
         "output_path": output_path,
+        "image_base64": image_base64,
+        "mime_type": mime_type,
     }
 
 

houdini/scripts/python/fxhoudinimcp_server/handlers/rendering_handlers.py

@@ -16,6 +16,25 @@
 from fxhoudinimcp_server.dispatcher import register_handler
 
 
+###### Helpers
+
+def _focus_network_editor(node: hou.Node) -> None:
+    """Best-effort: layout the parent network, then pan the editor to *node*."""
+    try:
+        parent = node.parent()
+        if parent is not None:
+            parent.layoutChildren()
+        for pane_tab in hou.ui.paneTabs():
+            if pane_tab.type() == hou.paneTabType.NetworkEditor:
+                if parent is not None:
+                    pane_tab.cd(parent.path())
+                pane_tab.setCurrentNode(node)
+                pane_tab.homeToSelection()
+                return
+    except Exception:
+        pass
+
+
 ###### scene.get_scene_info
 
 def get_scene_info() -> dict:
@@ -181,6 +200,11 @@ def import_file(
             file_node.parm("file").set(file_path)
             created_path = file_node.path()
 
+    # Focus on the created node
+    created_node = hou.node(created_path)
+    if created_node is not None:
+        _focus_network_editor(created_node)
+
     return {
         "success": True,
         "node_path": created_path,

houdini/scripts/python/fxhoudinimcp_server/handlers/scene_handlers.py

@@ -96,11 +96,13 @@ def _reverse_class_label(node: hou.Node) -> str | None:
 
 
 def _focus_network_editor(node: hou.Node) -> None:
-    """Best-effort: pan the network editor to *node* so the user sees it."""
+    """Best-effort: layout the parent network, then pan the editor to *node*."""
     try:
+        parent = node.parent()
+        if parent is not None:
+            parent.layoutChildren()
         for pane_tab in hou.ui.paneTabs():
             if pane_tab.type() == hou.paneTabType.NetworkEditor:
-                parent = node.parent()
                 if parent is not None:
                     pane_tab.cd(parent.path())
                 pane_tab.setCurrentNode(node)