skill-filetypes
File format conversion routing with specialized sub-agent dispatch
Best use case
skill-filetypes is best used when you need a repeatable AI agent workflow instead of a one-off prompt.
File format conversion routing with specialized sub-agent dispatch
Teams using skill-filetypes should expect a more consistent output, faster repeated execution, less prompt rewriting.
When to use this skill
- You want a reusable workflow that can be run more than once with consistent structure.
When not to use this skill
- You only need a quick one-off answer and do not need a reusable workflow.
- You cannot install or maintain the underlying files, dependencies, or repository context.
Installation
Claude Code / Cursor / Codex
Manual Installation
- Download SKILL.md from GitHub
- Place it in
.claude/skills/skill-filetypes/SKILL.mdinside your project - Restart your AI agent — it will auto-discover the skill
How skill-filetypes Compares
| Feature / Agent | skill-filetypes | Standard Approach |
|---|---|---|
| Platform Support | Not specified | Limited / Varies |
| Context Awareness | High | Baseline |
| Installation Complexity | Unknown | N/A |
Frequently Asked Questions
What does this skill do?
File format conversion routing with specialized sub-agent dispatch
Where can I find the source code?
You can find the source code on GitHub using the link provided at the top of the page.
SKILL.md Source
# Filetypes Skill
Thin wrapper that routes file format operations to the `filetypes-router-agent`, which then delegates to specialized sub-agents based on file type.
## Context Pointers
Reference (do not load eagerly):
- Path: `.claude/context/formats/subagent-return.md`
- Purpose: Return validation
- Load at: Subagent execution only
Note: This skill is a thin wrapper. Context is loaded by the delegated agents, not this skill.
## Trigger Conditions
This skill activates when:
### Direct Invocation
- User explicitly runs `/convert` command
- User requests file format conversion in conversation
### Implicit Invocation (during task implementation)
When an implementing agent encounters any of these patterns:
**Plan step language patterns**:
- "Extract text from [file].pdf"
- "Extract content from [file]"
- "Convert [file] to markdown"
- "Convert [file] to PDF"
- "Generate PDF from [documentation/file]"
- "Read content from [file].docx"
- "Create PDF version of [file]"
- "Parse [file].pdf for content"
- "Import [file] content"
**File extension detection**:
- Source file has extension: `.pdf`, `.docx`, `.xlsx`, `.pptx`, `.html`
- Target mentions: "markdown", ".md", "PDF", ".pdf"
**Task description keywords**:
- "document conversion"
- "format transformation"
- "extract from PDF"
- "generate PDF"
### When NOT to trigger
Do not invoke for:
- Reading source code files (.py, .js, .lean, etc.)
- Viewing images without extraction
- Operations that don't involve format conversion
- Files already in the target format
- Spreadsheet-specific operations (use skill-spreadsheet)
- Presentation-specific operations (use skill-presentation)
---
## Execution
### 1. Input Validation
Validate required inputs:
- `source_path` - Must be provided and file must exist
- `output_path` - Optional, defaults to source dir with appropriate extension
```bash
# Validate source exists
if [ ! -f "$source_path" ]; then
return error "Source file not found: $source_path"
fi
# Determine output path if not provided
if [ -z "$output_path" ]; then
source_dir=$(dirname "$source_path")
source_base=$(basename "$source_path" | sed 's/\.[^.]*$//')
source_ext="${source_path##*.}"
# Infer target extension
case "$source_ext" in
pdf|docx|xlsx|pptx|html) output_path="${source_dir}/${source_base}.md" ;;
md) output_path="${source_dir}/${source_base}.pdf" ;;
*) return error "Cannot infer output format for .$source_ext" ;;
esac
fi
```
### 2. Context Preparation
Prepare delegation context:
```json
{
"source_path": "/absolute/path/to/source.pdf",
"output_path": "/absolute/path/to/output.md",
"metadata": {
"session_id": "sess_{timestamp}_{random}",
"delegation_depth": 1,
"delegation_path": ["orchestrator", "convert", "skill-filetypes"]
}
}
```
### 3. Invoke Router Agent
**CRITICAL**: You MUST use the **Task** tool to spawn the router agent.
**Required Tool Invocation**:
```
Tool: Task (NOT Skill)
Parameters:
- subagent_type: "filetypes-router-agent"
- prompt: [Include source_path, output_path, metadata]
- description: "Convert {source_path} to {output_path}"
```
**DO NOT** use `Skill(filetypes-router-agent)` - this will FAIL.
Agents live in `.claude/agents/` or extension agent directories, not `.claude/skills/`.
The Skill tool can only invoke skills from `.claude/skills/`.
The router will:
- Detect source and target formats
- Select appropriate sub-agent (document, spreadsheet, presentation)
- Delegate to sub-agent for actual conversion
- Return standardized JSON result
### 4. Return Validation
Validate return matches `subagent-return.md` schema:
- Status is one of: converted, extracted, partial, failed
- Summary is non-empty and <100 tokens
- Artifacts array present with output file path
- Metadata contains session_id, agent_type, delegation info
### 5. Return Propagation
Return validated result to caller without modification.
---
## Return Format
See `.claude/context/formats/subagent-return.md` for full specification.
Expected successful return:
```json
{
"status": "converted",
"summary": "Successfully converted document.pdf to document.md using markitdown",
"artifacts": [
{
"type": "implementation",
"path": "/absolute/path/to/document.md",
"summary": "Converted markdown document"
}
],
"metadata": {
"session_id": "sess_...",
"agent_type": "document-agent",
"delegation_depth": 2,
"delegation_path": ["orchestrator", "convert", "skill-filetypes", "filetypes-router-agent", "document-agent"],
"tool_used": "markitdown"
},
"next_steps": "Review converted document"
}
```
---
## Error Handling
### Input Validation Errors
Return immediately with failed status if source file not found.
### Unsupported Format
Return failed status with clear message about supported formats.
### Router/Subagent Errors
Pass through the router/subagent's error return verbatim.
### Tool Not Available
Return failed status with installation instructions.Related Skills
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