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 << 'EOF'
#!/bin/bash
# Your script content here
# Variables are NOT expanded inside 'EOF' (quoted)
echo "Creating file..."
# Commands to generate output
EOF

Key escaping rules:

• Use 'EOF' (quoted) to prevent variable expansion inside the heredoc
• Use EOF (unquoted) if you want shell variables to expand
• Escape any $, backticks, or special characters if using unquoted EOF

Step 3: Execute with Explicit Path

Always run scripts with their full or explicit relative path:

chmod +x /path/to/script.sh
/path/to/script.sh
# or
bash /path/to/script.sh

Avoid relying on . or implicit paths.

Step 4: Verify Output

After execution, verify files were created correctly:

# Check file exists and size
ls -lh /path/to/output.file

# For PDFs: inspect metadata
pdfinfo /path/to/output.pdf

# For DOCX: check structure
unzip -l /path/to/output.docx | head -20

# For any file: check content preview
file /path/to/output.file
head -c 500 /path/to/output.file

Step 5: Iterative Debugging

If verification fails:

1. Check error messages from script execution
2. Verify all dependencies are available (which command)
3. Test individual commands from the script manually
4. Re-run with verbose output (bash -x script.sh)