Academic Figure Prompt

Academic Figure Prompt

Default deliverable: a JSON figure spec (exact_* text locks + layout blocks + rendering rules). Text prompts only for simple charts or explicit user request.

Schema and examples: → json-schema.md Palettes: → ../docs/palettes.md Missing info: → ../docs/missing-info-policy.md

Text Budget (leading rule)

On-figure text is short labels and structure. Formulas, params, and long prose go to Figure Caption.

| element | limit | |---------|-------| | module title | ≤ 5 words | | subcomponent | ≤ 3 words | | pipeline step | ≤ 2 words primary + ≤ 2 secondary | | formula on figure | ≤ 1 line core only | | arrow label | ≤ 3 words |

Label hierarchy: Primary (must read at a glance) → Secondary (drop first under space pressure) → Caption (never on figure).

Input Contract

• Prefer: figure type, paper/section content, modules, labels, formulas, dims, Palette Decision, reference image
• Minimum: figure type + subject/method overview
• Missing: skeleton spec with placeholders; mark 推断 / 待确认

Output Contract — Figure Spec Package

• Chinese figure name + type
• JSON spec (default) or text prompt (fallback)
• palette name + hex used
• caption reserve list
• completeness block (see missing-info policy)

Steps

Step 1: Ground content

Read available paper/section material. Extract modules, dataflow, symbols, dims.

Done when: every claimed module has a source span or is marked placeholder.

Step 2: Reference image (if any)

Extract palette, layout flow, box style, annotation density, special links.

Done when: reference constraints are listed or “no reference” is explicit.

Step 3: Palette

Do not maintain a private palette table. This skill is classic family only (pastel → other skill).

1. User-specified palette / hex → use it
2. Else existing Palette Decision from color-expert → use it
3. Else run docs/palettes.md Scene → palette decision (hard constraints → type → venue → domain); if still empty, safe default (≥4 modules → Nature Blue; else Okabe-Ito) and say so
4. Load hex from docs/palettes.md
5. If user signals airy/pastel, stop and route to academic-figure-prompt-pastel instead of forcing classic borders

Done when: palette name + hex are fixed, family is classic, and the decision branch is stated.

Step 4: Emit JSON spec

Load json-schema.md. Build layout_and_content_blocks with exact_* locks for every visible word. White fill + colored borders. Attach rendering rules and caption_note list.

Done when checklist passes:

• [ ] every on-figure string is in an exact_* field
• [ ] Text Budget respected
• [ ] white fill / colored borders only
• [ ] ≤ 3 chromatics from chosen palette
• [ ] caption reserve lists off-figure content
• [ ] no empty module shells
• [ ] weight status (frozen vs trainable) uses non-emoji pattern (dashed/solid borders, hatching, or pills)
• [ ] explicit negative instructions included: NO emojis, NO lock/fire/lightning icons, NO 3D rendering

Step 5: Fallback text prompt (rare)

Only if ≤ 3 modules without branches, pure data chart, or user demands prose prompt. Use four-layer skeleton in json-schema.md (Global Context → Section/Column Encapsulation → Annotations & Links → Style Specifications with hex & negative constraints).

Stop

Stop when the Figure Spec Package for the requested figure(s) is delivered, or when figure type and subject are both missing (ask for those two only).

Source & license

This open-source skill is cataloged on AgentStack and links to its original source — we do not rehost the code.

• Author: Azhi-ss
• Source: Azhi-ss/academic-figure-skills
• License: MIT
• Homepage: https://www.skills.sh/azhi-ss/academic-figure-skills

Install and usage instructions live in the source repository linked above.