Problem
When running pptx render on a new directory (e.g., .sandbox/elephant-deck/), macOS requires the user to physically grant access to that directory. This interrupts the workflow and requires manual intervention.
Steps to reproduce
- Create a new directory:
mkdir -p .sandbox/elephant-deck/
- Generate a PPTX there:
pptx generate spec.yaml -o .sandbox/elephant-deck/elephants.pptx
- Try to render:
pptx render .sandbox/elephant-deck/elephants.pptx 1 --out .sandbox/elephant-deck/
- macOS prompts for directory access permission
Expected behavior
Rendering should work without manual permission grants, or at minimum the tool should detect the issue and provide a helpful error message.
Likely causes
- LibreOffice or PowerPoint (via AppleScript) running in a sandboxed context
- The render subprocess not inheriting the parent process's directory permissions
- TCC (Transparency, Consent, and Control) restrictions on automation tools
Possible solutions
- Document the permission requirement in SKILL.md
- Use a known-accessible temp directory for intermediate files
- Pre-flight check for directory access before invoking renderer
- Investigate if there's a way to request permissions programmatically