pdf-checklist-generator

Generate structured PDF checklists and reports with tables, sections, and scoring criteria using Python libraries

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PDF Checklist/Report Generator

This skill provides a reusable pattern for creating professional PDF documents (checklists, reports, scorecards) using Python libraries within execute_code_sandbox.

When to Use This Skill

Need to generate structured PDF documents programmatically
Creating checklists with scoring criteria
Building reports with tables, sections, and formatted content
Producing downloadable artifacts for workflow tasks

Library Selection

Choose the appropriate library based on your needs:

Library	Best For	Installation
reportlab	Complex layouts, tables, precise control	`pip install reportlab`
fpdf2	Simple documents, easy API	`pip install fpdf2`
matplotlib	Charts/graphs in PDFs	`pip install matplotlib`

Step-by-Step Procedure

Step 1: Plan Document Structure

Define the sections, tables, and scoring criteria before coding:

Document title and metadata
Section headers
Table columns and rows
Scoring rubric (if applicable)

Step 2: Write Python Code in execute_code_sandbox

Use execute_code_sandbox with the appropriate library. Here are templates:

Template A: Using reportlab (recommended for tables)

from reportlab.lib import colors
from reportlab.lib.pagesizes import letter
from reportlab.platypus import SimpleDocTemplate, Table, TableStyle, Paragraph, Spacer
from reportlab.lib.styles import getSampleStyleSheet, ParagraphStyle
from reportlab.lib.units import inch

# Create PDF
doc = SimpleDocTemplate("checklist.pdf", pagesize=letter)
elements = []
styles = getSampleStyleSheet()

# Title
title_style = ParagraphStyle('CustomTitle', parent=styles['Heading1'], alignment=1)
elements.append(Paragraph("Compliance Checklist", title_style))
elements.append(Spacer(1, 0.25*inch))

# Create table data
data = [
    ['Criteria', 'Status', 'Score', 'Notes'],
    ['Security Review', 'Pass', '10', 'All checks passed'],
    ['Code Quality', 'Pass', '8', 'Minor improvements'],
    ['Documentation', 'Pending', '5', 'Needs updates'],
]

# Create and style table
table = Table(data, colWidths=[3*inch, 1*inch, 1*inch, 2*inch])
table.setStyle(TableStyle([
    ('BACKGROUND', (0, 0), (-1, 0), colors.grey),
    ('TEXTCOLOR', (0, 0), (-1, 0), colors.whitesmoke),
    ('ALIGN', (0, 0), (-1, -1), 'CENTER'),
    ('GRID', (0, 0), (-1, -1), 1, colors.black),
    ('BACKGROUND', (0, 1), (-1, -1), colors.beige),
]))
elements.append(table)

# Build PDF
doc.build(elements)
print("PDF created: checklist.pdf")
print(f"ARTIFACT_PATH:/workspace/checklist.pdf")

Template B: Using fpdf2 (simpler API)

from fpdf import FPDF

pdf = FPDF()
pdf.add_page()
pdf.set_font("Arial", "B", 16)
pdf.cell(0, 10, "Project Report", ln=True, align='C')

pdf.set_font("Arial", size=12)
pdf.ln(10)

# Add sections
sections = [
    ("Executive Summary", "Project completed successfully."),
    ("Key Findings", "All milestones achieved on time."),
    ("Recommendations", "Continue current practices."),
]

for title, content in sections:
    pdf.set_font("Arial", "B", 14)
    pdf.cell(0, 10, title, ln=True)
    pdf.set_font("Arial", size=12)
    pdf.multi_cell(0, 8, content)
    pdf.ln(5)

pdf.output("report.pdf")
print("PDF created: report.pdf")
print(f"ARTIFACT_PATH:/workspace/report.pdf")

Template C: Checklist with Scoring

from reportlab.lib.pagesizes import letter
from reportlab.platypus import SimpleDocTemplate, Table, TableStyle, Paragraph, Spacer
from reportlab.lib.styles import getSampleStyleSheet
from reportlab.lib import colors

doc = SimpleDocTemplate("scorecard.pdf", pagesize=letter)
elements = []
styles = getSampleStyleSheet()

# Title
elements.append(Paragraph("Evaluation Scorecard", styles['Heading1']))
elements.append(Spacer(1, 0.25*inch))

# Scoring criteria table
criteria = [
    ['Category', 'Weight', 'Score (0-10)', 'Weighted'],
    ['Functionality', '30%', '9', '2.7'],
    ['Performance', '25%', '8', '2.0'],
    ['Security', '25%', '10', '2.5'],
    ['Documentation', '20%', '7', '1.4'],
    ['TOTAL', '100%', '-', '8.6/10'],
]

table = Table(criteria, colWidths=[2.5*inch, 1*inch, 1.5*inch, 1.5*inch])
table.setStyle(TableStyle([
    ('BACKGROUND', (0, 0), (-1, 0), colors.darkblue),
    ('TEXTCOLOR', (0, 0), (-1, 0), colors.whitesmoke),
    ('ALIGN', (0, 0), (-1, -1), 'CENTER'),
    ('GRID', (0, 0), (-1, -1), 1, colors.black),
    ('FONTNAME', (0, -1), (-1, -1), 'Helvetica-Bold'),
    ('BACKGROUND', (0, -1), (-1, -1), colors.lightgrey),
]))
elements.append(table)

doc.build(elements)
print("ARTIFACT_PATH:/workspace/scorecard.pdf")

Step 3: Include ARTIFACT_PATH in Output

Always include the artifact path in your print output so the system can locate the generated file:

print(f"ARTIFACT_PATH:/workspace/your_filename.pdf")

Step 4: Verify Output

After generation, verify the PDF was created successfully:

Option A: Use read_file

read_file with filetype="pdf" and file_path="/workspace/checklist.pdf"

Option B: Use shell inspection

run_shell with command="ls -la /workspace/*.pdf"

Common Patterns

Pattern 1: Multi-Section Report

sections = [
    ("Introduction", "Overview text..."),
    ("Methodology", "Process description..."),
    ("Results", "Findings summary..."),
    ("Conclusion", "Final recommendations..."),
]

for title, content in sections:
    elements.append(Paragraph(title, styles['Heading2']))
    elements.append(Paragraph(content, styles['Normal']))
    elements.append(Spacer(1, 0.2*inch))

Pattern 2: Status Indicator Table

status_colors = {
    'Pass': colors.green,
    'Fail': colors.red,
    'Pending': colors.orange,
    'N/A': colors.grey,
}

# Apply conditional coloring in table style
for row_idx, row_data in enumerate(data[1:], 1):
    status = row_data[1]
    if status in status_colors:
        table.setStyle(TableStyle([
            ('BACKGROUND', (1, row_idx), (1, row_idx), status_colors[status]),
        ]))

Pattern 3: Page Breaks for Long Documents

from reportlab.platypus import PageBreak

elements.append(PageBreak())  # Insert page break

Troubleshooting

Issue	Solution
Library not found	Add `pip install <library>` at start of code
Font errors	Use built-in fonts: Arial, Helvetica, Times-Roman
Table overflow	Adjust `colWidths` or split into multiple tables
PDF not created	Check ARTIFACT_PATH is correct and file is written

Best Practices

Always verify: Check the PDF exists and is readable after generation
Use ARTIFACT_PATH: Include it in output for system discovery
Keep it readable: Use adequate spacing (Spacer) between elements
Test incrementally: Build complex PDFs section by section
Handle errors: Wrap file operations in try/except blocks

Example Complete Workflow

# 1. Install library
!pip install reportlab -q

# 2. Generate PDF
from reportlab.platypus import SimpleDocTemplate, Table, TableStyle, Paragraph, Spacer
from reportlab.lib.styles import getSampleStyleSheet
from reportlab.lib.pagesizes import letter
from reportlab.lib import colors

doc = SimpleDocTemplate("/workspace/checklist.pdf", pagesize=letter)
elements = []
styles = getSampleStyleSheet()

elements.append(Paragraph("Task Completion Checklist", styles['Heading1']))
elements.append(Spacer(1, 0.25*inch))

data = [['Task', 'Complete', 'Notes'],
        ['Setup environment', 'Yes', ''],
        ['Run tests', 'Yes', 'All passed'],
        ['Documentation', 'No', 'In progress']]

table = Table(data)
table.setStyle(TableStyle([('GRID', (0,0), (-1,-1), 1, colors.black)]))
elements.append(table)

doc.build(elements)
print("ARTIFACT_PATH:/workspace/checklist.pdf")

# 3. Verify
import os
print(f"File exists: {os.path.exists('/workspace/checklist.pdf')}")
print(f"File size: {os.path.getsize('/workspace/checklist.pdf')} bytes")

Repository: HKUDS/OpenSpace
Path: benchmarks/gdpval/skills/pdf-checklist-generator/SKILL.md
Commit: c5a9c4b

Last updated: 2 days ago
First committed: 14 days ago

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