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Omniverse Realtime Viewer

OpenAIOfficialCreated by NVIDIA OmniverseDistributed by OpenAI

  • Skill
  • Meta (authoring, orchestration, planning, memory)
  • Software development
  • Apache-2.0
  • Medium risk
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From the author

Use as the top-level router for Omniverse Realtime Viewer USD app requests and focused viewer reference documents.
— the description by NVIDIA Omniverse

AutoGineer summary

Written by AutoGineer from the skill’s own files, not by the author

The Omniverse Realtime Viewer skill acts as a central orchestrator for developing USD-based viewer applications. It provides a structured approach to selecting implementation recipes, enforcing architectural conventions, and managing dependencies. By utilizing a set of focused reference documents, it guides developers through the lifecycle of building, configuring, and validating viewer applications, ensuring consistent behavior across different delivery paths such as local workstations or streaming environments.

What it does

  • Routes development requests to specific implementation recipes based on the target delivery path.
  • Enforces architectural rules for USD rendering, stage management, and UI integration.
  • Provides guidance on camera selection, input handling, and viewport interaction.
  • Standardizes the integration of AOV switching and render product configuration.
  • Facilitates the capture of validation evidence for viewer readiness.
  • Maintains separation between user-provided USD files and application-specific session state.

When to use it

  • When initiating the development of a new USD viewer application within the Omniverse ecosystem.
  • When determining the appropriate delivery path for a viewer, such as local native or streaming.
  • When needing to implement consistent camera, selection, or UI behavior across viewer projects.
  • When integrating advanced rendering features like AOV switching into an existing viewer.

Advantages

  • Ensures architectural consistency across diverse viewer implementations.
  • Provides a clear, modular path for adding specific capabilities like input routing or data display.
  • Promotes clean separation of concerns between stage data and viewer-owned state.
  • Standardizes the validation process for consistent delivery.

Usage examples

“I need to build a browser-based viewer for USD files.”
The agent will route you to the streaming viewer recipe, providing guidance on WebRTC stream setup, UI integration, and viewport interaction.
“How do I implement AOV switching in my local USD viewer?”
The agent will provide the AOV switching reference, detailing how to map render vars and update the display state on the server.

Install

  1. Download the skill as a ZIP:

    https://autogineer.com/agent-skills/openai/omniverse-realtime-viewer/download

  2. Unzip it into the cross-client skills folder of your project:

    mkdir -p .agents/skills && unzip omniverse-realtime-viewer.zip -d .agents/skills

Documentation by NVIDIA Omniverse

<!-- SPDX-FileCopyrightText: Copyright (c) 2026 NVIDIA CORPORATION & AFFILIATES. All rights reserved. -->

<!-- SPDX-License-Identifier: Apache-2.0 -->

Omniverse Realtime Viewer

This is the top-level entry point for the Omniverse Realtime Viewer skill package. It is self-contained: all required routing, conventions, and validation guidance live in the selected references.

Use the focused reference documents as implementation recipes. This file chooses the right recipes and preserves the architectural rules that must hold across all generated viewer apps.

Instructions

Start by classifying the requested viewer, then read only the references needed for that delivery path and feature set. Implement the render path first, layer interaction and UI behavior on top of it, and finish by capturing validation evidence from references/validation.md.

Read Order

  1. Read references/routing.md to choose the delivery path and focused references.

  2. Read references/conventions.md before implementing camera, input, selection, viewport, streaming protocol, scene loading, or environment behavior.

  3. For broad viewer requests, read references/usd-viewer-app/README.md.

  4. If the delivery path is unclear, read references/streaming-vs-local/README.md.

  5. If the prompt includes layout, panels, controls, inspectors, status, or UX, read references/viewer-ux-workflow/README.md and then the focused viewer UI references. This applies to React/WebRTC, Tauri, Electron, ovui, ovwidgets, and Dear ImGui apps; "frontend" means user-facing UI, not only browser UI.

  6. For viewport interaction, read references/viewer-input-routing/README.md before references/camera-controls/README.md, references/native-picking-selection/README.md, or references/object-selection/README.md.

  7. Read only the focused capability references needed for the requested app.

  8. Use references/validation.md to capture review evidence before handoff.

Non-Negotiables

  • Use ovrtx for all USD and 3D rendering.

  • Browser apps display an ovstream WebRTC video stream plus UI. The browser does not render USD geometry.

  • Do not substitute WebGL, Three.js, Babylon.js, PlayCanvas, A-Frame, model-viewer, react-three-fiber, glTF browser viewers, or other client-side 3D renderers.

  • If local validation cannot run because the GPU/runtime environment is absent, scaffold the ovrtx path and document the runtime requirement. Do not add a browser-renderer fallback.

  • Keep user USD files unmodified. Viewer cameras, render products, render vars, settings, selection metadata, and runtime state belong in session/composite layers or app state.

  • Keep one owner for renderer.step(), stage mutation, native picking, selection writes, and live attribute writes.

  • Keep dependency acquisition in references/dependencies/README.md and deployment choices in references/cloud-deployment/README.md; do not duplicate package locations or deployment setup.

Focused Reference Families

  • Entry points and recipes: references/usd-viewer-app/README.md, references/streaming-viewer-recipe/README.md, references/ovui-local-viewer-recipe/README.md, references/streaming-vs-local/README.md, references/electron-shm-viewer/README.md, references/ovwidgets-editor-shell/README.md.

  • Rendering and stage: references/ovrtx-rendering/README.md, references/stage-loading/README.md, references/stage-management/README.md, references/render-settings/README.md, references/aov-switching/README.md, references/stage-hierarchy/README.md, references/stage-queries/README.md, references/stage-attribute-reads/README.md, references/prim-transform-safety/README.md, references/usd-sample-data/README.md.

  • Delivery and runtime: references/streaming-server/README.md, references/streaming-client/README.md, references/streaming-messages/README.md, references/streaming-lifecycle/README.md, references/local-viewer/README.md, references/tauri-local-viewer/README.md, references/cpp-native-viewer/README.md, references/headless-shm-cli/README.md, references/viewer-backend-interface/README.md, references/webgl-shm-transport/README.md.

  • Viewer UI/UX: references/viewer-ux-workflow/README.md, references/viewer-layout-patterns/README.md, references/viewer-control-patterns/README.md, references/viewer-data-view-patterns/README.md, references/viewer-feedback-status/README.md.

  • Interaction: references/viewer-input-routing/README.md, references/camera-controls/README.md, references/object-selection/README.md, references/native-picking-selection/README.md, references/selection-feedback/README.md, references/selection-animation/README.md, references/transform-manipulator/README.md, references/gl-viewport-overlay/README.md, references/ovui-library/README.md, references/prim-pick-effects/README.md, references/prim-info-display/README.md, references/viewport-overlays/README.md.

  • Infrastructure: references/dependencies/README.md, references/windows-native-setup/README.md, references/cloud-assets/README.md, references/cloud-deployment/README.md, references/troubleshooting/README.md.

Build Workflow

  1. Classify the prompt by delivery path, target user, required capabilities, runtime environment, validation needs, and explicit constraints.

  2. Select a small reference set. Start with the recipe or routing reference, then add focused capabilities such as camera, picking, hierarchy, properties, render settings, transform tools, cloud assets, or deployment.

  3. Read selected references before writing app code. Follow their build order, import order, data-channel contracts, and renderer ownership rules.

  4. Implement the core render path first, then input routing and camera, then selection and data panels, then scene/settings features, then packaging or deployment.

  5. Treat the selected references as the behavior contract for API shape, compatibility, and generated project structure.

  6. Capture validation evidence before calling the viewer ready.

Examples

  • For a browser viewer request, use the streaming recipe references plus camera, picking, hierarchy, properties, render settings, and stream-status references.

  • For a local workstation viewer request, use the local or native delivery references plus renderer setup, stage loading, viewport input, and validation.

Completion Checklist

  • Selected references match the user's intent and delivery path.

  • No code path uses a browser-side 3D renderer for USD.

  • The generated app has one clear owner for render stepping and stage mutation.

  • User USD files remain untouched by viewer-owned session data.

  • Camera, input, selection, scene loading, and stream behavior follow references/conventions.md.

  • Setup/build/run results and visual interaction evidence are captured with references/validation.md.

Files

references/gl-viewport-overlay/example-gizmo.md

Example: Transform Gizmo Walkthrough

This walkthrough adapts the shared transform gizmo behavior from the Python ovui, WebRTC overlay, and Tauri SHM paths into a C++ ImGui overlay shape. Use it as an implementation recipe for a C++ overlay.

1. Define Interaction Types

GizmoTypes.h contains small types that do not depend on OpenGL or USD:

namespace ovui {

enum class Tool { Translate, Rotate, Scale };
enum class Axis { None, X, Y, Z, XY, XZ, YZ, XYZ };

struct AxisHit {
    Axis axis = Axis::None;
    float distance_pixels = std::numeric_limits<float>::max();
    float depth = 0.0f;
};

struct DragState {
    bool active = false;
    Tool tool = Tool::Translate;
    Axis axis = Axis::None;
    Vec2 last_pointer;
    Vec3 origin_world;
    Vec3 axis_world;
    float pixels_per_world_unit = 1.0f;
};

}

The same pattern works for other overlays. A measurement tool might replace Axis with EndpointId; an annotation tool might use PinId.

2. Project Handles to Screen

GizmoMath.h provides projection helpers used by both hit testing and drag math:

ovui::Vec2 screen = ovui::project_to_screen(
    handlePositionWorld,
    viewProjection,
    {0.0f, 0.0f, float(viewportWidth), float(viewportHeight)});

Use the ovrtx projection parameters here. If hit testing uses a different FOV than rendering, the highlighted axis will not match the visible mesh.

3. Hit Test the Gizmo Before Camera Input

TransformGizmo::handle_pointer checks hover and drag state and returns whether the gizmo consumed the event:

ovui::PointerEvent pointer;
pointer.position = pointerInViewport;
pointer.delta_pixels = pointerDelta;
pointer.primary_down = mouseDown;
pointer.primary_pressed = mousePressed;
pointer.primary_released = mouseReleased;

bool consumed = gizmo.handle_pointer(pointer, cameraState, viewport);

if (!consumed) {
    orbitCamera.handle_pointer(pointerInViewport, pointerDelta);
}

This first-refusal pattern is what prevents transform edits from fighting camera orbit.

4. Translate with Incremental Deltas

The final translate behavior uses current-frame mouse deltas and a refreshed pixels-per-world-unit value:

float pixelsPerUnit = compute_pixels_per_world_unit(
    camera,
    drag.origin_world,
    viewportHeight,
    verticalFovRadians);

float units = dot(pointer.delta_pixels, drag.axis_screen) / pixelsPerUnit;
transform.translation += drag.axis_world * units;
drag.pixels_per_world_unit = pixelsPerUnit;

The earlier absolute-delta approach looked plausible but drifted under perspective projection because the screen scale changed during the drag.

5. Render Meshes with GL 3.3 Core

gizmo_gl.h owns the procedural rendering path:

renderer.drawCylinder(axisShaftMesh, model, axisColor);
renderer.drawCone(axisArrowMesh, arrowModel, axisColor);
renderer.drawTorus(rotationRingMesh, ringModel, ringColor);
renderer.drawCube(scaleHandleMesh, cubeModel, handleColor);

The shader uses Phong-style lighting so rings, cones, and cubes read as 3D objects instead of flat UI strokes:

vec3 normal = normalize(v_normal);
vec3 lightDir = normalize(u_light_dir);
float diffuse = max(dot(normal, lightDir), 0.0);
vec3 color = u_color.rgb * (0.35 + 0.65 * diffuse);
fragColor = vec4(color, u_color.a);

6. Composite Into the ovrtx Texture

The renderer attaches the ovrtx output texture to a framebuffer:

glBindFramebuffer(GL_FRAMEBUFFER, fbo);
glFramebufferTexture2D(GL_FRAMEBUFFER, GL_COLOR_ATTACHMENT0, GL_TEXTURE_2D, outputTexture, 0);
glViewport(0, 0, viewportWidth, viewportHeight);

Before drawing, it applies the Y-flipped projection:

ovui::Mat4x4 projection = makeOvrtxProjection(viewportWidth, viewportHeight);
projection.m[1][0] = -projection.m[1][0];
projection.m[1][1] = -projection.m[1][1];
projection.m[1][2] = -projection.m[1][2];
projection.m[1][3] = -projection.m[1][3];

The overlay pass runs after ovrtx frame upload and before ImGui displays the texture.

7. Keep the Gizmo Stable on Screen

The gizmo model scale is tied to camera distance and FOV:

float gizmoScale =
    distance(camera.position, gizmo.origin) *
    std::tan(verticalFovRadians * 0.5f) *
    kGizmoScreenFraction;

This gives Blender/Unity-style handle behavior: zooming changes scene detail without making the editor control unusably large or small.

8. Write USD Transforms During Drag

The viewer owns USD authoring. The gizmo only reports transform changes:

if (gizmo.is_dragging()) {
    writePrimTransform(selectedPrimPath, gizmo.target_transform());
}

Write continuously during drag so ovrtx updates the rendered scene in real time. When the drag ends, keep the final authored value and release pointer capture.

9. Launch From the Asset Directory

USD stages often reference assets with relative paths such as materials/ and textures/. Launch the viewer with CWD set to the stage asset directory that contains those folders, matching the stage file's relative asset layout. If the model appears untextured after adding the overlay, check CWD before debugging rendering code.

Reusing This Pattern

For a measurement overlay:

  • Replace axes with endpoints and a segment.

  • Hit test projected endpoint markers.

  • Drag endpoints with incremental screen-to-world deltas.

  • Render line geometry and endpoint handles into the ovrtx texture.

For annotation pins:

  • Project pin anchors into screen-space.

  • Give pins first priority on click and drag.

  • Render leader lines in GL and text in ImGui.

  • Keep USD metadata writes behind callbacks.

Requirements and compatibility

Written for: OpenAI Codex

Works with: Claude Code, Claude apps, OpenAI Codex, GitHub Copilot, Cursor, Gemini CLI, Kiro, OpenCode, Goose, Amp, Roo Code, JetBrains Junie, Factory Droid, Devin (ex-Windsurf), Mistral Vibe, OpenHands, Letta

“Works with” means the tool reads the open Agent Skills format; a skill written for one tool may use features others lack.

The author says: Orchestrator skill. Downstream focused references may require NVIDIA GPUs, ovrtx, ovstream, ovui, OpenUSD, Python, Node/React, Tauri, Electron, C++, or cloud GPU deployment access depending on the selected viewer path.

Security

What our scanner noticed· Medium risk

  • Large base64-encoded blobs
  • Instructions that use the network

A static scan is not a guarantee. Skills are third-party content: review a skill before you let an agent use it.

Attribution and licence

Created by
NVIDIA Omniverse
Publisher
OpenAI (Official)
Distributed by
OpenAI
Source
openai/plugins · plugins/nvidia/skills/omniverse-realtime-viewer · commit d420d13
Licence
Apache License 2.0 (redistribution allowed)
  • LICENSE (written by AutoGineer)
  • ATTRIBUTION.md (written by AutoGineer)
Synced

AutoGineer is not affiliated with or endorsed by NVIDIA Omniverse or OpenAI.

Download ZIP

The ZIP holds the skill’s files, its licence files and an ATTRIBUTION.md. Download omniverse-realtime-viewer.zip