Material Tools

Material tools operate on UE Material and Material Function expression graphs. Use material_palette for creation, graph tools for nodes and links, and node tools for expression properties.

Recommended Flow

Inspect the graph with material_graph_inspect.
Use material_palette before adding an expression node.
Use schema_inspect before material_graph_edit commands.
Use material_node_inspect before material_node_edit.
Run material_compile after meaningful graph or property changes.

Tool Summary

Tool	Purpose
`material_list`	List expressions in a material asset.
`material_graph_inspect`	Inspect expression nodes, pins, and links.
`material_graph_edit`	Apply explicit Material graph edit commands.
`material_graph_layout`	Format selected Material graph nodes.
`material_compile`	Compile a Material asset and return diagnostics.
`material_node_inspect`	Inspect one expression instance or expression class.
`material_node_edit`	Set one editable expression property.
`material_palette`	Search UE Material palette actions for expression creation.

`material_list`

Parameters

Field	Required	Notes
`assetPath`	yes	Material or Material Function asset path.

Use this for a quick expression list. Use material_graph_inspect when you need graph wiring or pins.

`material_graph_inspect`

Parameters

Field	Required	Notes
`assetPath`	yes	Material or Material Function asset path.
`graph`	no	Optional graph reference.
`graphRef`	no	Compatibility graph reference.
`graphName`	no	Compatibility graph name.
`nodeIds`	no	Restrict to expression ids.
`nodeClasses`	no	Restrict by expression class.
`includeConnections`	no	Include link detail.

`material_palette`

Parameters

Field	Required	Notes
`assetPath`	no	Material or Material Function asset path.
`graph`	no	Optional graph reference.
`query`	no	Fuzzy search over label, category, tooltip, keywords, and payload.
`elementTypes`	no	Palette element families.
`limit`	no	Defaults to 50, maximum 500.
`offset`	no	Paging offset.

Pass the selected palette entry to material_graph_edit rather than guessing expression classes.

`material_graph_edit`

Parameters

Field	Required	Notes
`assetPath`	yes	Material or Material Function asset path.
`graph`	no	Optional graph reference.
`commands`	yes	Ordered command envelopes with `kind`.
`dryRun`	no	Validate without applying.
`returnDiff`	no	Include diff when supported.
`returnDiagnostics`	no	Defaults to true.
`expectedRevision`	no	Optimistic mutation guard when supported.

Command-specific fields are intentionally omitted from tools/list. Call schema_inspect with domain: material, tool: material_graph_edit, and the selected operation.

`material_node_inspect`

Parameters

Field	Required	Notes
`assetPath`	no	Required for instance mode.
`nodeId`	no	Expression instance id from graph inspect.
`nodeClass`	no	Expression class path for class mode.

Use instance mode before editing an existing expression. Use class mode to learn properties before creating or editing a class of expression.

`material_node_edit`

Parameters

Field	Required	Notes
`assetPath`	yes	Material or Material Function asset path.
`graph`	no	Optional graph reference.
`node`	yes	`{id}` from inspect or `{alias}` from an earlier edit command.
`property`	yes	Editable property name from `material_node_inspect`.
`value`	yes	JSON scalar or `{importText: "..."}` for UE import text values.
`dryRun`	no	Validate without applying.
`returnDiff`	no	Include diff when supported.
`returnDiagnostics`	no	Defaults to true.
`expectedRevision`	no	Optimistic mutation guard when supported.

`material_graph_layout`

Parameters

Field	Required	Notes
`assetPath`	yes	Material or Material Function asset path.
`graph`	no	Optional graph reference.
`scope`	yes	Explicit node selection to format.
`spacing`	no	Layout spacing.
`origin`	no	Optional top-left layout anchor.

Layout changes positions only; it does not change graph semantics.

`material_compile`

Parameters

Field	Required	Notes
`assetPath`	yes	Material asset path.

Compile after graph edits or property edits that may affect shader output.