verified-script-execution

Verified Script Execution Workflow

When execute_code_sandbox or shell_agent fails repeatedly, use this manual fallback pattern to reliably create and verify files through explicit shell commands.

When to Activate This Pattern

• After 3+ consecutive failures with execute_code_sandbox
• When shell_agent produces repeated errors without progress
• For critical deliverables (PDFs, Word docs, reports) that must be created reliably
• When working directory confusion causes file creation failures

Step 1: Verify Working Directory

Always confirm your current location before creating any files:

pwd
ls -la

This ensures you're writing to the correct workspace directory and reveals any existing files that might conflict.

Step 2: Create Scripts via Heredoc

Use shell heredoc syntax to create scripts with proper escaping. Choose the heredoc delimiter style based on your needs:

For literal content (no variable expansion):

cat > script_name.sh << 'EOF'
#!/bin/bash
# Your script content here
# Variables like $VAR will NOT be expanded
echo "Literal text with $symbols"
EOF

For content requiring variable expansion:

cat > script_name.sh << EOF
#!/bin/bash
OUTPUT_DIR="$PWD/output"
# Variables WILL be expanded
echo "Working in $OUTPUT_DIR"
EOF

Key escaping rules:

• Use << 'EOF' (quoted delimiter) to prevent variable expansion and command substitution
• Use << EOF (unquoted delimiter) when you need shell variables expanded
• Escape single quotes inside quoted heredoc as '\''
• For nested heredocs, use different delimiters (e.g., EOF and INNER)

Step 3: Make Executable and Run with Explicit Path

chmod +x script_name.sh
./script_name.sh

Or use the explicit full path for certainty:

bash /full/path/to/script_name.sh

Step 4: Verify Output

Always verify file creation and inspect content:

# Check file exists and see size
ls -lh expected_output.pdf
ls -lh expected_output.docx

# For PDFs, verify structure and page count
pdfinfo expected_output.pdf

# For Word docs, inspect internal structure
unzip -l expected_output.docx | head -20