pptx

Files (4)

• SKILL.md
• reference.md
• build_deck.py · scripts/
• inspect_pptx.py · scripts/

SKILL.md (first lines)

Run the scripts in `scripts/` rather than guessing at layout indices.
`reference.md` covers masters and inheritance, placeholders, tables, theme
colours, reordering slides, and what the library cannot do.

## Inspect the template first — always

```
python scripts/inspect_pptx.py template.pptx
python scripts/inspect_pptx.py deck.pptx --slides
```

Layout indices are **not stable**. `prs.slide_layouts[1]` is "Title and
Content" in the default template and something else entirely in a corporate
one, so code written against the default silently produces broken slides in the
user's file. Placeholder indices vary the same way.

Address layouts by name:

```python
layout = next(l for l in prs.slide_layouts if l.name == 'Title and Content')
slide = prs.slides.add_slide(layout)
```

## Building a deck from an outline

For anything longer than two slides, write the outline and let the script fill
the template's placeholders — that is what makes the deck inherit the theme
instead of being a pile of hand-placed text boxes.

```
python scripts/build_deck.py --example > outline.md   # see the format
python scripts/build_deck.py outline.md deck.pptx
python scripts/build_deck.py outline.md deck.pptx --template corporate.pptx
```

`#` starts the title slide (or a section header), `##` a content slide, `-`
bullets fill the body with indentation setting the level, `>` becomes speaker
notes, and `![](chart.png)` places an image. It matches layouts by NAME with
fallbacks, and says so when a layout has no title or body placeholder rather
than dropping content silently.

## Use the user's template as the presentation

If they supply a .pptx, open **that file** — this is what keeps their fonts,
colours, masters and logo:

```python
prs = Presentation('corporate.pptx')     # not Presentation()
```

Never rebuild branding by hand with text boxes. A deck assembled from manually
positioned boxes looks wrong the moment the theme changes, and is unreadable to
accessibility tools.

## Building slides

```python
from pptx import Presentation
from pptx.util import Inches, Pt

prs = Presentation()
layout = next(l for l in prs.slide_layouts if l.name == 'Title and Content')
s = prs.slides.add_slide(layout)

s.shapes.title.text = 'Revenue'
body = s.placeholders[1].text_frame
body.text = 'North leads at 23 771'
p = body.add_paragraph()
p.text = 'Growth 12% YoY'
p.level = 1

s.notes_slide.notes_text_frame.text = 'Mention the west outlier here.'
prs.save('deck.pptx')
```

`placeholders[1]` is the content placeholder in the DEFAULT template — check
the inspect output for the template you are using.

## Images and charts

```python
s.shapes.add_picture('chart.png', Inches(1), Inches(1.5), width=Inches(8))
```

Give width **or** height, not both, unless distortion is intended. Generate the
chart in an earlier RunPython call — files persist in the working directory.

Prefer an image of a chart over a native PowerPoint chart: native charts can be
added, but editing an existing one's data through python-pptx is limited.

## Slide size

The default template is 4:3 (10×7.5in). Modern decks are 16:9:

```python
prs.slide_width = Inches(13.333)
prs.slide_height = Inches(7.5)
```

Set this **before** adding slides — existing slides do not reflow.

## What belongs on a slide

One idea per slide. If the point needs a paragraph, it belongs in the speaker
notes, not on the slide. Body text no smaller than 18pt — below that it is
unreadable from the back of a room. Prefer a chart to a table, and a table to
numbers buried in prose.

## Extracting

```python
for i, s in enumerate(prs.slides):
    for sh in s.shapes:
        if sh.has_text_frame:
            print(i, sh.text_frame.text)
```

Text inside grouped shapes is not reached by a flat loop over `s.shapes` —
recurse into `sh.shapes` when `sh.shape_type == MSO_SHAPE_TYPE.GROUP`.

From iaa2005/monet-directory, MIT.

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