A versatile utility for capturing standard input and storing it in variables within interactive scripts and AI agent workflows.
Install & Download
1. ClawHub CLI
The fastest way to install a skill directly from the registry.
npx clawhub@latest install read-tool
2. Manual Installation
Copy the skill folder to one of these locations
~/.openclaw/skills/ <project>/skills/ Priority: Workspace > Local > Bundled
3. Prompt Installation
Copy this prompt to OpenClaw to install it automatically.
Help me install read-tool using Clawhub. If Clawhub is not installed, install it first (npm i -g clawhub).
Prefer to download?
Get the raw skill files in a ZIP archive.
What is read-tool?
The read-tool is a robust input capture utility designed for developers and AI agents operating within the ecosystem of Openclaw Skills. It allows for seamless interaction between scripts and users by reading lines from standard input, supporting essential features like custom prompts, input timeouts, and a silent mode for sensitive data like passwords. By integrating this utility, Openclaw Skills can handle dynamic user requirements and interactive shell operations with greater precision and security.
read-tool Use Cases
- Prompting users for configuration details during complex script execution.
- Capturing secure credentials using silent input mode for sensitive authentication tasks.
- Implementing timed inputs in automated workflows to prevent hanging processes when no user is present.
- Standardizing input handling across multiple Openclaw Skills in a CLI environment.
How read-tool Works
- The tool is invoked via the command line with optional flags for prompts, timeouts, or silent mode functionality.
- If a prompt parameter is specified, the tool displays the text to the standard output before pausing.
- The system waits for user input or text stream from the standard input source.
- Upon receiving input or reaching the specified timeout period, the tool processes the line.
- The captured string is assigned to the specified variable, allowing other Openclaw Skills to utilize the data.
read-tool Setup
To integrate this utility into your development environment, ensure you have access to the CLI tools. You can then call the tool directly within your terminal or automation scripts as shown below:
# Capture a simple variable with a prompt
read-tool -p "Enter your project name: " PROJECT_NAME
# Capture a secure password without echoing characters
read-tool -s -p "Password: " USER_PASS
read-tool Data Schema & Taxonomy
The read-tool manages data through environment variables and standard input streams. The following table describes the parameter metadata:
| Parameter | Description | Data Type |
|---|---|---|
| PROMPT | The text string displayed to the user before input | String |
| TIMEOUT | The duration in seconds to wait before the tool exits | Integer |
| VARIABLE | The name of the shell variable that will store the result | String |
| SILENT | A flag that prevents input characters from being displayed | Boolean |
read-tool Advanced Features
- Intelligent timeout-driven workflows to ensure that Openclaw Skills can fail gracefully or proceed with defaults.
- Silent mode integration specifically designed for handling sensitive OAuth tokens and private keys.
- Dynamic variable assignment allows for high-level script routing based on real-time user feedback.
- Full compatibility with standard shell redirection and piping for complex automated pipelines.
SKILL.md
Loading
Related Openclaw Skills
Realpath Tool
A command-line utility for resolving relative file paths and symbolic links into absolute canonical paths.
Random Tool
A versatile CLI utility for generating cryptographically secure random numbers, passwords, and strings for development and security tasks.
Calgary
A comprehensive data and knowledge module for AI agents focused on Calgary's energy sector, economic landscape, and its role as the gateway to the Canadian Rockies.
First Solar Intelligence
A specialized research skill providing deep technical and financial insights into First Solar, the leading US thin-film solar manufacturer.
Database Connectivity Skill
A versatile Python-based skill for AI agents to connect, query, and manage relational databases across multiple platforms.
Readlink Tool
A specialized utility for resolving symbolic links to identify their actual file or directory targets.
Featured*
