Fallback File Creation

Fallback File Creation Workflow

Use this skill when execute_code_sandbox or shell_agent fails repeatedly for file creation tasks. This pattern provides a manual but reliable approach to create and verify files.

When to Use

• Code execution tools fail after multiple retries
• You need to create specific file formats (PDF, DOCX, etc.)
• Direct shell commands are more reliable than generated scripts
• You need explicit verification of file outputs

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Verify Working Directory

Before any file operations, confirm your current location:

pwd
ls -la

This ensures you're creating files in the correct workspace directory.

Step 2: Create Scripts via Heredoc

Use shell heredocs to create scripts with properly escaped syntax:

cat > /path/to/script.sh  /workspace/create_pdf.sh  /workspace/create_docx.sh << 'EOF'
#!/bin/bash
cd /workspace
pandoc -f markdown -t docx action_tracker.md -o action_tracker.docx
EOF

# Step 3: Execute
chmod +x /workspace/create_docx.sh
/workspace/create_docx.sh

# Step 4: Verify
ls -lh /workspace/action_tracker.docx
unzip -l /workspace/action_tracker.docx | head -20

Best Practices

1. Always verify before and after - Check directory state before starting and after completion
2. Use absolute or explicit paths - Avoid ambiguity in file locations
3. Quote heredoc delimiters - Use 'EOF' to prevent unwanted variable expansion
4. Make scripts executable - Always chmod +x before running
5. Inspect file metadata - Use format-specific tools (pdfinfo, unzip -l, file) to verify content
6. Keep scripts simple - Each script should do one thing well
7. Clean up temporary files - Remove intermediate files after successful completion

Troubleshooting

| Issue | Solution | |-------|----------| | Script not found | Use full path: /workspace/script.sh | | Permission denied | Run chmod +x script.sh | | File not created | Check script output, verify working directory in script | | Wrong file format | Verify conversion tool supports target format | | Corrupted output | Re-run with verbose mode, check intermediate files |

Source & license

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

• Author: HKUDS
• Source: HKUDS/OpenSpace
• License: MIT

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