v1.117.5 to v1.117.5

34 added, 117 removed. Audit A to A.

---

name: baoyu-cover-image

description: Generates article cover images with 5 dimensions (type, palette, rendering, text, mood) combining 11 color palettes and 7 rendering styles. Supports cinematic (2.35:1), widescreen (16:9), and square (1:1) aspects. Use when user asks to "generate cover image", "create article cover", or "make cover".

version: 1.117.5

metadata:

openclaw:

homepage: https://github.com/JimLiu/baoyu-skills#baoyu-cover-image

---

# Cover Image Generator

- Generate elegant cover images for articles with 5-dimensional customization.

## User Input Tools

When this skill prompts the user, follow this tool-selection rule (priority order):

1. **Prefer built-in user-input tools** exposed by the current agent runtime — e.g., `AskUserQuestion`, `request_user_input`, `clarify`, `ask_user`, or any equivalent.

2. **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.

3. **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

Resolve the image backend in this order:

1. **User names a backend** in the current message → use it.

2. **`preferred_image_backend`** in `EXTEND.md` names a backend available now → use it. `ask` means ask every run.

3. **Auto-select** (preference `auto`, unset, or the pinned backend is unavailable), first match wins:

- **Codex `imagegen`** skill is in your available skills → you are in Codex and MUST use it: `Skill` with `skill: "imagegen"`, passing the prompt file's content plus output path and aspect ratio. It outranks non-native skills such as `baoyu-image-gen`.

- **Codex via `codex exec` (`codex-imagegen`)**: no native `imagegen`, but the `codex` CLI is on `PATH` with an active `codex login` → `baoyu-image-gen --provider codex-cli` (preferred), or the bundled wrapper if baoyu-image-gen is unavailable. Load [references/codex-imagegen.md](references/codex-imagegen.md) only for this branch.

- **Cursor `GenerateImage`** → use it (outranks non-native skills). It has no aspect-ratio parameter, so state the aspect ratio / dimensions in the `description` prompt; it saves to a tool-managed location, so copy the file to the expected output path (e.g., `outputs/.../NN-xxx.png`). Reference images go in `reference_image_paths`.

- **Other runtime-native image tool** (e.g., Hermes `image_generate`) → use it the same way.

- Exactly one non-native backend installed (e.g., `baoyu-image-gen`) → use it.

- Several non-native backends → ask the user once, batched with other initial questions.

4. **None available** → tell the user and ask how to proceed.

**⛔ Raster only**: never substitute SVG, HTML/CSS, canvas, or other code-based rendering for a raster image, even for diagram-like content. If no raster backend resolves, go to step 4.

**⛔ No bitmap text patching**: never use ImageMagick, Pillow, Canvas, SVG, HTML/CSS, OCR scripts, or any other overlay to cover, rewrite, erase, stroke, or replace title/subtitle text inside an already generated cover image. Regenerate from a corrected prompt, switch to a lower-text or no-title variant, or ask the user which imperfect candidate to keep.

**Prompt file (hard)**: before invoking any backend, write each image's full, final prompt to its own file under `prompts/` (`NN-{type}-[slug].md`) and pass that file (or its content) to the backend. It is the reproducibility record and lets you switch backends without rewriting prompts.

Change the pinned backend via `## Changing Preferences` below. Tool names above are examples; use the local equivalent in other runtimes.

## Confirmation Policy

- Default behavior: **confirm before generation**.

+ Default: **confirm before generation**.

- - Treat explicit skill invocation, a file path, matched keywords/presets, `EXTEND.md` defaults, and any documented auto-selection as **recommendation inputs only**. None of them authorizes skipping confirmation.

- - Do **not** start Step 3 or Step 4 until the user confirms the dimensions / aspect / language / backend choices.

- - Skip confirmation only when the current request explicitly says to do so, for example: `--quick`, "直接生成", "不用确认", "跳过确认", "按默认出图", or equivalent wording. `quick_mode: true` in `EXTEND.md` counts as a standing explicit opt-out — set it only when you want every run to skip Step 2.

- - If confirmation is skipped explicitly, state the assumed dimensions / aspect / language / backend in the next user-facing update before generating.

+ - Explicit skill invocation, a file path, matched keywords/presets, `EXTEND.md` defaults, and any documented auto-selection are recommendation inputs only — none authorizes skipping confirmation.

+ - Do not start Step 3 or Step 4 until the user confirms the dimensions / aspect / language / backend choices.

+ - Skip confirmation only when the current request explicitly says so: `--quick`, "直接生成", "不用确认", "跳过确认", "按默认出图", or equivalent. `quick_mode: true` in `EXTEND.md` counts as a standing explicit opt-out — set it only when you want every run to skip Step 2.

+ - When skipped, state the assumed dimensions / aspect / language / backend in the next user-facing update before generating.

## Options

| Option | Description |

|--------|-------------|

| `--type <name>` | hero, conceptual, typography, metaphor, scene, minimal |

| `--palette <name>` | warm, elegant, cool, dark, earth, vivid, pastel, mono, retro, duotone, macaron |

| `--rendering <name>` | flat-vector, hand-drawn, painterly, digital, pixel, chalk, screen-print |

| `--style <name>` | Preset shorthand (see [Style Presets](references/style-presets.md)) |

| `--text <level>` | none, title-only, title-subtitle, text-rich |

| `--mood <level>` | subtle, balanced, bold |

| `--font <name>` | clean, handwritten, serif, display |

| `--aspect <ratio>` | 16:9 (default), 2.35:1, 4:3, 3:2, 1:1, 3:4 |

| `--lang <code>` | Title language (en, zh, ja, etc.) |

| `--no-title` | Alias for `--text none` |

| `--quick` | Skip confirmation, use auto-selection |

| `--ref <files...>` | Reference images for style/composition guidance |

## Five Dimensions

- | Dimension | Values | Default |

- |-----------|--------|---------|

- | **Type** | hero, conceptual, typography, metaphor, scene, minimal | auto |

- | **Palette** | warm, elegant, cool, dark, earth, vivid, pastel, mono, retro, duotone, macaron | auto |

- | **Rendering** | flat-vector, hand-drawn, painterly, digital, pixel, chalk, screen-print | auto |

- | **Text** | none, title-only, title-subtitle, text-rich | title-only |

- | **Mood** | subtle, balanced, bold | balanced |

- | **Font** | clean, handwritten, serif, display | clean |

- Auto-selection rules: [references/auto-selection.md](references/auto-selection.md)

- ## Galleries

- **Types**: hero, conceptual, typography, metaphor, scene, minimal

- → Details: [references/types.md](references/types.md)

- **Palettes**: warm, elegant, cool, dark, earth, vivid, pastel, mono, retro, duotone, macaron

- → Details: [references/palettes/](references/palettes/)

- **Renderings**: flat-vector, hand-drawn, painterly, digital, pixel, chalk, screen-print

- → Details: [references/renderings/](references/renderings/)

- **Text Levels**: none (pure visual) | title-only (default) | title-subtitle | text-rich (with tags)

- → Details: [references/dimensions/text.md](references/dimensions/text.md)

- **Mood Levels**: subtle (low contrast) | balanced (default) | bold (high contrast)

- → Details: [references/dimensions/mood.md](references/dimensions/mood.md)

+ | Dimension | Default | Details |

+ |-----------|---------|---------|

+ | **Type** | auto | [types.md](references/types.md) |

+ | **Palette** | auto | [palettes/](references/palettes/) |

+ | **Rendering** | auto | [renderings/](references/renderings/) |

+ | **Text** | title-only | [dimensions/text.md](references/dimensions/text.md) |

+ | **Mood** | balanced | [dimensions/mood.md](references/dimensions/mood.md) |

+ | **Font** | clean | [dimensions/font.md](references/dimensions/font.md) |

- **Fonts**: clean (sans-serif) | handwritten | serif | display (bold decorative)

- → Details: [references/dimensions/font.md](references/dimensions/font.md)

+ Values are listed in Options. Auto-selection: [references/auto-selection.md](references/auto-selection.md). Compatibility matrices: [references/compatibility.md](references/compatibility.md). Icon vocabulary: [references/visual-elements.md](references/visual-elements.md).

## File Structure

Output directory per `default_output_dir` preference:

- `same-dir`: `{article-dir}/`

- `imgs-subdir`: `{article-dir}/imgs/`

- `independent` (default): `cover-image/{topic-slug}/`

```

<output-dir>/

├── source-{slug}.{ext} # Source files

├── refs/ # Reference images (if provided)

│ ├── ref-01-{slug}.{ext}

│ └── ref-01-{slug}.md # Description file

├── prompts/cover.md # Generation prompt

└── cover.png # Output image

```

**Slug**: 2-4 words, kebab-case. Conflict: append `-YYYYMMDD-HHMMSS`

## Workflow

- ### Progress Checklist

```

Cover Image Progress:

- [ ] Step 0: Check preferences (EXTEND.md) ⛔ BLOCKING

- [ ] Step 1: Analyze content + save refs + determine output dir

- [ ] Step 2: Confirm options (6 dimensions) ⚠️ unless --quick

- [ ] Step 3: Create prompt

- [ ] Step 4: Generate image

- [ ] Step 5: Completion report

```

- ### Flow

- ```

- Input → [Step 0: Preferences] ─┬─ Found → Continue

- └─ Not found → First-Time Setup ⛔ BLOCKING → Save EXTEND.md → Continue

- ↓

- Analyze + Save Refs → [Output Dir] → [Confirm: 6 Dimensions] → Prompt → Generate → Complete

- ↓

- (skip if --quick or all specified)

- ```

### Step 0: Load Preferences ⛔ BLOCKING

- Check EXTEND.md in priority order — the first one found wins:

+ First match wins:

| Priority | Path | Scope |

|----------|------|-------|

| 1 | `.baoyu-skills/baoyu-cover-image/EXTEND.md` | Project |

| 2 | `${XDG_CONFIG_HOME:-$HOME/.config}/baoyu-skills/baoyu-cover-image/EXTEND.md` | XDG |

| 3 | `$HOME/.baoyu-skills/baoyu-cover-image/EXTEND.md` | User home |

- | Result | Action |

- |--------|--------|

- | Found | Load, display summary → Continue |

- | Not found | ⛔ Run first-time setup ([references/config/first-time-setup.md](references/config/first-time-setup.md)) → Save → Continue |

- **CRITICAL**: If not found, complete setup BEFORE any other steps or questions.

+ Found → load, display summary. Not found → ⛔ run [first-time-setup](references/config/first-time-setup.md) and save, BEFORE any other step or question.

### Step 1: Analyze Content

1. **Save reference images** (if provided) → [references/workflow/reference-images.md](references/workflow/reference-images.md)

2. **Save source content** (if pasted, save to `source.md`)

3. **Analyze content**: topic, tone, keywords, visual metaphors

- 4. **Deep analyze references** ⚠️: Extract specific, concrete elements (see reference-images.md)

- 5. **Detect language**: Compare source, user input, EXTEND.md preference

- 6. **Determine output directory**: Per File Structure rules

- **⚠️ People in Reference Images:**

- If reference images contain **people** who should appear in the cover:

- - **Model supports `--ref`** (default): Copy image to `refs/`, pass via `--ref` at generation. No description file needed — the model sees the face directly.

- - **Model does NOT support `--ref`** (Jimeng, Seedream 3.0): Create `refs/ref-NN-{slug}.md` with per-character description (hair, glasses, skin tone, clothing). Embed as MUST/REQUIRED instructions in prompt text.

+ 4. **Deep analyze references** ⚠️: extract specific, concrete elements (see reference-images.md)

+ 5. **Detect language**: compare source, user input, EXTEND.md preference

+ 6. **Determine output directory** per File Structure

- See [reference-images.md](references/workflow/reference-images.md) for full decision table.

+ **People in reference images** who should appear in the cover:

+ - **Model supports `--ref`** (default): copy image to `refs/`, pass via `--ref` at generation. No description file needed.

+ - **Model does NOT support `--ref`** (Jimeng, Seedream 3.0): create `refs/ref-NN-{slug}.md` with per-character description (hair, glasses, skin tone, clothing); embed as MUST/REQUIRED instructions in prompt text.

### Step 2: Confirm Options ⚠️

- **Hard gate**: this step is mandatory per the [Confirmation Policy](#confirmation-policy) — Steps 3–4 cannot start until the user confirms here (or explicitly opts out with `--quick` / `quick_mode: true` / equivalent wording in the current request).

- **MUST use `AskUserQuestion` tool** to present options as interactive selection — NOT plain text tables. Present up to 4 questions in a single `AskUserQuestion` call (Type, Palette, Rendering, Font + Settings). Each question shows the recommended option first with reason, followed by alternatives.

- Full confirmation flow and question format: [references/workflow/confirm-options.md](references/workflow/confirm-options.md)

+ **Hard gate** per the [Confirmation Policy](#confirmation-policy) (opt-out: `--quick` / `quick_mode: true` / equivalent wording in the current request).

- | Condition | Skipped | Still Asked |

- |-----------|---------|-------------|

- | `--quick` or `quick_mode: true` | 6 dimensions | Aspect ratio (unless `--aspect`) |

- | All 6 + `--aspect` specified | All | None |

+ **MUST use `AskUserQuestion`** (interactive selection, not plain-text tables): up to 4 questions in one call (Type, Palette, Rendering, Font + Settings), each with the recommended option first plus reason. `--quick` / `quick_mode` still asks aspect ratio unless `--aspect` is given; all 6 dimensions + `--aspect` specified skips everything. Full flow: [references/workflow/confirm-options.md](references/workflow/confirm-options.md).

### Step 3: Create Prompt

- Save to `prompts/cover.md`. Template: [references/workflow/prompt-template.md](references/workflow/prompt-template.md)

- **CRITICAL - References in Frontmatter**:

- - Files saved to `refs/` → Add to frontmatter `references` list

- - Style extracted verbally (no file) → Omit `references`, describe in body

- - Before writing → Verify: `test -f refs/ref-NN-{slug}.{ext}`

+ Save to `prompts/cover.md` per [references/workflow/prompt-template.md](references/workflow/prompt-template.md).

- **Reference elements in body** MUST be detailed, prefixed with "MUST"/"REQUIRED", with integration approach.

+ - Frontmatter `references`: only files saved to `refs/` (verify `test -f refs/ref-NN-{slug}.{ext}`); verbally extracted style → omit `references`, describe in body.

+ - Reference elements in the body MUST be detailed, prefixed with "MUST"/"REQUIRED", with an integration approach.

### Step 4: Generate Image

1. **Backup existing** `cover.png` if regenerating

- 2. **Select backend** via the `## Image Generation Tools` rule at the top: use whatever is available; if multiple, ask the user once. Do this once per session before any generation.

+ 2. **Select backend** once per session via `## Image Generation Tools`.

3. **Write the full final prompt** to `prompts/01-cover-[slug].md` (hard requirement) BEFORE invoking the backend.

- 4. **Process references** from prompt frontmatter:

- - `direct` usage → pass via `--ref` (use ref-capable backend)

- - `style`/`palette` → extract traits, append to prompt

- 5. **Generate**: Call the chosen backend with the prompt file, output path, aspect ratio.

- - **`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).

- - **Codex `imagegen` (native)** or other runtime-native tools / `baoyu-image-gen` skill: per the rule in `## Image Generation Tools` above.

+ 4. **Process references** from prompt frontmatter: `direct` → pass via `--ref` (ref-capable backend); `style`/`palette` → extract traits, append to prompt.

+ 5. **Generate** with the prompt file, output path, aspect ratio. For `codex-imagegen`, see [references/codex-imagegen.md](references/codex-imagegen.md).

6. On failure: auto-retry once

### Step 5: Completion Report

```

Cover Generated!

Topic: [topic]

Type: [type] | Palette: [palette] | Rendering: [rendering]

Text: [text] | Mood: [mood] | Font: [font] | Aspect: [ratio]

Title: [title or "visual only"]

Language: [lang] | Watermark: [enabled/disabled]

References: [N images or "extracted style" or "none"]

Location: [directory path]

Files:

✓ source-{slug}.{ext}

✓ prompts/cover.md

✓ cover.png

```

## Image Modification

| Action | Steps |

|--------|-------|

| **Regenerate** | Backup → Update prompt file FIRST → Regenerate |

| **Change dimension** | Backup → Confirm new value → Update prompt → Regenerate |

- Text correction policy:

- - If the title/subtitle 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.

+ Text correction: never patch a misspelled, garbled, or weak title/subtitle in the bitmap with code. Write a new prompt file and a new output path so the flawed candidate is kept for comparison. Post-processing is limited to crop, resize, compression, or format conversion that doesn't alter text or composition.

## Composition Principles

- **Whitespace**: 40-60% breathing room

- **Visual anchor**: Main element centered or offset left

- **Characters**: Simplified silhouettes; NO realistic humans

- **Title**: Use exact title from user/source; never invent

## Changing Preferences

- EXTEND.md lives at the path noted in **Step 0**. Three ways to change it:

- - **Edit directly** — open EXTEND.md and change fields. Full schema: [references/config/preferences-schema.md](references/config/preferences-schema.md).

- - **Reconfigure interactively** — delete EXTEND.md (or ask "reconfigure baoyu-cover-image 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.

- - `watermark.enabled: true`, `preferred_type`, `preferred_palette`, `preferred_rendering`, `default_aspect`, `quick_mode: true`, `language` — shift the auto-selection defaults and confirmation flow.

- ## References

+ EXTEND.md lives at the path from **Step 0**. Edit it directly (schema: [references/config/preferences-schema.md](references/config/preferences-schema.md); watermark: [references/config/watermark-guide.md](references/config/watermark-guide.md)), or delete it / ask "reconfigure baoyu-cover-image preferences" / "重新配置" to re-run first-time setup. Common edits:

- **Dimensions**: [text.md](references/dimensions/text.md) | [mood.md](references/dimensions/mood.md) | [font.md](references/dimensions/font.md)

- **Palettes**: [references/palettes/](references/palettes/)

- **Renderings**: [references/renderings/](references/renderings/)

- **Types**: [references/types.md](references/types.md)

- **Auto-Selection**: [references/auto-selection.md](references/auto-selection.md)

- **Style Presets**: [references/style-presets.md](references/style-presets.md)

- **Compatibility**: [references/compatibility.md](references/compatibility.md)

- **Visual Elements**: [references/visual-elements.md](references/visual-elements.md)

- **Workflow**: [confirm-options.md](references/workflow/confirm-options.md) | [prompt-template.md](references/workflow/prompt-template.md) | [reference-images.md](references/workflow/reference-images.md)

- **Config**: [preferences-schema.md](references/config/preferences-schema.md) | [first-time-setup.md](references/config/first-time-setup.md) | [watermark-guide.md](references/config/watermark-guide.md)

+ - `preferred_image_backend`: `auto` (default; runtime-native wins, else the only installed backend, ask if multiple non-native) | `codex-imagegen` | `baoyu-image-gen` | `ask` (confirm every run)

+ - `watermark.enabled: true`, `preferred_type`, `preferred_palette`, `preferred_rendering`, `default_aspect`, `quick_mode: true`, `language` — shift auto-selection defaults and the confirmation flow.