New: 98,000+ skills indexed from GitHub repos with 100+ stars · every skill safety-checkedBrowse top skillsTop skills
Esc to closeBrowse all skills
Submit a skillBrowse skills
Submit a skillBrowse skills

Agent skill

Pandoc PDF Error Resolution

by HKUDS in HKUDS/OpenSpace

Systematic debugging workflow for pandoc PDF conversion errors

MITAuto-check passedDocuments & Office

Install Pandoc PDF Error Resolution

skills CLI
$ npx skills add HKUDS/OpenSpace --skill pandoc-pdf-error-resolution -a claude-code

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

GitHub CLI
$ gh skill install HKUDS/OpenSpace pandoc-pdf-error-resolution --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/pandoc-pdf-error-resolution .claude/skills/pandoc-pdf-error-resolution && 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/

Facts

Skill name
pandoc-pdf-error-resolution
GitHub stars
7.8k
Token cost
~1.1k tokens
SKILL.md length
335 words
Files
2
Skills in repo
199
Repo updated
First seen
Licence
MIT

At a glance

Systematic debugging workflow for pandoc PDF conversion errors

  • Works in 6 steps: Verify Pandoc Installation → Check Available PDF Engines → Attempt Conversion with Explicit Engine → …
  • Tasks that involve PDF
  • SKILL.md covers When to Use, Step-by-Step Procedure, Example Complete Workflow and Quick Reference
  • Calls pandoc, apt-get and brew

What it does

Pandoc PDF Error Resolution is an agent skill from HKUDS/OpenSpace. Systematic debugging workflow for pandoc PDF conversion errors

Its SKILL.md is about 1.1k 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 and Debugging. 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
  • Tasks that involve Debugging

Example prompts

  • “/pandoc-pdf-error-resolution”

Workflow steps

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

  1. Verify Pandoc Installation
  2. Check Available PDF Engines
  3. Attempt Conversion with Explicit Engine
  4. Capture Full stderr Output
  5. Install Missing Dependencies (if needed)
  6. Fallback Strategies

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:

    • pandoc
    • apt-get
    • brew

    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 Resolution loads about 1.1k tokens when it runs. Until then it costs about 23 tokens; SKILL.md has 335 words of instructions outside code blocks.

Always · name and description, kept in context so the agent knows when to use it
~23
When it runs · the whole SKILL.md, loaded when a task matches
~1.1k

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). 335 words, ~1,055 tokens.

Download SKILL.mdSave it as .claude/skills/pandoc-pdf-error-resolution/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-resolution
description
Systematic debugging workflow for pandoc PDF conversion errors

Pandoc PDF Error Resolution

This skill provides a step-by-step workflow for diagnosing and resolving "unknown error" messages when using pandoc to generate PDFs.

When to Use

Use this skill when:

  • Pandoc returns an "unknown error" during PDF conversion
  • The conversion succeeds for other formats (e.g., markdown, HTML) but fails for PDF
  • You need to identify which PDF engine is available and working

Step-by-Step Procedure

Step 1: Verify Pandoc Installation

First, confirm pandoc is installed and check its version:

bash
pandoc --version

This confirms pandoc is available and shows the version number. Note that pandoc itself doesn't generate PDFs directly—it delegates to external PDF engines.

Step 2: Check Available PDF Engines

Identify which PDF engines are installed on the system:

bash
which pdflatex xelatex lualatex wkhtmltopdf pdfroff 2>/dev/null || echo "Checking individual engines..."
which pdflatex
which xelatex
which lualatex
which wkhtmltopdf

Common engines and their characteristics:

  • pdflatex: Fast, widely available, good for basic documents
  • xelatex: Better Unicode/font support, recommended for complex documents
  • lualatex: Advanced typography, Lua scripting support
  • wkhtmltopdf: HTML-to-PDF conversion, good for web-style documents
Step 3: Attempt Conversion with Explicit Engine

Retry the conversion with an explicit --pdf-engine flag:

bash
pandoc input.md -o output.pdf --pdf-engine=xelatex

Try engines in this order:

  1. xelatex (best Unicode support)
  2. pdflatex (most widely available)
  3. lualatex (if xelatex fails)
  4. wkhtmltopdf (for HTML-heavy content)
Step 4: Capture Full stderr Output

Always capture the complete error output before falling back:

bash
pandoc input.md -o output.pdf --pdf-engine=xelatex 2>&1 | tee pandoc_error.log

This preserves the full error message for analysis. Common error patterns:

  • Font errors: Missing LaTeX packages or fonts
  • Package errors: Missing LaTeX packages (use tlmgr install <package>)
  • Syntax errors: Issues in the source document
Step 5: Install Missing Dependencies (if needed)

If errors indicate missing LaTeX packages:

bash
# For TeX Live
tlmgr install <package-name>

# For Debian/Ubuntu
apt-get install texlive-latex-extra texlive-fonts-recommended

# For macOS with Homebrew
brew install --cask mactex
Step 6: Fallback Strategies

If all engines fail, consider:

  1. Convert to HTML first, then use wkhtmltopdf
  2. Simplify the document (remove complex formatting)
  3. Use an online conversion service
  4. Generate PDF from a different format (e.g., DOCX via LibreOffice)

Example Complete Workflow

bash
#!/bin/bash
# pandoc-pdf-debug.sh

INPUT_FILE="$1"
OUTPUT_FILE="${INPUT_FILE%.md}.pdf"

echo "=== Pandoc PDF Conversion Debug ==="
echo "Input: $INPUT_FILE"
echo "Output: $OUTPUT_FILE"

# Step 1: Verify pandoc
echo -e "\n[1] Checking pandoc version..."
pandoc --version | head -1

# Step 2: Check engines
echo -e "\n[2] Checking available PDF engines..."
for engine in pdflatex xelatex lualatex wkhtmltopdf; do
    if which "$engine" &>/dev/null; then
        echo "  ✓ $engine: $(which $engine)"
    else
        echo "  ✗ $engine: not found"
    fi
done

# Step 3: Try conversion with xelatex
echo -e "\n[3] Attempting conversion with xelatex..."
pandoc "$INPUT_FILE" -o "$OUTPUT_FILE" --pdf-engine=xelatex 2>&1 | tee /tmp/pandoc_error.log

if [ $? -eq 0 ]; then
    echo "✓ Conversion successful!"
else
    echo "✗ Conversion failed. Check /tmp/pandoc_error.log for details"
    echo "Attempting fallback with pdflatex..."
    pandoc "$INPUT_FILE" -o "$OUTPUT_FILE" --pdf-engine=pdflatex 2>&1
fi

Quick Reference

CommandPurpose
pandoc --versionVerify pandoc installation
which xelatexCheck if xelatex engine exists
pandoc file.md -o file.pdf --pdf-engine=xelatexConvert with explicit engine
... 2>&1 | tee error.logCapture full stderr output
tlmgr install <pkg>Install missing LaTeX package

© 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-resolution of HKUDS/OpenSpace.

  • SKILL.md
  • .skill_id

Open the folder on GitHubat commit 3827781

Compare with similar skills

Pandoc PDF Error Resolution 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.

Pandoc PDF Error Resolution compared with similar skills
SkillStarsUsed inTokensAuto-checkLicenceRepo updated
Pandoc PDF Error Resolution this skillHKUDS/OpenSpace7.8k—~1.1kAutomated safety check: PassMIT
Harness Book Best Practicewquguru/harness-books3.2k—~4.1kAutomated safety check: PassNone
Pandic OfficeTeam-Commonly/commonly1.4k—~642Automated safety check: PassApache-2.0
Render PDF DocAperivue/medsci-skills331—~2.1kAutomated safety check: NotesMIT
Md To PDFMathews-Tom/armory328—~2.4kAutomated safety check: PassMIT
Md To PDF Academicwentorai/research-plugins2981 repos~1.8kAutomated safety check: NotesMIT

Similar skills

  • Harness Book Best Practice

    wquguru/harness-books

    Best practices for working on the Harness books repo. An agent skill from wquguru/harness-books.

    3.2k GitHub stars~4.1k tokensUpdated 5 mo ago
    Documents & OfficeAuto-check passed

  • Pandic Office

    Team-Commonly/commonly

    Convert Markdown to PDF (or DOCX/EPUB/HTML) using the pandoc CLI.

    1.4k GitHub stars~642 tokensUpdated today
    Documents & OfficeAuto-check passed

  • 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…

    331 GitHub stars~2.1k tokensUpdated 4 days ago
    Documents & OfficeAuto-check: notes

  • Md To PDF

    Mathews-Tom/armory

    Convert Markdown to styled PDFs with Mermaid diagrams, LaTeX/KaTeX math, tables, and code highlighting.

    328 GitHub stars~2.4k tokensUpdated 3 days ago
    Documents & OfficeAuto-check passed

  • Md To PDF Academic

    wentorai/research-plugins

    Convert Markdown to publication-quality PDF with LaTeX math rendering

    298 GitHub starsUsed in 1 repo~1.8k tokens
    Documents & OfficeAuto-check: notes

  • 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.

    907 GitHub stars~4.8k tokensUpdated 1 mo ago
    Documents & OfficeAuto-check passed

More from HKUDS/OpenSpace

All 199 skills in this repo

  • Audio Track Production Workflow

    HKUDS/OpenSpace

    Walks through producing a master audio track plus stems in Python, from checking a reference file and timing sections by BPM to effects, a zip archive and final verification.

    7.8k GitHub stars~2.9k tokensUpdated 1 mo ago
    Auto-check passed

  • Cascade Failure Recovery

    HKUDS/OpenSpace

    Handle cascading data retrieval tool failures by falling back to embedded knowledge generation

    7.8k GitHub stars~765 tokensUpdated 1 mo ago
    Auto-check passed

  • Sandbox Code Execution Fallback

    HKUDS/OpenSpace

    Gives an agent a workaround when its code-execution sandbox keeps failing: save the Python script to a file and run it through the shell instead.

    7.8k GitHub stars~588 tokensUpdated 1 mo ago
    Auto-check passed

  • Code Execution Fallback

    HKUDS/OpenSpace

    A recovery routine for agents whose sandboxed code runner keeps failing: save the Python script to disk, then run it through the shell and read the output.

    7.8k GitHub stars~652 tokensUpdated 1 mo ago
    Auto-check passed

  • Code Execution Fallback and Path Anchoring

    HKUDS/OpenSpace

    Fallback ladder for failed sandboxed code runs, plus the habit of fixing the working directory first so generated files land in the right place.

    7.8k GitHub stars~1.1k tokensUpdated 1 mo ago
    Auto-check passed

  • Code Execution Fallback E81068

    HKUDS/OpenSpace

    Fallback workflow for executing Python code when executecodesandbox fails repeatedly

    7.8k GitHub stars~1.1k tokensUpdated 1 mo ago
    Auto-check passed

Works with

Categories

Questions about Pandoc PDF Error Resolution

What does Pandoc PDF Error Resolution do?

Systematic debugging workflow for pandoc PDF conversion errors. Pandoc PDF Error Resolution is an agent skill from HKUDS/OpenSpace.

When should I use Pandoc PDF Error Resolution?

Pandoc PDF Error Resolution fits situations like: tasks that involve PDF; tasks that involve Debugging.

How do I install Pandoc PDF Error Resolution in Claude Code?

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

How do I install Pandoc PDF Error Resolution in Codex?

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

Can I use Pandoc PDF Error Resolution 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-resolution -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-resolution, .gemini/skills/pandoc-pdf-error-resolution, .github/skills/pandoc-pdf-error-resolution and .opencode/skills/pandoc-pdf-error-resolution in your project.

What does Pandoc PDF Error Resolution need to run?

Going by SKILL.md and its folder, Pandoc PDF Error Resolution needs the command-line tools its instructions call (pandoc, apt-get and brew).

Does Pandoc PDF Error Resolution 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 Resolution 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 Pandoc PDF Error Resolution use?

Pandoc PDF Error Resolution 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 Resolution use?

About 1.1k tokens (SKILL.md is roughly 4.2k 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 Resolution?

Skills that share tags, products or a category with Pandoc PDF Error Resolution: Harness Book Best Practice (wquguru/harness-books, 3.2k stars), Pandic Office (Team-Commonly/commonly, 1.4k stars), Render PDF Doc (Aperivue/medsci-skills, 331 stars) and Md To PDF (Mathews-Tom/armory, 328 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 Resolution?

HKUDS (a GitHub organization) maintains it in HKUDS/OpenSpace, which has 7,750 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.