Add Pdf Viewer logo

Add Pdf Viewer

Organization
microsoft
add-pdf-viewer

Internal implementation skill invoked by /add-native for native PDF control workflows. Handles HTTPS and file URI PDF viewing with @microsoft/power-apps-native-pdf-viewer 0.2.9+.

Overview

Publishermicrosoft
Repositorypower-platform-skills
Skill nameadd-pdf-viewer
Stars
895
Forks
182
Bundled files
Instructions only
LicenseMIT
Links
  • Markdown instructions

    A SKILL.md file the model loads on demand, so it only costs tokens when a request actually matches.

  • Works with any LLM

    AI skills are plain Markdown, not provider-specific code, so this works with GPT, Claude, Gemini, Grok, or a local model.

  • Self-contained

    Everything the model needs lives in the instructions — no extra files to sync.

  • Open source

    Published by microsoft on GitHub. Read the source before you install it.

Installation

Install the Add Pdf Viewer AI skill in TypingMind to use it with any LLM, or drop it into another agent that reads SKILL.md.

1

Install in TypingMind

TypingMind installs a skill straight from its GitHub folder — it reads SKILL.md, bundles the resource files, and stores the result locally.

  1. Open the app and go to Plugins → Skills.
  2. Choose "Install from GitHub".
  3. Paste the skill folder URL below and confirm.
  4. Enable the skill in any chat where you want it available.
Plugins → Skills → Add skill → From GitHub URL, then paste the folder URL and press Continue.
2

Install in another agent

Any agent that reads the Agent Skills format can use this skill — copy the folder into that agent's skills directory.

Claude Code — .claude/skills
git clone --depth 1 https://github.com/microsoft/power-platform-skills.git /tmp/power-platform-skills
mkdir -p .claude/skills
cp -r /tmp/power-platform-skills/plugins/mobile-apps/skills/add-native/add-pdf-viewer .claude/skills/add-pdf-viewer
Restart Claude Code after copying so it picks up the new skill.

Use it in TypingMind

Enable Add Pdf Viewer in any TypingMind chat and the model takes it from there. Its name and description sit in the system prompt, and the moment a request matches, the model loads the full instructions itself — you never invoke it by hand, and it costs no tokens until it is actually used.

The model loads Add Pdf Viewer on its own as soon as a request matches it.

Works with any AI model

AI skills are plain Markdown instructions rather than provider-specific code, so Add Pdf Viewer is not tied to the model it was written for. Install it once in TypingMind and use it with GPT-5, Claude, Gemini, Grok, DeepSeek, Mistral, Llama, or a local model you run yourself — all on your own API keys.

  • Loaded only when it is needed

    The system prompt carries just the name and description. The instructions are fetched on the first matching request, so an idle skill costs nothing.

  • Switch models mid-chat

    Because the skill is instructions rather than code, changing model does not break it — the next model reads the same SKILL.md.

Skill instructions

This is the SKILL.md content the model loads. Read it before installing — a skill is instructions your model will follow.

📋 Shared instructions: shared-instructions.md — read first.

Add PDF Viewer

Internal helper. Users should invoke /add-native pdf-viewer, /add-native pdf-control, or /add-native @microsoft/power-apps-native-pdf-viewer; /add-native routes here after resolving the capability.

Generate or verify the native PDF viewer wrapper and show how to call its native React Native API. Version 0.2.9 and later support HTTPS PDF URLs and local file:// URIs. Do not use the HostingSDK / PCF path from the package README; that is for a different use case.

Steps

1. Verify app

bash
test -f app.config.js && test -f power.config.json && test -f package.json && test -d src

If this fails, tell the user to run /create-mobile-app first and STOP.

2. Verify package is already present

bash
node -e "const p=require('./package.json'); const m='@microsoft/power-apps-native-pdf-viewer'; if (!p.dependencies?.[m]) { console.error('MISSING: ' + m + ' is not in package.json. The template/app must already ship this native extension. This skill will not install it or edit native config.'); process.exit(1); } let v; try { v=require('./node_modules/' + m + '/package.json').version; } catch { console.error('MISSING_INSTALL: cannot verify the installed ' + m + ' version. Run the project package install first.'); process.exit(1); } const [major,minor,patch]=v.split('.').map(Number); if (!(major > 0 || minor > 2 || (minor === 2 && patch >= 9))) { console.error('UNSUPPORTED_VERSION: ' + m + ' ' + v + ' does not support file:// URIs. Version 0.2.9+ is required.'); process.exit(1); } console.log('OK: native PDF viewer ' + v + ' supports https:// and file://');"

If the check fails, STOP. Do not run npm install, npx expo install, pod install, or edit app.config.js. Version 0.2.9+ must already be part of the app's native build.

3. Write or verify src/native/pdfViewer.ts

Create src/native/pdfViewer.ts if it does not exist. If it already exists, inspect it and patch only if it violates the supported URI rules or throws instead of returning a result.

The wrapper MUST:

  • Accept https:// URLs and file:// URIs.
  • Reject content://, blob:, http://, empty, and malformed URLs before calling native code.
  • Return a discriminated union and never throw.
  • Return NATIVE_MODULE_MISSING when the extension is installed in JS but unavailable in the native build.
  • Surface viewer action results (shared, printed, dismissed) when available.
  • Return VIEWER_FAILED for native errors not covered by validation/module checks.
ts
// src/native/pdfViewer.ts
import { NativePdfViewer } from '@microsoft/power-apps-native-pdf-viewer';

export type PdfViewerResult =
  | { ok: true; action?: 'shared' | 'printed' | 'dismissed' }
  | { ok: false; reason: 'INVALID_URL' | 'NATIVE_MODULE_MISSING' | 'VIEWER_FAILED'; message?: string };

export async function openHttpsPdf(
  url: string,
  options?: { title?: string; maxFileSizeMb?: number; cacheEnabled?: boolean },
): Promise<PdfViewerResult> {
  let parsed: URL;
  try {
    parsed = new URL(url);
  } catch {
    return { ok: false, reason: 'INVALID_URL', message: 'PDF location must be a valid https:// URL or file:// URI.' };
  }

  const isHttpsUrl = parsed.protocol === 'https:';
  const isFileUri = parsed.protocol === 'file:' && url.startsWith('file://') && parsed.pathname !== '/';
  if (!isHttpsUrl && !isFileUri) {
    return { ok: false, reason: 'INVALID_URL', message: 'Native PDF viewer supports https:// and file:// inputs only.' };
  }

  if (!NativePdfViewer?.openPdf) {
    return { ok: false, reason: 'NATIVE_MODULE_MISSING', message: 'Native PDF viewer module is not available in this build.' };
  }

  try {
    const response = await NativePdfViewer.openPdf(url, {
      maxFileSizeMb: 50,
      cacheEnabled: true,
      ...options,
    });

    if (response.status === 'ok') {
      return { ok: true, action: response.result?.action };
    }

    return { ok: false, reason: 'VIEWER_FAILED', message: response.message ?? response.error };
  } catch (error: any) {
    return { ok: false, reason: 'VIEWER_FAILED', message: error?.message ?? String(error) };
  }
}

4. Use the wrapper

Screens import the wrapper, not the native package directly:

ts
import { openHttpsPdf } from '@/native/pdfViewer';

const response = await openHttpsPdf('https://example.com/report.pdf', {
  title: "Inspection report",
});

if (response.ok) {
  switch (response.action) {
    case "shared":
      // User completed native Share.
      break;
    case "printed":
      // User completed native Print.
      break;
    case "dismissed":
      // User closed the viewer.
      break;
  }
} else {
  console.warn("Failed to open PDF:", response.reason, response.message);
}

Notes:

  • URLs must use https:// or a non-empty file:// URI. content://, blob:, and http:// are not supported by this skill.
  • Use @microsoft/power-apps-native-pdf-viewer only for this native PDF viewing use case.
  • Use expo-document-picker for picking/importing/uploading a local PDF or document.
  • Use /add-native pdf-report for generated local PDFs. That helper requires expo-print and adds sharing behavior only when expo-sharing is already present.
  • Generated local PDFs from expo-print may be opened by native PDF viewer 0.2.9+ as file:// URIs.
  • Share and Print are built into the native viewer; there are no separate JS share/print calls.
  • The wrapper returns { ok: true } | { ok: false }; handle every non-ok reason in UI.

5. Type-check

bash
npx tsc --noEmit

Fix any TypeScript errors before rebuilding.

6. Native rebuild note

This skill does not install native code. If the package was just added outside the skill, the app needs a native rebuild outside this workflow. If the package was already in the build, Metro hot reload is enough for wrapper edits.

7. Do not use HostingSDK / PCF

Do not import or register:

ts
import NativePdfViewerExtension from "@microsoft/power-apps-native-pdf-viewer";

Do not wire Companion PCF or NativePdfViewerExtension. In Power Apps native code apps, use the native React Native API above.

8. Summary

Tell the user:

text
PDF viewer added
Package present   : @microsoft/power-apps-native-pdf-viewer
Wrapper           : src/native/pdfViewer.ts
URL support       : HTTPS and file:// (0.2.9+)
Type-check        : PASS
Native rebuild    : not performed by this skill
Usage             : openHttpsPdf(...)
HostingSDK / PCF  : not used

Update memory-bank.md under Controls:

text
- PDF viewer added — @microsoft/power-apps-native-pdf-viewer (<ISO date>)

Frequently asked questions

What does the Add Pdf Viewer AI skill do?

Internal implementation skill invoked by /add-native for native PDF control workflows. Handles HTTPS and file URI PDF viewing with @microsoft/power-apps-native-pdf-viewer 0.2.9+.

Why use Add Pdf Viewer on TypingMind?

Because you install it once and use it with any model. Add Pdf Viewer is plain Markdown rather than provider-specific code, so the same skill runs on GPT-5, Claude, Gemini, Grok, or a local model — and you can switch model mid-chat without it breaking. TypingMind runs on your own API keys, so you pay providers directly instead of a per-seat subscription, and your skills and chats stay in your own storage.

How do I install Add Pdf Viewer in TypingMind?

Open Plugins → Skills → Install from GitHub in TypingMind and paste https://github.com/microsoft/power-platform-skills/tree/main/plugins/mobile-apps/skills/add-native/add-pdf-viewer. TypingMind reads its SKILL.md and installs it as a skill you can enable per chat.

Which AI models can use Add Pdf Viewer?

Any model you connect in TypingMind. AI skills are plain Markdown instructions rather than provider-specific code, so GPT, Claude, Gemini, Grok, and local models can all load this skill when a request matches it.

How many AI models can I use with Add Pdf Viewer?

As many as you like. As long as a model supports skills, you can use Add Pdf Viewer with it — GPT, Claude, Gemini, Grok, DeepSeek, Mistral, Llama and more — all on TypingMind with your own API keys.

Is the Add Pdf Viewer AI skill free?

Yes. It is published on GitHub by microsoft under the MIT license. You only pay your own AI provider for the tokens you use.

What are AI skills?

An AI skill is a reusable instruction bundle that teaches an AI model how to do one specific task. It follows the open Agent Skills format: a SKILL.md file with a name and description, plus any scripts, templates or reference files the model may need. The model reads the instructions only when your request matches the skill, so an installed skill costs nothing until it is used.

How are AI skills different from plugins or MCP servers?

A plugin or MCP server gives a model new tools to call — code that runs somewhere and returns a result. An AI skill gives the model knowledge and process instead: how to approach a task, which steps to follow, what good output looks like. Skills are plain Markdown, so they need no server, no API key and no runtime, and they work with any model.

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