Unified Multi-Deliverable Workflow

This skill provides a structured pattern for creating multiple document artifacts (spreadsheets, diagrams, PDF reports) in a single workflow with explicit iteration budgeting and robust error handling.

Overview

Use this workflow when you need to:

• Generate multiple related deliverables (Excel, PNG diagrams, PDF reports)
• Manage iteration budget across different artifact types
• Handle execute_code_sandbox failures gracefully
• Ensure all deliverables are completed before budget exhaustion
• Create cohesive documentation packages with cross-referenced content

Iteration Budget Template

Default Allocation (adjust based on task complexity):

Phase	Deliverable	Iterations	Validation
1	Spreadsheet (.xlsx)	8-10	File exists, readable, correct structure
2	Diagram (.png)	8-10	File exists, viewable, correct dimensions
3	PDF Report (.pdf)	8-10	File exists, downloadable, proper formatting
Buffer	Error recovery	4-6	Retry failed phases

Total recommended budget: 30-36 iterations

Pre-Flight Checks (Iteration 1-2)

Before generating any deliverables:

1. Verify workspace path: Always use /workspace/ as base directory
2. Test execute_code_sandbox: Run a simple print statement to confirm tool works
3. Check required libraries: Plan to install via !pip install if needed
4. Standardize filenames: Use consistent naming pattern (e.g., projectname_deliverable.ext)

# Quick sandbox test
print("SANDBOX_OK")
print(f"WORKSPACE_PATH:/workspace")

If this fails, use run_shell as fallback for file operations.

Phase 1: Spreadsheet Creation (Iterations 3-12)

Step 1.1: Plan Structure

Define your spreadsheet structure before coding:

• Sheet names
• Column headers
• Data types
• Any formulas or formatting

Step 1.2: Write Generation Code

Using openpyxl (recommended for .xlsx):

# Install if needed
# !pip install openpyxl

from openpyxl import Workbook
from openpyxl.styles import Font, PatternFill, Alignment

wb = Workbook()
ws = wb.active
ws.title = "Data"

# Header row with styling
headers = ["Item", "Description", "Value", "Status"]
for col, header in enumerate(headers, 1):
    cell = ws.cell(row=1, column=col, value=header)
    cell.font = Font(bold=True)
    cell.fill = PatternFill(start_color="CCCCCC", end_color="CCCCCC", fill_type="solid")
    cell.alignment = Alignment(horizontal="center")

# Data rows
data = [
    ["Item 1", "Description 1", 100, "Complete"],
    ["Item 2", "Description 2", 200, "Pending"],
]
for row_idx, row_data in enumerate(data, 2):
    for col_idx, value in enumerate(row_data, 1):
        ws.cell(row=row_idx, column=col_idx, value=value)

# Auto-adjust column widths
for column in ws.columns:
    max_length = 0
    column_letter = column[0].column_letter
    for cell in column:
        try:
            if len(str(cell.value)) > max_length:
                max_length = len(str(cell.value))
        except:
            pass
    adjusted_width = min(max_length + 2, 50)
    ws.column_dimensions[column_letter].width = adjusted_width

# Save with standard path
output_path = "/workspace/hardware_selection_table.xlsx"
wb.save(output_path)
print(f"ARTIFACT_PATH:{output_path}")
print("SPREADSHEET_GENERATED")

Step 1.3: Execute and Validate

execute_code_sandbox
  code: <your spreadsheet code>
  language: python

Validation checklist:

• ARTIFACT_PATH output present
• File exists: run_shell command: ls -lh /workspace/*.xlsx
• File size > 1KB
• No error messages in output

Step 1.4: Error Recovery

Error	Recovery Action
Library not found	Add !pip install openpyxl at code start
'[ERROR] unknown error'	Retry once, then try simpler code structure
File not created	Check path is /workspace/ not ./ or /tmp/
Permission denied	Ensure no file lock from previous execution

If 2 consecutive failures: Skip to Phase 2 and return later with reduced scope.

Phase 2: Diagram Generation (Iterations 13-22)

Step 2.1: Choose Diagram Type

Type	Library	Best For
Flowchart	graphviz or matplotlib	Process flows, decision trees
Layout/Diagram	matplotlib	Physical layouts, workcell designs
Network/Topology	networkx + matplotlib	System architecture
Simple shapes	PIL/Pillow	Basic boxes, arrows, labels

Step 2.2: Write Generation Code

Using matplotlib for layout diagrams:

# Install if needed
# !pip install matplotlib

import matplotlib.pyplot as plt
import matplotlib.patches as patches

fig, ax = plt.subplots(figsize=(12, 8))
ax.set_xlim(0, 100)
ax.set_ylim(0, 80)
ax.set_aspect('equal')

# Add components (example: workcell layout)
components = [
    {"label": "Robot", "x": 30, "y": 40, "w": 20, "h": 15, "color": "lightblue"},
    {"label": "Conveyor", "x": 60, "y": 35, "w": 30, "h": 10, "color": "lightgreen"},
    {"label": "Safety Zone", "x": 10, "y": 10, "w": 80, "h": 60, "color": "none", "border": "red"},
]

for comp in components:
    rect = patches.Rectangle(
        (comp["x"], comp["y"]), 
        comp["w"], 
        comp["h"],
        linewidth=2, 
        edgecolor="black" if comp.get("border") else "black",
        facecolor=comp["color"] if comp["color"] != "none" else "white",
        linestyle="--" if comp.get("border") else "-"
    )
    ax.add_patch(rect)
    ax.text(
        comp["x"] + comp["w"]/2, 
        comp["y"] + comp["h"]/2, 
        comp["label"],
        ha="center", 
        va="center",
        fontsize=10,
        fontweight="bold"
    )

# Remove axis, add title
ax.axis("off")
plt.title("Workcell Layout Diagram", fontsize=14, fontweight="bold", pad=20)
plt.tight_layout()

# Save with standard path
output_path = "/workspace/cnc_workcell_layout.png"
plt.savefig(output_path, dpi=150, bbox_inches="tight")
print(f"ARTIFACT_PATH:{output_path}")
print("DIAGRAM_GENERATED")

Step 2.3: Execute and Validate

execute_code_sandbox
  code: <your diagram code>
  language: python

Validation checklist:

• ARTIFACT_PATH output present
• File exists: run_shell command: ls -lh /workspace/*.png
• File size > 5KB (diagrams should be substantial)
• No error messages in output

Step 2.4: Error Recovery

Error	Recovery Action
Backend unknown error	Retry with simplified diagram (fewer elements)
Font rendering issues	Use default matplotlib fonts, avoid custom fonts
Memory issues	Reduce figure size or DPI
Import errors	Add !pip install matplotlib pillow at start

If 2 consecutive failures: Create a simpler placeholder diagram and move to Phase 3.

Phase 3: PDF Report Generation (Iterations 23-32)

Step 3.1: Gather Content from Previous Phases

Before generating PDF, collect:

• Data from spreadsheet (reference key findings)
• Diagram file path for embedding or referencing
• Any additional text content or analysis

Step 3.2: Write Generation Code

Using reportlab for professional reports:

# Install if needed
# !pip install reportlab

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

def create_pdf_report(output_path, spreadsheet_path, diagram_path):
    doc = SimpleDocTemplate(output_path, pagesize=letter)
    styles = getSampleStyleSheet()
    story = []
    
    # Title
    title_style = ParagraphStyle('CustomTitle', parent=styles['Heading1'],
                                  fontSize=18, spaceAfter=30, alignment=1)
    story.append(Paragraph("Project Deliverables Report", title_style))
    story.append(Spacer(1, 0.3*inch))
    
    # Executive Summary
    story.append(Paragraph("Executive Summary", styles['Heading2']))
    story.append(Paragraph("This report summarizes the project deliverables including hardware selection, layout design, and implementation recommendations.", styles['Normal']))
    story.append(Spacer(1, 0.2*inch))
    
    # Spreadsheet Reference Section
    story.append(Paragraph("Hardware Selection Summary", styles['Heading2']))
    story.append(Paragraph(f"See: {spreadsheet_path}", styles['Normal']))
    
    # Sample data table
    data = [
        ['Component', 'Selected Option', 'Status'],
        ['Robot Arm', 'Model X-200', 'Approved'],
        ['Controller', 'Unity Pro', 'Approved'],
        ['Safety System', 'Light Curtain', 'Pending']
    ]
    
    table = Table(data, colWidths=[2*inch, 2*inch, 1.5*inch])
    table.setStyle(TableStyle([
        ('BACKGROUND', (0, 0), (-1, 0), colors.grey),
        ('TEXTCOLOR', (0, 0), (-1, 0), colors.whitesmoke),
        ('ALIGN', (0, 0), (-1, -1), 'CENTER'),
        ('FONTNAME', (0, 0), (-1, 0), 'Helvetica-Bold'),
        ('GRID', (0, 0), (-1, -1), 1, colors.black)
    ]))
    story.append(table)
    story.append(Spacer(1, 0.3*inch))
    
    # Diagram Reference Section
    story.append(Paragraph("Layout Diagram", styles['Heading2']))
    story.append(Paragraph(f"See: {diagram_path}", styles['Normal']))
    story.append(Spacer(1, 0.2*inch))
    
    # Try to embed diagram if it exists
    try:
        img = Image(diagram_path, width=6*inch, height=4*inch)
        story.append(img)
        story.append(Spacer(1, 0.2*inch))
    except:
        story.append(Paragraph("Diagram referenced but not embedded.", styles['Normal']))
    
    # Recommendations
    story.append(Paragraph("Recommendations", styles['Heading2']))
    recommendations = [
        "Proceed with approved hardware components",
        "Complete safety system evaluation before deployment",
        "Schedule installation during planned maintenance window"
    ]
    for i, rec in enumerate(recommendations, 1):
        story.append(Paragraph(f"{i}. {rec}", styles['Normal']))
    
    # Build PDF
    doc.build(story)
    print(f"ARTIFACT_PATH:{output_path}")
    print("PDF_REPORT_GENERATED")

create_pdf_report(
    '/workspace/project_report.pdf',
    '/workspace/hardware_selection_table.xlsx',
    '/workspace/cnc_workcell_layout.png'
)

Step 3.3: Execute and Validate

execute_code_sandbox
  code: <your PDF code>
  language: python

Validation checklist:

• ARTIFACT_PATH output present
• File exists: run_shell command: ls -lh /workspace/*.pdf
• File size > 10KB (reports should have substantial content)
• All previous deliverables referenced correctly

Step 3.4: Error Recovery

Error	Recovery Action
Font errors	Use standard fonts (Helvetica, Arial, Courier)
Image embed fails	Reference diagram path in text instead
Unknown error	Simplify report structure, remove images
Path issues	Hardcode absolute /workspace/ paths

If failures persist: Generate a text-only PDF with basic structure.

Phase 4: Final Validation (Iterations 33-36)

Step 4.1: Verify All Deliverables

run_shell
  command: ls -lh /workspace/*.xlsx /workspace/*.png /workspace/*.pdf

Step 4.2: Check File Integrity

run_shell
  command: file /workspace/*.xlsx /workspace/*.png /workspace/*.pdf

Step 4.3: Confirm Download Paths

Ensure each deliverable has ARTIFACT_PATH: prefix in execution output for proper download handling.

Cross-Phase Best Practices

Path Standardization

• Always use: /workspace/filename.ext
• Never use: ./filename.ext, /tmp/filename.ext, or relative paths
• Consistent naming: projectname_deliverabletype.ext

Iteration Management

• Track iterations used per phase
• If Phase 1 uses >12 iterations, reduce Phase 2 and 3 budgets
• Reserve minimum 4 iterations for error recovery
• Hard stop at iteration 28: Begin PDF generation regardless of previous phase completion status

Error Handling Strategy

1. First failure: Retry same code once
2. Second failure: Simplify the approach (reduce complexity)
3. Third failure: Create minimal viable deliverable and move on
4. Document failures: Note what failed for post-task review

Tool Failure Workarounds

Tool	Primary Use	Fallback
execute_code_sandbox	Run Python code	run_shell with python -c
read_file	Verify file content	run_shell cat/head
run_shell	Check file existence	execute_code_sandbox with os.path

Quick Start Template

# Unified deliverable generator - minimal viable version
# Run in execute_code_sandbox

# ===== SPREADSHEET =====
from openpyxl import Workbook
wb = Workbook()
ws = wb.active
ws.append(["Item", "Value", "Status"])
ws.append(["Component A", 100, "OK"])
wb.save("/workspace/data.xlsx")
print("ARTIFACT_PATH:/workspace/data.xlsx")

# ===== DIAGRAM =====
import matplotlib.pyplot as plt
fig, ax = plt.subplots(figsize=(8, 6))
ax.text(0.5, 0.5, "Diagram Placeholder", ha='center', va='center', fontsize=16)
ax.axis('off')
plt.savefig("/workspace/diagram.png", dpi=100)
print("ARTIFACT_PATH:/workspace/diagram.png")

# ===== PDF =====
from reportlab.lib.pagesizes import letter
from reportlab.platypus import SimpleDocTemplate, Paragraph
from reportlab.lib.styles import getSampleStyleSheet
doc = SimpleDocTemplate("/workspace/report.pdf", pagesize=letter)
styles = getSampleStyleSheet()
story = [Paragraph("Report", styles['Heading1']), 
         Paragraph("Generated successfully.", styles['Normal'])]
doc.build(story)
print("ARTIFACT_PATH:/workspace/report.pdf")

Related Tools

• execute_code_sandbox - Run Python code for all deliverable generation
• read_file - Verify file content (type: xlsx, png, pdf)
• run_shell - Check file existence, size, and integrity
• create_file - For simple text-based deliverables if needed

Common Pitfalls and Solutions

Pitfall	Solution
Exhausting budget on Phase 1	Set hard iteration limit per phase (max 12)
Workspace path confusion	Always use absolute /workspace/ paths
Repeated unknown errors	Simplify code, reduce library dependencies
Missing ARTIFACT_PATH	Always print prefix for each deliverable
PDF created but not downloadable	Verify ARTIFACT_PATH is on its own line
Diagram too complex	Start with basic shapes, add detail only if time permits

Success Criteria

A successful execution should produce:

• 3 deliverable files in /workspace/
• Each file > minimum size threshold
• Each execution outputs ARTIFACT_PATH: prefix
• Completed before iteration budget exhaustion
• No unrecovered tool errors