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Install in OpenClaw
/install latex-writer
Description
Generate professional LaTeX documents from templates. Supports academic papers (IEEE/ACM), Chinese thesis (CTeX), CVs (moderncv), and custom templates. Auto-...
README (SKILL.md)
LaTeX Writer
Intelligent LaTeX document generator with template management and PDF compilation.
Features
- 📄 Academic Templates: IEEE, ACM, Springer, Elsevier
- 📝 Chinese Support: CTeX for thesis and reports
- 👤 CV/Resume: moderncv, altacv templates
- 🎨 Custom Templates: Import your own .cls files
- 🔧 Auto Compilation: xelatex/lualatex with error handling
- 📊 Figure/Table Support: Auto-convert markdown tables to LaTeX
Trigger Conditions
Use this skill when:
- User asks to "write a paper" with specific format
- User mentions "LaTeX", "PDF", "typesetting"
- User needs CV/resume generation
- User provides content and asks for professional formatting
Usage Examples
Academic Paper
User: 帮我写一篇 IEEE 格式的机器学习论文，主题是深度学习在医学影像中的应用
Skill Actions:
1. Select IEEEtran template
2. Generate structure: Abstract → Intro → Method → Experiments → Conclusion
3. Ask user for key content points
4. Generate LaTeX with proper math formulas
5. Compile to PDF
Chinese Thesis
User: 我要写硕士毕业论文，学校要求用 LaTeX
Skill Actions:
1. Select CTeX template (ctexrep)
2. Configure Chinese fonts (SimSun, SimHei)
3. Setup school-specific requirements
4. Generate chapter structure
CV Generation
User: 帮我生成一份软件工程师的英文简历
Skill Actions:
1. Select moderncv template (banking style)
2. Collect user information
3. Format with proper sections
4. Generate PDF
Implementation
See scripts/ directory for implementation:
latex_writer.py- Main entry pointtemplate_manager.py- Template library managementcontent_parser.py- Parse user input to structured contentlatex_generator.py- Generate LaTeX codepdf_builder.py- Compile LaTeX to PDF
Requirements
- Python 3.10+
- TeX Live or MiKTeX (with xelatex)
- CJK fonts for Chinese support
Usage Guidance
Things to consider before installing or running this skill:
- Metadata mismatch: The skill metadata lists no required binaries but the code requires a TeX engine (xelatex). Ensure you have TeX Live or MiKTeX installed before using it.
- Incomplete / inconsistent code: The provided source shows problems (a truncated section in latex_generator.py and cross-file references that likely will raise ImportError or NameError, e.g., body_builder.py imports a module-level escape_latex that doesn't exist). Treat the bundle as potentially non-functional until you or the author fixes these issues.
- LaTeX compilation is a potential execution surface: TeX can execute external commands via mechanisms like \write18 if shell-escape is enabled. The build invocation does not explicitly enable shell-escape (which is good), but if your TeX installation is configured to allow it, compiling untrusted LaTeX could execute commands. Only compile LaTeX from trusted sources, or run the builder in a restricted/sandboxed environment (container, VM, or isolated user account) when handling untrusted input.
- Templates directory: TemplateManager expects a templates/ directory relative to the skill. If the templates are not bundled, template lookups will fail. Verify that required template files are present and review any custom .cls files before using them.
- Run in a sandbox first: Because of the code issues and the LaTeX execution surface, test the skill in a disposable environment (container/VM) and review templates and the full latex output source before compiling PDFs for untrusted content.
If you want, I can: (a) point out the exact lines where imports will fail or where truncation occurs, (b) propose fixes for the broken references, or (c) generate a safe checklist for sandboxing LaTeX compilation on your system.
Capability Analysis
Type: OpenClaw Skill
Name: latex-writer
Version: 1.0.0
The skill facilitates LaTeX document generation and PDF compilation by executing the 'xelatex' system binary via 'asyncio.create_subprocess_exec' in 'scripts/pdf_builder.py'. While the 'scripts/latex_generator.py' file includes an 'escape_latex' function to sanitize user input, the execution of a complex typesetting engine on dynamically generated content constitutes a high-risk capability due to the potential for LaTeX injection attacks. No evidence of intentional malice, such as data exfiltration or backdoors, was found, and the behavior aligns with the stated purpose.
Capability Assessment
Purpose & Capability
The skill's name/description (LaTeX generation + PDF compilation) aligns with the provided code: template management, LaTeX generation, and PDF building are implemented. However the registry metadata claims 'Required binaries: none' while the code requires a TeX engine (DEFAULT_COMPILER = 'xelatex') and checks for it at runtime. That mismatch (metadata says no binaries; runtime needs xelatex/TeX Live or MiKTeX) is an incoherence the user should note.
Instruction Scope
SKILL.md describes only template selection, LaTeX generation, and compilation — which matches the code. The runtime instructions and code do not access external network endpoints or require secrets. However: (1) LaTeX compilation can be a security surface because TeX can execute shell commands when shell-escape is enabled; the code invokes xelatex without passing a shell-escape flag (no explicit '--shell-escape'), which generally reduces that risk, but a TeX installation could still allow execution depending on config. (2) Several implementation-level issues appear in the source: a truncated section in latex_generator.py and cross-file reference errors (e.g., body_builder imports a module-level escape_latex which does not exist), indicating the code as packaged may not run as-is.
Install Mechanism
There is no install spec (instruction-only + bundled scripts). That is low-risk from an install/download perspective because nothing is fetched from arbitrary URLs during install. The package includes source files in the skill bundle; no external installer is specified.
Credentials
The skill declares no required environment variables or credentials and the code does not request secrets. The only external dependency is a system TeX binary (xelatex) and optionally font packages; those are reasonable for the claimed functionality. No unrelated credentials or environment access are requested.
Persistence & Privilege
The skill does not request 'always: true' and is user-invocable. It does not modify other skills or system-wide agent settings. It runs local file operations (writes tex to a temp dir, may save PDF), which are appropriate for its purpose.
How to Use
- Make sure OpenClaw is installed (local or Docker)
- Run the install command in chat:
/install latex-writer - After installation, invoke the skill by name or use
/latex-writer - Provide required inputs per the skill's parameter spec and get structured output
Version History
v1.0.0
Initial release with IEEE/ACM/CTeX/ModernCV template support
Metadata
Frequently Asked Questions
What is LaTeX Writer?
Generate professional LaTeX documents from templates. Supports academic papers (IEEE/ACM), Chinese thesis (CTeX), CVs (moderncv), and custom templates. Auto-... It is an AI Agent Skill for Claude Code / OpenClaw, with 356 downloads so far.
How do I install LaTeX Writer?
Run "/install latex-writer" in the OpenClaw or Claude Code chat to install it in one step — no extra setup required.
Is LaTeX Writer free?
Yes, LaTeX Writer is completely free (open-source). You can download, install and use it at no cost.
Which platforms does LaTeX Writer support?
LaTeX Writer is cross-platform and runs anywhere OpenClaw / Claude Code is available (cross-platform).
Who created LaTeX Writer?
It is built and maintained by alicepub (@alicepub); the current version is v1.0.0.
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