Agent skill

Fallback File Creation

Fallback pattern for reliable file creation when code execution tools fail

Install Fallback File Creation

skills CLI

$ npx skills add HKUDS/OpenSpace --skill fallback-file-creation -a claude-code

Project install by default; add -g for ~/.claude/skills/.

GitHub CLI

$ gh skill install HKUDS/OpenSpace fallback-file-creation --agent claude-code

Project scope by default; add --scope user for a personal install. Needs GitHub CLI 2.90.0 or later (public preview).

Manual copy

$ git clone --depth 1 https://github.com/HKUDS/OpenSpace.git skills-src && mkdir -p .claude/skills && cp -r skills-src/benchmarks/gdpval/skills/fallback-file-creation .claude/skills/fallback-file-creation && rm -rf skills-src

Use ~/.claude/skills/ instead of .claude/skills for a personal install. The folder must contain SKILL.md.

Claude Code skills documentation · loads skills from .claude/skills/

Paste into Claude Code

Install the "fallback-file-creation" agent skill from https://github.com/HKUDS/OpenSpace/tree/main/benchmarks/gdpval/skills/fallback-file-creation into .claude/skills/fallback-file-creation/ in this project. Copy the whole folder (SKILL.md and every file beside it), keep the folder name "fallback-file-creation", then confirm the skill loads.

Claude Code copies the folder itself, the same result as the manual copy. Check what it changed before you commit it.

$skill-installer

$skill-installer install https://github.com/HKUDS/OpenSpace/tree/main/benchmarks/gdpval/skills/fallback-file-creation

Type this inside Codex. $skill-installer <name> installs a curated skill from openai/skills. The installer writes to $CODEX_HOME/skills (default ~/.codex/skills). Restart Codex if the skill does not show up.

skills CLI

$ npx skills add HKUDS/OpenSpace --skill fallback-file-creation -a codex

Project install goes to .agents/skills/; add -g for ~/.codex/skills/.

GitHub CLI

$ gh skill install HKUDS/OpenSpace fallback-file-creation --agent codex

Project scope by default (.agents/skills/); add --scope user for a personal install.

Manual copy

$ git clone --depth 1 https://github.com/HKUDS/OpenSpace.git skills-src && mkdir -p .agents/skills && cp -r skills-src/benchmarks/gdpval/skills/fallback-file-creation .agents/skills/fallback-file-creation && rm -rf skills-src

Use ~/.agents/skills/ instead of .agents/skills for a personal install.

Codex skills documentation · loads skills from .agents/skills/

Paste into Codex

Install the "fallback-file-creation" agent skill from https://github.com/HKUDS/OpenSpace/tree/main/benchmarks/gdpval/skills/fallback-file-creation into .agents/skills/fallback-file-creation/ in this project. Copy the whole folder (SKILL.md and every file beside it), keep the folder name "fallback-file-creation", then confirm the skill loads.

Codex copies the folder itself, the same result as the manual copy. Check what it changed before you commit it.

skills CLI

$ npx skills add HKUDS/OpenSpace --skill fallback-file-creation -a cursor

Project install goes to .agents/skills/; add -g for ~/.cursor/skills/.

GitHub CLI

$ gh skill install HKUDS/OpenSpace fallback-file-creation --agent cursor

Project scope by default (.agents/skills/); add --scope user for a personal install.

Manual copy

$ git clone --depth 1 https://github.com/HKUDS/OpenSpace.git skills-src && mkdir -p .cursor/skills && cp -r skills-src/benchmarks/gdpval/skills/fallback-file-creation .cursor/skills/fallback-file-creation && rm -rf skills-src

Use ~/.cursor/skills/ instead of .cursor/skills for a personal install.

Cursor skills documentation · loads skills from .cursor/skills/, .agents/skills/, .claude/skills/, .codex/skills/

Paste into Cursor

Install the "fallback-file-creation" agent skill from https://github.com/HKUDS/OpenSpace/tree/main/benchmarks/gdpval/skills/fallback-file-creation into .cursor/skills/fallback-file-creation/ in this project. Copy the whole folder (SKILL.md and every file beside it), keep the folder name "fallback-file-creation", then confirm the skill loads.

Cursor copies the folder itself, the same result as the manual copy. Check what it changed before you commit it.

gemini skills install

$ gemini skills install https://github.com/HKUDS/OpenSpace.git --path benchmarks/gdpval/skills/fallback-file-creation

--scope user (default) or --scope workspace; --path is the subfolder of the repo that holds the skill; --consent skips the security confirmation prompt.

skills CLI

$ npx skills add HKUDS/OpenSpace --skill fallback-file-creation -a gemini-cli

Project install goes to .agents/skills/; add -g for ~/.gemini/skills/.

GitHub CLI

$ gh skill install HKUDS/OpenSpace fallback-file-creation --agent gemini-cli

Project scope by default (.agents/skills/); add --scope user for a personal install.

Manual copy

$ git clone --depth 1 https://github.com/HKUDS/OpenSpace.git skills-src && mkdir -p .gemini/skills && cp -r skills-src/benchmarks/gdpval/skills/fallback-file-creation .gemini/skills/fallback-file-creation && rm -rf skills-src

Use ~/.gemini/skills/ instead of .gemini/skills for a personal install, then run /skills reload.

Gemini CLI skills documentation · loads skills from .gemini/skills/, .agents/skills/

Paste into Gemini CLI

Install the "fallback-file-creation" agent skill from https://github.com/HKUDS/OpenSpace/tree/main/benchmarks/gdpval/skills/fallback-file-creation into .gemini/skills/fallback-file-creation/ in this project. Copy the whole folder (SKILL.md and every file beside it), keep the folder name "fallback-file-creation", then confirm the skill loads.

Gemini CLI copies the folder itself, the same result as the manual copy. Check what it changed before you commit it.

GitHub CLI

$ gh skill install HKUDS/OpenSpace fallback-file-creation

Installs for Copilot at project scope by default; add --scope user for a personal install. Preview a skill first with gh skill preview. Needs GitHub CLI 2.90.0 or later (public preview).

skills CLI

$ npx skills add HKUDS/OpenSpace --skill fallback-file-creation -a github-copilot

Project install goes to .agents/skills/; add -g for ~/.copilot/skills/.

Manual copy

$ git clone --depth 1 https://github.com/HKUDS/OpenSpace.git skills-src && mkdir -p .github/skills && cp -r skills-src/benchmarks/gdpval/skills/fallback-file-creation .github/skills/fallback-file-creation && rm -rf skills-src

Use ~/.copilot/skills/ instead of .github/skills for a personal install. Commit .github/skills so cloud agent and code review can use it.

GitHub Copilot skills documentation · loads skills from .github/skills/, .claude/skills/, .agents/skills/

Paste into GitHub Copilot

Install the "fallback-file-creation" agent skill from https://github.com/HKUDS/OpenSpace/tree/main/benchmarks/gdpval/skills/fallback-file-creation into .github/skills/fallback-file-creation/ in this project. Copy the whole folder (SKILL.md and every file beside it), keep the folder name "fallback-file-creation", then confirm the skill loads.

GitHub Copilot copies the folder itself, the same result as the manual copy. Check what it changed before you commit it.

skills CLI

$ npx skills add HKUDS/OpenSpace --skill fallback-file-creation -a opencode

OpenCode documents no install command of its own. Project install goes to .agents/skills/; add -g for ~/.config/opencode/skills/.

GitHub CLI

$ gh skill install HKUDS/OpenSpace fallback-file-creation --agent opencode

Project scope by default (.agents/skills/); add --scope user for a personal install.

Manual copy

$ git clone --depth 1 https://github.com/HKUDS/OpenSpace.git skills-src && mkdir -p .opencode/skills && cp -r skills-src/benchmarks/gdpval/skills/fallback-file-creation .opencode/skills/fallback-file-creation && rm -rf skills-src

Use ~/.config/opencode/skills/ instead of .opencode/skills for a personal install.

OpenCode skills documentation · loads skills from .opencode/skills/, .claude/skills/, .agents/skills/

Paste into OpenCode

Install the "fallback-file-creation" agent skill from https://github.com/HKUDS/OpenSpace/tree/main/benchmarks/gdpval/skills/fallback-file-creation into .opencode/skills/fallback-file-creation/ in this project. Copy the whole folder (SKILL.md and every file beside it), keep the folder name "fallback-file-creation", then confirm the skill loads.

OpenCode copies the folder itself, the same result as the manual copy. Check what it changed before you commit it.

Facts

Skill name: fallback-file-creation
GitHub stars: 7.7k
Token cost: ~1k tokens
SKILL.md length: 349 words
Files: 2
Skills in repo: 199
Repo updated: Aug 12, 2026
First seen: Oct 7, 2026
Licence: MIT

At a glance

Fallback pattern for reliable file creation when code execution tools fail

Works in 5 steps: Verify Working Directory → Create Scripts via Heredoc → Execute with Explicit Path → …
Documents & Office work in your project
SKILL.md covers When to Use, Step-by-Step Instructions, Example: Creating a PDF Document and Example: Creating a DOCX…, plus 2 more sections
Calls bash, libreoffice and pandoc

What it does

Fallback File Creation is an agent skill from HKUDS/OpenSpace. Fallback pattern for reliable file creation when code execution tools fail

Its SKILL.md is about 1k tokens, which your agent loads only when the skill is triggered. The skill folder holds 1 other file.

It sits in Documents & Office. The repository describes itself as: "OpenSpace: The Skill Management Layer for AI Agents" -- https://open-space.cloud/. The licence is MIT.

When your agent uses it

Documents & Office work in your project

Example prompts

“/fallback-file-creation”

Workflow steps

5 steps, taken from the step headings in SKILL.md.

Verify Working Directory
Create Scripts via Heredoc
Execute with Explicit Path
Verify Output
Iterative Debugging

What it can do on your machine

Read from SKILL.md and the folder at commit 3827781. It shows what the files ask for, not the result of running them.

Tool permissions
Pre-approves nothing: there is no allowed-tools line, so your agent's usual permission prompts apply.
From allowed-tools in the SKILL.md frontmatter.
Runs code
Shell commands in SKILL.md call:
- bash
- libreoffice
- pandoc
From the folder's file list and the shell code blocks in SKILL.md.
Network
No URLs in SKILL.md.
From URLs in SKILL.md, links to its own repository left out.
Credentials
Names no API keys, tokens, secrets or passwords.
From names ending in _API_KEY, _TOKEN, _SECRET, _KEY or _PASSWORD in SKILL.md.

Context cost

Fallback File Creation loads about 1k tokens when it runs. Until then it costs about 24 tokens; SKILL.md has 349 words of instructions outside code blocks.

Always · name and description, kept in context so the agent knows when to use it: ~24
When it runs · the whole SKILL.md, loaded when a task matches: ~1k

Estimates: characters ÷ 4, the usual rule of thumb; real counts depend on the model's tokenizer. Scripts and assets cost tokens only if the agent reads them.

Safety

Auto-check passed

The automated check found no risky patterns in SKILL.md.

Automated static check — not a guarantee. Review scripts before installing. It scans the text of SKILL.md for risky patterns (piping downloads into a shell, reading credential files, hidden Unicode, destructive commands); files beside SKILL.md are not scanned.

SKILL.md

The full file from HKUDS/OpenSpace at commit 3827781, republished under its MIT licence (© HKUDS). 349 words, ~1,022 tokens.

Download SKILL.mdSave it as .claude/skills/fallback-file-creation/SKILL.md (or your agent's skills folder). This skill also uses 1 other file; get the full folder from GitHub.

name: fallback-file-creation
description: Fallback pattern for reliable file creation when code execution tools fail

Fallback File Creation Workflow

Use this skill when execute_code_sandbox or shell_agent fails repeatedly for file creation tasks. This pattern provides a manual but reliable approach to create and verify files.

When to Use

Code execution tools fail after multiple retries
You need to create specific file formats (PDF, DOCX, etc.)
Direct shell commands are more reliable than generated scripts
You need explicit verification of file outputs

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Verify Working Directory

Before any file operations, confirm your current location:

bash

pwd
ls -la

This ensures you're creating files in the correct workspace directory.

Step 2: Create Scripts via Heredoc

Use shell heredocs to create scripts with properly escaped syntax:

bash

cat > /path/to/script.sh << 'EOF'
#!/bin/bash
# Your script content here
# Variables are NOT expanded inside 'EOF' (quoted)
echo "Creating file..."
# Commands to generate output
EOF

Key escaping rules:

Use 'EOF' (quoted) to prevent variable expansion inside the heredoc
Use EOF (unquoted) if you want shell variables to expand
Escape any $, backticks, or special characters if using unquoted EOF

Step 3: Execute with Explicit Path

Always run scripts with their full or explicit relative path:

bash

chmod +x /path/to/script.sh
/path/to/script.sh
# or
bash /path/to/script.sh

Avoid relying on . or implicit paths.

Step 4: Verify Output

After execution, verify files were created correctly:

bash

# Check file exists and size
ls -lh /path/to/output.file

# For PDFs: inspect metadata
pdfinfo /path/to/output.pdf

# For DOCX: check structure
unzip -l /path/to/output.docx | head -20

# For any file: check content preview
file /path/to/output.file
head -c 500 /path/to/output.file

Step 5: Iterative Debugging

If verification fails:

Check error messages from script execution
Verify all dependencies are available (which command)
Test individual commands from the script manually
Re-run with verbose output (bash -x script.sh)

Example: Creating a PDF Document

bash

# Step 1: Verify directory
pwd
ls -la

# Step 2: Create conversion script
cat > /workspace/create_pdf.sh << 'EOF'
#!/bin/bash
cd /workspace
libreoffice --headless --convert-to pdf checklist.odt --outdir .
EOF

# Step 3: Execute
chmod +x /workspace/create_pdf.sh
/workspace/create_pdf.sh

# Step 4: Verify
ls -lh /workspace/checklist.pdf
pdfinfo /workspace/checklist.pdf

Example: Creating a DOCX Document

bash

# Step 1: Verify directory
pwd
ls -la

# Step 2: Create document script
cat > /workspace/create_docx.sh << 'EOF'
#!/bin/bash
cd /workspace
pandoc -f markdown -t docx action_tracker.md -o action_tracker.docx
EOF

# Step 3: Execute
chmod +x /workspace/create_docx.sh
/workspace/create_docx.sh

# Step 4: Verify
ls -lh /workspace/action_tracker.docx
unzip -l /workspace/action_tracker.docx | head -20

Best Practices

Always verify before and after - Check directory state before starting and after completion
Use absolute or explicit paths - Avoid ambiguity in file locations
Quote heredoc delimiters - Use 'EOF' to prevent unwanted variable expansion
Make scripts executable - Always chmod +x before running
Inspect file metadata - Use format-specific tools (pdfinfo, unzip -l, file) to verify content
Keep scripts simple - Each script should do one thing well
Clean up temporary files - Remove intermediate files after successful completion

Troubleshooting

Issue	Solution
Script not found	Use full path: `/workspace/script.sh`
Permission denied	Run `chmod +x script.sh`
File not created	Check script output, verify working directory in script
Wrong file format	Verify conversion tool supports target format
Corrupted output	Re-run with verbose mode, check intermediate files

Files

SKILL.md and 1 other file in benchmarks/gdpval/skills/fallback-file-creation of HKUDS/OpenSpace.

SKILL.md
.skill_id

Open the folder on GitHubat commit 3827781

Compare with similar skills

Fallback File Creation next to the 5 skills that share the most tags, products or categories with it. Stars are the repository's; “used in” counts other GitHub owners with a copy.

Fallback File Creation compared with similar skills
Skill	Stars	Used in	Tokens	Auto-check	Licence	Repo updated
Fallback File Creation this skillHKUDS/OpenSpace	7.7k	—	~1k	Automated safety check: Pass	MIT	1 mo ago
Markdown Article FormatterJimLiu/baoyu-skills	26k	7 repos	~3.5k	Automated safety check: Pass	MIT	28 days ago
MarkitdownImCa0/just-laws	781	14 repos	~3.2k	Automated safety check: Notes	MIT	yesterday
Obsidian MarkdownAtmosphere/atmosphere	3.8k	20 repos	~1.3k	Automated safety check: Pass	Apache-2.0	2 days ago
DOCXrvdbreemen/OTGW-firmware	207	33 repos	~4.3k	Automated safety check: Pass	Proprietary	2 days ago
Gzh Designisjiamu/gzh-design-skill	3.9k	1 repos	~2.2k	Automated safety check: Pass	AGPL-3.0	5 days ago

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Questions about Fallback File Creation

What does Fallback File Creation do?

Fallback pattern for reliable file creation when code execution tools fail. Fallback File Creation is an agent skill from HKUDS/OpenSpace.

When should I use Fallback File Creation?

Fallback File Creation fits situations like: documents & Office work in your project.

How do I install Fallback File Creation in Claude Code?

Run `npx skills add HKUDS/OpenSpace --skill fallback-file-creation -a claude-code`. Or copy the skill folder (benchmarks/gdpval/skills/fallback-file-creation in HKUDS/OpenSpace) into .claude/skills/fallback-file-creation in your project. Claude Code loads it when a task matches its description.

How do I install Fallback File Creation in Codex?

Run `npx skills add HKUDS/OpenSpace --skill fallback-file-creation -a codex`. Or copy the skill folder (benchmarks/gdpval/skills/fallback-file-creation in HKUDS/OpenSpace) into .agents/skills/fallback-file-creation in your project. Codex loads it when a task matches its description.

Can I use Fallback File Creation in Cursor, Gemini CLI or GitHub Copilot?

Cursor, Gemini CLI, GitHub Copilot and OpenCode also load SKILL.md folders. With the skills CLI, run `npx skills add HKUDS/OpenSpace --skill fallback-file-creation -a cursor` (or -a gemini-cli, github-copilot or opencode for the others). To copy it by hand, put the folder in .cursor/skills/fallback-file-creation, .gemini/skills/fallback-file-creation, .github/skills/fallback-file-creation and .opencode/skills/fallback-file-creation in your project.

What does Fallback File Creation need to run?

Going by SKILL.md and its folder, Fallback File Creation needs the command-line tools its instructions call (bash, libreoffice and pandoc).

Does Fallback File Creation access the network?

SKILL.md contains no URLs. Any network use would come from the scripts or tools the agent runs. This is read from the text; nothing was executed.

Is Fallback File Creation safe to install?

Our automated static check of SKILL.md found no risky patterns, such as piping downloads into a shell, reading credential files or hidden Unicode. It is not a guarantee. Review the folder before installing.

What licence does Fallback File Creation use?

Fallback File Creation is published under the MIT licence (the repository's licence). It allows redistribution, so the full SKILL.md is shown on this page.

How many tokens does Fallback File Creation use?

About 1k tokens (SKILL.md is roughly 4.1k characters). Agents keep only the skill's name and description in context until a task matches; then they load SKILL.md in full.

What are the alternatives to Fallback File Creation?

Skills that share tags, products or a category with Fallback File Creation: Markdown Article Formatter (JimLiu/baoyu-skills, 26k stars), Markitdown (ImCa0/just-laws, 781 stars), Obsidian Markdown (Atmosphere/atmosphere, 3.8k stars) and DOCX (rvdbreemen/OTGW-firmware, 207 stars). The comparison table on this page puts their stars, adoption, token cost, safety result and licence side by side.

Who maintains Fallback File Creation?

HKUDS (a GitHub organization) maintains it in HKUDS/OpenSpace, which has 7,749 GitHub stars. The repository holds 199 skills in this directory. The repository was last updated on August 12, 2026.

Source: HKUDS/OpenSpace on GitHub. Facts on this page come from the repository at the commit we read; the author's words are quoted as theirs.

Install Fallback File Creation

Facts

At a glance

What it does

When your agent uses it

Example prompts

Workflow steps

What it can do on your machine

Tool permissions

Runs code

Network

Credentials

Context cost

Safety

SKILL.md

Fallback File Creation Workflow

When to Use

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Verify Working Directory

Step 2: Create Scripts via Heredoc

Step 3: Execute with Explicit Path

Step 4: Verify Output

Step 5: Iterative Debugging

Example: Creating a PDF Document

Example: Creating a DOCX Document

Best Practices

Troubleshooting

Files

Compare with similar skills

Similar skills

More from HKUDS/OpenSpace

Related

Questions about Fallback File Creation