Harness Book Best Practice
wquguru/harness-books
Best practices for working on the Harness books repo. An agent skill from wquguru/harness-books.
Systematic diagnostic workflow for resolving pandoc PDF conversion errors
Install Pandoc PDF Error Diagnosis
$ npx skills add HKUDS/OpenSpace --skill pandoc-pdf-error-diagnosis -a claude-codeProject install by default; add -g for ~/.claude/skills/.
$ gh skill install HKUDS/OpenSpace pandoc-pdf-error-diagnosis --agent claude-codeProject scope by default; add --scope user for a personal install. Needs GitHub CLI 2.90.0 or later (public preview).
$ git clone --depth 1 https://github.com/HKUDS/OpenSpace.git skills-src && mkdir -p .claude/skills && cp -r skills-src/benchmarks/gdpval/skills/pandoc-pdf-error-diagnosis .claude/skills/pandoc-pdf-error-diagnosis && rm -rf skills-srcUse ~/.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/
Install the "pandoc-pdf-error-diagnosis" agent skill from https://github.com/HKUDS/OpenSpace/tree/main/benchmarks/gdpval/skills/pandoc-pdf-error-diagnosis into .claude/skills/pandoc-pdf-error-diagnosis/ in this project. Copy the whole folder (SKILL.md and every file beside it), keep the folder name "pandoc-pdf-error-diagnosis", 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 install https://github.com/HKUDS/OpenSpace/tree/main/benchmarks/gdpval/skills/pandoc-pdf-error-diagnosisType 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.
$ npx skills add HKUDS/OpenSpace --skill pandoc-pdf-error-diagnosis -a codexProject install goes to .agents/skills/; add -g for ~/.codex/skills/.
$ gh skill install HKUDS/OpenSpace pandoc-pdf-error-diagnosis --agent codexProject scope by default (.agents/skills/); add --scope user for a personal install.
$ git clone --depth 1 https://github.com/HKUDS/OpenSpace.git skills-src && mkdir -p .agents/skills && cp -r skills-src/benchmarks/gdpval/skills/pandoc-pdf-error-diagnosis .agents/skills/pandoc-pdf-error-diagnosis && rm -rf skills-srcUse ~/.agents/skills/ instead of .agents/skills for a personal install.
Codex skills documentation · loads skills from .agents/skills/
Install the "pandoc-pdf-error-diagnosis" agent skill from https://github.com/HKUDS/OpenSpace/tree/main/benchmarks/gdpval/skills/pandoc-pdf-error-diagnosis into .agents/skills/pandoc-pdf-error-diagnosis/ in this project. Copy the whole folder (SKILL.md and every file beside it), keep the folder name "pandoc-pdf-error-diagnosis", 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.
$ npx skills add HKUDS/OpenSpace --skill pandoc-pdf-error-diagnosis -a cursorProject install goes to .agents/skills/; add -g for ~/.cursor/skills/.
$ gh skill install HKUDS/OpenSpace pandoc-pdf-error-diagnosis --agent cursorProject scope by default (.agents/skills/); add --scope user for a personal install.
$ git clone --depth 1 https://github.com/HKUDS/OpenSpace.git skills-src && mkdir -p .cursor/skills && cp -r skills-src/benchmarks/gdpval/skills/pandoc-pdf-error-diagnosis .cursor/skills/pandoc-pdf-error-diagnosis && rm -rf skills-srcUse ~/.cursor/skills/ instead of .cursor/skills for a personal install.
Cursor skills documentation · loads skills from .cursor/skills/, .agents/skills/, .claude/skills/, .codex/skills/
Install the "pandoc-pdf-error-diagnosis" agent skill from https://github.com/HKUDS/OpenSpace/tree/main/benchmarks/gdpval/skills/pandoc-pdf-error-diagnosis into .cursor/skills/pandoc-pdf-error-diagnosis/ in this project. Copy the whole folder (SKILL.md and every file beside it), keep the folder name "pandoc-pdf-error-diagnosis", 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 https://github.com/HKUDS/OpenSpace.git --path benchmarks/gdpval/skills/pandoc-pdf-error-diagnosis--scope user (default) or --scope workspace; --path is the subfolder of the repo that holds the skill; --consent skips the security confirmation prompt.
$ npx skills add HKUDS/OpenSpace --skill pandoc-pdf-error-diagnosis -a gemini-cliProject install goes to .agents/skills/; add -g for ~/.gemini/skills/.
$ gh skill install HKUDS/OpenSpace pandoc-pdf-error-diagnosis --agent gemini-cliProject scope by default (.agents/skills/); add --scope user for a personal install.
$ git clone --depth 1 https://github.com/HKUDS/OpenSpace.git skills-src && mkdir -p .gemini/skills && cp -r skills-src/benchmarks/gdpval/skills/pandoc-pdf-error-diagnosis .gemini/skills/pandoc-pdf-error-diagnosis && rm -rf skills-srcUse ~/.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/
Install the "pandoc-pdf-error-diagnosis" agent skill from https://github.com/HKUDS/OpenSpace/tree/main/benchmarks/gdpval/skills/pandoc-pdf-error-diagnosis into .gemini/skills/pandoc-pdf-error-diagnosis/ in this project. Copy the whole folder (SKILL.md and every file beside it), keep the folder name "pandoc-pdf-error-diagnosis", 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.
$ gh skill install HKUDS/OpenSpace pandoc-pdf-error-diagnosisInstalls 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).
$ npx skills add HKUDS/OpenSpace --skill pandoc-pdf-error-diagnosis -a github-copilotProject install goes to .agents/skills/; add -g for ~/.copilot/skills/.
$ git clone --depth 1 https://github.com/HKUDS/OpenSpace.git skills-src && mkdir -p .github/skills && cp -r skills-src/benchmarks/gdpval/skills/pandoc-pdf-error-diagnosis .github/skills/pandoc-pdf-error-diagnosis && rm -rf skills-srcUse ~/.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/
Install the "pandoc-pdf-error-diagnosis" agent skill from https://github.com/HKUDS/OpenSpace/tree/main/benchmarks/gdpval/skills/pandoc-pdf-error-diagnosis into .github/skills/pandoc-pdf-error-diagnosis/ in this project. Copy the whole folder (SKILL.md and every file beside it), keep the folder name "pandoc-pdf-error-diagnosis", 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.
$ npx skills add HKUDS/OpenSpace --skill pandoc-pdf-error-diagnosis -a opencodeOpenCode documents no install command of its own. Project install goes to .agents/skills/; add -g for ~/.config/opencode/skills/.
$ gh skill install HKUDS/OpenSpace pandoc-pdf-error-diagnosis --agent opencodeProject scope by default (.agents/skills/); add --scope user for a personal install.
$ git clone --depth 1 https://github.com/HKUDS/OpenSpace.git skills-src && mkdir -p .opencode/skills && cp -r skills-src/benchmarks/gdpval/skills/pandoc-pdf-error-diagnosis .opencode/skills/pandoc-pdf-error-diagnosis && rm -rf skills-srcUse ~/.config/opencode/skills/ instead of .opencode/skills for a personal install.
OpenCode skills documentation · loads skills from .opencode/skills/, .claude/skills/, .agents/skills/
Install the "pandoc-pdf-error-diagnosis" agent skill from https://github.com/HKUDS/OpenSpace/tree/main/benchmarks/gdpval/skills/pandoc-pdf-error-diagnosis into .opencode/skills/pandoc-pdf-error-diagnosis/ in this project. Copy the whole folder (SKILL.md and every file beside it), keep the folder name "pandoc-pdf-error-diagnosis", 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
pandoc-pdf-error-diagnosis- GitHub stars
- 7.8k
- Token cost
- ~966 tokens
- SKILL.md length
- 309 words
- Files
- 2
- Skills in repo
- 199
- Repo updated
- First seen
- Licence
- MIT
At a glance
Systematic diagnostic workflow for resolving pandoc PDF conversion errors
- Works in 7 steps: Verify Pandoc Installation → Check Available PDF Engines → Attempt Conversion with Explicit Engine → …
- Tasks that involve PDF
- SKILL.md covers Step 1: Verify Pandoc…, Step 2: Check Available PDF…, Step 3: Attempt Conversion… and Step 4: Analyze Error Output, plus 5 more sections
- Calls pandoc, apt-get and brew
What it does
Pandoc PDF Error Diagnosis is an agent skill from HKUDS/OpenSpace. Systematic diagnostic workflow for resolving pandoc PDF conversion errors
Its SKILL.md is about 970 tokens, which your agent loads only when the skill is triggered. The skill folder holds 1 other file.
It sits in Documents & Office, covering PDF. It works with Pandoc and LaTeX. 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
- Tasks that involve PDF
Example prompts
- “/pandoc-pdf-error-diagnosis”
Workflow steps
7 steps, taken from the step headings in SKILL.md.
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:
pandocapt-getbrew
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
Pandoc PDF Error Diagnosis loads about 966 tokens when it runs. Until then it costs about 25 tokens; SKILL.md has 309 words of instructions outside code blocks.
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: notes
The automated check noted patterns worth knowing about, such as sudo or a known installer.
- NoteRuns commands with sudoSKILL.md:80
sudo apt-get install texlive-xetex texlive-fonts-recommended
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). 309 words, ~966 tokens.
Download SKILL.mdSave it as
.claude/skills/pandoc-pdf-error-diagnosis/SKILL.md (or your agent's skills folder). This skill also uses 1 other file; get the full folder from GitHub.- name
- pandoc-pdf-error-diagnosis
- description
- Systematic diagnostic workflow for resolving pandoc PDF conversion errors
Pandoc PDF Error Diagnosis Workflow
When pandoc reports an "unknown error" during PDF conversion, follow this systematic diagnostic workflow to identify and resolve the issue.
Step 1: Verify Pandoc Installation
First, confirm pandoc is installed and check its version:
pandoc --versionThis verifies pandoc is available and shows which version and features are supported.
Step 2: Check Available PDF Engines
Identify which PDF rendering engines are installed on the system:
which pdflatex xelatex lualatex wkhtmltopdfCommon engines and their characteristics:
- pdflatex: Fast, widely available, good for simple documents
- xelatex: Better Unicode/font support, handles modern fonts well
- lualatex: Advanced Lua scripting, modern TeX features
- wkhtmltopdf: HTML-to-PDF via WebKit, good for web-styled content
Step 3: Attempt Conversion with Explicit Engine
Try conversion with an explicit engine specification, starting with xelatex (most forgiving):
pandoc input.md -o output.pdf --pdf-engine=xelatexImportant: Capture the full stderr output for diagnosis:
pandoc input.md -o output.pdf --pdf-engine=xelatex 2>&1 | tee conversion.logStep 4: Analyze Error Output
Examine the captured stderr for common issues:
| Error Pattern | Likely Cause | Solution |
|---|---|---|
xelatex not found | Engine not installed | Install TeX Live or try different engine |
Package xyz not found | Missing LaTeX package | Install missing package or remove feature |
Font xyz not found | Missing font | Install font or change document fonts |
LaTeX Error: File xyz.sty not found | Missing style file | Install texlive-extra or simplify document |
Step 5: Fallback Strategy
If the primary engine fails, try alternatives in order:
# Try pdflatex (most basic)
pandoc input.md -o output.pdf --pdf-engine=pdflatex 2>&1
# Try lualatex (if xelatex failed)
pandoc input.md -o output.pdf --pdf-engine=lualatex 2>&1
# Try wkhtmltopdf (for HTML-heavy content)
pandoc input.md -o output.pdf --pdf-engine=wkhtmltopdf 2>&1Step 6: Install Missing Dependencies (if possible)
If a specific engine is needed but missing:
# Debian/Ubuntu
sudo apt-get install texlive-xetex texlive-fonts-recommended
# macOS with Homebrew
brew install --cask mactex-no-gui
# Check what's available
tlmgr install <package-name>Step 7: Simplify and Retry
If all engines fail, simplify the source document:
- Remove complex tables or math
- Replace custom fonts with standard fonts
- Split large documents into sections
- Convert to intermediate format first (e.g., HTML then PDF)
Quick Reference Diagnostic Script
#!/bin/bash
# pandoc-pdf-diagnose.sh
INPUT="${1:-input.md}"
OUTPUT="${2:-output.pdf}"
echo "=== Pandoc PDF Conversion Diagnosis ==="
echo "Input: $INPUT"
echo "Output: $OUTPUT"
echo ""
echo "1. Pandoc version:"
pandoc --version | head -1
echo ""
echo "2. Available engines:"
for engine in pdflatex xelatex lualatex wkhtmltopdf; do
if which $engine > /dev/null 2>&1; then
echo " ✓ $engine: $(which $engine)"
else
echo " ✗ $engine: not found"
fi
done
echo ""
echo "3. Attempting conversion with xelatex:"
pandoc "$INPUT" -o "$OUTPUT" --pdf-engine=xelatex 2>&1
if [ $? -eq 0 ]; then
echo "✓ Conversion successful!"
else
echo "✗ Conversion failed. Try alternative engines."
fiWhen to Use This Skill
- Pandoc reports "unknown error" during PDF conversion
- PDF output is empty or corrupted
- Need to determine which PDF engine works best for a document
- Troubleshooting CI/CD pipeline document generation failures
© HKUDS, MIT. Rendered from Markdown: HTML in the file is shown as text, images as links, and headings moved down two levels. Raw file
Files
SKILL.md and 1 other file in benchmarks/gdpval/skills/pandoc-pdf-error-diagnosis of HKUDS/OpenSpace.
- SKILL.md
- .skill_id
Open the folder on GitHubat commit 3827781
Compare with similar skills
Pandoc PDF Error Diagnosis 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.
| Skill | Stars | Used in | Tokens | Auto-check | Licence | Repo updated |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pandoc PDF Error Diagnosis this skillHKUDS/OpenSpace | 7.8k | — | ~966 | Automated safety check: Notes | MIT | |
| Harness Book Best Practicewquguru/harness-books | 3.2k | — | ~4.1k | Automated safety check: Pass | None | |
| Pandic OfficeTeam-Commonly/commonly | 1.4k | — | ~642 | Automated safety check: Pass | Apache-2.0 | |
| Render PDF DocAperivue/medsci-skills | 333 | — | ~2.1k | Automated safety check: Notes | MIT | |
| Md To PDFMathews-Tom/armory | 329 | — | ~2.4k | Automated safety check: Pass | MIT | |
| Md To PDF Academicwentorai/research-plugins | 298 | 1 repos | ~1.8k | Automated safety check: Notes | MIT |
Similar skills
Pandic Office
Team-Commonly/commonly
Convert Markdown to PDF (or DOCX/EPUB/HTML) using the pandoc CLI.
Render PDF Doc
Aperivue/medsci-skills
A skill your agent uses when rendering a Markdown document (English or Korean) such as a proposal, IRB cover letter, handout or reference table to PDF via pandoc and xelatex, with auto-fitted table…
Md To PDF
Mathews-Tom/armory
Convert Markdown to styled PDFs with Mermaid diagrams, LaTeX/KaTeX math, tables, and code highlighting.
Md To PDF Academic
wentorai/research-plugins
Convert Markdown to publication-quality PDF with LaTeX math rendering
Huashu Markdown Publishing Pipeline
alchaincyf/huashu-md-html
Converts files and web pages into clean Markdown, then turns Markdown into polished HTML, Word, PDF and EPUB using four templates.
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Related
Categories
Questions about Pandoc PDF Error Diagnosis
What does Pandoc PDF Error Diagnosis do?
Systematic diagnostic workflow for resolving pandoc PDF conversion errors. Pandoc PDF Error Diagnosis is an agent skill from HKUDS/OpenSpace.
When should I use Pandoc PDF Error Diagnosis?
Pandoc PDF Error Diagnosis fits situations like: tasks that involve PDF.
How do I install Pandoc PDF Error Diagnosis in Claude Code?
Run `npx skills add HKUDS/OpenSpace --skill pandoc-pdf-error-diagnosis -a claude-code`. Or copy the skill folder (benchmarks/gdpval/skills/pandoc-pdf-error-diagnosis in HKUDS/OpenSpace) into .claude/skills/pandoc-pdf-error-diagnosis in your project. Claude Code loads it when a task matches its description.
How do I install Pandoc PDF Error Diagnosis in Codex?
Run `npx skills add HKUDS/OpenSpace --skill pandoc-pdf-error-diagnosis -a codex`. Or copy the skill folder (benchmarks/gdpval/skills/pandoc-pdf-error-diagnosis in HKUDS/OpenSpace) into .agents/skills/pandoc-pdf-error-diagnosis in your project. Codex loads it when a task matches its description.
Can I use Pandoc PDF Error Diagnosis 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 pandoc-pdf-error-diagnosis -a cursor` (or -a gemini-cli, github-copilot or opencode for the others). To copy it by hand, put the folder in .cursor/skills/pandoc-pdf-error-diagnosis, .gemini/skills/pandoc-pdf-error-diagnosis, .github/skills/pandoc-pdf-error-diagnosis and .opencode/skills/pandoc-pdf-error-diagnosis in your project.
What does Pandoc PDF Error Diagnosis need to run?
Going by SKILL.md and its folder, Pandoc PDF Error Diagnosis needs the command-line tools its instructions call (pandoc, apt-get and brew).
Does Pandoc PDF Error Diagnosis 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 Pandoc PDF Error Diagnosis safe to install?
Our automated static check of SKILL.md found notes only (runs commands with sudo), nothing it rates as a warning. It is not a guarantee. Review the folder before installing.
What licence does Pandoc PDF Error Diagnosis use?
Pandoc PDF Error Diagnosis 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 Pandoc PDF Error Diagnosis use?
About 966 tokens (SKILL.md is roughly 3.9k 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 Pandoc PDF Error Diagnosis?
Skills that share tags, products or a category with Pandoc PDF Error Diagnosis: Harness Book Best Practice (wquguru/harness-books, 3.2k stars), Pandic Office (Team-Commonly/commonly, 1.4k stars), Render PDF Doc (Aperivue/medsci-skills, 333 stars) and Md To PDF (Mathews-Tom/armory, 329 stars). The comparison table on this page puts their stars, adoption, token cost, safety result and licence side by side.
Who maintains Pandoc PDF Error Diagnosis?
HKUDS (a GitHub organization) maintains it in HKUDS/OpenSpace, which has 7,754 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.