ChartGen AI — Data Analysis & Visualization Skill

ChartGen is an AI platform for visualization, data analysis and report generation. You call its API to analyze data, uncover insights, and produce visual outputs.

Visualization (PNG): All ECharts chart types (Bar, Line, Pie, Area, Scatter, Heatmap, Combo, Waterfall, Funnel, Radar, Treemap, Sunburst, etc.); Diagrams (Flowchart, Sequence, Class, State, ER, Mind Map, Timeline, Kanban, Gantt); Dashboards (multi-chart layouts).

Data Analysis: text-only (describe scenario / sample data), file upload (Excel/CSV, multi-file joins), or web/external sources. Supports stats, trends, outliers, YoY.

Reports & PPT: analysis reports with findings; PPT slides with visualizations.

Tool — `tools/chartgen_api.js`

| Command | Args | Purpose | |---------|------|---------| | submit | <request.json> | Submit request → returns task_id | | wait | <task_id> | Poll until done (~25 min max) | | poll | <task_id> | Single status check | | run | <request.json> | Submit request and poll until done |

Request JSON shape: { "query": "...", "channel": "Web", "files": ["/absolute/path/data.xlsx"] }.
query: confirmed user request text.
channel: messaging channel name using letters, numbers, spaces, dots, underscores, or hyphens.
files: optional array of absolute paths to selected files.
Supported files: .csv, .xls, .xlsx, .tsv.
Network boundary: this helper sends the confirmed prompt and selected files only to https://chartgen.ai. Custom API endpoints are not supported.
Output: JSON with text_reply, edit_url, artifacts[] (artifact_id, image_path, title).
PPT artifacts also have: page_count, preview_paths[], download_path.
Excel/file artifacts also have: download_path, file_name, summary.
On error: JSON with "error" and "user_message" (for non-special errors).

Workflow — 5 Steps

STEP 1 — Confirm Before Submitting

Always respond in the user's language. Must mention using ChartGen to complete the task, and include numbered options, each on its own line:

1 ✅ Go ahead 2 ✏️ Modify 0 ❌ Cancel

Confirmation rules:

Cancel = abandon forever. Never proceed with a cancelled task.
Replies bind to the most recent prompt only. If the task was cancelled, completed, or the conversation moved on — start a new confirmation from scratch.
When in doubt, ask — never guess.

Query rule — text requests (no files): The request JSON query field is always the user's original message, copied word-for-word. Do NOT translate, rephrase, expand, polish, or "improve" it in any way. Show this exact text in the confirmation. If user confirms → submit this exact text. If user edits → the edited text becomes the new verbatim query.

File upload: Do NOT submit immediately. Recommend 3–5 analysis tasks (numbered, noting which files). Each option's text is the exact query that will be submitted. User picks a number, types custom text, or cancels.

Text request example (reply in user's language, mention ChartGen):

Sure! Here's what I'll ask ChartGen to do for you: 📊 "Generate a monthly sales trend line chart for 2025" 1 ✅ Go ahead 2 ✏️ Modify 0 ❌ Cancel

File upload example (reply in user's language, mention ChartGen):

Got your files! Here are a few things ChartGen can do — pick one or tell me what you'd like: 1. 📊 "Monthly order trend chart" — orders.xlsx 2. 🥧 "Category breakdown pie chart" — orders.xlsx, products.xlsx 3. 📋 "Full analysis report with all files" 0. ❌ Cancel Or just type your own request!

STEP 2 — Notify User, Then Submit

CRITICAL: Send the notification message BEFORE calling the tool — do NOT batch them.

Notify (adapt to language and context):

Text-only: "ChartGen is working on your request, ~1–2 min..."
With files: "ChartGen is analyzing your data, ~2–5 min..."
PPT: "ChartGen is generating your PPT, ~10–20 min, please be patient..."

Then create a temporary request JSON file: Use a platform file-write API or other structured file operation. Do not create this JSON file with a shell command containing the user's query, and do not put the query, channel, or data file paths directly into the shell command.

Use an agent-generated temporary filename with safe characters, for example /tmp/chartgen_request_20260506_112900.json.

Request JSON:

{
  "query": "confirmed user text from STEP 1",
  "channel": "Web",
  "files": ["/absolute/path/data.xlsx"]
}

Omit files when no files are selected.

Then call the tool with only the request file path:

node tools/chartgen_api.js submit /tmp/chartgen_request_20260506_112900.json

The shell command must contain only the fixed command words and the agent-generated request JSON path.

Save the returned task_id for STEP 3.

Error handling:

"api_key_not_configured" → Tell user to get a key at https://chartgen.ai/chat → Menu → API, then set via export CHARTGEN_API_KEY="key" or save to ~/.chartgen/api_key. Stop here.
"upgrade_required" → Tell user the skill is outdated and needs manual update. See references/upgrade-skill.md for the message template. Stop here.
Any other error → Show the user_message field to the user. Stop here.

STEP 3 — Background Polling

Choose based on platform capabilities:

Before using any task_id, confirm it matches only letters, numbers, dots, underscores, or hyphens. If it does not, stop and report the invalid task ID instead of running a command.

A. Background exec (OpenClaw, or agent supports background execution with exit notification):

{ "tool": "exec", "params": { "command": "node tools/chartgen_api.js wait {task_id}", "background": true } }

When done, read output → STEP 4.

B. Cron (generic): poll every 90s with poll {task_id}. On terminal status (finished/error/not_found), remove cron → STEP 4. Timeout after 25 min.

C. Inline (last resort): run wait {task_id} synchronously → STEP 4.

If user asks to check a task: run poll {task_id} and report.

STEP 4 — Handle Completion

Read the output JSON status:

"finished" → Proceed to STEP 5. Artifacts are already saved to local image_path / download_path.
"error" → Show error to user, suggest retry.
"not_found" → Task expired, offer new request.
"timeout" → Inform user, offer manual check: "Check task {task_id}".

STEP 5 — Deliver Results

Summarize text_reply — extract key points from ChartGen's analysis and present them concisely to the user. Keep it clear and informative.
Send artifacts:
- Charts/Dashboards/Diagrams: send image at image_path with title as caption.
- PPT: tell user page count, send each preview_paths image, send .pptx file at download_path if it exists and channel supports attachments.
- Excel/file: show summary (columns, rows), send file at download_path if it exists and channel supports attachments.
Show edit_url — link to edit on ChartGen.
HTML content: if html_content exists, send it as HTML message (skip separate text+images). Still show edit_url.
Suggest next steps: "You can ask me to generate another visualization!"

Rules

Always respond in the user's language.
Always confirm before submitting — never call the tool without explicit confirmation.
Tell the user that confirmed prompts and selected files are sent to https://chartgen.ai.
Never expose API key. Never fabricate visualizations.
Prefer background/cron polling over blocking. Clean up crons after completion.
Always use image_path from results, never show raw base64.
Each request is independent — don't suggest modifying previous charts.
NEVER skip STEP 5 items: always summarize text_reply, send artifact images/files, show edit_url, and suggest next steps — even when artifacts are present.