RoadRunner Core

Foundation skill for all RoadRunner agent workflows. Manages the RoadRunner connection, project/scene/scenario lifecycle, and handle management from MATLAB. Produces the rrApp handle used by all downstream RoadRunner skills.

Execution: all MATLAB code runs via evaluate_matlab_code MCP tool. Never matlab -batch.

When to Use

• Connecting to or launching RoadRunner from MATLAB
• Creating, opening, or saving projects, scenes, or scenarios
• Setting world origin or scene extents
• Checking RoadRunner status
• Closing RoadRunner safely
• Any downstream RoadRunner skill needs rrApp initialization

When NOT to Use

• RoadRunner is not installed — this skill requires a working RoadRunner installation; it cannot install the product
• MATLAB version below R2022a — the roadrunner class and related APIs are not available in earlier releases
• rrApp already exists and is valid — re-running rrCoreInitialize is safe (it's idempotent) but unnecessary; prefer checking exist('rrApp','var') first to avoid the overhead
• User has not provided installation or project paths when first-time setup is needed — ask the user first, do not guess paths
• RoadRunner is intentionally closed — do not reconnect or relaunch without explicit user permission

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1. How the Agent Uses This Skill

First-time setup (once per machine — two-tier resolution)

rrCoreInitialize handles setup automatically using a two-tier approach:

Tier	Condition	What happens
1	Settings valid + roadrunner class on path	Setup skipped — already configured
2	Agent has installFolder and projectPath variables	Programmatic setup: addpath, savepath, writes MATLAB settings. No GUI.

Just run rrCoreInitialize. The script automatically:

1. Connects to a running instance (roadrunner.connect())
2. If that fails, launches a new instance (roadrunner()) using saved settings
3. If not configured, errors with PathsRequired — then ask the user for installFolder and projectPath, set them, and re-run

Once setup succeeds, it persists forever (across MATLAB sessions). Never needed again.

No GUI dialogs. This skill never calls roadrunnerSetup. All configuration is done programmatically.

First call in a session

1. Add the skill scripts to the MATLAB path (required before rrCoreInitialize can be found):

   addpath("<absolute-path-to-this-skill>/scripts");
   

   Replace <absolute-path-to-this-skill> with the actual filesystem path to this skill's directory (the folder containing this SKILL.md file).
2. Run rrCoreInitialize → it handles everything: connects to a running instance, or launches one using saved settings, or errors with a clear message if not configured.
3. If it errors with PathsRequired → ask the user for installFolder and projectPath, set them as variables, re-run rrCoreInitialize.
4. Proceed with the user's request.

Subsequent calls

1. Check exist('rrApp','var') — if missing, re-run rrCoreInitialize
2. Look up the operation in the Decision Logic table (Section 3)
3. Copy the exact pattern from scripts/rrCoreCommands.m under the matching %% heading
4. Substitute placeholders with actual values
5. Execute via evaluate_matlab_code

Key principle

Never improvise API calls. Before every RoadRunner operation, read the matching %% section from rrCoreCommands.m and reproduce it exactly. Do not guess function names, argument syntax, or parameter orders from memory. This prevents hallucinated function names, missing guard rails, and forgotten handle invalidation.

If you are unsure of the correct syntax for any operation, stop and read the pattern file before attempting the call.

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2. Files

File	Role
scripts/rrCoreInitialize.m	Runs directly. Bootstraps path + connection + validation.
scripts/rrCoreCommands.m	Pattern reference. Agent reads %% section, substitutes placeholders, executes.

Deployment

On first use, the agent ensures the RoadRunner API is on the MATLAB path (one-time savepath). The scripts in this skill are pattern references — the agent reads them and reproduces the patterns via evaluate_matlab_code.

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3. Decision Logic

User Intent	Pattern (%% section)	Placeholders to substitute
Connect / initialize	INIT	—
Connect without launching	CONNECT_ONLY	— (errors if no instance running)
Create a new project	NEW_PROJECT or NEW_PROJECT_WITH_ASSETS	projectPath — ask user whether to include base assets (asset library). Always rrCoreInitialize first (RoadRunner must be running with any project before newProject can be called).
Open an existing project	OPEN_PROJECT	projectPath
Save the project	SAVE_PROJECT	—
Create a new scene	NEW_SCENE	—
Open a scene	OPEN_SCENE	sceneName — if not found, use LIST_SCENES and present options
List available scenes	LIST_SCENES	—
Save the scene	SAVE_SCENE or SAVE_SCENE_AS	Ask user: "Save in place, or save with a new name?" If new name → use SAVE_SCENE_AS with sceneName
Create a new scenario	NEW_SCENARIO	—
Open a scenario	OPEN_SCENARIO	scenarioName — if not found, use LIST_SCENARIOS and present options
List available scenarios	LIST_SCENARIOS	—
Save the scenario	SAVE_SCENARIO	—
Set world origin	CHANGE_WORLD_ORIGIN	lat, lon
Set scene center and extents	CHANGE_SCENE_BOUNDS	x, y, w, h
Set scene center only	CHANGE_SCENE_CENTER	x, y
Set scene extents only	CHANGE_SCENE_EXTENTS	w, h
Clear world projection	CLEAR_WORLD_PROJECTION	—
Check status	STATUS	—
Close RoadRunner	CLOSE	—

Available From: changeWorldSettings requires R2023b or later. All other operations are available from R2022a.

Launch (handled by rrCoreInitialize)

After first-time setup, rrCoreInitialize automatically launches RoadRunner using saved defaults if no instance is running. Manual launch is only needed for non-default modes:

rrApp = roadrunner(ProjectFolder=projectPath, InstallationFolder=installFolder);

Mode	Add this argument
Headless (no UI)	NoDisplay=true
No desktop + graphics	NoDesktop=true
Custom ports	Ports=[apiPort, cosimPort]

Manual launch still requires explicit user permission.

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4. Placeholders

These are the variable names used in rrCoreCommands.m. The agent substitutes them with actual values before executing.

Placeholder	Type	Example
SKILL_SCRIPTS_DIR	string	(absolute path to this skill's scripts/ folder)
rrApp	roadrunner	(from rrCoreInitialize, never reassigned)
projectPath	string	"D:/Projects/HighwayProject"
sceneName	string	"FourWaySignal.rrscene"
scenarioName	string	"CutInScenario"
lat	double	42.3021
lon	double	-71.3747
x, y	double	1445, 1237
w, h	double	160, 465
installFolder	string	"C:/Program Files/RoadRunner R2026a"

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5. Handle Management

This skill produces rrApp via rrCoreInitialize. Operations that change state (NEW_SCENE, OPEN_SCENE, NEW_SCENARIO, OPEN_SCENARIO, OPEN_PROJECT, CLOSE) include clear statements to remove stale handles.

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6. Path Setup

RoadRunner API path is added to MATLAB's saved path on first use. No config files or environment variables needed.

The agent runs savepath after adding the API path — this persists across MATLAB sessions. If the user upgrades RoadRunner, the agent detects the failure (roadrunner class missing or version mismatch) and asks for the new installation folder.

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7. Critical Rules

1. Always rrCoreInitialize first — never call RoadRunner APIs without a validated rrApp
2. Never launch without permission — ask the user before roadrunner(ProjectFolder=...)
3. One rrApp per session — never create a second connection
4. Read the pattern before every call — open rrCoreCommands.m, find the %% section, reproduce it exactly. Do not guess syntax from memory.
5. Never auto-save — NEW_SCENE, NEW_SCENARIO, and CLOSE patterns detect unsaved changes but do NOT save automatically. Always ask the user whether to save, save-as, or discard. Saving with the same name overwrites the original and can break backwards compatibility if the file was created with an older version.
6. Verify version after connect — check rrApp.Version and report it. If the user requested a specific version, warn if it doesn't match.
7. Ask before save — when saving is needed (new scene/scenario, close, or explicit save request), ask the user whether to save in place, save with a new name, or discard changes
8. List on not-found — if openScene or openScenario fails because the name doesn't exist, list available scenes/scenarios using dir and present options to the user
9. Relative scene paths resolve to <project>/Scenes/
10. Unicode not supported in paths
11. Handle invalidation is automatic — patterns include clear statements
12. All execution via MCP — never matlab -batch
13. close(rrApp) terminates RoadRunner entirely — the process exits. After close, roadrunner.connect() will fail. A fresh roadrunner() launch is required to reconnect.
14. Scene is NOT restored on relaunch — after close + relaunch, RoadRunner opens the project but shows a blank scene. The agent must explicitly reopen the desired scene.

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8. Anti-Patterns

• Do not launch RoadRunner without user permission
• Do not call roadrunner(ProjectFolder=...) when already connected — this launches a duplicate instance
• Do not pass two arguments to roadrunner.connect(port, port) — use single port
• Do not call any function on a closed/invalid rrApp
• Do not skip clear statements from the patterns
• Do not invent function calls not present in rrCoreCommands.m (e.g., no save(rrApp), no saveSceneAs, no switchScenario, no Latitude=lat)
• Do not hardcode installation paths — use the resolution chain in rrCoreInitialize
• Do not save a scene without asking the user — saveScene(rrApp, name) silently overwrites existing files
• Do not confuse "close MATLAB" with "close RoadRunner" — they are independent processes
• Do not assume scene is restored after relaunch — it is not; always reopen explicitly

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9. Project Structure

<RoadRunner Project>/
├── Assets/              3D models, materials, textures
├── Scenes/              .rrscene files
├── Scenarios/           .rrscenario files
├── Exports/             Exported output
├── Project/             Project metadata
└── Scripts/             User scripts (optional)

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10. API Behavior Notes

Project

• newProject creates any missing parent folders
• The folder name becomes the project name
• If openProject targets an already-open project, a new blank scene is still created

Scene

• Relative paths resolve to <project>/Scenes/
• .rrscene extension is optional — RoadRunner appends it if missing
• If the scene belongs to a different project, RoadRunner switches to that project
• If modified assets exist during save, the project is also saved
• saveScene(rrApp, name) silently overwrites if the name already exists — no confirmation
• saveScene(rrApp) on an unnamed (new) scene errors — must provide a name
• Subfolder paths work (e.g., "Scenarios/subfolder/Name")

Scenario

• newScenario, openScenario, saveScenario available since R2022a
• Opening a new scene automatically closes the active scenario
• Scenarios can be opened even on a blank (unsaved) scene

World Settings

Parameter	Type	Description
WorldOrigin	[lat lon]	Geospatial world origin
SceneCenter	[x y]	Center of scene workspace
SceneExtents	[w h]	Scene workspace dimensions
ClearWorldProjection	logical	Clear current projection

Available since R2023b.

Status Properties

rrStatus = status(rrApp);
rrStatus.Project.Filename         % Current project path
rrStatus.Project.UnsavedChanges   % true/false
rrStatus.Scene.Filename           % Current scene path
rrStatus.Scene.UnsavedChanges     % true/false
rrStatus.Scenario.Filename        % Current scenario path
rrStatus.Scenario.UnsavedChanges  % true/false

Property	Description
rrApp.InstallationFolder	RoadRunner install path
rrApp.Version	Version string
rrApp.NoDisplay	Console mode flag
rrApp.NoDesktop	No-desktop mode flag

Close

• close(rrApp) does NOT prompt to save — always save before closing
• Deletes the associated roadrunner object — do not reuse the variable after closing
• Terminates the RoadRunner process entirely — it is not just a disconnect
• After close, roadrunner.connect() will fail (nothing to connect to)
• On relaunch via roadrunner(), the project is restored but the scene is NOT — a blank scene appears
• Port validation enforces range 1024–65535

Connection

rrApp = roadrunner.connect();           % Default port 35707
rrApp = roadrunner.connect(portNumber); % Explicit port

Mode	Syntax	Use case
GUI (default)	roadrunner(ProjectFolder=...)	Interactive use
Headless	roadrunner(ProjectFolder=..., NoDisplay=true)	Batch/CI, no UI
No desktop + graphics	roadrunner(ProjectFolder=..., NoDesktop=true)	Export needing render
Custom ports	roadrunner(ProjectFolder=..., Ports=[apiPort, cosimPort])	Multi-instance

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Copyright 2026 The MathWorks, Inc.

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