| name | pandoc-unicode-workaround |
| description | Handle LaTeX Unicode errors in pandoc PDF generation by normalizing special characters to ASCII |
Pandoc Unicode Workaround
This skill provides a workflow for generating PDFs from Markdown using pandoc when LaTeX compilation fails due to Unicode character errors.
When to Use
Use this skill when:
pandoc document.md -o document.pdf fails with LaTeX/Unicode errors
- Error messages mention "Unicode character", "LaTeX Error", or specific characters like ✓, →, —, etc.
- You need to produce PDF output but pandoc's default LaTeX engine cannot handle special characters
Step-by-Step Procedure
Step 1: Attempt Initial PDF Generation
pandoc input.md -o output.pdf
If this succeeds, you're done. If it fails with Unicode/LaTeX errors, proceed to Step 2.
Step 2: Normalize Unicode Characters
Replace problematic Unicode characters with ASCII equivalents. Common replacements:
| Unicode Character | ASCII Replacement | Alternative |
|---|
| ✓ (checkmark) | [Y] or [X] | OK, ✓ removed |
| ✗ or ✘ (cross) | [N] | FAIL |
| → (arrow right) | -> | => |
| ← (arrow left) | <- | |
| — (em dash) | -- or - | --- |
| – (en dash) | - | |
| • (bullet) | - | * |
| © (copyright) | (c) | Copyright |
| ® (registered) |