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name: pandoc-converter description: Convert documents between formats using Pandoc. Use when the user asks to convert files between formats like markdown, docx, html, pdf, latex, epub, rtf, csv, xlsx, or pptx. Triggers on requests like "convert this to Word", "export as PDF", "turn this markdown into HTML", or "convert the CSV to a table".

Pandoc Converter

Convert documents between common formats using Pandoc.

Quick Start

Copy# Basic conversion (format auto-detected from extensions)
python scripts/convert.py input.md output.docx

# Specify output format only
python scripts/convert.py document.md --to html

# Check if Pandoc is installed
python scripts/convert.py --check

# List supported formats
python scripts/convert.py --formats

Supported Formats

Document formats (read/write): markdown, html, docx, latex, epub, rtf, pptx, pdf
Data formats (read only): csv, tsv, xlsx
Markdown variants: gfm (GitHub), commonmark

For detailed compatibility, see references/format-compatibility.md.

Common Conversions

Options

Additional Pandoc options pass through directly.

Workflow

1. Check installation: Run python scripts/convert.py --check
2. If not installed: Follow the installation instructions provided
3. Convert: Run the conversion with input and output files
4. Present result: Provide the converted file to the user

Installation (if needed)

The script provides installation guidance, but here's a summary:

Copy# macOS
brew install pandoc

# Ubuntu/Debian  
sudo apt-get install pandoc

# For PDF output, also install LaTeX:
# macOS: brew install --cask mactex-no-gui
# Ubuntu: sudo apt-get install texlive-xetex

Limitations

• CSV/TSV/XLSX: Input only (converts to tables in other formats)
• PDF output: Requires LaTeX installation
• PPTX: Text extraction works; complex layouts may simplify
• Complex formatting: Some features may not transfer between formats