word-contract-formatting

Files (3)

• SKILL.md
• Darwin_Legal_Base_Template.dotx · assets/
• skill.yml

SKILL.md (first lines)

# Darwin Legal Word Contract Formatting

## Overview

This skill governs how all Darwin Legal contracts and legal documents are formatted in Word. Apply these rules to every document generated as a .docx, regardless of agreement type.

Also read the docx SKILL.md at `/mnt/skills/public/docx/SKILL.md` for general Word document mechanics. This skill governs Darwin Legal-specific content and style choices.

The base template lives at: `assets/Darwin_Legal_Base_Template.dotx`

---

## Document Generation Workflow

**Always start from the template.** Do not create a blank document. The template contains the Darwin Legal Numbering style, Normal style with correct font/spacing, and all numbering definitions.

```bash
# Step 1: Copy template as working docx
cp assets/Darwin_Legal_Base_Template.dotx /tmp/output.docx

# Step 2: Unpack
python scripts/office/unpack.py /tmp/output.docx /tmp/unpacked/

# Step 3: Edit word/document.xml — replace body content, preserve structure
# Step 4: Pack
python scripts/office/pack.py /tmp/unpacked/ /tmp/output.docx --original /tmp/output.docx

# Step 5: ALWAYS run post-processing fix (see below) before saving to workspace
```

Clear the existing body content in `document.xml` (the template contains test paragraphs) and replace with the contract content. Preserve the `<w:body>` wrapper and `<w:sectPr>` (section properties) at the end.

### CRITICAL: Post-Processing Fix (Required After Every pack.py Run)

The `.dotx` base template causes two bugs that make Word refuse to open the output file. Both must be patched after pack.py runs, every time, without exception.

**Bug 1 — Wrong content type.** The template registers `word/document.xml` as `wordprocessingml.template.main+xml` in `[Content_Types].xml`. A `.docx` must use `wordprocessingml.document.main+xml`. pack.py preserves the template type and Word rejects the file.

**Bug 2 — Missing `standalone="yes"`.** pack.py strips the `standalone="yes"` attribute from the XML declaration in `word/document.xml`. Some versions of Word reject files missing this attribute.

A reusable fix function lives at `/sessions/funny-ecstatic-ride/mnt/.claude/fix_docx.py`. Call it immediately after pack.py, before saving anywhere:

```python
import sys
sys.path.insert(0, '/sessions/funny-ecstatic-ride/mnt/.claude')
from fix_docx import fix_docx
fix_docx('/tmp/output.docx', '/sessions/funny-ecstatic-ride/mnt/Drafts and Comments/FINAL_NAME.docx')
```

Do not save the raw pack.py output to the workspace — always run fix_docx first.

### CRITICAL: Preserve `<w:document>` Opening Tag Verbatim

Never reconstruct the `<w:document>` opening tag from scratch. The tag declares many optional namespace prefixes (`cx1`–`cx8`, `w16sdtdh`, `w16sdtfl`, `w16du`, `wp14`, etc.) that must match the `mc:Ignorable` attribute exactly. If any declared prefix is missing or mismatched, Word rejects the file.

Always extract the header from the template itself:

```python
import zipfile, re

with zipfile.ZipFile('/tmp/output.docx') as z:
    orig = z.read('word/document.xml').decode()
m = re.match(r'(.*?<w:body>)', orig, re.DOTALL)
header = m.group(1)  # use this verbatim as the opening of document.xml
```

Then build the new document.xml as `header + body_content + sectPr + '</w:body></w:document>'`.

### `w:pPr` Element Ordering

OOXML schema requires this order inside `<w:pPr>` for numbered paragraphs:

```xml
<w:pPr>
  <w:pStyle w:val="ListParagraph"/>
  <w:numPr>
    <w:ilvl w:val="0"/>
    <w:numId w:val="3"/>
  </w:numPr>
  <w:spacing w:after="360" w:line="240" w:lineRule="auto"/>
  <w:contextualSpacing w:val="0"/>
  <w:jc w:val="both"/>
</w:pPr>
```

Order must be: `pStyle → numPr → spacing → contextualSpacing → jc`. Any other order causes a schema validation error and may prevent the file from opening.

---

## Font and Page Setup

These are already baked into the template's Normal style. Do not override them in paragraph-level XML unless correcting a specific paragraph.

- Font: Times New Roman, 12pt
- Margins: 1 inch all sides
- Spacing after: 360 twips (18pt) — `<w:spacing w:after="360" w:line="240" w:lineRule="auto"/>`
- Justification: full — `<w:jc w:val="both"/>`
- Page numbers: plain Arabic numerals, centered footer, no decoration

---

## Document Title and Date

- Title: centered, all caps — use a plain Normal paragraph with `<w:jc w:val="center"/>` and a bold run
- Effective date appears in the first sentence of the body, not in the signature block
- Opening pattern: `This [Agreement Name] (this "Agreement") is made as of [Date] by and between...`

---

## Numbering — Darwin Legal Numbering Style

The template defines a four-level multilevel list style. Reference it by setting `numId="3"` and the appropriate `ilvl` in each paragraph's `<w:pPr>`.

### Level Reference Table

| Level | Format | ilvl | Example |
|-------|--------|------|---------|
| First | `1.` `2.` `3.` | 0 | `1.   Services.` |
| Second | `a.` `b.` `c.` | 1 | `a.   Scope.` |

From bstevescherer/heycounsel-community, MIT.

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