# XBlock - Cannot create the skeleton files from calling workbench-make-xblock

**URL:** <https://discuss.openedx.org/t/xblock-cannot-create-the-skeleton-files-from-calling-workbench-make-xblock/13881>\
**Category:** Architecture\
**Tags:** xblock\
**Created:** [September 9, 2024, 9:58am UTC](https://discuss.openedx.org/t/xblock-cannot-create-the-skeleton-files-from-calling-workbench-make-xblock/13881 "2024-09-09T09:58:01Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![N\_V](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex020/user_avatar/discuss.openedx.org/n_v/32/7090_2.png) [@N\_V](https://discuss.openedx.org/u/N_V)\
**Post date:** [September 9, 2024, 9:58am UTC](https://discuss.openedx.org/t/xblock-cannot-create-the-skeleton-files-from-calling-workbench-make-xblock/13881/1 "2024-09-09T09:58:01Z")

</div>

Hi, I try to create custom XBlock but it is not successful when I called to create the skeleton files `workbench-make-xblock `

Here are steps I made:

1. I setup the SDK dev from this page [https://docs.openedx.org/projects/xblock/en/latest/xblock-tutorial/getting\_started/setup\_sdk.html](https://docs.openedx.org/projects/xblock/en/latest/xblock-tutorial/getting_started/setup_sdk.html). And because my machine is window, I change the `make install` command to be

```auto
(venv) C:\xblock_development\xblock-sdk>pip install -qr requirements\dev.txt
	[notice] A new release of pip is available: 24.0 -> 24.2
	[notice] To update, run: python.exe -m pip install --upgrade pip

	(venv) C:\xblock_development\xblock-sdk>pip install -qr requirements\local.txt
	[notice] A new release of pip is available: 24.0 -> 24.2
	[notice] To update, run: python.exe -m pip install --upgrade pip
	(venv) C:\xblock_development\xblock-sdk>

```

1. I learn how to create custom-xblock from this page [https://docs.openedx.org/projects/xblock/en/latest/xblock-tutorial/getting\_started/create\_first\_xblock.html](https://docs.openedx.org/projects/xblock/en/latest/xblock-tutorial/getting_started/create_first_xblock.html) When I call workbench-make-xblock to create the skeleton files, it shows an error as follow:

```auto
(venv) C:\xblock_development>.\xblock-sdk\bin\workbench-make-xblock
'.\xblock-sdk\bin\workbench-make-xblock' is not recognized as an internal or external command,
operable program or batch file.

```

Is there any thing I have been missing?

In addition, I tried create a custom xblock using this command `xblock-sdk create my_custom_xblock` from this page [https://appsembler.com/blog/xblocks-plugins-for-open-edx/#h-introduction](https://appsembler.com/blog/xblocks-plugins-for-open-edx/#h-introduction). It does not work for my machine too.

Please help. Thank you very much in advance for all your supports.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![braden](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex020/user_avatar/discuss.openedx.org/braden/32/46_2.png) [@braden](https://discuss.openedx.org/u/braden)\
**Post date:** [September 10, 2024, 5:24pm UTC](https://discuss.openedx.org/t/xblock-cannot-create-the-skeleton-files-from-calling-workbench-make-xblock/13881/2 "2024-09-10T17:24:43Z")

</div>

Try the command `python .\xblock-sdk\bin\workbench-make-xblock` . The docs were written assuming you’re on a UNIX system, not Windows. The Windows shell doesn’t “know” how to read [the first line (shebang)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shebang_(Unix)) of [the file](https://github.com/openedx/xblock-sdk/blob/372eca949e2dd08392aff8460871d5b082627785/bin/workbench-make-xblock#L1) in order to determine which interpreter to use (python).

However, you may run into more issues like this because:

1. The workbench is not really used or maintained much as far as I know, and
2. Very few XBlock developers use Windows so it may not be working or well tested on that OS.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![N\_V](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex020/user_avatar/discuss.openedx.org/n_v/32/7090_2.png) [@N\_V](https://discuss.openedx.org/u/N_V)\
**Post date:** [September 11, 2024, 7:49am UTC](https://discuss.openedx.org/t/xblock-cannot-create-the-skeleton-files-from-calling-workbench-make-xblock/13881/3 "2024-09-11T07:49:34Z")

</div>

Thanks a lot.