Harness Book Best Practice
wquguru/harness-books
Best practices for working on the Harness books repo. An agent skill from wquguru/harness-books.
Systematic approach to diagnose and recover from pandoc PDF conversion unknown errors
Install Pandoc PDF Error Recovery
$ npx skills add HKUDS/OpenSpace --skill pandoc-pdf-error-recovery -a claude-codeProject install by default; add -g for ~/.claude/skills/.
$ gh skill install HKUDS/OpenSpace pandoc-pdf-error-recovery --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-recovery .claude/skills/pandoc-pdf-error-recovery && 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-recovery" agent skill from https://github.com/HKUDS/OpenSpace/tree/main/benchmarks/gdpval/skills/pandoc-pdf-error-recovery into .claude/skills/pandoc-pdf-error-recovery/ in this project. Copy the whole folder (SKILL.md and every file beside it), keep the folder name "pandoc-pdf-error-recovery", 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-recoveryType 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-recovery -a codexProject install goes to .agents/skills/; add -g for ~/.codex/skills/.
$ gh skill install HKUDS/OpenSpace pandoc-pdf-error-recovery --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-recovery .agents/skills/pandoc-pdf-error-recovery && 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-recovery" agent skill from https://github.com/HKUDS/OpenSpace/tree/main/benchmarks/gdpval/skills/pandoc-pdf-error-recovery into .agents/skills/pandoc-pdf-error-recovery/ in this project. Copy the whole folder (SKILL.md and every file beside it), keep the folder name "pandoc-pdf-error-recovery", 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-recovery -a cursorProject install goes to .agents/skills/; add -g for ~/.cursor/skills/.
$ gh skill install HKUDS/OpenSpace pandoc-pdf-error-recovery --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-recovery .cursor/skills/pandoc-pdf-error-recovery && 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-recovery" agent skill from https://github.com/HKUDS/OpenSpace/tree/main/benchmarks/gdpval/skills/pandoc-pdf-error-recovery into .cursor/skills/pandoc-pdf-error-recovery/ in this project. Copy the whole folder (SKILL.md and every file beside it), keep the folder name "pandoc-pdf-error-recovery", 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-recovery--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-recovery -a gemini-cliProject install goes to .agents/skills/; add -g for ~/.gemini/skills/.
$ gh skill install HKUDS/OpenSpace pandoc-pdf-error-recovery --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-recovery .gemini/skills/pandoc-pdf-error-recovery && 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-recovery" agent skill from https://github.com/HKUDS/OpenSpace/tree/main/benchmarks/gdpval/skills/pandoc-pdf-error-recovery into .gemini/skills/pandoc-pdf-error-recovery/ in this project. Copy the whole folder (SKILL.md and every file beside it), keep the folder name "pandoc-pdf-error-recovery", 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-recoveryInstalls 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-recovery -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-recovery .github/skills/pandoc-pdf-error-recovery && 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-recovery" agent skill from https://github.com/HKUDS/OpenSpace/tree/main/benchmarks/gdpval/skills/pandoc-pdf-error-recovery into .github/skills/pandoc-pdf-error-recovery/ in this project. Copy the whole folder (SKILL.md and every file beside it), keep the folder name "pandoc-pdf-error-recovery", 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-recovery -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-recovery --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-recovery .opencode/skills/pandoc-pdf-error-recovery && 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-recovery" agent skill from https://github.com/HKUDS/OpenSpace/tree/main/benchmarks/gdpval/skills/pandoc-pdf-error-recovery into .opencode/skills/pandoc-pdf-error-recovery/ in this project. Copy the whole folder (SKILL.md and every file beside it), keep the folder name "pandoc-pdf-error-recovery", 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-recovery- GitHub stars
- 7.8k
- Token cost
- ~887 tokens
- SKILL.md length
- 305 words
- Files
- 2
- Skills in repo
- 199
- Repo updated
- First seen
- Licence
- MIT
At a glance
Systematic approach to diagnose and recover from pandoc PDF conversion unknown errors
- Works in 7 steps: Verify Pandoc Installation → Check Available PDF Engines → Attempt Conversion with Explicit Engine → …
- Tasks that involve PDF
- SKILL.md covers Overview, Step-by-Step Procedure, Quick Reference Command and Tips
- Calls pandoc, apt-get and brew
What it does
Pandoc PDF Error Recovery is an agent skill from HKUDS/OpenSpace. Systematic approach to diagnose and recover from pandoc PDF conversion unknown errors
Its SKILL.md is about 890 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-recovery”
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-getbrewyum
From the folder's file list and the shell code blocks in SKILL.md.
Network
Links to these hosts (documentation or services it may open):
pandoc.org
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 Recovery loads about 887 tokens when it runs. Until then it costs about 28 tokens; SKILL.md has 305 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:24
- Linux: `sudo apt-get install pandoc` or `sudo yum install pandoc` - NoteRuns commands with sudoSKILL.md:86
sudo apt-get install texlive-full - NoteRuns commands with sudoSKILL.md:89
sudo apt-get install texlive-latex-base texlive-fonts-recommended - NoteRuns commands with sudoSKILL.md:92
sudo apt-get install fonts-noto fonts-dejavu
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). 305 words, ~887 tokens.
Download SKILL.mdSave it as
.claude/skills/pandoc-pdf-error-recovery/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-recovery
- description
- Systematic approach to diagnose and recover from pandoc PDF conversion unknown errors
Pandoc PDF Error Recovery
Overview
When pandoc fails to convert documents to PDF with an "unknown error" or similar vague message, follow this systematic diagnostic and recovery workflow.
Step-by-Step Procedure
1. Verify Pandoc Installation
First confirm pandoc is installed and accessible:
pandoc --versionIf this fails, install pandoc before proceeding:
- macOS:
brew install pandoc - Linux:
sudo apt-get install pandocorsudo yum install pandoc - Windows: Download from https://pandoc.org/installing.html
2. Check Available PDF Engines
Identify which PDF rendering engines are available on the system:
which pdflatex xelatex lualatex wkhtmltopdf contextCommon engines and their typical use cases:
- pdflatex: Standard LaTeX, fast but limited Unicode support
- xelatex: Full Unicode support, recommended for most modern documents
- lualatex: Lua scripting support, good for complex layouts
- wkhtmltopdf: HTML/CSS rendering, good for web-style documents
- context: ConTeXt typesetting system
3. Attempt Conversion with Explicit Engine
Try conversion with xelatex first (most versatile for general documents):
pandoc input.md -o output.pdf --pdf-engine=xelatex 2>&1 | tee conversion.logThe 2>&1 | tee pattern captures both stdout and stderr to a log file for analysis.
4. Analyze Error Output
If conversion fails, examine the captured log:
cat conversion.logCommon error patterns and solutions:
- Missing LaTeX packages: Install with
tlmgr install <package>or system package manager - Font issues: Specify fonts with
-V mainfont="Font Name" - Missing engine: Fall back to available engine (go to Step 5)
5. Try Alternative Engines
Systematically try other available engines:
# Fallback to pdflatex
pandoc input.md -o output.pdf --pdf-engine=pdflatex 2>&1 | tee conversion-pdflatex.log
# Or try wkhtmltopdf for HTML-rich content
pandoc input.md -o output.pdf --pdf-engine=wkhtmltopdf 2>&1 | tee conversion-wkhtmltopdf.log
# Or try lualatex for complex documents
pandoc input.md -o output.pdf --pdf-engine=lualatex 2>&1 | tee conversion-lualatex.log6. Install Missing Dependencies
If all engines fail or are missing, install required packages:
# Full TeX Live installation (comprehensive but large)
sudo apt-get install texlive-full
# Or minimal installation with common packages
sudo apt-get install texlive-latex-base texlive-fonts-recommended
# For xelatex font support
sudo apt-get install fonts-noto fonts-dejavu7. Simplify and Retry
If errors persist, try conversion with minimal options:
pandoc input.md -o output.pdf --pdf-engine=xelatex --standaloneRemove complex formatting, custom headers, or advanced LaTeX features that may be causing issues.
Quick Reference Command
Complete diagnostic one-liner:
pandoc --version && which pdflatex xelatex wkhtmltopdf && pandoc input.md -o output.pdf --pdf-engine=xelatex -vTips
- Always capture stderr (
2>&1) to see the actual error message - Use
-v(verbose) flag for more detailed output during troubleshooting - For non-English documents, xelatex or lualatex are usually required
- HTML/CSS-heavy documents may work better with wkhtmltopdf
- Check system disk space - PDF generation can require significant temporary space
© 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-recovery of HKUDS/OpenSpace.
- SKILL.md
- .skill_id
Open the folder on GitHubat commit 3827781
Compare with similar skills
Pandoc PDF Error Recovery 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 Recovery this skillHKUDS/OpenSpace | 7.8k | — | ~887 | 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 Recovery
What does Pandoc PDF Error Recovery do?
Systematic approach to diagnose and recover from pandoc PDF conversion unknown errors. Pandoc PDF Error Recovery is an agent skill from HKUDS/OpenSpace.
When should I use Pandoc PDF Error Recovery?
Pandoc PDF Error Recovery fits situations like: tasks that involve PDF.
How do I install Pandoc PDF Error Recovery in Claude Code?
Run `npx skills add HKUDS/OpenSpace --skill pandoc-pdf-error-recovery -a claude-code`. Or copy the skill folder (benchmarks/gdpval/skills/pandoc-pdf-error-recovery in HKUDS/OpenSpace) into .claude/skills/pandoc-pdf-error-recovery in your project. Claude Code loads it when a task matches its description.
How do I install Pandoc PDF Error Recovery in Codex?
Run `npx skills add HKUDS/OpenSpace --skill pandoc-pdf-error-recovery -a codex`. Or copy the skill folder (benchmarks/gdpval/skills/pandoc-pdf-error-recovery in HKUDS/OpenSpace) into .agents/skills/pandoc-pdf-error-recovery in your project. Codex loads it when a task matches its description.
Can I use Pandoc PDF Error Recovery 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-recovery -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-recovery, .gemini/skills/pandoc-pdf-error-recovery, .github/skills/pandoc-pdf-error-recovery and .opencode/skills/pandoc-pdf-error-recovery in your project.
What does Pandoc PDF Error Recovery need to run?
Going by SKILL.md and its folder, Pandoc PDF Error Recovery needs the command-line tools its instructions call (pandoc, apt-get, brew and yum).
Does Pandoc PDF Error Recovery access the network?
SKILL.md names 1 domain. As links in the text: pandoc.org. This is read from the text; nothing was executed.
Is Pandoc PDF Error Recovery 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 Recovery use?
Pandoc PDF Error Recovery 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 Recovery use?
About 887 tokens (SKILL.md is roughly 3.5k 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 Recovery?
Skills that share tags, products or a category with Pandoc PDF Error Recovery: 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 Recovery?
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.