Use this skill only when the user explicitly needs a PDF from an existing Data Analytics report, dashboard, or inline chart surface. Prefer a static HTML export or static report file as the source. Do not rely on a live MCP app's direct in-frame print path; Codex MCP apps run in a sandboxed host that does not expose a supported print/PDF bridge.
The expected path is static HTML -> Chrome headless print-to-PDF -> PDF verification. If only a live MCP app report exists, create or retrieve the matching static HTML/export source first.
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Resolve the static source.
Use an absolute local path to a static HTML report/export or a local URL served from that static export. If the source is a live MCP app, blob stub, sign-in page, redirect page, incomplete viewer, or an app shell that contains boot scripts but not the report content, stop and obtain a static HTML/export source before continuing.
When the user provides a hosted artifact URL, first determine whether it exposes a usable static export or package source. If the static export is unavailable but the validated artifact payload is still available in the current run, create the matching static HTML/export from that payload and preserve source provenance in the handoff. If neither a static export nor the artifact payload is available, stop with a blocker instead of printing the live app shell or rebuilding the report from memory.
When creating or repairing the static source, keep visible metadata reader-facing. Do not copy internal artifact runtime fields, package plumbing, or validator/debug state into the report body, header, footer, or source section. For example, omit raw labels such as snapshot status, package path, widget type, manifest path, renderer IDs, validation status, and local temp paths from the visible PDF. If a runtime detail matters for audit or troubleshooting, preserve it in support notes or the final handoff instead of the PDF. Translate data-state caveats into reader language only when they affect interpretation, such as "synthetic demo data" or "partial source coverage."
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Generate the PDF with Chrome CLI headless print-to-PDF.
Use the platform-specific Chrome executable available in the environment. Common examples are /Applications/Google Chrome.app/Contents/MacOS/Google Chrome on macOS and google-chrome, chromium, or chromium-browser on Linux. This is the primary conversion method because it prints the static HTML with a browser rendering engine and usually preserves selectable text, layout, charts, tables, and print CSS.
chrome \
--headless=new \
--disable-gpu \
--no-first-run \
--no-default-browser-check \
--no-pdf-header-footer \
--print-to-pdf=/absolute/path/to/report.pdf \
/absolute/path/to/report.html
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If Chrome is unavailable or cannot produce a valid PDF, use a renderer-backed fallback.
Use the next available local mechanism that renders the same static HTML/export source and prints or saves that rendered page to PDF. Keep the fallback tool-agnostic: the requirement is faithful HTML rendering followed by PDF output, not a specific implementation. Do not replace this with a model-authored PDF layout, manually redrawn charts, or a report reconstructed from memory.
A fallback is acceptable only when:
- the static HTML/export remains the source of truth
- the rendered output preserves the report title, narrative, charts, tables, caveats, and source details
- app-only controls are omitted
- the resulting PDF passes the same verification checks as the primary Chrome path
If no available local renderer can print the static HTML/export faithfully, stop and report the blocker with the missing capability and the source file that could not be converted.
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Verify the PDF itself.
Confirm page count and metadata with pdfinfo or equivalent. Extract text with pdftotext or equivalent when the PDF should contain selectable text. Render representative pages with pdftoppm or equivalent and inspect them for blank charts, clipped content, missing source details, unwanted controls, internal runtime metadata, and layout regressions. For short reports, render every page. Include a negative check for app-only control labels such as share, edit, refresh, publish, toolbar, menu, and drag affordances, plus internal artifact labels such as snapshot status, widget type, manifest path, package path, validation status, and local temp paths.
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Repair before handoff.
If the output is blank, clipped, missing charts, missing source details, or includes app-only chrome, fix the static HTML/export source, print stylesheet, or renderer invocation and regenerate. Do not hand off an unverified PDF unless the user explicitly accepts the limitation.
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Hand off the PDF.
Return the PDF path, source HTML path or URL, and verification performed. If the static HTML/export had to be created from an artifact payload because the hosted URL did not expose one, say that briefly. If verification could not be completed, state the gap clearly.
Before handoff, verify the PDF with the local tools available in the environment: