Direct DCC Bridge

The Studio separates two kinds of requests.

Local authorization boundary

Official direct-host requests include a short-lived random bridge capability issued after Tech Connector validates the signed entitlement. The capability is restricted to supported host IDs, lasts no more than 12 hours, and is removed when the standalone application exits, the installation is deactivated, or the user signs out. It contains no account, project, scene, or financial metadata.

The capability is added automatically. Do not place it in scripts, logs, screenshots, bug reports, project files, or source control. A bridge reporting bridge_authorization_required should be recovered by opening and activating Tech Connector—not by disabling the bridge check.

This is a local same-user authorization boundary, not a sandbox against malware already running as that operating-system user. The session file is a bearer capability protected by a short lifetime and the user's application-data permissions. Any process that can read that user's private files or modify the installed client must be treated as already inside the local trust boundary.

1. Direct Host Actions

Fast deterministic calls that do not need the LLM.

UI -> Maya authenticated JSON socket -> result
UI -> Unreal HTTP bridge -> result
UI -> Blender socket bridge -> result
UI -> Substance Painter socket bridge -> result
UI -> MotionBuilder socket bridge -> result
UI -> Unity socket bridge -> result

Use these for:

current selection
current file
scene objects
asset lists
logs
simple tool calls
prototype/create/implement requests through known host package endpoints
debug/diagnose requests through known host package endpoints

For adding more apps, see BRIDGE_ARCHITECTURE.md.

For project-aware prototype/debug behavior across hosts, see DCC_SMART_OPERATIONS.md.

2. LLM Reasoning

Requests that require planning, searching, generation, or explanation.

UI -> MCPHost / LLM -> tools -> result

Use this for:

find the right function
explain code
generate a tool
plan a rigging workflow
modify a system

Maya

Maya direct actions use a bounded localhost JSON socket. The server validates the automatically supplied host session before decoding code, then schedules execution on Maya's main thread and returns structured JSON. Natural chat prompts can route built-in generated Maya operations through that bridge for navigation, selection, connections, constraints, materials, skinning, maya.cmds, maya.api.OpenMaya, legacy maya.OpenMaya, and importable maya_tools.* calls.

Examples:

Maya frame selection.
Maya connect ctrl.tx to joint.rx.
Maya parent constrain hand_CTRL to wrist_JNT with offset.
Maya bind skin mesh body_GEO with root_JNT spine_JNT.
Maya call maya.cmds.setAttr args ["ctrl.tx", 4].
Maya use maya.api.OpenMaya.MSelectionList.

Unreal

Unreal direct actions use the Tech Connector HTTP bridge:

http://127.0.0.1:12347

Payload:

{
  "function": "unreal_tools.get_skeletons.get_all_assets_of_type",
  "args": ["Skeleton", "/Game/"],
  "kwargs": {},
  "bridge_session": "<automatically supplied; never hardcode>"
}

Unreal Call reads the input box as either a function path:

unreal_tools.get_skeletons.get_all_assets_of_type

or JSON:

{"function":"unreal_tools.get_skeletons.get_all_assets_of_type","args":["Skeleton","/Game/"],"kwargs":{}}

The Unreal menu also exposes indexer/doc-index actions, project/debug scans, capability validation, typed operation catalog display, and preview-first C++ wrapper generation for Python-inaccessible capabilities. Natural navigation prompts can route to typed operations for opening Content Browser folders, assets, editor windows, and levels.

Blender

Blender direct actions use the Blender Tech Connector add-on, which starts a localhost socket bridge inside Blender. Natural chat prompts can route generated Blender operations through this bridge for bpy scripting/API calls, navigation, selection, primitive creation, and material edits even before a repository blender_tools package exists.

Examples:

Blender run bpy.ops.mesh.primitive_cube_add kwargs {"size": 2}.
Blender create cube named TestCube.
Blender frame selection.
Blender create material heroMat red.

Setup:

Start Tech Connector. It will install/update the Blender startup bridge when it can
find a Blender user folder.
Restart Blender if Tech Connector says the bridge was installed or updated.
Use Tools > Connected Applications > Blender in Tech Connector.

Manual options:

Tools > Connected Applications > Blender > Install Startup Bridge
Tools > Connected Applications > Blender > Copy Script Editor Setup Snippet
Install_Blender_AI_Studio_Bridge.bat

The Script Editor snippet installs the startup bridge and starts the bridge in the current Blender session. For a one-session manual test only, you can still open Blender's Scripting workspace and run blender_command_port_setup.py.

Default port:

127.0.0.1:7021

MotionBuilder

MotionBuilder direct actions use the Tech Connector startup bridge and the MotionBuilderAdapter.

Default port:

127.0.0.1:7011

Direct actions currently expose:

selection
current file
scene objects
takes
characters
context summary
raw Python execution
motionbuilder_tools / mobu_tools function calls

The context summary is the important awareness layer. It combines file state, current take, component count, selected models, takes, characters, constraints, and devices so planning can start from real MotionBuilder scene state.

Unity

Unity direct actions use a socket bridge inside the Unity Editor.

Default port:

127.0.0.1:7041

Direct actions currently expose:

selection
current scene
scene GameObjects
debug project / find broken
prototype / create / implement
typed asset, material, prefab, scene, and inspection commands

Arbitrary C# evaluation is disabled in the Unity Editor bridge. Each typed request carries the automatically supplied host session and is rejected before main-thread dispatch when activation is absent or expired.

Photoshop development status

The current Photoshop UXP bridge prototype cannot read Tech Connector's protected session file without a UXP-compatible pairing flow. It is therefore disabled in ordinary and frozen builds and is not an official licensed endpoint. Source developers can opt into the prototype only by enabling both the explicit development license bypass and TECH_CONNECTOR_ENABLE_EXPERIMENTAL_PHOTOSHOP_BRIDGE=1.

UI Buttons

Maya Selection
Maya File
Maya Objects
Unreal Skeletons
Unreal Meshes
Unreal Call
Blender Selection
Blender File
Blender Objects
Blender Call / Execute
Substance Painter Project
Substance Painter Texture Sets
Substance Painter Call / Execute
MotionBuilder Selection
MotionBuilder File
MotionBuilder Scene Objects
MotionBuilder Takes
MotionBuilder Characters
MotionBuilder Context Summary
MotionBuilder Call / Execute
Unity Selection
Unity Current Scene
Unity Scene GameObjects
Unity Call / Execute
Per-host Debug Scene / Find Broken
Per-host Prototype / Create / Implement