send-file

Convert local files into Telegram-friendly downloadable attachments.

When to use

• User says "send me the file", "download", "attach", "share this"
• You generated a report, spreadsheet, or document the user wants
• Previous MEDIA: delivery of .md or raw text failed (user couldn't download)

The Problem

OpenClaw's MEDIA: directive delivers files through Telegram's Bot API. However:

• .md files → Telegram shows inline as plain text, NOT as a downloadable document
• .zip files → Sometimes work, sometimes blocked
• .pdf files → ✅ Always delivered as a downloadable document
• .png/.jpg files → ✅ Always delivered as an image

Solution

Step 1: Convert to PDF

# Install if not already present
pip install --user --break-system-packages mdpdf 2>/dev/null

# Convert markdown → PDF
~/.local/bin/mdpdf -o /tmp/output.pdf /path/to/input.md

Step 2: Deliver via MEDIA

In your reply, add:

MEDIA:/tmp/output.pdf

For multiple files — ZIP them

cd /tmp && zip bundle.pdf.zip file1.pdf file2.pdf

Then:

MEDIA:/tmp/bundle.pdf.zip

Important: Name ZIP files with .pdf.zip suffix — Telegram handles these more reliably.

Delivery Patterns

Single markdown file

~/.local/bin/mdpdf -o /tmp/report.pdf /home/axiom/.openclaw/workspace/report.md

Reply:

MEDIA:/tmp/report.pdf

Multiple markdown files

~/.local/bin/mdpdf -o /tmp/report1.md file1.md
~/.local/bin/mdpdf -o /tmp/report2.md file2.md
cd /tmp && zip reports.pdf.zip report1.pdf report2.pdf

Reply:

MEDIA:/tmp/reports.pdf.zip

Already a binary file (PDF, image, etc.)

Just send directly — no conversion needed:

MEDIA:/path/to/file.pdf

Non-markdown text files (CSV, JSON, etc.)

# Wrap in a zip for reliable download
cd /tmp && zip data.zip data.csv

Reply:

MEDIA:/tmp/data.zip

OpenClaw MEDIA: Reference

The MEDIA:/path line in assistant output triggers OpenClaw's file delivery:

• Local paths are resolved against allowed roots: workspace, /tmp, ~/.openclaw/media/
• Files are loaded and sent via the channel's native API (Telegram Bot API sendDocument)
• Must be on its own line, no other text on that line
• Multiple MEDIA: lines = multiple attachments

Tool Dependencies

• mdpdf — Markdown to PDF converter (pip install mdpdf)
• zip — Standard Unix zip (usually pre-installed)