local-file-manager

name	local-file-manager
description	Main orchestrator for local file editing (PDF, PPTX, DOCX, XLSX). Routes to appropriate editor skill based on file type. CRITICAL RULE: NEVER modify original files. Always copy to output folder first, then work on the copy. Use this skill when user wants to edit local files without Canva API. Does not invoke Canva unless explicitly requested.

Local File Manager Skill

Main orchestrator for all local file editing operations. Routes to appropriate specialized skill based on file type.

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⚠️ CRITICAL DESIGN PRESERVATION RULES (ALL FILE TYPES)

These rules apply to ALL file types and are NON-NEGOTIABLE.

🚫 UNIVERSAL "NEVER" RULES:

1. NEVER create new elements - Only modify EXISTING text boxes, shapes, cells, etc.
2. NEVER add new pages/slides/sheets from scratch - DUPLICATE existing ones
3. NEVER change formatting - Font size, color, alignment must be preserved
4. NEVER change layout/structure - Position, size, margins must stay the same
5. NEVER modify decorative elements - Logos, images, borders, headers, footers
6. NEVER break the template/theme - All changes must respect original design

✅ UNIVERSAL "ALWAYS" RULES:

1. ALWAYS analyze structure first - Understand what exists before modifying
2. ALWAYS replace content in existing elements - Don't add new ones
3. ALWAYS duplicate pages/slides/sheets to create new ones
4. ALWAYS preserve formatting when replacing content
5. ALWAYS identify editable vs decorative elements before any operation

File-Specific Rules:

File Type	How to Add New Content
PPTX	DUPLICATE existing slide, then replace text
DOCX	Modify text in existing paragraphs, never add new text boxes
PDF	Modify existing text fields only (limited editing)
XLSX	Modify existing cells, add rows only if within existing structure

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CRITICAL RULE: NEVER MODIFY ORIGINAL FILES

This is a non-negotiable rule:

1. NEVER edit, modify, or overwrite files in the input/ folder
2. NEVER modify files provided by the user in their original location
3. ALWAYS copy the file to output/ folder first
4. ALWAYS work on the copy, not the original
5. ALWAYS save results to output/ folder

Why This Matters

• User's original files are precious and irreplaceable
• Mistakes happen - modifications should be reversible
• User needs to compare original vs. modified
• Audit trail of what was changed

Workflow for Every Edit Operation

1. User provides file: input/report.pdf

2. COPY to output folder:
   output/working/report_copy.pdf

3. ALL edits happen on the copy

4. Final result saved as:
   output/pdf/report_modified.pdf

5. Original UNTOUCHED:
   input/report.pdf (unchanged)

File Type Routing

Extension	Skill	Description
.pdf	local-pdf-editor	PDF manipulation
.pptx, .ppt	local-pptx-editor	PowerPoint editing
.docx, .doc	local-docx-editor	Word document editing
.xlsx, .xls	local-xlsx-editor	Excel spreadsheet editing

Standard Workflow

Step 1: Receive File

User provides a file path. Verify it exists.

# Check file exists
ls -la "input/user_file.pdf"

Step 2: Create Working Copy

ALWAYS copy before any operation:

# Create working directory
mkdir -p output/working

# Copy original to working directory
cp "input/user_file.pdf" "output/working/user_file_copy.pdf"

Step 3: Route to Appropriate Skill

Based on file extension:

• .pdf → Use local-pdf-editor skill
• .pptx → Use local-pptx-editor skill
• .docx → Use local-docx-editor skill
• .xlsx → Use local-xlsx-editor skill

Step 4: Perform Operations on Copy

All scripts receive:

• --file: Path to the COPY (not original)
• --output: Path in output folder for results

Step 5: Save Results

Final modified file goes to appropriate output subfolder:

• output/pdf/ - Modified PDFs
• output/pptx/ - Modified PowerPoints
• output/docx/ - Modified Word documents
• output/xlsx/ - Modified Excel files

Running Python Scripts (Virtual Environment)

IMPORTANT: All Python scripts MUST be run using the virtual environment Python:

# Windows
.venv\Scripts\python.exe scripts/local/safe_copy.py --source "input/document.pdf"

# macOS/Linux
.venv/bin/python scripts/local/safe_copy.py --source "input/document.pdf"

NEVER use system Python directly. Always use .venv\Scripts\python.exe (Windows) or .venv/bin/python (macOS/Linux).

Safe Copy Script

Use this script for all file operations:

.venv\Scripts\python.exe scripts/local/safe_copy.py --source "input/document.pdf"

Directory Structure for Operations

10x-Canva-Skills/
├── input/                    # User's original files (READ-ONLY)
│   ├── report.pdf           # Original PDF
│   ├── presentation.pptx    # Original PPTX
│   └── document.docx        # Original DOCX
│
├── output/
│   ├── working/             # Temporary working copies
│   ├── pdf/                 # Final modified PDFs
│   ├── pptx/                # Final modified PPTXs
│   ├── docx/                # Final modified DOCXs
│   ├── xlsx/                # Final modified XLSXs
│   └── logs/                # Operation logs

Capabilities

This skill has full access to:

• Web search for researching file format specifications
• Web fetch for getting documentation
• All file operations (read, write, edit)
• Bash for running Python scripts
• All other Claude Code tools as needed

Todo List Tracking (REQUIRED)

ALWAYS use the TodoWrite tool to track progress for file editing tasks:

When User Requests File Edit:

1. Create todo items for each step
2. Mark items in_progress as you work
3. Mark items completed when done

Example Todo List for PDF Edit:

1. [x] Analyze original PDF structure
2. [x] Create safe working copy
3. [x] Apply requested modifications
4. [x] Verify changes
5. [x] Save to output folder

TodoWrite Format:

[
  {"content": "Create safe working copy", "status": "completed", "activeForm": "Creating safe copy"},
  {"content": "Analyze document structure", "status": "in_progress", "activeForm": "Analyzing structure"},
  {"content": "Apply modifications", "status": "pending", "activeForm": "Applying modifications"},
  {"content": "Save to output folder", "status": "pending", "activeForm": "Saving results"}
]

This gives users visibility into progress and ensures all steps are completed.

When NOT to Use Canva

Use local editing (this skill) when:

• User provides a local file
• User says "edit this file", "modify my document"
• No mention of Canva or cloud operations

Use Canva API when:

• User explicitly says "invoke canva" or "use canva"
• User wants to create from Canva templates
• User wants to sync with their Canva account