davinci-resolve-mcp 4.12.0 → 4.13.1

package/CHANGELOG.md

@@ -2,6 +2,105 @@
 
 Release history for the DaVinci Resolve MCP Server. The latest release is summarized in the root README; older entries live here to keep the README focused.
 
+## What's New in v4.13.1 — Windows: liveness checks no longer kill the process they check, and the offline suite runs clean
+
+Closes #278, reported by @AllastorV with the failures grouped by cause. Nobody
+here runs Windows, so everything below was worked out from the code and
+simulated on macOS: the Windows-only API calls are covered by tests that run
+only on Windows.
+
+### Fixes
+
+- **On Windows, three pid liveness checks terminated the process they asked
+  about.** Python's `os.kill(pid, 0)` is a harmless existence check on POSIX,
+  but on Windows any signal other than `CTRL_C_EVENT`/`CTRL_BREAK_EVENT` goes
+  through `TerminateProcess`. `resolve_busy._pid_alive` (the busy sidecar),
+  `mcp_transport.read_transport_state` (the networked-transport state file)
+  and `server._control_panel_pid_alive` (the control-panel pidfile) used it,
+  and all three are routinely asked about the server's own pid. On Windows they
+  now use `proc.windows_pid_alive` (`OpenProcess` + `WaitForSingleObject`, the
+  approach the bridge already used); POSIX is unchanged. A new AST guard fails
+  the suite if a signal-0 probe lands in `src/` without a Windows branch.
+- **`.gitattributes` pins `eol=lf` on the 32 generated agent-rule files**, so
+  a default `core.autocrlf=true` checkout no longer fails
+  `generate.mjs --check`. Existing Windows clones need
+  `git add --renormalize .` or a fresh checkout.
+
+### Tests (Windows portability, no behaviour change)
+
+- **SQLite handles closed before temp dirs are removed** (56 tests across
+  `test_resolve_ai_ledger`, `test_resolve_ai_governance`,
+  `test_resolve21_actions`, `test_provenance`, `MediaAnalysisPlanningTests` and
+  others). Each class follows the existing pattern, closing with
+  `timeline_brain_db.close_all` registered so it runs before the removal. No
+  central hook was added, so a test that leaks a handle still shows. The list
+  came from a macOS run that flags any removal under a live connection: 56
+  before, 0 after.
+- Path expectations are built the way the code builds them, not as POSIX
+  strings (`test_cdl_and_install_config` and others).
+- Symlink-dependent cases skip, with the `OSError` as the reason, when the
+  process cannot create symlinks.
+- One-offs: `sys.executable` instead of `python3`/`cat`; `tempfile.gettempdir()`
+  instead of a literal `/tmp`; the home directory stays resolvable
+  (`USERPROFILE` as well as `HOME`); sandbox-container installer tests pinned
+  to macOS; the unwritable-target installer tests reworked so they still test
+  Windows; a stale `taskkill` expectation updated; `proc.kill()` instead of
+  `SIGKILL`.
+
+## What's New in v4.13.0 — Resolve 21.1 render-setting parity, `SetHighPriority(bool)`, and a project-destroying preset order
+
+Lands the three items queued for @legionsound in #207. The 21.1 behaviour
+below is **their measurement on Studio 21.1.0.14 / macOS**, recorded as
+*reported*; this machine runs 19.1.3.7 and did not reproduce it.
+
+### New
+
+- **`resolve_control set_high_priority` takes `high`** (alias
+  `high_priority`, default `true`), and there is a new granular
+  **`set_high_priority(high)`** tool. On 21.1+ it calls
+  `SetHighPriority(bool)`, which 21.1 types as script execution priority and
+  which is reversible there: `high=false` restores normal. The no-argument call
+  this server used to make returns `False` on 21.1 and does nothing. Builds
+  before 21.1 keep the no-argument call, and `high=false` is refused on them,
+  because they cannot lower priority without a restart. `high` is coerced
+  (`"false"` is false); anything that doesn't name a boolean is refused before
+  any call. No build has a getter, so results carry `readback: null` and claim
+  no readback. Registered as a write in both the destructive registry and the
+  lifecycle risk sets (MEDIUM).
+- **Compound render settings accept `AudioFormat` and `UseUniqueFilenames`.**
+  The compound whitelist held 31 of the 33 typed `RenderSettings` fields and
+  reported these two as ignored; granular already forwarded them. A test now
+  checks the whitelist against every field of the bundled 21.1 stub's
+  `RenderSettings`. `UseUniqueFilenames` is coerced on every path (compound
+  `set_settings`, `safe_set_render_settings`, `prepare_render_job`, granular
+  `set_render_settings`), and an unrecognised value is refused with
+  `INVALID_RENDER_SETTING`. `AudioFormat` with `ExportVideo: true` warns,
+  since the stub documents it for audio-only renders.
+
+### API truth ledger
+
+- **`Project.StartRendering` is state-dependent** (reported, 21.1.0.14):
+  freshly configured jobs sometimes return `False` and stay Ready, while an
+  identical later job completes. Direct official calls reproduced both
+  outcomes. Mapped to `render start`, so the fact rides on its results. Verify
+  job status and output; nothing retries automatically.
+- **Project-settings presets mutated before a project's first `SaveProject`
+  destroy the project** (reported, 21.1.0.14, reproduced twice): saving a
+  preset, changing resolution, then updating, applying or deleting the preset,
+  then saving and closing. Every call returned `True` and SQLite
+  `integrity_check` said `ok`, but `LoadProject` then failed with "DaVinci
+  Resolve failed to open project". Save the project once before any preset
+  write, and prove it survived only by reloading it. No preset-write wrappers
+  ship yet; this entry lands first on purpose.
+- The `Resolve.SetHighPriority` entry is now version-scoped: irreversible with
+  no argument before 21.1 (measured on 19.1.3.7), and a reversible boolean on
+  21.1 (reported).
+
+### Counts
+
+- Granular tools 389 → 390; compound stays at 37. Docs and generated agent
+  rules updated.
+
 ## What's New in v4.12.0 — Live subtitle presets and title text across Fusion title tools
 
 Contributed by @sidevconcept (#281). The live behaviour below rests on their

package/README.md

@@ -2,10 +2,10 @@
 
 English | [简体中文](README.zh-CN.md)
 
-[![Version](https://img.shields.io/badge/version-4.12.0-blue.svg)](https://github.com/samuelgursky/davinci-resolve-mcp/releases)
+[![Version](https://img.shields.io/badge/version-4.13.1-blue.svg)](https://github.com/samuelgursky/davinci-resolve-mcp/releases)
 [![npm](https://img.shields.io/npm/v/davinci-resolve-mcp.svg?label=npm&color=CB3837)](https://www.npmjs.com/package/davinci-resolve-mcp)
 [![API Coverage](https://img.shields.io/badge/API%20Coverage-100%25-brightgreen.svg)](docs/reference/api-coverage.md)
-[![Tools](https://img.shields.io/badge/MCP%20Tools-37%20(389%20full)-blue.svg)](#server-modes)
+[![Tools](https://img.shields.io/badge/MCP%20Tools-37%20(390%20full)-blue.svg)](#server-modes)
 [![Advanced](https://img.shields.io/badge/Advanced%20(offline)-18%20tools-blueviolet.svg)](#server-modes)
 [![Tested](https://img.shields.io/badge/Live%20Tested-93.6%25-green.svg)](docs/reference/api-coverage.md#test-results)
 [![DaVinci Resolve](https://img.shields.io/badge/DaVinci%20Resolve-18.5+-darkred.svg)](https://www.blackmagicdesign.com/products/davinciresolve)
@@ -133,7 +133,7 @@ The command starts a loopback-only server and opens the control panel in your br
 | Mode | Entry point | Tools | Best for |
 |------|-------------|-------|----------|
 | Compound | `src/server.py` | 37 | Default mode for most assistants. Related Resolve operations are grouped behind action parameters to keep context usage low. |
-| Full / granular | `src/server.py --full` or `src/resolve_mcp_server.py` | 389 | Power users who want one MCP tool per Resolve API method. |
+| Full / granular | `src/server.py --full` or `src/resolve_mcp_server.py` | 390 | Power users who want one MCP tool per Resolve API method. |
 
 The compound server is recommended unless you specifically need the granular one-tool-per-method surface.
 
@@ -410,7 +410,7 @@ The default server is a local stdio process launched by your MCP client; it does
 
 | Metric | Value |
 |--------|-------|
-| MCP Tools | **37** compound / **389** granular (live server) |
+| MCP Tools | **37** compound / **390** granular (live server) |
 | Advanced (offline) tools | **18** — .drp/.drt/.drx + DB authoring, no Resolve running |
 | Kernel Actions | **136** guarded workflow actions across 9 compound tools |
 | API Methods Covered | **361/361** (100%) |

package/README.zh-CN.md

@@ -2,17 +2,17 @@
 
 [English](README.md) | 简体中文
 
-[![Version](https://img.shields.io/badge/version-4.12.0-blue.svg)](https://github.com/samuelgursky/davinci-resolve-mcp/releases)
+[![Version](https://img.shields.io/badge/version-4.13.1-blue.svg)](https://github.com/samuelgursky/davinci-resolve-mcp/releases)
 [![npm](https://img.shields.io/npm/v/davinci-resolve-mcp.svg?label=npm&color=CB3837)](https://www.npmjs.com/package/davinci-resolve-mcp)
 [![API Coverage](https://img.shields.io/badge/API%20Coverage-100%25-brightgreen.svg)](docs/reference/api-coverage.md)
-[![Tools](https://img.shields.io/badge/MCP%20Tools-37%20(389%20full)-blue.svg)](#服务器模式)
+[![Tools](https://img.shields.io/badge/MCP%20Tools-37%20(390%20full)-blue.svg)](#服务器模式)
 [![Advanced](https://img.shields.io/badge/Advanced%20(offline)-18%20tools-blueviolet.svg)](#服务器模式)
 [![Tested](https://img.shields.io/badge/Live%20Tested-93.6%25-green.svg)](docs/reference/api-coverage.md#test-results)
 [![DaVinci Resolve](https://img.shields.io/badge/DaVinci%20Resolve-18.5+-darkred.svg)](https://www.blackmagicdesign.com/products/davinciresolve)
 [![Python](https://img.shields.io/badge/python-3.10+-green.svg)](https://www.python.org/downloads/)
 [![License](https://img.shields.io/badge/license-MIT-blue.svg)](https://opensource.org/licenses/MIT)
 
-> 本翻译对应 v4.12.0 版 README。如与英文原版有出入，以 [英文原版](README.md) 为准。
+> 本翻译对应 v4.13.1 版 README。如与英文原版有出入，以 [英文原版](README.md) 为准。
 
 一个 Model Context Protocol (MCP) 服务器，让 AI 助手通过官方脚本 API 控制 DaVinci Resolve Studio（达芬奇）。它提供完整的 API 覆盖，外加带护栏的工作流助手，涵盖剪辑、媒体池整理、渲染设置、审阅标记、调色、Fusion、Fairlight、项目生命周期任务、扩展开发，以及不碰源媒体的媒体分析。
 
@@ -88,7 +88,7 @@ venv/bin/python -m src.control_panel
 | 模式 | 入口 | 工具数 | 适合谁 |
 |------|------|--------|--------|
 | Compound（复合） | `src/server.py` | 37 | 大多数助手的默认模式。相关的 Resolve 操作按 action 参数分组，压低上下文占用。 |
-| Full / granular（细粒度） | `src/server.py --full` 或 `src/resolve_mcp_server.py` | 389 | 想要"一个 Resolve API 方法 = 一个 MCP 工具"的重度用户。 |
+| Full / granular（细粒度） | `src/server.py --full` 或 `src/resolve_mcp_server.py` | 390 | 想要"一个 Resolve API 方法 = 一个 MCP 工具"的重度用户。 |
 
 除非你明确需要一方法一工具的细粒度界面，否则推荐复合模式。
 
@@ -226,7 +226,7 @@ DRX 调色写入**针对 Resolve Studio 做过实机校准**：调色参数默
 
 | 指标 | 数值 |
 |------|------|
-| MCP 工具 | **37** 复合 / **389** 细粒度（实时服务器） |
+| MCP 工具 | **37** 复合 / **390** 细粒度（实时服务器） |
 | Advanced（离线）工具 | **18**——.drp/.drt/.drx + 数据库创作，无需 Resolve 运行 |
 | 内核 action | 9 个复合工具下 **136** 个带护栏的工作流 action |
 | API 方法覆盖 | **361/361**（100%） |

package/docs/SKILL.md

@@ -353,7 +353,7 @@ to the user as verified.
 | Mode | Entry point | Tool count | Use when |
 |---|---|---|---|
 | Compound (default) | `src/server.py` | 37 tools | Most workflows — keeps context lean |
-| Granular (full) | `src/server.py --full` | 389 tools | Power users needing one tool per API method |
+| Granular (full) | `src/server.py --full` | 390 tools | Power users needing one tool per API method |
 
 Resolve 21.1 adds [twelve read-only discovery controls](reference/resolve211-read-controls.md)
 for edition, presets, audio formats/codecs, normalization modes, speed, fades
@@ -796,6 +796,12 @@ Key actions:
   is fine. No connection needed, and it never launches Resolve
 - `get_page` / `open_page(page)` — read or switch the active page
 - `get_keyframe_mode` / `set_keyframe_mode(mode)`
+- `set_high_priority(high?)` — script execution priority (granular:
+  `set_high_priority`). `high` defaults to true; on Resolve 21.1+ it calls
+  `SetHighPriority(bool)` and `high=false` restores normal. Older builds take no
+  argument and cannot lower it again this session, so `high=false` is refused
+  there. No build has a getter — report the native return, never a confirmed
+  state. Only call when the user asked for it
 - `get_fairlight_presets` — Resolve 20.2.2+; returns available Fairlight
   preset names
 - `list/save/load/delete/import/export_user_preferences_preset` — Resolve

package/docs/install.md

@@ -144,7 +144,7 @@ The MCP server comes in two modes:
 | Mode | File | Tools | Best For |
 |------|------|-------|----------|
 | **Compound** (default) | `src/server.py` | 37 | Most users — fast, clean, low context usage |
-| **Full** | `src/resolve_mcp_server.py` | 389 | Power users who want one tool per API method |
+| **Full** | `src/resolve_mcp_server.py` | 390 | Power users who want one tool per API method |
 
 The compound server's `timeline_item` tool includes dedicated actions for common workflows:
 
@@ -159,7 +159,7 @@ The compound server's `timeline_item` tool includes dedicated actions for common
 
 The installer uses the compound server by default. To use the full server:
 ```bash
-python src/server.py --full    # Launch full 389-tool server
+python src/server.py --full    # Launch full 390-tool server
 # Or point your MCP config directly at src/resolve_mcp_server.py
 ```
 

package/docs/reference/api-coverage.md

@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ Every non-deprecated method in the bundled legacy README is represented. This
 does not claim complete coverage of the newer Resolve 21.1 typed API. The
 default compound server exposes **37 tools** that group related operations by
 action parameter, keeping LLM context windows lean. The full granular server
-provides **389 individual tools** for power users. The legacy coverage spans
+provides **390 individual tools** for power users. The legacy coverage spans
 13 API object classes. MCP-level kernel actions are tracked separately in
 [Kernel Action Coverage](../kernels/README.md).
 

package/docs/reference/api-limitations.md

@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ that none exists).
 
 **Verified on:** DaVinci Resolve Studio 21.0.2
 
-**Totals:** 42 missing capabilities, 56 bugs / unreliable behaviors.
+**Totals:** 42 missing capabilities, 58 bugs / unreliable behaviors.
 
 The authoritative source is the runtime-queryable `api_truth` ledger
 (`resolve_control api_truth "<query>"`); this document is generated from
@@ -288,13 +288,14 @@ equivalent, blocking full automation.
 - **Workaround / current handling:** Record interpolation choices in the caller; readback is not available at any version.
 - **Tags:** timeline, missing-method, readback, keyframes
 
-### Resolve.SetHighPriority (write-only, irreversible per session)
+### Resolve.SetHighPriority (write-only; irreversible before 21.1)
 
 - **Object:** `Resolve`
-- **Signature:** `() -> Bool`
-- **Behavior:** Raises the Resolve process priority; there is no getter and no way to lower it again through the API (confirmed absent from dir() on Studio 19.1.3.7).
-- **Workaround / current handling:** Call it only when the user asked for a long render on a dedicated machine; state cannot be read back or undone without restarting Resolve.
-- **Tags:** app-control, missing-method, readback
+- **Signature:** `() -> Bool  (19.x); (highPriority: bool) -> bool  (21.1 typed stub)`
+- **Behavior:** VERSION-SCOPED. On Studio 19.1.3.7 (measured here) the method takes no argument and raises priority; there is no getter and no way to lower it again through the API (no getter in dir()), so it is irreversible for the session. Resolve 21.1 retyped it SetHighPriority(highPriority: bool) -> bool, documented as 'script execution priority to high or normal'. Reported by @legionsound (issue #207) from Studio 21.1.0.14 on macOS, 2026-09-09; NOT reproduced here (no 21.1 install). One live session, in order: (False) -> True, (True) -> True, () -> False, (1) -> False, ('high') -> False, (False) -> True. So on 21.1 the no-argument call is a NO-OP that reports its own failure, only a real bool is accepted (1 and 'high' are rejected like the missing argument), and the setting is REVERSIBLE: SetHighPriority(False) restores normal. There is still no getter on any build — dir() on the live 21.1 Resolve object shows SetHighPriority as the only priority-related name — so the current state cannot be read back on either generation.
+- **Workaround / current handling:** On 21.1+ pass a real bool; never forward 1 or a string (coerce first — resolve_control set_high_priority and granular set_high_priority do, and refuse values that name no boolean). On older builds call it only when the user asked for a long scripted job on a dedicated machine: it cannot be lowered without restarting Resolve, which is why both tools refuse high=false there. No build offers readback, so report the native return, never a confirmed state.
+- **Reference:** [issue #207](https://github.com/samuelgursky/davinci-resolve-mcp/issues/207)
+- **Tags:** app-control, missing-method, readback, version-gated, reported
 
 ### TimelineItem.CreateMagicMask (needs operator clicks)
 
@@ -796,6 +797,24 @@ values, or automation-hostile modal prompts.
 - **Workaround / current handling:** Any wrapper around ValidateDCTL must pass the native diagnostic through verbatim and must not reflow or rewrite the user's source to dodge it; ship the multi-line identity fixture as the known-good control. A 'no return value' error on a one-line function is this quirk, not a missing return — re-run the validation with the function laid out across lines before believing it. This server's own `dctl validate` is a static, offline check (entry point, brace balance, float suffixes) and does not call ValidateDCTL at all. The separate `dctl validate_native` and granular `validate_dctl_native` now expose the native validator without changing source or diagnostics. Both interfaces were contributor-validated against the three fixtures on Studio 21.1.0.14; see resolve211-dctl-validation.md.
 - **Tags:** dctl, validation, unreliable-return, version-gated, reported
 
+### Project.StartRendering
+
+- **Object:** `Project`
+- **Signature:** `(jobIds: list[str], isInteractiveMode=False) -> bool  (21.1 typed stub)`
+- **Behavior:** STATE-DEPENDENT RETURN. Reported by @legionsound (issue #207) from Studio 21.1.0.14 on macOS, 2026-09-09; NOT reproduced here (no 21.1 install). In one session, some freshly configured render jobs made StartRendering return False and remain Ready, while an identical job configured later in the same session started and completed. Official direct calls reproduced BOTH outcomes, so a False from one interface and a True from another in that sequence is not an interface difference. The trigger was not isolated; no root cause is established. The same session confirmed the two 21.1 RenderSettings keys the compound whitelist used to drop: UseUniqueFilenames=True gave queued filenames Resolve's '_V1-0001' suffix, and AudioFormat='wav' with LPCM produced complete 14-second stereo 48 kHz 24-bit WAVs whose decoded PCM matched byte for byte across both community interfaces.
+- **Workaround / current handling:** Treat the boolean as a hint in both directions. After start, read render(action='get_job_status') and render(action='verify_output') for the actual output file before reporting a render as running or done; a False with the job still Ready means nothing rendered. Do not auto-retry in a wrapper: the measured later success was a NEW identical job, not a retry of the same one, so a loop would hide the state it depends on. Surface the False and let the caller decide whether to re-queue.
+- **Reference:** [issue #207](https://github.com/samuelgursky/davinci-resolve-mcp/issues/207)
+- **Tags:** render, unreliable-return, state-dependent, version-gated, reported
+
+### Project settings presets mutated before the project's first SaveProject
+
+- **Object:** `Project`
+- **Signature:** `SaveCurrentProjectSettingsAsNewPreset / UpdateProjectSettingsPreset / SetProjectSettingsPreset / DeleteProjectSettingsPreset (presetName) -> bool  (21.1+)`
+- **Behavior:** DESTROYS THE PROJECT ITSELF, NOT A GRADE, AND REPORTS SUCCESS THROUGHOUT. Reported by @legionsound (issue #207) from Studio 21.1.0.14 on macOS, 2026-09-09; NOT reproduced here (no 21.1 install). On a NEW project that had never been saved: save a project-settings preset (SaveCurrentProjectSettingsAsNewPreset), change the timeline resolution, then update (UpdateProjectSettingsPreset), apply (SetProjectSettingsPreset) and delete (DeleteProjectSettingsPreset) the preset, then SaveProject and close. Every native call returned True. SQLite PRAGMA integrity_check on the project database still reported ok, but its Sm2MultiSysData table had ZERO rows, and LoadProject then failed with 'DaVinci Resolve failed to open project.' Reproduced twice, through community wrappers and through direct native calls. The control — the same sequence with one explicit SaveProject BEFORE any preset mutation — kept its Sm2MultiSysData row and reopened. Which single call in the sequence is responsible was not isolated, and preset Export/Import were not part of it, so do not assume any preset write is safe on an unsaved project. ProjectManager.GetProjectLastModifiedTime cannot serve as a 'has this project been saved' guard: it returned None even for saved projects on the same build.
+- **Workaround / current handling:** Before ANY project-settings-preset write on 21.1, call ProjectManager.SaveProject() on the current project and require it to return True; never mutate presets on a project created in this session that has not been saved. Do not read the True returns, a clean integrity_check, or the absence of an error as evidence the project survived — the only proof is closing it and reloading it. A wrapper must not save silently on the caller's behalf (the first save is the caller's decision), so it should require an explicit assertion that the project has been saved, and refuse without one. If the project already holds work, back it up (export a .drp) before the first preset write.
+- **Reference:** [issue #207](https://github.com/samuelgursky/davinci-resolve-mcp/issues/207)
+- **Tags:** destructive, unrecoverable, project, order-dependent, silent-failure, unreliable-return, version-gated, reported
+
 ### TimelineItem.ExportLUT
 
 - **Object:** `TimelineItem`

package/install.py

@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ from src.utils.update_check import (
 
 # ─── Version ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
 
-VERSION = "4.12.0"
+VERSION = "4.13.1"
 # Only hard floor: mcp[cli] requires Python 3.10+. There is no upper bound —
 # Resolve's scripting bridge loads into newer interpreters on recent builds
 # (Python 3.14 verified against Resolve Studio 20.3.2). Older Resolve builds
@@ -1543,7 +1543,7 @@ def verify_resolve_connection(python_path, api_path, lib_path):
 
 def print_banner():
     title = f"DaVinci Resolve MCP Server — Installer v{VERSION}"
-    subtitle = "37 compound · 389 full · 3 platforms"
+    subtitle = "37 compound · 390 full · 3 platforms"
     print()
     print(bold("  ╔══════════════════════════════════════════════════════╗"))
     print(bold(f"  ║{title:^54}║"))

package/package.json

@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "davinci-resolve-mcp",
-  "version": "4.12.0",
+  "version": "4.13.1",
   "description": "NPM bootstrapper for the DaVinci Resolve MCP Server.",
   "license": "MIT",
   "author": "Samuel Gursky <samgursky@gmail.com>",

package/src/granular/common.py

@@ -91,7 +91,7 @@ if not logging.getLogger().handlers:
         handlers=[logging.StreamHandler()],
     )
 
-VERSION = "4.12.0"
+VERSION = "4.13.1"
 logger = logging.getLogger("davinci-resolve-mcp")
 logger.info(f"Starting DaVinci Resolve MCP Server v{VERSION}")
 logger.info(f"Detected platform: {get_platform()}")

package/src/granular/project.py

@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 """Project, render, cache, cloud, and project-property tools."""
 
 from src.granular.common import *  # noqa: F401,F403
+from src.utils.bool_params import recognised_bool
 from src.utils.page_lock import restoring_page
 
 resolve = ResolveProxy()
@@ -1109,6 +1110,11 @@ def get_render_job_list() -> Dict[str, Any]:
 def start_rendering_jobs(job_ids: Optional[List[str]] = None, is_interactive_mode: bool = False) -> Dict[str, Any]:
     """Start rendering jobs. If no job IDs specified, renders all queued jobs.
 
+    StartRendering is state-dependent on Resolve 21.1 (api_truth
+    'Project.StartRendering'): a freshly configured job can return False and
+    stay Ready while an identical later job completes. Check job status and the
+    output file afterwards; this tool does not retry.
+
     Args:
         job_ids: Optional list of job IDs to render. If None, renders all.
         is_interactive_mode: If True, enables interactive rendering mode.
@@ -1224,8 +1230,19 @@ def set_render_settings(settings: Dict[str, Any]) -> Dict[str, Any]:
             ExportAlpha (bool), EncodingProfile (str), MultiPassEncode (bool),
             AlphaMode (int), NetworkOptimization (bool), ClipStartFrame (int),
             TimelineStartTimecode (str), ReplaceExistingFilesInPlace (bool),
-            ExportSubtitle (bool), SubtitleFormat ("BurnIn", "EmbeddedCaptions", "SeparateFile").
+            ExportSubtitle (bool), SubtitleFormat ("BurnIn", "EmbeddedCaptions", "SeparateFile"),
+            and the Resolve 21.1 typed keys UseUniqueFilenames (bool; "true"/"false"
+            strings are coerced, anything else is refused before the call) and
+            AudioFormat (audio file extension, e.g. "wav"; documented for
+            ExportVideo false). A True return means the settings were taken, not
+            that a render will succeed: verify job status and the output file
+            after starting (see api_truth 'Project.StartRendering').
     """
+    if isinstance(settings, dict) and "UseUniqueFilenames" in settings:
+        coerced = recognised_bool(settings["UseUniqueFilenames"])
+        if coerced is None:
+            return {"error": "UseUniqueFilenames must be a boolean (true/false)"}
+        settings = dict(settings, UseUniqueFilenames=coerced)
     resolve = get_resolve()
     if resolve is None:
         return {"error": "Not connected to DaVinci Resolve"}

package/src/granular/resolve_control.py

@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 from src.granular.common import *  # noqa: F401,F403
 import os
 from src.utils import typed_api_search
+from src.utils.app_control import set_high_priority as set_resolve_high_priority
 
 resolve = ResolveProxy()
 
@@ -316,6 +317,28 @@ def disable_background_tasks_for_current_session() -> Dict[str, Any]:
     return {"success": True}
 
 
+@mcp.tool()
+@granular_destructive_op()
+def set_high_priority(high: bool = True) -> Dict[str, Any]:
+    """Set Resolve's script execution priority to high or normal.
+
+    Granular counterpart of resolve_control set_high_priority. On Resolve
+    21.1+ this calls SetHighPriority(bool) and is reversible (high=False
+    restores normal; reported on Studio 21.1.0.14, where the old no-argument
+    call is a no-op that returns False). Older builds take no argument and can
+    only raise priority for the session, so high=False is refused there. No
+    build has a getter, so nothing is read back.
+
+    Args:
+        high: True for high priority (default), False for normal. "true"/"false"
+            strings are coerced; anything else is refused before the call.
+    """
+    resolve = get_resolve()
+    if resolve is None:
+        return {"error": "Not connected to DaVinci Resolve"}
+    return set_resolve_high_priority(resolve, high)
+
+
 @mcp.resource("resolve://app/state")
 def get_app_state_endpoint() -> Dict[str, Any]:
     """Get DaVinci Resolve application state information."""

package/src/resolve_mcp_server.py

@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ if __name__ == "__main__":
     try:
         connect_at_startup()
         start_background_update_check(VERSION, project_dir, logger)
-        logger.info(f"Starting DaVinci Resolve MCP Server v{VERSION} (389 granular tools)")
+        logger.info(f"Starting DaVinci Resolve MCP Server v{VERSION} (390 granular tools)")
         run_fastmcp_stdio(mcp)
     except KeyboardInterrupt:
         logger.info("Server shutdown requested")

package/src/server.py

@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ Usage:
     python src/server.py --full       # Start the 377-tool granular server instead
 """
 
-VERSION = "4.12.0"
+VERSION = "4.13.1"
 
 import base64
 import os
@@ -75,11 +75,15 @@ from src.utils.page_lock import (
     restoring_page as _restoring_page,
     page_lock as _page_lock,
 )
-from src.utils.proc import safe_run
+from src.utils.proc import safe_run, windows_pid_alive
 from src.utils.readback import verify_by_readback, verification_stats as _verification_stats
 from src.utils import operation_result as _operation_result
 from src.utils import operation_log as _operation_log
-from src.utils.bool_params import coerce_bool as _coerce_bool, explicit_bool_param as _explicit_bool_param
+from src.utils.bool_params import (
+    coerce_bool as _coerce_bool,
+    explicit_bool_param as _explicit_bool_param,
+    recognised_bool as _recognised_bool,
+)
 from src.utils.confirm_tokens import (
     ConfirmTokenStore as _ConfirmTokenStore,
     gate_required_from as _gate_required_from,
@@ -17092,7 +17096,13 @@ def resolve_control(action: str, params: Optional[Dict[str, Any]] = None) -> Dic
         — one 'Class.Method' or one TypedDict name. No connection needed.
       api_surface() -> {methods, option_types, option_fields, objects}
         — what the shipped stub contains. No connection needed.
-      set_high_priority() -> {success}
+      set_high_priority(high?) -> {success, high_priority, signature, reversible, readback: null}
+        — script execution priority. high: true (default, the old meaning)
+          or false for normal. Resolve 21.1+ calls SetHighPriority(bool) and
+          is reversible (reported on 21.1.0.14: the old no-argument call is a
+          no-op there). Older builds take no argument and can only RAISE it
+          for the session, so high=false is refused there. No getter exists
+          on any build: nothing is read back.
       disable_background_tasks_for_current_session() -> {success}  — Resolve 21+
       list_user_preferences_presets() -> {presets}  — Resolve 21.0.4+
       save_user_preferences_preset(name) -> {success}  — Resolve 21.0.4+
@@ -17537,7 +17547,23 @@ def resolve_control(action: str, params: Optional[Dict[str, Any]] = None) -> Dic
             return missing
         return {"presets": _ser(r.GetFairlightPresets())}
     elif action == "set_high_priority":
-        return {"success": bool(r.SetHighPriority())}
+        from src.utils.app_control import set_high_priority as _set_high_priority
+        # `high` defaults to True so a bare call keeps its old meaning; the
+        # helper picks SetHighPriority(bool) on 21.1+ and the no-arg form below.
+        # The raw value goes to the helper, which coerces it with
+        # recognised_bool and REFUSES a value naming no boolean, rather than
+        # _coerce_bool's fall-back-to-default (that would turn "hgih" into True).
+        _high_key = next((k for k in ("high", "high_priority") if k in p), None)
+        _hp = _set_high_priority(r, p[_high_key] if _high_key else True)
+        if _hp.get("refused"):
+            return _err(
+                _hp["error"],
+                code="HIGH_PRIORITY_REFUSED",
+                category="invalid_input",
+                reason="Nothing was sent to Resolve.SetHighPriority.",
+                state={k: v for k, v in _hp.items() if k not in ("error", "refused", "success")},
+            )
+        return _hp
     elif action == "disable_background_tasks_for_current_session":
         missing = _requires_method(r, "DisableBackgroundTasksForCurrentResolveSession", "21.0")
         if missing:
@@ -17989,6 +18015,9 @@ def _control_panel_pid_alive(pid: int) -> bool:
     """Check whether a PID is alive on this OS without killing it."""
     if not pid or pid <= 0:
         return False
+    if os.name == "nt":
+        # os.kill(pid, 0) is TerminateProcess on Windows, not a probe.
+        return windows_pid_alive(pid) is True
     try:
         os.kill(pid, 0)  # signal 0 = existence check
     except (ProcessLookupError, PermissionError):
@@ -20300,6 +20329,7 @@ _RENDER_SETTING_KEYS = [
     "MarkOut",
     "TargetDir",
     "CustomName",
+    "UseUniqueFilenames",
     "UniqueFilenameStyle",
     "ExportVideo",
     "ExportAudio",
@@ -20308,6 +20338,7 @@ _RENDER_SETTING_KEYS = [
     "FrameRate",
     "PixelAspectRatio",
     "VideoQuality",
+    "AudioFormat",
     "AudioCodec",
     "AudioBitDepth",
     "AudioSampleRate",
@@ -20560,6 +20591,12 @@ def _render_settings_warnings(settings: Dict[str, Any], version_major: Optional[
             "AddFrameHandles is ignored while UseFullExtents is true: Resolve renders the "
             "clip's full extents and the handle count silently does nothing. Drop one of the two."
         )
+    if "AudioFormat" in settings and settings.get("ExportVideo") is True:
+        warnings.append(
+            "AudioFormat is documented for audio-only renders (ExportVideo false) in the "
+            "Resolve 21.1 typed stub; with ExportVideo true the container comes from the "
+            "render format instead. Verify the output's container before relying on it."
+        )
     if ("ExportSubtitle" in settings or "SubtitleFormat" in settings) and (
         version_major is not None and version_major < 21
     ):
@@ -20574,11 +20611,40 @@ def _render_settings_warnings(settings: Dict[str, Any], version_major: Optional[
     return warnings
 
 
+#: RenderSettings keys typed `bool` in the 21.1 stub that are COERCED rather than
+#: required to be a JSON boolean: an MCP client that sends "false" means false,
+#: and forwarding the string would hand Resolve a truthy value. Only keys added
+#: alongside this helper are listed; the older bool keys keep their strict check.
+_RENDER_COERCED_BOOL_KEYS = ("UseUniqueFilenames",)
+
+
+def _coerce_render_bool_settings(settings: Any):
+    """Return ``(settings_copy, errors)`` with the coerced bool keys normalised.
+
+    A value that does not unambiguously name a boolean is an error, never a
+    default: ``UseUniqueFilenames: "maybe"`` must not quietly become False.
+    """
+    if not isinstance(settings, dict):
+        return settings, []
+    out = dict(settings)
+    errors = []
+    for key in _RENDER_COERCED_BOOL_KEYS:
+        if key not in out:
+            continue
+        coerced = _recognised_bool(out[key])
+        if coerced is None:
+            errors.append(f"{key} must be a boolean (true/false)")
+        else:
+            out[key] = coerced
+    return out, errors
+
+
 def _validate_render_settings_payload(settings: Dict[str, Any], *, require_temp_target: bool = False):
     if not isinstance(settings, dict) or not settings:
         return None, _err("settings must be a non-empty object")
+    settings, coerce_errors = _coerce_render_bool_settings(settings)
     unknown = sorted(key for key in settings if key not in _RENDER_SETTING_KEYS)
-    errors = []
+    errors = list(coerce_errors)
     target_dir = settings.get("TargetDir")
     if target_dir is not None:
         if not isinstance(target_dir, str) or not target_dir:
@@ -20597,6 +20663,8 @@ def _validate_render_settings_payload(settings: Dict[str, Any], *, require_temp_
             errors.append(f"{key} must be a boolean")
     if "AddFrameHandles" in settings and isinstance(settings["AddFrameHandles"], int) and settings["AddFrameHandles"] < 0:
         errors.append("AddFrameHandles must be >= 0")
+    if "AudioFormat" in settings and (not isinstance(settings["AudioFormat"], str) or not settings["AudioFormat"].strip()):
+        errors.append("AudioFormat must be a non-empty string (an audio file extension, e.g. 'wav')")
     if "DataBurnIn" in settings and not isinstance(settings["DataBurnIn"], str):
         errors.append("DataBurnIn must be a string (a burn-in preset name, 'Same as project', or 'None')")
     if "MarkIn" in settings and "MarkOut" in settings and settings["MarkOut"] < settings["MarkIn"]:
@@ -20641,6 +20709,7 @@ def _safe_set_render_settings(proj, p: Dict[str, Any]):
         return {"success": False, "validation": validation}
     if _coerce_bool(p.get("dry_run")):
         return _ok(validation=validation)
+    settings = validation["settings"]  # coerced bool keys, see _coerce_render_bool_settings
     before = _render_settings_snapshot(proj)
     success = bool(proj.SetRenderSettings(settings))
     after_settings = _ser(proj.GetRenderSettings()) if _has_method(proj, "GetRenderSettings") else {}
@@ -20675,6 +20744,7 @@ def _prepare_render_job(proj, p: Dict[str, Any]):
         return {"success": False, "validation": validation}
     if _coerce_bool(p.get("dry_run")):
         return _ok(validation=validation, format=p.get("format"), codec=p.get("codec"))
+    settings = validation["settings"]  # coerced bool keys, see _coerce_render_bool_settings
     before = _render_settings_snapshot(proj)
     # Pin the base render state before layering explicit settings on top. Without
     # this the job inherits the Deliver page's loaded preset for every key the
@@ -21096,6 +21166,10 @@ def render(action: str, params: Optional[Dict[str, Any]] = None) -> Dict[str, An
         collapse warning unless the stated expectation matches the mark range.
         Verify BEFORE deleting the job; deleted jobs carry no TargetDir.
       start(job_ids?, interactive?) -> {success}
+        StartRendering is state-dependent on 21.1 (api_truth
+        'Project.StartRendering'): a freshly configured job can return False
+        and stay Ready while an identical later job completes. Read the job
+        status and the output; this action does not retry.
       stop() -> {success}
       is_rendering() -> {rendering}
       get_formats() -> {formats}
@@ -21118,6 +21192,14 @@ def render(action: str, params: Optional[Dict[str, Any]] = None) -> Dict[str, An
         burn-in, sidecar, or caption track — so setting them on a pre-21
         host comes back in warnings; verify the output before claiming
         caption delivery.
+        Resolve 21.1 typed keys: UseUniqueFilenames (bool; "true"/"false"
+        strings are coerced, anything else is refused before the call) and
+        AudioFormat (audio file extension, e.g. "wav" — the stub documents it
+        for ExportVideo false, so pairing it with ExportVideo true warns).
+        Reported on Studio 21.1.0.14: UseUniqueFilenames=true gave queued
+        files a "_V1-0001" suffix, and AudioFormat "wav" + LPCM rendered
+        48 kHz/24-bit WAVs. A True here only means the settings were taken;
+        verify the job (get_job_status / verify_output) after start.
       list_presets() -> {presets}
       load_preset(name) -> {success}
       save_preset(name) -> {success}
@@ -21427,6 +21509,14 @@ def render(action: str, params: Optional[Dict[str, Any]] = None) -> Dict[str, An
         # Whitelist to documented keys; SetRenderSettings silently ignores unknown
         # keys, so a typo'd setting would be dropped with no signal (P1 #6).
         settings, ignored_settings = _filter_to_keys(p["settings"], _RENDER_SETTING_KEYS)
+        settings, bool_errors = _coerce_render_bool_settings(settings)
+        if bool_errors:
+            return _err(
+                "; ".join(bool_errors),
+                code="INVALID_RENDER_SETTING",
+                category="invalid_input",
+                reason="Nothing was sent to SetRenderSettings.",
+            )
         result = {"success": bool(proj.SetRenderSettings(settings))}
         if ignored_settings:
             result["ignored_settings"] = ignored_settings

package/src/utils/api_truth.py

@@ -2955,17 +2955,40 @@ API_TRUTH: List[Dict[str, Any]] = [
         "submit": "missing",
     },
     {
-        "symbol": "Resolve.SetHighPriority (write-only, irreversible per session)",
+        "symbol": "Resolve.SetHighPriority (write-only; irreversible before 21.1)",
         "object": "Resolve",
-        "signature": "() -> Bool",
-        "reality": "Raises the Resolve process priority; there is no getter "
-                   "and no way to lower it again through the API (confirmed "
-                   "absent from dir() on Studio 19.1.3.7).",
-        "recommended": "Call it only when the user asked for a long render on "
-                       "a dedicated machine; state cannot be read back or "
-                       "undone without restarting Resolve.",
-        "tags": ["app-control", "missing-method", "readback"],
+        "signature": "() -> Bool  (19.x); (highPriority: bool) -> bool  (21.1 typed stub)",
+        "reality": "VERSION-SCOPED. On Studio 19.1.3.7 (measured here) the "
+                   "method takes no argument and raises priority; there is no "
+                   "getter and no way to lower it again through the API "
+                   "(no getter in dir()), so it is irreversible for the session. "
+                   "Resolve 21.1 retyped it SetHighPriority(highPriority: bool) "
+                   "-> bool, documented as 'script execution priority to high or "
+                   "normal'. Reported by @legionsound (issue #207) from Studio "
+                   "21.1.0.14 on macOS, 2026-09-09; NOT reproduced here (no 21.1 "
+                   "install). One live session, in order: (False) -> True, "
+                   "(True) -> True, () -> False, (1) -> False, ('high') -> False, "
+                   "(False) -> True. So on 21.1 the no-argument call is a NO-OP "
+                   "that reports its own failure, only a real bool is accepted "
+                   "(1 and 'high' are rejected like the missing argument), and "
+                   "the setting is REVERSIBLE: SetHighPriority(False) restores "
+                   "normal. There is still no getter on any build — dir() on the "
+                   "live 21.1 Resolve object shows SetHighPriority as the only "
+                   "priority-related name — so the current state cannot be read "
+                   "back on either generation.",
+        "recommended": "On 21.1+ pass a real bool; never forward 1 or a string "
+                       "(coerce first — resolve_control set_high_priority and "
+                       "granular set_high_priority do, and refuse values that "
+                       "name no boolean). On older builds call it only when the "
+                       "user asked for a long scripted job on a dedicated "
+                       "machine: it cannot be lowered without restarting "
+                       "Resolve, which is why both tools refuse high=false "
+                       "there. No build offers readback, so report the native "
+                       "return, never a confirmed state.",
+        "tags": ["app-control", "missing-method", "readback", "version-gated", "reported"],
         "submit": "missing",
+        "issue": 207,
+        "mitigation": ["resolve_control.set_high_priority", "set_high_priority"],
     },
     {
         "symbol": "Project.IsRenderingInProgress (stuck True after deleting the rendering project)",
@@ -3471,6 +3494,86 @@ API_TRUTH: List[Dict[str, Any]] = [
         "tags": ["dctl", "validation", "unreliable-return", "version-gated", "reported"],
         "submit": "bug",
     },
+    {
+        "symbol": "Project.StartRendering",
+        "object": "Project",
+        "signature": "(jobIds: list[str], isInteractiveMode=False) -> bool  (21.1 typed stub)",
+        "reality": "STATE-DEPENDENT RETURN. Reported by @legionsound (issue #207) "
+                   "from Studio 21.1.0.14 on macOS, 2026-09-09; NOT reproduced "
+                   "here (no 21.1 install). In one session, some freshly "
+                   "configured render jobs made StartRendering return False and "
+                   "remain Ready, while an identical job configured later in the "
+                   "same session started and completed. Official direct calls "
+                   "reproduced BOTH outcomes, so a False from one interface and a "
+                   "True from another in that sequence is not an interface "
+                   "difference. The trigger was not isolated; no root cause is "
+                   "established. The same session confirmed the two 21.1 "
+                   "RenderSettings keys the compound whitelist used to drop: "
+                   "UseUniqueFilenames=True gave queued filenames Resolve's "
+                   "'_V1-0001' suffix, and AudioFormat='wav' with LPCM produced "
+                   "complete 14-second stereo 48 kHz 24-bit WAVs whose decoded PCM "
+                   "matched byte for byte across both community interfaces.",
+        "recommended": "Treat the boolean as a hint in both directions. After "
+                       "start, read render(action='get_job_status') and "
+                       "render(action='verify_output') for the actual output file "
+                       "before reporting a render as running or done; a False "
+                       "with the job still Ready means nothing rendered. Do not "
+                       "auto-retry in a wrapper: the measured later success was a "
+                       "NEW identical job, not a retry of the same one, so a loop "
+                       "would hide the state it depends on. Surface the False and "
+                       "let the caller decide whether to re-queue.",
+        "tags": ["render", "unreliable-return", "state-dependent", "version-gated", "reported"],
+        "submit": "bug",
+        "issue": 207,
+        "verified_on": "DaVinci Resolve Studio 21.1.0.14",
+    },
+    {
+        "symbol": "Project settings presets mutated before the project's first SaveProject",
+        "object": "Project",
+        "signature": "SaveCurrentProjectSettingsAsNewPreset / UpdateProjectSettingsPreset / "
+                     "SetProjectSettingsPreset / DeleteProjectSettingsPreset (presetName) "
+                     "-> bool  (21.1+)",
+        "reality": "DESTROYS THE PROJECT ITSELF, NOT A GRADE, AND REPORTS SUCCESS "
+                   "THROUGHOUT. Reported by @legionsound (issue #207) from Studio "
+                   "21.1.0.14 on macOS, 2026-09-09; NOT reproduced here (no 21.1 "
+                   "install). On a NEW project that had never been saved: save a "
+                   "project-settings preset (SaveCurrentProjectSettingsAsNewPreset), "
+                   "change the timeline resolution, then update "
+                   "(UpdateProjectSettingsPreset), apply (SetProjectSettingsPreset) "
+                   "and delete (DeleteProjectSettingsPreset) the preset, then "
+                   "SaveProject and close. Every native call returned True. "
+                   "SQLite PRAGMA integrity_check on the project database still "
+                   "reported ok, but its Sm2MultiSysData table had ZERO rows, and "
+                   "LoadProject then failed with 'DaVinci Resolve failed to open "
+                   "project.' Reproduced twice, through community wrappers and "
+                   "through direct native calls. The control — the same sequence "
+                   "with one explicit SaveProject BEFORE any preset mutation — kept "
+                   "its Sm2MultiSysData row and reopened. Which single call in the "
+                   "sequence is responsible was not isolated, and preset "
+                   "Export/Import were not part of it, so do not assume any preset "
+                   "write is safe on an unsaved project. "
+                   "ProjectManager.GetProjectLastModifiedTime cannot serve as a "
+                   "'has this project been saved' guard: it returned None even for "
+                   "saved projects on the same build.",
+        "recommended": "Before ANY project-settings-preset write on 21.1, call "
+                       "ProjectManager.SaveProject() on the current project and "
+                       "require it to return True; never mutate presets on a "
+                       "project created in this session that has not been saved. "
+                       "Do not read the True returns, a clean integrity_check, or "
+                       "the absence of an error as evidence the project survived "
+                       "— the only proof is closing it and reloading it. A "
+                       "wrapper must not save silently on the caller's behalf "
+                       "(the first save is the caller's decision), so it should "
+                       "require an explicit assertion that the project has been "
+                       "saved, and refuse without one. If the project already "
+                       "holds work, back it up (export a .drp) before the first "
+                       "preset write.",
+        "tags": ["destructive", "unrecoverable", "project", "order-dependent",
+                 "silent-failure", "unreliable-return", "version-gated", "reported"],
+        "submit": "bug",
+        "issue": 207,
+        "verified_on": "DaVinci Resolve Studio 21.1.0.14",
+    },
     # ── Measured on Studio 21.1.0.14, 2026-09-09 (trap-aware execution work) ──
     {
         "symbol": "TimelineItem.CopyGrades",
@@ -3714,6 +3817,10 @@ ACTION_SYMBOLS: Dict[Tuple[str, str], List[str]] = {
     ("fusion_comp", "add_modifier"): ["Tool.AddModifier", "Tool.AddModifier (NestControl inputs)"],
     ("fusion_comp", "add_keyframe"): ["Tool.AddModifier (NestControl inputs)"],
     ("project_manager", "safe_project_archive"): ["ProjectManager.ArchiveProject"],
+    ("render", "start"): ["Project.StartRendering"],
+    ("resolve_control", "set_high_priority"): [
+        "Resolve.SetHighPriority (write-only; irreversible before 21.1)",
+    ],
 }
 
 

package/src/utils/app_control.py

@@ -335,3 +335,95 @@ def open_project_settings(resolve_obj) -> Dict[str, Any]:
 def open_preferences(resolve_obj) -> Dict[str, Any]:
     """Open the Preferences dialog. See `_open_dialog` for the result shape."""
     return _open_dialog(resolve_obj, "OpenPreferences", "Preferences")
+
+
+# ── Script execution priority ───────────────────────────────────────────────
+#
+# Resolve 21.1 retyped `Resolve.SetHighPriority(highPriority: bool) -> bool`
+# ("Sets the script execution priority to high or normal"). Reported by
+# @legionsound on Studio 21.1.0.14 (issue #207): (False) -> True, (True) ->
+# True, and the no-argument call this server used to make -> False, a no-op;
+# (1) and ("high") also -> False. So on 21.1 the argument must be a real bool
+# and the setting is reversible. On 19.1.3.7 the method takes no argument and
+# there is no way to lower it again within the session. No build has a getter.
+
+#: First build whose stub types the boolean argument.
+HIGH_PRIORITY_TYPED_FLOOR = "21.1"
+
+_NO_READBACK_NOTE = (
+    "Resolve exposes no getter for script execution priority on any build, so "
+    "the state cannot be read back; success reflects the native return only."
+)
+
+
+def set_high_priority(resolve_obj, high: Any = True) -> Dict[str, Any]:
+    """Set script execution priority, choosing the call form by build.
+
+    `high` is coerced with `recognised_bool` (so "false" means False) and a
+    value that names no boolean is refused before any call: Resolve 21.1
+    returns a silent False for 1 or "high", so forwarding a guess would turn
+    the caller's mistake into a no-op. The native call always receives a real
+    bool. Returns a plain dict; a refusal carries `error` and `refused: True`
+    and means nothing was called.
+    """
+    from src.utils.bool_params import recognised_bool
+    from src.utils.resolve_versions import at_least
+
+    requested = recognised_bool(high)
+    if requested is None:
+        return {
+            "success": False,
+            "refused": True,
+            "error": "high must be a boolean (true for high priority, false for normal)",
+        }
+    try:
+        version = resolve_obj.GetVersion()
+    except Exception:  # noqa: BLE001 — an unreadable version routes as unknown
+        version = None
+    typed = at_least(version, HIGH_PRIORITY_TYPED_FLOOR)
+    base: Dict[str, Any] = {
+        "high_priority": requested,
+        "resolve_version": version,
+        "readback": None,
+        "note": _NO_READBACK_NOTE,
+    }
+
+    def _typed_call() -> Dict[str, Any]:
+        ok = bool(resolve_obj.SetHighPriority(requested))
+        out = dict(base, success=ok, signature="SetHighPriority(bool)", reversible=True)
+        if not ok:
+            out["warning"] = (
+                "SetHighPriority returned False. On 21.1 that is the answer to a "
+                "rejected call; the priority is most likely unchanged, but it "
+                "cannot be read back to confirm."
+            )
+        return out
+
+    def _legacy_call() -> Dict[str, Any]:
+        if not requested:
+            return dict(
+                base,
+                success=False,
+                refused=True,
+                signature="SetHighPriority()",
+                reversible=False,
+                error=(
+                    "This Resolve build takes SetHighPriority() with no argument and "
+                    "can only RAISE priority; it cannot be lowered back to normal "
+                    "without restarting Resolve (Resolve 21.1+ accepts a boolean). "
+                    "Nothing was called."
+                ),
+            )
+        ok = bool(resolve_obj.SetHighPriority())
+        return dict(base, success=ok, signature="SetHighPriority()", reversible=False)
+
+    if typed is True:
+        return _typed_call()
+    if typed is False:
+        return _legacy_call()
+    # Version unreadable: try the typed form and fall back only on the
+    # signature mismatch an older build raises, never on a False return.
+    try:
+        return _typed_call()
+    except TypeError:
+        return _legacy_call()

package/src/utils/bool_params.py

@@ -31,3 +31,26 @@ def explicit_bool_param(params: Optional[Dict[str, Any]], *keys: str) -> Optiona
         if key in params:
             return coerce_bool(params[key])
     return None
+
+
+def recognised_bool(value: Any) -> Optional[bool]:
+    """Coerce only values that unambiguously name a boolean, else None.
+
+    ``coerce_bool`` falls back to a default for anything it does not recognise,
+    which is right for an optional flag and wrong for a value that is forwarded
+    to Resolve as the setting itself: ``"maybe"`` must be refused, not silently
+    read as ``False``. Accepts real bools, the true/false strings
+    ``coerce_bool`` knows, and the integers 0 and 1. Everything else is None,
+    so the caller can refuse it with a reason.
+    """
+    if isinstance(value, bool):
+        return value
+    if isinstance(value, int) and value in (0, 1):
+        return bool(value)
+    if isinstance(value, str):
+        lowered = value.strip().lower()
+        if lowered in _TRUE_STRINGS:
+            return True
+        if lowered in _FALSE_STRINGS:
+            return False
+    return None

package/src/utils/destructive_hook.py

@@ -109,7 +109,10 @@ DESTRUCTIVE_ACTIONS_BY_TOOL: Dict[str, FrozenSet[str]] = {
     "project_settings": frozenset({"delete_color_group"}),
     "render": frozenset({"delete_all_jobs", "delete_job", "delete_preset"}),
     "render_presets": frozenset({"delete_burnin"}),
-    "resolve_control": frozenset({"delete_user_preferences_preset"}),
+    # set_high_priority: an app-wide setting with no getter on any build, and
+    # irreversible for the session before 21.1 (issue #207). A write every gate
+    # must see, even though it touches no project content.
+    "resolve_control": frozenset({"delete_user_preferences_preset", "set_high_priority"}),
     "media_pool": frozenset({
         "delete_clips",
         "delete_folders",

package/src/utils/execution_lifecycle.py

@@ -282,6 +282,12 @@ class RiskClassificationHook(LifecycleHook):
         # wrappers refuse those unless acknowledge_trap. See archive_guard.py.
         ("project_manager", "archive"),
         ("project_manager", "safe_project_archive"),
+        # Script execution priority. App-wide, no getter on any build, and
+        # before 21.1 it cannot be lowered again within the session; on 21.1
+        # SetHighPriority(False) restores normal (reported, issue #207).
+        # MEDIUM: a real write to state nothing can read back, but no content
+        # is touched, so safe mode should not block it.
+        ("resolve_control", "set_high_priority"),
         # 21.0 AI deblur renders NEW media and never touches the source (it is
         # confirm-token gated for that reason). The `remove_` prefix rule rated
         # it HIGH on its name alone, which would make safe mode block a create.

package/src/utils/mcp_transport.py

@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@ import sys
 import time
 
 from src.utils.private_state import private_state_dir, write_private_json
+from src.utils.proc import windows_pid_alive
 
 logger = logging.getLogger("davinci-resolve-mcp")
 
@@ -172,6 +173,12 @@ def read_transport_state():
         return None
     pid = state.get("pid")
     if isinstance(pid, int):
+        if os.name == "nt":
+            # os.kill(pid, 0) is TerminateProcess on Windows, not a probe: the
+            # state file normally names the running server itself.
+            if windows_pid_alive(pid) is not True:
+                return None
+            return state
         try:
             os.kill(pid, 0)
         except (OSError, ProcessLookupError):

package/src/utils/proc.py

@@ -5,9 +5,12 @@ process that inherits stdin can race-read bytes off the protocol stream and
 corrupt it; ``capture_output`` only redirects stdout/stderr. These wrappers
 default ``stdin`` to ``DEVNULL`` so subprocess hygiene is centralized rather
 than re-applied at every call site.
+
+``windows_pid_alive`` lives here too: the Windows replacement for the
+``os.kill(pid, 0)`` liveness probe, which on Windows terminates the process.
 """
 import subprocess
-from typing import Any
+from typing import Any, Optional
 
 
 def safe_run(*args: Any, **kwargs: Any) -> "subprocess.CompletedProcess":
@@ -24,3 +27,59 @@ def safe_popen(*args: Any, **kwargs: Any) -> "subprocess.Popen":
     """subprocess.Popen with stdin defaulted to DEVNULL (override by passing stdin)."""
     kwargs.setdefault("stdin", subprocess.DEVNULL)
     return subprocess.Popen(*args, **kwargs)
+
+
+#: OpenProcess access rights and status codes used by `windows_pid_alive`.
+_WIN_SYNCHRONIZE = 0x00100000
+_WIN_PROCESS_QUERY_LIMITED_INFORMATION = 0x1000
+_WIN_WAIT_OBJECT_0 = 0x0
+_WIN_WAIT_TIMEOUT = 0x102
+_WIN_ERROR_ACCESS_DENIED = 5
+_WIN_ERROR_INVALID_PARAMETER = 87
+
+
+def windows_pid_alive(pid: int) -> Optional[bool]:
+    """Whether `pid` is a running process on Windows, without touching it.
+
+    The POSIX liveness probe, ``os.kill(pid, 0)``, must never run on Windows:
+    there any signal other than CTRL_C_EVENT/CTRL_BREAK_EVENT goes through
+    ``TerminateProcess``, so the "existence check" kills the process it asks
+    about — including this one, when a record names our own pid.
+
+    True: running (access-denied counts, since only a live process can refuse).
+    False: no such process, or it has exited. None: could not be determined.
+    """
+    if not isinstance(pid, int) or pid <= 0:
+        return False
+    try:
+        import ctypes
+        from ctypes import wintypes
+
+        kernel32 = ctypes.WinDLL("kernel32", use_last_error=True)
+        kernel32.OpenProcess.argtypes = [wintypes.DWORD, wintypes.BOOL, wintypes.DWORD]
+        kernel32.OpenProcess.restype = wintypes.HANDLE
+        kernel32.WaitForSingleObject.argtypes = [wintypes.HANDLE, wintypes.DWORD]
+        kernel32.WaitForSingleObject.restype = wintypes.DWORD
+        kernel32.CloseHandle.argtypes = [wintypes.HANDLE]
+        kernel32.CloseHandle.restype = wintypes.BOOL
+
+        access = _WIN_SYNCHRONIZE | _WIN_PROCESS_QUERY_LIMITED_INFORMATION
+        handle = kernel32.OpenProcess(access, False, pid)
+        if not handle:
+            error = ctypes.get_last_error()
+            if error == _WIN_ERROR_INVALID_PARAMETER:
+                return False
+            if error == _WIN_ERROR_ACCESS_DENIED:
+                return True
+            return None
+        try:
+            status = kernel32.WaitForSingleObject(handle, 0)
+        finally:
+            kernel32.CloseHandle(handle)
+        if status == _WIN_WAIT_OBJECT_0:
+            return False  # signalled == exited
+        if status == _WIN_WAIT_TIMEOUT:
+            return True
+        return None
+    except Exception:
+        return None

package/src/utils/resolve_busy.py

@@ -34,6 +34,8 @@ import time
 from contextlib import contextmanager
 from typing import Any, Dict, Optional
 
+from src.utils.proc import windows_pid_alive
+
 _SIDECAR = os.path.join(tempfile.gettempdir(), "davinci_resolve_mcp_busy.json")
 # A long op that has run this long is presumed crashed/leaked and ignored.
 MAX_OP_AGE_SECONDS = 2 * 60 * 60
@@ -47,6 +49,10 @@ _local_owner: Optional[int] = None  # thread ident of the in-process registrant
 
 
 def _pid_alive(pid: int) -> bool:
+    if os.name == "nt":
+        # os.kill(pid, 0) is TerminateProcess on Windows, not a probe: a record
+        # naming this process would kill it.
+        return windows_pid_alive(pid) is True
     try:
         os.kill(pid, 0)
         return True