pencil-mcp-snapshot-layout

Tools

This skill is designed to call the Pencil MCP tool:

• snapshot_layout

If your client namespaces MCP tools, it may appear as mcp__pencil__snapshot_layout.

When to use this skill

Intent Recognition (CRITICAL)

Even if a trigger phrase matches, you must verify the user's intent:

1. Is the user explicitly asking to use "Pencil"?
2. Is the current conversation context clearly about "Pencil" design tasks?

If the answer is NO, do NOT use this skill. (e.g., "Analyze layout" might refer to HTML/CSS layout analysis).

CRITICAL PREREQUISITE: You must ONLY use this skill when the user EXPLICITLY mentions "Pencil".

ALWAYS use this skill when:

• You need to understand the hierarchy and layout relationship of nodes in Pencil.
• You are planning to move or align elements and need their current bounds.
• You need to check for "problems" like clipped content or overlapping elements.
• The user asks to "Analyze layout" or "Check structure" of a Pencil design.

Trigger phrases include:

• "Pencil snapshot layout" (Pencil layout snapshot)
• "Analyze Pencil page structure" (Analyze Pencil page structure)
• "Check Pencil layout problems" (Check Pencil layout problems)
• "Get Pencil node hierarchy" (Get Pencil node hierarchy)

Input Parameters

• filePath (string, optional): Path to access a specific .pen file. Default is active document.
• maxDepth (integer, optional):
  • Limit how deep to descend in the node tree.
  • Recommendation: Always specify a reasonable limit (e.g., 2 or 3) to avoid context overflow.
  • 0 means only top-level nodes.
• parentId (string, optional): Only return layout for this node's subtree.
• problemsOnly (boolean, optional):
  • Set to true to only return nodes with layout issues (e.g., clipped by parent).
  • Default: false.

How to use this skill

1. Determine Scope: Do you need the whole page (maxDepth=1) or a specific section (parentId=...)?
2. Call Tool: snapshot_layout(...).
3. Analyze Output: The result is a tree structure with layout information (bounds, constraints).

Examples

1. Simple: Top Level Snapshot

Get the layout of the top-level frames to see where empty space might be. See 1-top-level.json.

2. Medium: Specific Frame Layout

Get the layout structure of a specific frame to understand its children's positioning. See 2-specific-frame.json.

3. Complex: Layout Problems

Check for layout issues (like clipped content) deep within a specific section. See 3-layout-problems.json.

Keywords

English keywords: snapshot layout, layout analysis, node hierarchy, structure check, bounds check, layout problems

Chinese keywords (Chinese keywords): layout snapshot, layout analysis, node hierarchy, structure check, boundary check, layout problems

Common pitfalls (Gotchas)

1. Version compatibility: Pay attention to the compatibility between the framework version and dependency libraries; APIs may differ across versions
2. Configuration file format: Configuration file format errors are the most common problem; it is recommended to use the editor's syntax checking
3. Environment variables: Ensure all necessary environment variables are set correctly; do not hard-code sensitive information
4. Dependency conflicts: When multiple versions coexist, pay attention to dependency conflicts; use a lock file to pin versions
5. Performance pitfalls: In large-data scenarios, pay attention to performance optimization and avoid common problems such as N+1 queries

Usage workflow

Step 1: Environment preparation

Ensure the development environment has the necessary dependencies and tools installed.

Step 2: Configuration initialization

Perform basic configuration according to project requirements.

Step 3: Core functionality usage

Implement the core functionality according to the example code.

Step 4: Test verification

Run tests to ensure the functionality works properly.

Step 5: Deployment and release

After development is complete, perform deployment and monitoring.