Image Card Series Generator
Break down complex content into eye-catching image card series with multiple style options.
User Input Tools
When this skill prompts the user, follow this tool-selection rule (priority order):
- Prefer built-in user-input tools exposed by the current agent runtime — e.g.,
AskUserQuestion, request_user_input, clarify, ask_user, or any equivalent.
- Fallback: if no such tool exists, emit a numbered plain-text message and ask the user to reply with the chosen number/answer for each question.
- Batching: if the tool supports multiple questions per call, combine all applicable questions into a single call; if only single-question, ask them one at a time in priority order.
Concrete AskUserQuestion references below are examples — substitute the local equivalent in other runtimes.
Image Generation Tools
When this skill needs to render an image, resolve the backend in this order:
- Current-request override — if the user names a specific backend in the current message, use it.
- Saved preference — if
EXTEND.md sets preferred_image_backend to a backend available right now, use it.
- Auto-select (when the preference is
auto, unset, or the pinned backend isn't available):
- Codex (
imagegen) — first, inspect your available-skills / tool inventory. If a skill named imagegen is listed, you are running inside Codex and MUST use it: invoke via the Skill tool with skill: "imagegen", passing the saved prompt file's content (plus output path and aspect ratio per Codex imagegen's own args). Codex imagegen is the official raster backend in that runtime and outranks any non-native skill (e.g., baoyu-image-gen) unless the user has explicitly pinned a different preferred_image_backend.
- Codex via
codex exec (codex-imagegen) — if the current runtime exposes no native imagegen skill but the codex CLI is on PATH with an active codex login, route through baoyu-image-gen --provider codex-cli (preferred), or — if baoyu-image-gen is unavailable — invoke the bundled wrapper directly. Details, parameters, and the runtime-discovery procedure live in references/codex-imagegen.md — load that file only when this branch is selected.
- Other runtime-native tools — if the runtime exposes a different native image tool (e.g., Hermes
image_generate), use it the same way.
- Otherwise, if exactly one non-native backend is installed (e.g.,
baoyu-image-gen), use it.
- Otherwise (multiple non-native backends with no runtime-native tool), ask the user once — batch with any other initial questions.
- If none are available, tell the user and ask how to proceed.
⛔ Never substitute SVG, HTML, canvas, or other code-based rendering for raster image generation. Codex imagegen's own description says it should be used "when the output should be a bitmap asset rather than repo-native code or vector." If you cannot resolve a raster backend via step 3, fall through to step 4 and ask the user — do not silently emit SVG, write inline <svg> markup, or produce HTML/CSS art as a substitute. This applies even if the article/section seems "diagram-like": the consumer skill calling this rule has already decided that a raster image is what it needs.
⛔ Never repair rendered text by painting over a generated bitmap. Do not use ImageMagick, Pillow, Canvas, SVG, HTML/CSS, OCR scripts, or any other programmatic overlay to cover, rewrite, erase, stroke, or replace titles, body copy, tags, or any other text inside an already generated image card. If text is wrong or unclear, regenerate from a corrected prompt, switch to a layout with less on-card text, or ask the user which imperfect candidate to keep.
Setting preferred_image_backend: ask forces the step-3 prompt every run regardless of available backends. Users change the pinned backend via the ## Changing Preferences section below.
Prompt file requirement (hard): write each image's full, final prompt to a standalone file under prompts/ (naming: NN-{type}-[slug].md) BEFORE invoking any backend. The file is the reproducibility record and lets you switch backends without regenerating prompts.
Concrete tool names (imagegen, image_generate, baoyu-image-gen) above are examples — substitute the local equivalents under the same rule.
Batch Generation Policy
After every prompt file for the current generation group has been saved and verified, generate images in batches by default.
Priority order:
- Use the chosen backend's native batch / multi-task interface if it exists. Each task must keep its own prompt file, output path, aspect ratio, session ID, and direct reference images.
- If no native batch interface exists but the runtime can issue parallel tool calls, dispatch up to
generation_batch_size images at a time. Default: 4. An explicit user request in the current message, such as --batch-size 4 or "并行 4 张一起生成", overrides EXTEND.md.
- If neither native batch nor parallel tool calls are available, generate sequentially.
Rules:
- Honor the image-1 anchor chain: generate image 1 first, then batch images 2+ using image 1 as the reference.
- Never start a batch until every selected prompt file for that batch exists on disk.
- Retry failed items once without regenerating successful items.
- Do not use subagents merely to parallelize image rendering. Use subagents only for separate prompt iteration or creative exploration.
Confirmation Policy
Default behavior: confirm before generation.
- Treat explicit skill invocation, a file path, matched signals/presets, and
EXTEND.md defaults as recommendation inputs only. None of them authorizes skipping confirmation.
- Do not start Step 3 until the user completes Step 2.
- Skip confirmation only when the current request explicitly says to do so, for example:
--yes, "直接生成", "不用确认", "跳过确认", "按默认出图", or equivalent wording.
- If confirmation is skipped explicitly, state the assumed strategy / style / layout / palette / count / backend in the next user-facing update before generating.
Language
Respond in the user's language across questions, progress, errors, and completion summary. Keep technical tokens (style names, file paths, code) in English.
Options
| Option |
Description |
--style <name> |
Visual style (see Styles below) |
--layout <name> |
Information layout (see Layouts below) |
--palette <name> |
Color override: macaron / warm / neon |
--preset <name> |
Style + layout + optional palette shorthand (see Presets below; per-preset prompt fragments in references/style-presets.md) |
--ref <files...> |
Reference images applied to image 1 as the series anchor |
--batch-size <n> |
Temporary generation batch size for this run. Default: generation_batch_size from EXTEND.md, otherwise 4. Clamp to 1-8. |
--yes |
Non-interactive: skip all confirmations, use EXTEND.md or built-in defaults, auto-confirm recommended plan (Path A) |
Dimensions
Three independent knobs combine freely:
| Dimension |
Controls |
Options |
| Style |
Visual aesthetics (lines, decorations, rendering) |
12 styles (see Styles below) |
| Layout |
Information structure (density, arrangement) |
8 layouts (see Layouts below) |
| Palette (optional) |
Color override, replaces the style's default colors |
macaron / warm / neon (see Palettes below) |
Example: --style notion --layout dense makes an intellectual knowledge card; add --palette macaron to soften the colors without changing notion's rendering rules. A --preset is a shorthand for style + layout (+ optional palette).
Palette behavior: no --palette → style's built-in colors; --palette <name> → overrides colors only, rendering rules unchanged. Some styles declare a default_palette (e.g., sketch-notes defaults to macaron).
Styles (12)
| Style |
Description |
cute (Default) |
Sweet, adorable, girly aesthetic |
fresh |
Clean, refreshing, natural |
warm |
Cozy, friendly, approachable |
bold |
High impact, attention-grabbing |
minimal |
Ultra-clean, sophisticated |
retro |
Vintage, nostalgic, trendy |
pop |
Vibrant, energetic, eye-catching |
notion |
Minimalist hand-drawn line art, intellectual |
chalkboard |
Colorful chalk on black board, educational |
study-notes |
Realistic handwritten photo style, blue pen + red annotations + yellow highlighter |
screen-print |
Bold poster art, halftone textures, limited colors, symbolic storytelling |
sketch-notes |
Hand-drawn educational infographic, macaron pastels on warm cream, wobble lines |
Per-style specifications: references/presets/<style>.md.
Layouts (8)
| Layout |
Description |
sparse (Default) |
1-2 points, maximum impact |
balanced |
3-4 points, standard |
dense |
5-8 points, knowledge-card style |
list |
Enumeration / ranking (4-7 items) |
comparison |
Side-by-side contrast |
flow |
Process / timeline (3-6 steps) |
mindmap |
Center-radial (4-8 branches) |
quadrant |
Four-quadrant / circular sections |
Layout specs: references/elements/canvas.md.
Palettes (optional override)
Replaces the style's colors while keeping rendering rules (line treatment, textures) intact.
| Palette |
Background |
Zone Colors |
Accent |
Feel |
macaron |
Warm cream #F5F0E8 |
Blue #A8D8EA, Lavender #D5C6E0, Mint #B5E5CF, Peach #F8D5C4 |
Coral #E8655A |
Soft, educational |
warm |
Soft peach #FFECD2 |
Orange #ED8936, Terracotta #C05621, Golden #F6AD55, Rose #D4A09A |
Sienna #A0522D |
Earth tones, cozy |
neon |
Dark purple #1A1025 |
Cyan #00F5FF, Magenta #FF00FF, Green #39FF14, Pink #FF6EC7 |
Yellow #FFFF00 |
High-energy, futuristic |
Palette specs: references/palettes/<palette>.md.
Presets (style + layout shortcuts)
Quick-start combos, grouped by scenario. Use --preset <name> or recommend during Step 2.
Knowledge & Learning:
| Preset |
Style |
Layout |
Best For |
knowledge-card |
notion |
dense |
干货知识卡、概念科普 |
checklist |
notion |
list |
清单、排行榜 |
concept-map |
notion |
mindmap |
概念图、知识脉络 |
swot |
notion |
quadrant |
SWOT 分析、四象限 |
tutorial |
chalkboard |
flow |
教程步骤、操作流程 |
classroom |
chalkboard |
balanced |
课堂笔记、知识讲解 |
study-guide |
study-notes |
dense |
学习笔记、考试重点 |
hand-drawn-edu |
sketch-notes |
flow |
手绘教程、流程图解 |
sketch-card |
sketch-notes |
dense |
手绘知识卡 |
sketch-summary |
sketch-notes |
balanced |
手绘总结、图文笔记 |
Lifestyle & Sharing:
| Preset |
Style |
Layout |
Best For |
cute-share |
cute |
balanced |
少女风分享、日常种草 |
girly |
cute |
sparse |
甜美封面、氛围感 |
cozy-story |
warm |
balanced |
生活故事、情感分享 |
product-review |
fresh |
comparison |
产品对比、测评 |
nature-flow |
fresh |
flow |
健康流程、自然主题 |
Impact & Opinion:
| Preset |
Style |
Layout |
Best For |
warning |
bold |
list |
避坑指南、重要提醒 |
versus |
bold |
comparison |
正反对比 |
clean-quote |
minimal |
sparse |
金句、极简封面 |
pro-summary |
minimal |
balanced |
专业总结、商务内容 |
Trend & Entertainment:
| Preset |
Style |
Layout |
Best For |
retro-ranking |
retro |
list |
复古排行、经典盘点 |
throwback |
retro |
balanced |
怀旧分享 |
pop-facts |
pop |
list |
趣味冷知识 |
hype |
pop |
sparse |
炸裂封面、惊叹分享 |
Poster & Editorial:
| Preset |
Style |
Layout |
Best For |
poster |
screen-print |
sparse |
海报风封面、影评书评 |
editorial |
screen-print |
balanced |
观点文章、文化评论 |
cinematic |
screen-print |
comparison |
电影对比、戏剧张力 |
Full prompt-fragment definitions: references/style-presets.md.
Auto-Selection
Match content signals to the best combo. First row whose keywords appear wins; fall back to cute-share if nothing matches.
| Signals in source |
Style |
Layout |
Recommended preset |
| beauty, fashion, cute, girl, pink |
cute |
sparse/balanced |
cute-share, girly |
| health, nature, fresh, organic |
fresh |
balanced/flow |
product-review, nature-flow |
| life, story, emotion, warm |
warm |
balanced |
cozy-story |
| warning, important, must, critical |
bold |
list/comparison |
warning, versus |
| professional, business, elegant |
minimal |
sparse/balanced |
clean-quote, pro-summary |
| classic, vintage, traditional |
retro |
balanced |
throwback, retro-ranking |
| fun, exciting, wow, amazing |
pop |
sparse/list |
hype, pop-facts |
| knowledge, concept, productivity, SaaS |
notion |
dense/list |
knowledge-card, checklist |
| education, tutorial, learning, classroom |
chalkboard |
balanced/dense |
tutorial, classroom |
| notes, handwritten, study guide, realistic |
study-notes |
dense/list/mindmap |
study-guide |
| movie, poster, opinion, editorial, cinematic |
screen-print |
sparse/comparison |
poster, editorial, cinematic |
| hand-drawn, infographic, workflow, 手绘,图解 |
sketch-notes |
flow/balanced/dense |
hand-drawn-edu, sketch-card, sketch-summary |
Style × Layout Matrix
Compatibility scores (✓✓ highly recommended, ✓ works well, ✗ avoid). Use when the user picks a non-default combo and you want to flag a poor match.
|
sparse |
balanced |
dense |
list |
comparison |
flow |
mindmap |
quadrant |
| cute |
✓✓ |
✓✓ |
✓ |
✓✓ |
✓ |
✓ |
✓ |
✓ |
| fresh |
✓✓ |
✓✓ |
✓ |
✓ |
✓ |
✓✓ |
✓ |
✓ |
| warm |
✓✓ |
✓✓ |
✓ |
✓ |
✓✓ |
✓ |
✓ |
✓ |
| bold |
✓✓ |
✓ |
✓ |
✓✓ |
✓✓ |
✓ |
✓ |
✓✓ |
| minimal |
✓✓ |
✓✓ |
✓✓ |
✓ |
✓ |
✓ |
✓ |
✓ |
| retro |
✓✓ |
✓✓ |
✓ |
✓✓ |
✓ |
✓ |
✓ |
✓ |
| pop |
✓✓ |
✓✓ |
✓ |
✓✓ |
✓✓ |
✓ |
✓ |
✓ |
| notion |
✓✓ |
✓✓ |
✓✓ |
✓✓ |
✓✓ |
✓✓ |
✓✓ |
✓✓ |
| chalkboard |
✓✓ |
✓✓ |
✓✓ |
✓✓ |
✓ |
✓✓ |
✓✓ |
✓ |
| study-notes |
✗ |
✓ |
✓✓ |
✓✓ |
✓ |
✓ |
✓✓ |
✓ |
| screen-print |
✓✓ |
✓✓ |
✗ |
✓ |
✓✓ |
✓ |
✗ |
✓✓ |
| sketch-notes |
✓ |
✓✓ |
✓✓ |
✓✓ |
✓ |
✓✓ |
✓✓ |
✓ |
Outline Strategies
Three differentiated approaches — each produces a structurally different outline. The workflow recommends one; Path C generates all three and lets the user choose.
| Strategy |
Concept |
Best for |
Structure |
| A — Story-Driven |
Personal experience as the thread, emotional resonance first |
Reviews, personal shares, transformation |
Hook → Problem → Discovery → Experience → Conclusion |
| B — Information-Dense |
Value-first, efficient information delivery |
Tutorials, comparisons, checklists |
Core conclusion → Info card → Pros/Cons → Recommendation |
| C — Visual-First |
Visual impact as core, minimal text |
High-aesthetic products, lifestyle, mood content |
Hero image → Detail shots → Lifestyle scene → CTA |
Reference Images
User-supplied refs are separate from the internal "image-1 as anchor" chain (Step 3) — they layer on top of it.
Intake: via --ref <files...> or paths pasted in conversation.
- File path → copy to
refs/NN-ref-{slug}.{ext}
- Pasted with no path → ask for the path, or extract style traits as a text fallback
Usage modes (per reference):
| Usage |
Effect |
direct |
Pass the file to the backend (typically on image 1 only, so the anchor propagates through the chain) |
style |
Extract style traits and append to every card's prompt body |
palette |
Extract hex colors and append to every card's prompt body |
Record refs in each affected card's prompt frontmatter:
references:
- ref_id: 01
filename: 01-ref-brand.png
usage: direct
At generation time: verify files exist. Image 1 with usage: direct + backend that accepts refs → pass via the backend's ref parameter (becomes the chain anchor). Images 2+ keep using image-1 as --ref per Step 3 — do NOT re-stack user refs on top (avoids conflicting signals). For style/palette, embed extracted traits in every prompt.
File Layout
image-cards/{topic-slug}/
├── source-{slug}.{ext}
├── analysis.md
├── outline-strategy-{a,b,c}.md # Path C only
├── outline.md
├── prompts/NN-{type}-{slug}.md
├── NN-{type}-{slug}.png
└── refs/ # only if --ref used
Slug: 2-4 words, kebab-case. "AI 工具推荐" → ai-tools-recommend. On collision, append -YYYYMMDD-HHMMSS.
Backup rule (applies throughout): before overwriting any file — source, outline, prompt, image — rename the existing one to <name>-backup-YYYYMMDD-HHMMSS.<ext>. This protects user edits.
Workflow
- [ ] Step 0: Load EXTEND.md ⛔ BLOCKING (interactive only)
- [ ] Step 1: Analyze content → analysis.md
- [ ] Step 2: Smart Confirm ⚠️ REQUIRED (Path A / B / C)
- [ ] Step 3: Generate images
- [ ] Step 4: Completion report
Step 0: Load EXTEND.md ⛔ BLOCKING
Check these paths in order; first hit wins:
| Path |
Scope |
.baoyu-skills/baoyu-xhs-images/EXTEND.md |
Project |
${XDG_CONFIG_HOME:-$HOME/.config}/baoyu-skills/baoyu-xhs-images/EXTEND.md |
XDG |
$HOME/.baoyu-skills/baoyu-xhs-images/EXTEND.md |
User home |
- Found → read, parse, print a summary (style / layout / watermark / language), continue.
- Not found + interactive → run first-time setup (see
references/config/first-time-setup.md) and save before anything else. Do NOT analyze content or ask style questions until preferences exist — this keeps first-run behavior predictable.
- Not found +
--yes → skip setup, use built-in defaults (no watermark, style/layout auto-selected, language from content). Do not prompt, do not create EXTEND.md.
EXTEND.md keys: watermark, preferred style/layout, custom style definitions, language preference, preferred image backend, generation batch size. Schema: references/config/preferences-schema.md.
Step 1: Analyze Content → analysis.md
- Save the source (backup rule applies if
source.md exists).
- Run the deep analysis in
references/workflows/analysis-framework.md: content type, hook potential, audience, engagement signals, visual opportunity map, swipe flow.
- Detect source language, pick recommended image count (2-10).
- Auto-recommend strategy + style + layout + palette using the Auto-Selection table above.
- Write everything to
analysis.md.
Step 2: Smart Confirm ⚠️ REQUIRED
Hard gate: this step is mandatory per the Confirmation Policy — Step 3 cannot start until the user confirms here (or explicitly opts out with --yes / equivalent wording in the current request).
Goal: present the auto-recommended plan and let the user confirm or adjust. Skip this step entirely under --yes — proceed with Path A using the analysis and any CLI overrides.
Display summary before asking:
📋 内容分析
主题:[topic] | 类型:[content_type]
要点:[key points]
受众:[audience]
🎨 推荐方案(自动匹配)
策略:[A/B/C] [name]([reason])
风格:[style] · 布局:[layout] · 配色:[palette or 默认] · 预设:[preset]
图片:[N]张(封面+[N-2]内容+结尾)
元素:[background] / [decorations] / [emphasis]
Then ask one question — three paths. Verbatim option copy: references/confirmation.md.
Path A — Quick confirm (trust auto-recommendation): generate a single outline using the recommended strategy + style → save to outline.md → Step 3.
Path B — Customize: ask five questions (strategy/style, layout, palette, count, optional notes) with the recommendation pre-filled — blanks keep the recommendation. Generate one outline with the user's choices → outline.md → Step 3. See references/confirmation.md.
Path C — Detailed mode: two sub-confirmations.
- Step 2a — Content understanding: ask selling points (multi-select), audience, style preference (authentic / professional / aesthetic / auto), optional context. Update
analysis.md.
- Step 2b — Three outline variants: generate
outline-strategy-a.md, outline-strategy-b.md, outline-strategy-c.md. Each MUST have a different structure AND a different recommended style — include style_reason in the frontmatter. Page-count heuristic: A ~4-6, B ~3-5, C ~3-4. Template: references/workflows/outline-template.md; frontmatter example in references/confirmation.md.
- Step 2c — Selection: ask three questions (outline A/B/C/Combined, style, visual elements). Save selected/merged outline to
outline.md → Step 3.
Step 3: Generate Images
With confirmed outline + style + layout + palette:
Visual consistency — image-1 anchor chain: character / mascot / color rendering drifts between calls unless you anchor them. Generate image 1 (cover) first WITHOUT --ref, then pass image 1 as --ref to every subsequent image. This is the single most important consistency trick for this skill — don't skip it even if the backend also supports a session ID.
Generation flow:
- Write the full prompt for every image to
prompts/NN-{type}-{slug}.md in the user's preferred language (backup rule applies), then verify all selected prompt files exist.
- Generate image 1 first without
--ref; backup rule applies to the PNG file. This establishes the anchor.
- Build a task list for images 2+ using image 1 as
--ref <path-to-image-01.png>.
- Dispatch images 2+ in batches per the
## Batch Generation Policy: backend native batch first, runtime parallel tool calls second, sequential only as fallback.
- Report progress after each completed image. On failure, retry only the failed item once from the same saved prompt file.
Watermark (if enabled in EXTEND.md): append to the generation prompt:
Include a subtle watermark "[content]" positioned at [position].
The watermark should be legible but not distracting.
See references/config/watermark-guide.md.
Backend selection: per the Image Generation Tools rule at the top — use whatever is available, ask once if multiple, before any generation. Under --yes, use the EXTEND.md preference and fall back to the first available backend. Prompt files MUST exist before invoking any backend.
codex-imagegen invocation: when the rule resolves to codex-imagegen, see references/codex-imagegen.md for the invocation contract (preferred baoyu-image-gen --provider codex-cli path, runtime wrapper discovery, parameter notes, stdout schema, batch semantics — n=1 per call so card batches must dispatch one wrapper call per card; the wrapper does NOT accept --sessionId, so chain consistency must come from --ref per Step 3 above).
Session ID (if the backend supports --sessionId): use cards-{topic-slug}-{timestamp} for every image; combined with the ref chain this gives maximum consistency.
Step 4: Completion Report
Image Card Series Complete!
Topic: [topic]
Mode: [Quick / Custom / Detailed]
Strategy: [A/B/C/Combined]
Style: [name]
Palette: [name or "default"]
Layout: [name or "varies"]
Location: [directory]
Images: N total
✓ analysis.md
✓ outline.md
✓ outline-strategy-a/b/c.md (detailed mode only)
- 01-cover-[slug].png ✓ Cover (sparse)
- 02-content-[slug].png ✓ Content (balanced)
- ...
- NN-ending-[slug].png ✓ Ending (sparse)
Content Breakdown Principles
| Position |
Purpose |
Typical layout |
| Cover (image 1) |
Hook + visual impact |
sparse |
| Content (middle) |
Core value per image |
balanced / dense / list / comparison / flow |
| Ending (last) |
CTA / summary |
sparse or balanced |
For the style × layout compatibility matrix, see the Style × Layout Matrix above.
Image Modification
| Action |
How |
| Edit |
Update prompts/NN-{type}-{slug}.md first, then regenerate with the same session ID |
| Add |
Specify position, create prompt, generate, renumber subsequent files NN+1, update outline |
| Delete |
Remove files, renumber subsequent NN-1, update outline |
Always update the prompt file before regenerating — it's the source of truth and makes changes reproducible.
Text correction policy:
- If a card's title, body copy, tags, or any other rendered text is misspelled, garbled, hard to read, or visually weak, do not patch the bitmap with code.
- For text-correction regenerations, write a new prompt file and a new output path so the flawed candidate is preserved for comparison.
- Post-processing is limited to crop, resize, compression, or format conversion that does not alter text or the main composition.
References
| File |
Content |
references/confirmation.md |
Verbatim AskUserQuestion copy for every confirmation path |
references/style-presets.md |
Full preset shortcut definitions |
references/presets/<style>.md |
Per-style element definitions |
references/palettes/<name>.md |
Per-palette color definitions |
references/elements/canvas.md |
Aspect ratios, safe zones, grid layouts |
references/elements/image-effects.md |
Cutout, stroke, filters |
references/elements/typography.md |
Decorated text, tags, text direction |
references/elements/decorations.md |
Emphasis marks, backgrounds, doodles, frames |
references/workflows/analysis-framework.md |
Content analysis framework |
references/workflows/outline-template.md |
Outline template with layout guide |
references/workflows/prompt-assembly.md |
Prompt assembly guide |
references/config/preferences-schema.md |
EXTEND.md schema |
references/config/first-time-setup.md |
First-time setup flow |
references/config/watermark-guide.md |
Watermark configuration |
Notes
- Auto-retry once on generation failure before reporting an error.
- For sensitive public figures, use stylized cartoon alternatives.
- Smart Confirm (Step 2) is required; Detailed mode adds a second confirmation (2a + 2c).
Changing Preferences
EXTEND.md lives at the first matching path listed in Step 0. Three ways to change it:
- Edit directly — open EXTEND.md and change fields. Full schema:
references/config/preferences-schema.md.
- Reconfigure interactively — delete EXTEND.md (or ask "reconfigure baoyu-xhs-images preferences" / "重新配置"). The next run re-triggers first-time setup.
- Common one-line edits:
preferred_image_backend: auto — default; runtime-native tool wins, falls back to the only installed backend, asks only if multiple non-native are present.
preferred_image_backend: codex-imagegen — pin to Codex's built-in.
preferred_image_backend: baoyu-image-gen — pin to the baoyu-image-gen skill.
preferred_image_backend: ask — confirm backend every run.
generation_batch_size: 4 — default number of images to render concurrently when the backend/runtime supports batch or parallel generation.
preferred_style: notion, preferred_layout: dense, preferred_palette: macaron, language: zh.
watermark.enabled: true + watermark.content: "@handle" — add a watermark.
1---2name: baoyu-xhs-images-23description: Generates infographic image card series with 12 visual styles, 8 layouts, and 3 color palettes. Breaks content into 1-10 cartoon-style image cards optimized for social media engagement. Use when user mentions "小红书图片", "小红书种草", "小绿书", "微信图文", "微信贴图", "image cards", "图片卡片", baoyu-xhs-images, or wants social media infographic series.4---5
6# Image Card Series Generator
7
8Break down complex content into eye-catching image card series with multiple style options.
9
10## User Input Tools
11
12When this skill prompts the user, follow this tool-selection rule (priority order):
13
141. **Prefer built-in user-input tools** exposed by the current agent runtime — e.g., `AskUserQuestion`, `request_user_input`, `clarify`, `ask_user`, or any equivalent.
152. **Fallback**: if no such tool exists, emit a numbered plain-text message and ask the user to reply with the chosen number/answer for each question.
163. **Batching**: if the tool supports multiple questions per call, combine all applicable questions into a single call; if only single-question, ask them one at a time in priority order.
17
18Concrete `AskUserQuestion` references below are examples — substitute the local equivalent in other runtimes.
19
20## Image Generation Tools
21
22When this skill needs to render an image, resolve the backend in this order:
23
241. **Current-request override** — if the user names a specific backend in the current message, use it.
252. **Saved preference** — if `EXTEND.md` sets `preferred_image_backend` to a backend available right now, use it.
263. **Auto-select** (when the preference is `auto`, unset, or the pinned backend isn't available):
27 - **Codex (`imagegen`)** — first, inspect your available-skills / tool inventory. If a skill named `imagegen` is listed, you are running inside Codex and MUST use it: invoke via the `Skill` tool with `skill: "imagegen"`, passing the saved prompt file's content (plus output path and aspect ratio per Codex `imagegen`'s own args). Codex `imagegen` is the official raster backend in that runtime and outranks any non-native skill (e.g., `baoyu-image-gen`) unless the user has explicitly pinned a different `preferred_image_backend`.
28 - **Codex via `codex exec` (`codex-imagegen`)** — if the current runtime exposes no native `imagegen` skill but the `codex` CLI is on `PATH` with an active `codex login`, route through `baoyu-image-gen --provider codex-cli` (preferred), or — if baoyu-image-gen is unavailable — invoke the bundled wrapper directly. Details, parameters, and the runtime-discovery procedure live in [references/codex-imagegen.md](references/codex-imagegen.md) — load that file only when this branch is selected.
29 - **Other runtime-native tools** — if the runtime exposes a different native image tool (e.g., Hermes `image_generate`), use it the same way.
30 - Otherwise, if exactly one non-native backend is installed (e.g., `baoyu-image-gen`), use it.
31 - Otherwise (multiple non-native backends with no runtime-native tool), ask the user once — batch with any other initial questions.
324. **If none are available**, tell the user and ask how to proceed.
33
34**⛔ Never substitute SVG, HTML, canvas, or other code-based rendering for raster image generation.** Codex `imagegen`'s own description says it should be used "when the output should be a bitmap asset rather than repo-native code or vector." If you cannot resolve a raster backend via step 3, fall through to step 4 and ask the user — do **not** silently emit SVG, write inline `<svg>` markup, or produce HTML/CSS art as a substitute. This applies even if the article/section seems "diagram-like": the consumer skill calling this rule has already decided that a raster image is what it needs.
35
36**⛔ Never repair rendered text by painting over a generated bitmap.** Do not use ImageMagick, Pillow, Canvas, SVG, HTML/CSS, OCR scripts, or any other programmatic overlay to cover, rewrite, erase, stroke, or replace titles, body copy, tags, or any other text inside an already generated image card. If text is wrong or unclear, regenerate from a corrected prompt, switch to a layout with less on-card text, or ask the user which imperfect candidate to keep.
37
38Setting `preferred_image_backend: ask` forces the step-3 prompt every run regardless of available backends. Users change the pinned backend via the `## Changing Preferences` section below.
39
40**Prompt file requirement (hard)**: write each image's full, final prompt to a standalone file under `prompts/` (naming: `NN-{type}-[slug].md`) BEFORE invoking any backend. The file is the reproducibility record and lets you switch backends without regenerating prompts.
41
42Concrete tool names (`imagegen`, `image_generate`, `baoyu-image-gen`) above are examples — substitute the local equivalents under the same rule.
43
44## Batch Generation Policy
45
46After every prompt file for the current generation group has been saved and verified, generate images in batches by default.
47
48Priority order:
49
501. Use the chosen backend's native batch / multi-task interface if it exists. Each task must keep its own prompt file, output path, aspect ratio, session ID, and direct reference images.
512. If no native batch interface exists but the runtime can issue parallel tool calls, dispatch up to `generation_batch_size` images at a time. Default: `4`. An explicit user request in the current message, such as `--batch-size 4` or "并行 4 张一起生成", overrides EXTEND.md.
523. If neither native batch nor parallel tool calls are available, generate sequentially.
53
54Rules:
55
56- Honor the image-1 anchor chain: generate image 1 first, then batch images 2+ using image 1 as the reference.
57- Never start a batch until every selected prompt file for that batch exists on disk.
58- Retry failed items once without regenerating successful items.
59- Do not use subagents merely to parallelize image rendering. Use subagents only for separate prompt iteration or creative exploration.
60
61## Confirmation Policy
62
63Default behavior: **confirm before generation**.
64
65- Treat explicit skill invocation, a file path, matched signals/presets, and `EXTEND.md` defaults as **recommendation inputs only**. None of them authorizes skipping confirmation.
66- Do **not** start Step 3 until the user completes Step 2.
67- Skip confirmation only when the current request explicitly says to do so, for example: `--yes`, "直接生成", "不用确认", "跳过确认", "按默认出图", or equivalent wording.
68- If confirmation is skipped explicitly, state the assumed strategy / style / layout / palette / count / backend in the next user-facing update before generating.
69
70## Language
71
72Respond in the user's language across questions, progress, errors, and completion summary. Keep technical tokens (style names, file paths, code) in English.
73
74## Options
75
76| Option | Description |
77|--------|-------------|
78| `--style <name>` | Visual style (see Styles below) |
79| `--layout <name>` | Information layout (see Layouts below) |
80| `--palette <name>` | Color override: macaron / warm / neon |
81| `--preset <name>` | Style + layout + optional palette shorthand (see Presets below; per-preset prompt fragments in `references/style-presets.md`) |
82| `--ref <files...>` | Reference images applied to image 1 as the series anchor |
83| `--batch-size <n>` | Temporary generation batch size for this run. Default: `generation_batch_size` from EXTEND.md, otherwise 4. Clamp to 1-8. |
84| `--yes` | Non-interactive: skip all confirmations, use EXTEND.md or built-in defaults, auto-confirm recommended plan (Path A) |
85
86## Dimensions
87
88Three independent knobs combine freely:
89
90| Dimension | Controls | Options |
91|-----------|----------|---------|
92| **Style** | Visual aesthetics (lines, decorations, rendering) | 12 styles (see Styles below) |
93| **Layout** | Information structure (density, arrangement) | 8 layouts (see Layouts below) |
94| **Palette** (optional) | Color override, replaces the style's default colors | macaron / warm / neon (see Palettes below) |
95
96Example: `--style notion --layout dense` makes an intellectual knowledge card; add `--palette macaron` to soften the colors without changing notion's rendering rules. A `--preset` is a shorthand for style + layout (+ optional palette).
97
98**Palette behavior**: no `--palette` → style's built-in colors; `--palette <name>` → overrides colors only, rendering rules unchanged. Some styles declare a `default_palette` (e.g., sketch-notes defaults to macaron).
99
100## Styles (12)
101
102| Style | Description |
103|-------|-------------|
104| `cute` (Default) | Sweet, adorable, girly aesthetic |
105| `fresh` | Clean, refreshing, natural |
106| `warm` | Cozy, friendly, approachable |
107| `bold` | High impact, attention-grabbing |
108| `minimal` | Ultra-clean, sophisticated |
109| `retro` | Vintage, nostalgic, trendy |
110| `pop` | Vibrant, energetic, eye-catching |
111| `notion` | Minimalist hand-drawn line art, intellectual |
112| `chalkboard` | Colorful chalk on black board, educational |
113| `study-notes` | Realistic handwritten photo style, blue pen + red annotations + yellow highlighter |
114| `screen-print` | Bold poster art, halftone textures, limited colors, symbolic storytelling |
115| `sketch-notes` | Hand-drawn educational infographic, macaron pastels on warm cream, wobble lines |
116
117Per-style specifications: `references/presets/<style>.md`.
118
119## Layouts (8)
120
121| Layout | Description |
122|--------|-------------|
123| `sparse` (Default) | 1-2 points, maximum impact |
124| `balanced` | 3-4 points, standard |
125| `dense` | 5-8 points, knowledge-card style |
126| `list` | Enumeration / ranking (4-7 items) |
127| `comparison` | Side-by-side contrast |
128| `flow` | Process / timeline (3-6 steps) |
129| `mindmap` | Center-radial (4-8 branches) |
130| `quadrant` | Four-quadrant / circular sections |
131
132Layout specs: `references/elements/canvas.md`.
133
134## Palettes (optional override)
135
136Replaces the style's colors while keeping rendering rules (line treatment, textures) intact.
137
138| Palette | Background | Zone Colors | Accent | Feel |
139|---------|------------|-------------|--------|------|
140| `macaron` | Warm cream #F5F0E8 | Blue #A8D8EA, Lavender #D5C6E0, Mint #B5E5CF, Peach #F8D5C4 | Coral #E8655A | Soft, educational |
141| `warm` | Soft peach #FFECD2 | Orange #ED8936, Terracotta #C05621, Golden #F6AD55, Rose #D4A09A | Sienna #A0522D | Earth tones, cozy |
142| `neon` | Dark purple #1A1025 | Cyan #00F5FF, Magenta #FF00FF, Green #39FF14, Pink #FF6EC7 | Yellow #FFFF00 | High-energy, futuristic |
143
144Palette specs: `references/palettes/<palette>.md`.
145
146## Presets (style + layout shortcuts)
147
148Quick-start combos, grouped by scenario. Use `--preset <name>` or recommend during Step 2.
149
150**Knowledge & Learning**:
151
152| Preset | Style | Layout | Best For |
153|--------|-------|--------|----------|
154| `knowledge-card` | notion | dense | 干货知识卡、概念科普 |
155| `checklist` | notion | list | 清单、排行榜 |
156| `concept-map` | notion | mindmap | 概念图、知识脉络 |
157| `swot` | notion | quadrant | SWOT 分析、四象限 |
158| `tutorial` | chalkboard | flow | 教程步骤、操作流程 |
159| `classroom` | chalkboard | balanced | 课堂笔记、知识讲解 |
160| `study-guide` | study-notes | dense | 学习笔记、考试重点 |
161| `hand-drawn-edu` | sketch-notes | flow | 手绘教程、流程图解 |
162| `sketch-card` | sketch-notes | dense | 手绘知识卡 |
163| `sketch-summary` | sketch-notes | balanced | 手绘总结、图文笔记 |
164
165**Lifestyle & Sharing**:
166
167| Preset | Style | Layout | Best For |
168|--------|-------|--------|----------|
169| `cute-share` | cute | balanced | 少女风分享、日常种草 |
170| `girly` | cute | sparse | 甜美封面、氛围感 |
171| `cozy-story` | warm | balanced | 生活故事、情感分享 |
172| `product-review` | fresh | comparison | 产品对比、测评 |
173| `nature-flow` | fresh | flow | 健康流程、自然主题 |
174
175**Impact & Opinion**:
176
177| Preset | Style | Layout | Best For |
178|--------|-------|--------|----------|
179| `warning` | bold | list | 避坑指南、重要提醒 |
180| `versus` | bold | comparison | 正反对比 |
181| `clean-quote` | minimal | sparse | 金句、极简封面 |
182| `pro-summary` | minimal | balanced | 专业总结、商务内容 |
183
184**Trend & Entertainment**:
185
186| Preset | Style | Layout | Best For |
187|--------|-------|--------|----------|
188| `retro-ranking` | retro | list | 复古排行、经典盘点 |
189| `throwback` | retro | balanced | 怀旧分享 |
190| `pop-facts` | pop | list | 趣味冷知识 |
191| `hype` | pop | sparse | 炸裂封面、惊叹分享 |
192
193**Poster & Editorial**:
194
195| Preset | Style | Layout | Best For |
196|--------|-------|--------|----------|
197| `poster` | screen-print | sparse | 海报风封面、影评书评 |
198| `editorial` | screen-print | balanced | 观点文章、文化评论 |
199| `cinematic` | screen-print | comparison | 电影对比、戏剧张力 |
200
201Full prompt-fragment definitions: `references/style-presets.md`.
202
203## Auto-Selection
204
205Match content signals to the best combo. First row whose keywords appear wins; fall back to `cute-share` if nothing matches.
206
207| Signals in source | Style | Layout | Recommended preset |
208|-------------------|-------|--------|--------------------|
209| beauty, fashion, cute, girl, pink | `cute` | sparse/balanced | `cute-share`, `girly` |
210| health, nature, fresh, organic | `fresh` | balanced/flow | `product-review`, `nature-flow` |
211| life, story, emotion, warm | `warm` | balanced | `cozy-story` |
212| warning, important, must, critical | `bold` | list/comparison | `warning`, `versus` |
213| professional, business, elegant | `minimal` | sparse/balanced | `clean-quote`, `pro-summary` |
214| classic, vintage, traditional | `retro` | balanced | `throwback`, `retro-ranking` |
215| fun, exciting, wow, amazing | `pop` | sparse/list | `hype`, `pop-facts` |
216| knowledge, concept, productivity, SaaS | `notion` | dense/list | `knowledge-card`, `checklist` |
217| education, tutorial, learning, classroom | `chalkboard` | balanced/dense | `tutorial`, `classroom` |
218| notes, handwritten, study guide, realistic | `study-notes` | dense/list/mindmap | `study-guide` |
219| movie, poster, opinion, editorial, cinematic | `screen-print` | sparse/comparison | `poster`, `editorial`, `cinematic` |
220| hand-drawn, infographic, workflow, 手绘,图解 | `sketch-notes` | flow/balanced/dense | `hand-drawn-edu`, `sketch-card`, `sketch-summary` |
221
222## Style × Layout Matrix
223
224Compatibility scores (✓✓ highly recommended, ✓ works well, ✗ avoid). Use when the user picks a non-default combo and you want to flag a poor match.
225
226| | sparse | balanced | dense | list | comparison | flow | mindmap | quadrant |
227|--------------|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|:---:|
228| cute | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓ | ✓✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
229| fresh | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
230| warm | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
231| bold | ✓✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓✓ |
232| minimal | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
233| retro | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓ | ✓✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
234| pop | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
235| notion | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ |
236| chalkboard | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓ |
237| study-notes | ✗ | ✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓✓ | ✓ |
238| screen-print | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✗ | ✓ | ✓✓ | ✓ | ✗ | ✓✓ |
239| sketch-notes | ✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓ | ✓✓ | ✓✓ | ✓ |
240
241## Outline Strategies
242
243Three differentiated approaches — each produces a structurally different outline. The workflow recommends one; Path C generates all three and lets the user choose.
244
245| Strategy | Concept | Best for | Structure |
246|----------|---------|----------|-----------|
247| **A — Story-Driven** | Personal experience as the thread, emotional resonance first | Reviews, personal shares, transformation | Hook → Problem → Discovery → Experience → Conclusion |
248| **B — Information-Dense** | Value-first, efficient information delivery | Tutorials, comparisons, checklists | Core conclusion → Info card → Pros/Cons → Recommendation |
249| **C — Visual-First** | Visual impact as core, minimal text | High-aesthetic products, lifestyle, mood content | Hero image → Detail shots → Lifestyle scene → CTA |
250
251## Reference Images
252
253User-supplied refs are **separate from** the internal "image-1 as anchor" chain (Step 3) — they layer on top of it.
254
255**Intake**: via `--ref <files...>` or paths pasted in conversation.
256- File path → copy to `refs/NN-ref-{slug}.{ext}`
257- Pasted with no path → ask for the path, or extract style traits as a text fallback
258
259**Usage modes** (per reference):
260
261| Usage | Effect |
262|-------|--------|
263| `direct` | Pass the file to the backend (typically on image 1 only, so the anchor propagates through the chain) |
264| `style` | Extract style traits and append to every card's prompt body |
265| `palette` | Extract hex colors and append to every card's prompt body |
266
267Record refs in each affected card's prompt frontmatter:
268
269```yaml
270references:
271 - ref_id: 01
272 filename: 01-ref-brand.png
273 usage: direct
274```
275
276At generation time: verify files exist. Image 1 with `usage: direct` + backend that accepts refs → pass via the backend's ref parameter (becomes the chain anchor). Images 2+ keep using image-1 as `--ref` per Step 3 — do NOT re-stack user refs on top (avoids conflicting signals). For `style`/`palette`, embed extracted traits in every prompt.
277
278## File Layout
279
280```
281image-cards/{topic-slug}/
282├── source-{slug}.{ext}
283├── analysis.md
284├── outline-strategy-{a,b,c}.md # Path C only
285├── outline.md
286├── prompts/NN-{type}-{slug}.md
287├── NN-{type}-{slug}.png
288└── refs/ # only if --ref used
289```
290
291**Slug**: 2-4 words, kebab-case. "AI 工具推荐" → `ai-tools-recommend`. On collision, append `-YYYYMMDD-HHMMSS`.
292
293**Backup rule** (applies throughout): before overwriting any file — source, outline, prompt, image — rename the existing one to `<name>-backup-YYYYMMDD-HHMMSS.<ext>`. This protects user edits.
294
295## Workflow
296
297```
298- [ ] Step 0: Load EXTEND.md ⛔ BLOCKING (interactive only)
299- [ ] Step 1: Analyze content → analysis.md
300- [ ] Step 2: Smart Confirm ⚠️ REQUIRED (Path A / B / C)
301- [ ] Step 3: Generate images
302- [ ] Step 4: Completion report
303```
304
305### Step 0: Load EXTEND.md ⛔ BLOCKING
306
307Check these paths in order; first hit wins:
308
309| Path | Scope |
310|------|-------|
311| `.baoyu-skills/baoyu-xhs-images/EXTEND.md` | Project |
312| `${XDG_CONFIG_HOME:-$HOME/.config}/baoyu-skills/baoyu-xhs-images/EXTEND.md` | XDG |
313| `$HOME/.baoyu-skills/baoyu-xhs-images/EXTEND.md` | User home |
314
315- **Found** → read, parse, print a summary (style / layout / watermark / language), continue.
316- **Not found + interactive** → run first-time setup (see `references/config/first-time-setup.md`) and save before anything else. Do NOT analyze content or ask style questions until preferences exist — this keeps first-run behavior predictable.
317- **Not found + `--yes`** → skip setup, use built-in defaults (no watermark, style/layout auto-selected, language from content). Do not prompt, do not create EXTEND.md.
318
319**EXTEND.md keys**: watermark, preferred style/layout, custom style definitions, language preference, preferred image backend, generation batch size. Schema: `references/config/preferences-schema.md`.
320
321### Step 1: Analyze Content → `analysis.md`
322
3231. Save the source (backup rule applies if `source.md` exists).
3242. Run the deep analysis in `references/workflows/analysis-framework.md`: content type, hook potential, audience, engagement signals, visual opportunity map, swipe flow.
3253. Detect source language, pick recommended image count (2-10).
3264. Auto-recommend strategy + style + layout + palette using the **Auto-Selection** table above.
3275. Write everything to `analysis.md`.
328
329### Step 2: Smart Confirm ⚠️ REQUIRED
330
331**Hard gate**: this step is mandatory per the [Confirmation Policy](#confirmation-policy) — Step 3 cannot start until the user confirms here (or explicitly opts out with `--yes` / equivalent wording in the current request).
332
333Goal: present the auto-recommended plan and let the user confirm or adjust. Skip this step entirely under `--yes` — proceed with Path A using the analysis and any CLI overrides.
334
335**Display summary** before asking:
336
337```
338📋 内容分析
339 主题:[topic] | 类型:[content_type]
340 要点:[key points]
341 受众:[audience]
342
343🎨 推荐方案(自动匹配)
344 策略:[A/B/C] [name]([reason])
345 风格:[style] · 布局:[layout] · 配色:[palette or 默认] · 预设:[preset]
346 图片:[N]张(封面+[N-2]内容+结尾)
347 元素:[background] / [decorations] / [emphasis]
348```
349
350Then ask one question — three paths. Verbatim option copy: `references/confirmation.md`.
351
352**Path A — Quick confirm** (trust auto-recommendation): generate a single outline using the recommended strategy + style → save to `outline.md` → Step 3.
353
354**Path B — Customize**: ask five questions (strategy/style, layout, palette, count, optional notes) with the recommendation pre-filled — blanks keep the recommendation. Generate one outline with the user's choices → `outline.md` → Step 3. See `references/confirmation.md`.
355
356**Path C — Detailed mode**: two sub-confirmations.
357
358- *Step 2a — Content understanding*: ask selling points (multi-select), audience, style preference (authentic / professional / aesthetic / auto), optional context. Update `analysis.md`.
359- *Step 2b — Three outline variants*: generate `outline-strategy-a.md`, `outline-strategy-b.md`, `outline-strategy-c.md`. Each MUST have a different structure AND a different recommended style — include `style_reason` in the frontmatter. Page-count heuristic: A ~4-6, B ~3-5, C ~3-4. Template: `references/workflows/outline-template.md`; frontmatter example in `references/confirmation.md`.
360- *Step 2c — Selection*: ask three questions (outline A/B/C/Combined, style, visual elements). Save selected/merged outline to `outline.md` → Step 3.
361
362### Step 3: Generate Images
363
364With confirmed outline + style + layout + palette:
365
366**Visual consistency — image-1 anchor chain**: character / mascot / color rendering drifts between calls unless you anchor them. Generate image 1 (cover) first WITHOUT `--ref`, then pass image 1 as `--ref` to every subsequent image. This is the single most important consistency trick for this skill — don't skip it even if the backend also supports a session ID.
367
368Generation flow:
369
3701. Write the full prompt for every image to `prompts/NN-{type}-{slug}.md` in the user's preferred language (backup rule applies), then verify all selected prompt files exist.
3712. Generate **image 1** first without `--ref`; backup rule applies to the PNG file. This establishes the anchor.
3723. Build a task list for **images 2+** using image 1 as `--ref <path-to-image-01.png>`.
3734. Dispatch images 2+ in batches per the `## Batch Generation Policy`: backend native batch first, runtime parallel tool calls second, sequential only as fallback.
3745. Report progress after each completed image. On failure, retry only the failed item once from the same saved prompt file.
375
376**Watermark** (if enabled in EXTEND.md): append to the generation prompt:
377
378```
379Include a subtle watermark "[content]" positioned at [position].
380The watermark should be legible but not distracting.
381```
382
383See `references/config/watermark-guide.md`.
384
385**Backend selection**: per the Image Generation Tools rule at the top — use whatever is available, ask once if multiple, before any generation. Under `--yes`, use the EXTEND.md preference and fall back to the first available backend. Prompt files MUST exist before invoking any backend.
386
387**`codex-imagegen` invocation**: when the rule resolves to `codex-imagegen`, see [references/codex-imagegen.md](references/codex-imagegen.md) for the invocation contract (preferred `baoyu-image-gen --provider codex-cli` path, runtime wrapper discovery, parameter notes, stdout schema, batch semantics — n=1 per call so card batches must dispatch one wrapper call per card; the wrapper does NOT accept `--sessionId`, so chain consistency must come from `--ref` per Step 3 above).
388
389**Session ID** (if the backend supports `--sessionId`): use `cards-{topic-slug}-{timestamp}` for every image; combined with the ref chain this gives maximum consistency.
390
391### Step 4: Completion Report
392
393```
394Image Card Series Complete!
395
396Topic: [topic]
397Mode: [Quick / Custom / Detailed]
398Strategy: [A/B/C/Combined]
399Style: [name]
400Palette: [name or "default"]
401Layout: [name or "varies"]
402Location: [directory]
403Images: N total
404
405✓ analysis.md
406✓ outline.md
407✓ outline-strategy-a/b/c.md (detailed mode only)
408
409- 01-cover-[slug].png ✓ Cover (sparse)
410- 02-content-[slug].png ✓ Content (balanced)
411- ...
412- NN-ending-[slug].png ✓ Ending (sparse)
413```
414
415## Content Breakdown Principles
416
417| Position | Purpose | Typical layout |
418|----------|---------|----------------|
419| Cover (image 1) | Hook + visual impact | `sparse` |
420| Content (middle) | Core value per image | `balanced` / `dense` / `list` / `comparison` / `flow` |
421| Ending (last) | CTA / summary | `sparse` or `balanced` |
422
423For the style × layout compatibility matrix, see the **Style × Layout Matrix** above.
424
425## Image Modification
426
427| Action | How |
428|--------|-----|
429| Edit | Update `prompts/NN-{type}-{slug}.md` **first**, then regenerate with the same session ID |
430| Add | Specify position, create prompt, generate, renumber subsequent files `NN+1`, update outline |
431| Delete | Remove files, renumber subsequent `NN-1`, update outline |
432
433Always update the prompt file before regenerating — it's the source of truth and makes changes reproducible.
434
435Text correction policy:
436
437- If a card's title, body copy, tags, or any other rendered text is misspelled, garbled, hard to read, or visually weak, do not patch the bitmap with code.
438- For text-correction regenerations, write a new prompt file and a new output path so the flawed candidate is preserved for comparison.
439- Post-processing is limited to crop, resize, compression, or format conversion that does not alter text or the main composition.
440
441## References
442
443| File | Content |
444|------|---------|
445| `references/confirmation.md` | Verbatim AskUserQuestion copy for every confirmation path |
446| `references/style-presets.md` | Full preset shortcut definitions |
447| `references/presets/<style>.md` | Per-style element definitions |
448| `references/palettes/<name>.md` | Per-palette color definitions |
449| `references/elements/canvas.md` | Aspect ratios, safe zones, grid layouts |
450| `references/elements/image-effects.md` | Cutout, stroke, filters |
451| `references/elements/typography.md` | Decorated text, tags, text direction |
452| `references/elements/decorations.md` | Emphasis marks, backgrounds, doodles, frames |
453| `references/workflows/analysis-framework.md` | Content analysis framework |
454| `references/workflows/outline-template.md` | Outline template with layout guide |
455| `references/workflows/prompt-assembly.md` | Prompt assembly guide |
456| `references/config/preferences-schema.md` | EXTEND.md schema |
457| `references/config/first-time-setup.md` | First-time setup flow |
458| `references/config/watermark-guide.md` | Watermark configuration |
459
460## Notes
461
462- Auto-retry once on generation failure before reporting an error.
463- For sensitive public figures, use stylized cartoon alternatives.
464- Smart Confirm (Step 2) is required; Detailed mode adds a second confirmation (2a + 2c).
465
466## Changing Preferences
467
468EXTEND.md lives at the first matching path listed in Step 0. Three ways to change it:
469
470- **Edit directly** — open EXTEND.md and change fields. Full schema: `references/config/preferences-schema.md`.
471- **Reconfigure interactively** — delete EXTEND.md (or ask "reconfigure baoyu-xhs-images preferences" / "重新配置"). The next run re-triggers first-time setup.
472- **Common one-line edits**:
473 - `preferred_image_backend: auto` — default; runtime-native tool wins, falls back to the only installed backend, asks only if multiple non-native are present.
474 - `preferred_image_backend: codex-imagegen` — pin to Codex's built-in.
475 - `preferred_image_backend: baoyu-image-gen` — pin to the baoyu-image-gen skill.
476 - `preferred_image_backend: ask` — confirm backend every run.
477 - `generation_batch_size: 4` — default number of images to render concurrently when the backend/runtime supports batch or parallel generation.
478 - `preferred_style: notion`, `preferred_layout: dense`, `preferred_palette: macaron`, `language: zh`.
479 - `watermark.enabled: true` + `watermark.content: "@handle"` — add a watermark.