pdf

name	pdf
description	Read and process PDF files that exceed the Read tool's 10-page limit on Windows
argument-hint	<pdf_path> [prompt]

/pdf — PDF Workaround Skill

Process PDF files by splitting into 10-page chunks, reading each, and synthesizing results. Works around the Read tool's broken pages parameter on Windows (claude-code#30819).

Usage

/pdf path/to/paper.pdf
/pdf path/to/paper.pdf "Extract all equations involving the core operator"
/pdf path/to/paper.pdf "Summarize sections 3-5"
/pdf path/to/paper.pdf "Find all references to <topic>"

Arguments

• First argument (required): Path to the PDF file
• Second argument (optional): A prompt describing what to extract, summarize, or review. If omitted, produces a structured summary of the entire document.

Execution Steps

Step 1: Validate and Split

Run the splitter script to create 10-page chunks:

"<project-venv>/Scripts/python.exe" tools/pdf-extract-pages.py "<pdf_path>" --batch

This creates a directory <pdf_stem>_chunks/ with files like <pdf_stem>_p001-010.pdf, <pdf_stem>_p011-020.pdf, etc.

If the PDF is ≤10 pages, skip splitting — just read it directly.

Step 2: Read ALL Chunks

READ THE ENTIRE DOCUMENT. Read every chunk file sequentially using the Read tool WITHOUT the pages parameter. Do NOT skip chunks. Do NOT read only a subset and call it done.

The ONLY exception to reading all chunks is when the user's prompt is a narrow targeted search — something like "find equation 3.7" or "what does page 45 say about X." In that case you may read selectively. But if the prompt is a summary, review, synthesis, or any open-ended analysis: read every page.

As you read each chunk, extract and note:

• Key content relevant to the user's prompt (if provided)
• Section headings, theorem numbers, equation numbers
• Important definitions, results, or claims
• Page numbers from the original document (chunk filename tells you the range)

Step 3: Synthesize

After reading ALL chunks:

If a prompt was provided: Answer the user's question or perform the requested analysis using the accumulated content from all chunks. Cite page numbers from the original document.

If no prompt was provided: Produce a structured summary:

## Document Overview
- Title, authors, year, arXiv ID (if available)
- Total pages, sections

## Key Content
- Main results/theorems with page references
- Important equations (with equation numbers)
- Methodology overview

## Relevance to Framework
- Connections to this project's framework (if any)
- Key concepts that map to the project's terminology

Step 4: Cleanup

After synthesis is complete, delete the chunks directory:

rm -rf "<chunks_directory>"

Rules

• READ THE WHOLE DOCUMENT unless the prompt is a narrow targeted search for a specific item.
• NEVER use the pages parameter on the Read tool. It is broken on Windows.
• Read chunks sequentially, not in parallel (context accumulation matters).
• If a chunk fails to read, note it and continue with the remaining chunks.
• Always cite original page numbers (derived from chunk filenames), not chunk-internal page numbers.
• Do NOT ask "should I read the rest?" — just read it. The user invoked /pdf because they want the whole thing processed.