cad-explorer - SKILL.md Agent Skill

name: cad-explorer description: Start or reuse the CAD Explorer GUI and return review links for explicit CAD and robot-description files. Use when rendering or visually reviewing `.step`, `.stp`, `.stl`, `.3mf`, `.dxf`, `.urdf`, `.srdf`, or `.sdf` files, especially when handed off from CAD, URDF, SRDF, or SDF generation skills.

CAD Explorer

Use this skill to open generated or modified CAD and robot-description files in CAD Explorer. The expected input is one or more explicit file paths that already exist or were just generated by another skill.

Supported files: .step, .stp, .stl, .3mf, .dxf, .urdf, .srdf, .sdf.

Handoff Contract

Accept explicit file paths from CAD, URDF, SRDF, or SDF workflows.
Start or reuse CAD Explorer with dev:ensure; do not assume a fixed port.
Return the printed Explorer URL for each requested file.
If startup fails, report the failure and let the owning skill continue with its non-GUI validation.

Commands

From this skill directory:

npm --prefix scripts/explorer run dev:ensure -- --file path/to/model.step

When the workspace root is known, pass it explicitly:

npm --prefix scripts/explorer run dev:ensure -- \
  --workspace-root /path/to/workspace \
  --file path/to/model.step

Use foreground Vite only for manual Explorer development:

npm --prefix scripts/explorer run dev

dev:ensure probes existing local CAD Explorer servers, reuses one with a matching scan root, or starts a detached Vite server on the first available port. Use the URL it prints.

MoveIt2 Controls

For SRDF Explorer reviews, start the MoveIt2 server only when the user needs interactive IK or path-planning controls. SRDF generation and plain Explorer links do not require it.

From this skill directory:

scripts/moveit2_server/setup.sh
scripts/moveit2_server/check-moveit2-server.sh
scripts/moveit2_server/run-moveit2-server.sh

The server defaults to ws://127.0.0.1:8765/ws. CAD Explorer connects to that URL in local dev unless EXPLORER_MOVEIT2_WS_URL or the browser ?moveit2Ws= query override is set.

For protocol and reporting details, read references/moveit2-server.md.

Useful Explorer environment variables:

EXPLORER_PORT
EXPLORER_PORT_END
EXPLORER_ROOT_DIR
EXPLORER_DEFAULT_FILE
EXPLORER_WORKSPACE_ROOT
EXPLORER_GITHUB_URL
EXPLORER_MOVEIT2_WS_URL

Keep GUI work lightweight: start the server only when a link/review is needed, prefer dev:ensure for agent workflows, and do not stop an existing Explorer server unless the user asks.