PDF Toolkit
XiaomiMiMo/MiMo-Code
Reads, transforms, composes and fills PDFs with Python scripts for extraction, merging, watermarking, encryption, OCR and form filling.
Reliable PDF generation using shell-based Python execution when sandbox fails
Install PDF Gen Fallback
$ npx skills add HKUDS/OpenSpace --skill pdf-gen-fallback -a claude-codeProject install by default; add -g for ~/.claude/skills/.
$ gh skill install HKUDS/OpenSpace pdf-gen-fallback --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/pdf-gen-fallback .claude/skills/pdf-gen-fallback && 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 "pdf-gen-fallback" agent skill from https://github.com/HKUDS/OpenSpace/tree/main/benchmarks/gdpval/skills/pdf-gen-fallback into .claude/skills/pdf-gen-fallback/ in this project. Copy the whole folder (SKILL.md and every file beside it), keep the folder name "pdf-gen-fallback", 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/pdf-gen-fallbackType 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 pdf-gen-fallback -a codexProject install goes to .agents/skills/; add -g for ~/.codex/skills/.
$ gh skill install HKUDS/OpenSpace pdf-gen-fallback --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/pdf-gen-fallback .agents/skills/pdf-gen-fallback && rm -rf skills-srcUse ~/.agents/skills/ instead of .agents/skills for a personal install.
Codex skills documentation · loads skills from .agents/skills/
Install the "pdf-gen-fallback" agent skill from https://github.com/HKUDS/OpenSpace/tree/main/benchmarks/gdpval/skills/pdf-gen-fallback into .agents/skills/pdf-gen-fallback/ in this project. Copy the whole folder (SKILL.md and every file beside it), keep the folder name "pdf-gen-fallback", 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 pdf-gen-fallback -a cursorProject install goes to .agents/skills/; add -g for ~/.cursor/skills/.
$ gh skill install HKUDS/OpenSpace pdf-gen-fallback --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/pdf-gen-fallback .cursor/skills/pdf-gen-fallback && 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 "pdf-gen-fallback" agent skill from https://github.com/HKUDS/OpenSpace/tree/main/benchmarks/gdpval/skills/pdf-gen-fallback into .cursor/skills/pdf-gen-fallback/ in this project. Copy the whole folder (SKILL.md and every file beside it), keep the folder name "pdf-gen-fallback", 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/pdf-gen-fallback--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 pdf-gen-fallback -a gemini-cliProject install goes to .agents/skills/; add -g for ~/.gemini/skills/.
$ gh skill install HKUDS/OpenSpace pdf-gen-fallback --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/pdf-gen-fallback .gemini/skills/pdf-gen-fallback && 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 "pdf-gen-fallback" agent skill from https://github.com/HKUDS/OpenSpace/tree/main/benchmarks/gdpval/skills/pdf-gen-fallback into .gemini/skills/pdf-gen-fallback/ in this project. Copy the whole folder (SKILL.md and every file beside it), keep the folder name "pdf-gen-fallback", 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 pdf-gen-fallbackInstalls 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 pdf-gen-fallback -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/pdf-gen-fallback .github/skills/pdf-gen-fallback && 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 "pdf-gen-fallback" agent skill from https://github.com/HKUDS/OpenSpace/tree/main/benchmarks/gdpval/skills/pdf-gen-fallback into .github/skills/pdf-gen-fallback/ in this project. Copy the whole folder (SKILL.md and every file beside it), keep the folder name "pdf-gen-fallback", 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 pdf-gen-fallback -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 pdf-gen-fallback --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/pdf-gen-fallback .opencode/skills/pdf-gen-fallback && 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 "pdf-gen-fallback" agent skill from https://github.com/HKUDS/OpenSpace/tree/main/benchmarks/gdpval/skills/pdf-gen-fallback into .opencode/skills/pdf-gen-fallback/ in this project. Copy the whole folder (SKILL.md and every file beside it), keep the folder name "pdf-gen-fallback", 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
pdf-gen-fallback- GitHub stars
- 7.8k
- Token cost
- ~810 tokens
- SKILL.md length
- 259 words
- Files
- 2
- Skills in repo
- 199
- Repo updated
- First seen
- Licence
- MIT
At a glance
Reliable PDF generation using shell-based Python execution when sandbox fails
- Works in 5 steps: Check Library Availability → Attempt execute_code_sandbox First → Detect Opaque Errors → …
- Tasks that involve PDF
- SKILL.md covers When to Use, Step-by-Step Procedure, Complete Example Workflow and Error Handling Tips, plus 2 more sections
- Calls python
What it does
PDF Gen Fallback is an agent skill from HKUDS/OpenSpace. Reliable PDF generation using shell-based Python execution when sandbox fails
Its SKILL.md is about 810 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 Python and pypdf. 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
- “/pdf-gen-fallback”
Requirements
- Python 3
Workflow steps
5 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:
python
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
PDF Gen Fallback loads about 810 tokens when it runs. Until then it costs about 24 tokens; SKILL.md has 259 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 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). 259 words, ~810 tokens.
Download SKILL.mdSave it as
.claude/skills/pdf-gen-fallback/SKILL.md (or your agent's skills folder). This skill also uses 1 other file; get the full folder from GitHub.- name
- pdf-gen-fallback
- description
- Reliable PDF generation using shell-based Python execution when sandbox fails
PDF Generation Fallback
This skill provides a reliable workflow for generating PDFs and documents when execute_code_sandbox returns opaque errors. Use direct run_shell with python -c as a fallback, with library availability checks and explicit error handling.
When to Use
execute_code_sandboxfails with cryptic error messages during document/PDF generation- You need to generate PDFs, reports, or structured documents
- Standard library execution is unreliable for document creation tasks
Step-by-Step Procedure
Step 1: Check Library Availability
Before attempting generation, verify that required libraries are installed:
run_shell command="python -c \"import reportlab; print('reportlab available')\""
run_shell command="python -c \"import fpdf; print('fpdf available')\""
run_shell command="python -c \"import pypdf; print('pypdf available')\""Step 2: Attempt execute_code_sandbox First
Try the sandbox approach initially (it's cleaner for iteration):
execute_code_sandbox code="""
from reportlab.lib.pagesizes import letter
from reportlab.pdfgen import canvas
c = canvas.Canvas("output.pdf", pagesize=letter)
c.drawString(100, 750, "Document Content")
c.save()
print("ARTIFACT_PATH:/path/to/output.pdf")
"""Step 3: Detect Opaque Errors
Watch for these failure indicators:
- Generic "execution failed" messages
- Import errors that don't match library availability checks
- Timeout errors during document rendering
- Missing artifact paths in output
Step 4: Fall Back to run_shell
If sandbox fails, use direct shell execution:
run_shell command="python -c \"
from reportlab.lib.pagesizes import letter
from reportlab.pdfgen import canvas
c = canvas.Canvas('output.pdf', pagesize=letter)
c.drawString(100, 750, 'Document Content')
c.save()
print('PDF created successfully')
\""Step 5: Verify Output
After generation, confirm the file exists:
run_shell command="ls -la output.pdf && file output.pdf"Complete Example Workflow
1. Check libraries: run_shell "python -c \"import reportlab\""
2. Try sandbox: execute_code_sandbox with PDF generation code
3. If error detected: Fall back to run_shell with python -c
4. Verify: run_shell "ls -la *.pdf"
5. Read result: read_file filetype="pdf" file_path="output.pdf"Error Handling Tips
- Capture stderr from run_shell to diagnose issues
- Use absolute paths when possible to avoid working directory issues
- For complex documents, write the Python script to a file first, then execute
- Consider installing missing libraries:
run_shell command="pip install reportlab"
Library Alternatives
If reportlab is unavailable, try:
fpdf- Simpler API, good for basic PDFsweasyprint- HTML/CSS to PDF conversionpypdf- PDF manipulation and merging
Common Pitfalls
- Don't assume sandbox errors mean the approach is wrong—often it's环境 issues
- Always verify the PDF was created before proceeding
- Handle encoding issues explicitly (use utf-8)
- For images in PDFs, ensure image files are accessible to the execution context
© 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/pdf-gen-fallback of HKUDS/OpenSpace.
- SKILL.md
- .skill_id
Open the folder on GitHubat commit 3827781
Compare with similar skills
PDF Gen Fallback 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PDF Gen Fallback this skillHKUDS/OpenSpace | 7.8k | — | ~810 | Automated safety check: Pass | MIT | |
| PDF ToolkitXiaomiMiMo/MiMo-Code | 14k | — | ~1.7k | Automated safety check: Pass | Apache-2.0 | |
| PDF Generation, Forms and Extractionpipeshub-ai/pipeshub-ai | 3.8k | — | ~2.9k | Automated safety check: Pass | Apache-2.0 | |
| PDFNousResearch/hermes-agent | 252k | — | ~3.1k | Automated safety check: Pass | MIT | |
| PDF ExploreHughYau/AcademicForge | 2.6k | — | ~3.1k | Automated safety check: Pass | Apache-2.0 | |
| PDF Readerespennilsen/pi | 122 | — | ~1.6k | Automated safety check: Pass | MIT |
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Related
Categories
Questions about PDF Gen Fallback
What does PDF Gen Fallback do?
Reliable PDF generation using shell-based Python execution when sandbox fails. PDF Gen Fallback is an agent skill from HKUDS/OpenSpace.
When should I use PDF Gen Fallback?
PDF Gen Fallback fits situations like: tasks that involve PDF.
How do I install PDF Gen Fallback in Claude Code?
Run `npx skills add HKUDS/OpenSpace --skill pdf-gen-fallback -a claude-code`. Or copy the skill folder (benchmarks/gdpval/skills/pdf-gen-fallback in HKUDS/OpenSpace) into .claude/skills/pdf-gen-fallback in your project. Claude Code loads it when a task matches its description.
How do I install PDF Gen Fallback in Codex?
Run `npx skills add HKUDS/OpenSpace --skill pdf-gen-fallback -a codex`. Or copy the skill folder (benchmarks/gdpval/skills/pdf-gen-fallback in HKUDS/OpenSpace) into .agents/skills/pdf-gen-fallback in your project. Codex loads it when a task matches its description.
Can I use PDF Gen Fallback 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 pdf-gen-fallback -a cursor` (or -a gemini-cli, github-copilot or opencode for the others). To copy it by hand, put the folder in .cursor/skills/pdf-gen-fallback, .gemini/skills/pdf-gen-fallback, .github/skills/pdf-gen-fallback and .opencode/skills/pdf-gen-fallback in your project.
What does PDF Gen Fallback need to run?
Going by SKILL.md and its folder, PDF Gen Fallback needs the command-line tools its instructions call (python). Our summary lists: Python 3.
Does PDF Gen Fallback 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 PDF Gen Fallback 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 PDF Gen Fallback use?
PDF Gen Fallback 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 PDF Gen Fallback use?
About 810 tokens (SKILL.md is roughly 3.2k 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 PDF Gen Fallback?
Skills that share tags, products or a category with PDF Gen Fallback: PDF Toolkit (XiaomiMiMo/MiMo-Code, 14k stars), PDF Generation, Forms and Extraction (pipeshub-ai/pipeshub-ai, 3.8k stars), PDF (NousResearch/hermes-agent, 252k stars) and PDF Explore (HughYau/AcademicForge, 2.6k stars). The comparison table on this page puts their stars, adoption, token cost, safety result and licence side by side.
Who maintains PDF Gen Fallback?
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.