# Create Ppt > Creates polished PowerPoint presentations with dark-first design, custom palettes, charts, and tables. Use when creating, designing, or generating PPTX slide decks or presentations. - Skill: `aws-samples/create-ppt` (Agent Skill, multi-file: 18 files) - Install (CLI): `npx skillmds@latest add aws-samples/create-ppt` - Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/aws-samples/create-ppt/raw - Safety review: pending - Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex - Category: Docs & Writing - Author: aws-samples (https://skillmd.com/u/aws-samples) - Updated: 2026-09-17 - Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/aws-samples/create-ppt --- Guidelines for creating professional, visually distinctive presentations via python-pptx. Modern, dark-first design with full creative freedom — build rich, substantive slides that communicate clearly. ## Reference Files Read from `/tmp/skills/ppt/references/` when you need implementation details. Load them before the relevant work | File | When to load | Contents | | ------------------ | -------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------ | | `colors.md` | Before choosing palette or theme | Full color system, shade scales, triads, pre-composed themes | | `charts.md` | Before creating any chart | Matplotlib styling, rounded corners, chart composition patterns, sizing | | `patterns.md` | When planning slide variety and layout | Layout ideas, card styling, creative techniques, timeline code | | `tables.md` | Before creating any table | Table creation, dark-theme styling, border control, composition patterns | | `spatial-rules.md` | When positioning elements on slides | Content zones, column rules, spacing, text box rules, chart placement | | `qa-workflow.md` | Before final save and delivery | Automated audit, visual inspection, verification loop, content check | | `templates.md` | When the user provides a PPTX template | Template loading, cleanup, placeholder mapping, background promotion | --- ## 0. Interactive Design Brief — Ask Before You Build **This step is mandatory.** Before creating any slides, gather the user's design preferences through a short, focused set of questions. This ensures every deck feels tailored rather than generic. ### 0.1 When to Ask Ask the design brief questions **immediately after understanding what the presentation is about** — i.e., once you know the topic, audience, and rough scope, pause and ask design questions before writing any code. **Skip the brief only if:** the user explicitly says something like "just pick whatever looks good", "surprise me", "use defaults", or "I don't care about styling." In that case, choose a theme that fits the topic (see the mapping in 0.4) and proceed. ### 0.2 The Questions Present these as a single, friendly message. Do NOT ask them one at a time — group them so the user can answer in one shot. Frame them as quick choices, not open-ended essays. --- **Here's the message template (adapt the tone naturally, don't copy verbatim):** Before I start building, a few quick design questions so this feels like _yours_: **1. Color vibe** — Any specific brand colors (hex codes welcome) I should use? Or pick a direction: - Cool & techy (blues, indigos, cyans) - Warm & energetic (oranges, ambers, roses) - Nature & growth (greens, teals, emeralds) - Bold & creative (violets, fuchsias, pinks) - Corporate & neutral (slate blues, grays) - Or name any colors you like — "dark teal and gold", "red and black", etc. **2. Light or dark?** — Dark backgrounds feel modern and immersive. Light backgrounds feel clean and corporate. Which do you prefer? (Default: dark) **3. Personality** — What should this deck _feel_ like? - Data-driven & analytical - Bold & punchy (high contrast, big statements) - Clean & modern (structured, professional) - Editorial (image-heavy, magazine-like) - Storytelling (narrative flow, emotive) - Minimal & elegant (lots of whitespace) **4. Content style** — Should it lean heavier on charts/data, imagery, or text-driven narrative? **5. Anything else?** — Specific font you love? A particular style you've seen and want to emulate? Company branding guidelines? Anything goes here. --- ### 0.3 Handling Answers Users will give answers ranging from very specific ("use #1A2B3C and #FF6B35, dark mode, data-heavy") to very vague ("something professional"). Here's how to handle the spectrum: **Specific brand colors provided →** Build a custom palette around them. Use the provided colors as accents. Pick a complementary neutral family. Validate contrast. ```python # Example: user gives brand colors #2563EB and #F59E0B # Map to closest families or use directly BRAND_PRIMARY = '#2563EB' # close to blue-600 BRAND_SECONDARY = '#F59E0B' # close to amber-400 palette = compose_palette('slate', 'blue', dark_mode=True) set_palette(palette) # Override accents with exact brand colors ACCENT_1 = BRAND_PRIMARY ACCENT_2 = BRAND_SECONDARY ``` **Color direction chosen (e.g., "warm & energetic") →** Select a matching pre-composed theme and triad from the color system. **Vague or partial answers →** Fill gaps with smart defaults based on the topic (see 0.4), but honor whatever the user _did_ specify. **User says "surprise me" →** Pick something that fits the topic but isn't `deep_indigo` every time. Rotate through the full theme catalog. Favor less common themes like `earthy_amber`, `luxe_purple`, `lime_energy`, `calm_teal` when the topic fits. ### 0.4 Topic → Default Theme Mapping When the user doesn't specify colors, use the topic to pick a theme. **Do not always default to `deep_indigo`.** Use this mapping as a starting point, then vary within the category: | Topic Area | Recommended Themes | Triads | | --------------------------------- | -------------------------------- | -------------------- | | AI, SaaS, developer tools | `deep_indigo`, `fresh_cyan` | Deep Tech | | Finance, enterprise, consulting | `corporate_blue`, `sky_open` | Corporate | | Sustainability, health, wellness | `emerald_growth`, `calm_teal` | Nature, Calm | | Consumer, lifestyle, marketing | `warm_rose`, `bold_orange` | Warm | | Startups, events, launches | `bold_orange`, `lime_energy` | Bold | | Design, arts, education | `creative_violet`, `sky_open` | Creative | | Food, architecture, craftsmanship | `earthy_amber`, `nature_green` | Warm, Nature | | Premium, beauty, luxury | `luxe_purple`, `creative_violet` | Creative | | Data, engineering, analytics | `fresh_cyan`, `corporate_blue` | Deep Tech, Corporate | | Fitness, youth, energy | `lime_energy`, `bold_orange` | Bold | | Non-profit, social impact | `sky_open`, `calm_teal` | Calm, Corporate | **Variety rule:** If you've used a theme recently in the conversation, pick a different one from the same category. If the category has only one option that fits, vary the accent triad instead. ### 0.5 Typography Selection Default is still Inter, but use the user's answers to inform font choice: | Personality | Best Font Choices | | ----------------------- | -------------------------- | | Data-driven, corporate | IBM Plex Sans, Inter | | Bold, punchy, startup | DM Sans, Plus Jakarta Sans | | Clean, modern | Inter, Segoe UI | | Editorial, storytelling | Plus Jakarta Sans, DM Sans | | Minimal, elegant | Inter, IBM Plex Sans | | Creative, playful | DM Sans, Plus Jakarta Sans | ### 0.6 Confirming the Brief After the user answers, briefly confirm the design direction in one sentence before you start building. This lets them course-correct early: > _"Got it — I'll go with a dark theme using teal and cyan accents, clean modern feel, data-heavy with charts. Building it now."_ Then proceed to Section 1 onward. --- ## 1. Design Philosophy ### 1.1 Core Rules Every slide should be rich and substantive — clean does not mean sparse. A slide with just a chart and nothing else, or a few words of tiny text, is an incomplete slide. **Dark-first by default.** Dark backgrounds (slate-950, indigo-950) with light text and bright accents. Default for tech, science, data, product, and creative topics. Reserve light themes for corporate finance, healthcare, education, or when the user explicitly requests it. **60/30/10 color distribution.** 60% neutral (backgrounds, body text), 30% complementary (card fills, borders, muted text), 10% accent (key numbers, highlights). If accent color covers more than ~10% of a slide, you've over-saturated. **Typographic hierarchy only.** Size > Weight > Color > Space — these four tools create all visual hierarchy. No decorative indicators, badges, or embellishments. **Rounded shape language.** Cards use visibly rounded corners. Sharp-cornered small elements look dated. **Borders over shadows.** Separate elements with subtle 0.75pt borders (slate-700 on dark, neutral-200 on light) rather than heavy fills or drop shadows. **Two font weights only.** Regular for body, Bold for headings and emphasis. No light, no extra-bold. **Flat and subtle.** Cards defined by thin borders or very subtle background shifts, not heavy colored fills or gradients. **One typeface per deck.** Differentiate through size and weight, not by switching font families. **Gradient depth.** Use gradient background washes on 30–50% of slides for subtle depth variation. ### 1.2 Banned Decorative Elements Do NOT use any of these — they clutter the design without adding information: - Small colored circle/dot indicators next to card titles or list items - Badge/tag labels above headings (the `badge()` function, pill shapes for categories) - Accent bars on cards or accent underlines on titles - Divider lines between sections — use white space instead - Heavy colored card fills or gradient fills on cards - Multiple font families in one deck The only acceptable `rect()` uses: full-height accent bar on a slide edge (structural), background zone fills, timeline rail line, and cards via `card()`. ### 1.3 Slide Richness Each slide should deliver substantive content: - **Chart slides** always include: an insight-driven title, the chart itself, AND a takeaway sentence or callout stat. A bare chart alone is never a finished slide. - **Data slides** combine key metrics with supporting context — numbers tell what happened, text tells why it matters. - **Content slides** have meaningful body text with clear visual hierarchy, not just a few words in tiny font. - **Use tables** when presenting comparisons, specifications, feature matrices, pricing tiers, or any structured data. Read `references/tables.md`. - **Multi-element compositions** — combine charts + callout cards, tables + narrative text, metrics + explanatory context. Single-element slides are often too sparse. ### 1.4 Visual Variety No two consecutive slides should share the same layout structure. Vary your approach: full-width compositions, split layouts, card grids, full-bleed images, hero numbers, tables, charts with callouts. Build 1–2 "surprise" slides per deck that break the pattern — a big number on pure dark, a full-bleed image, or a single provocative statement in large type. --- ## 2. Color System The color system provides 9 neutral and 17 chromatic families, each with 11 shades (50–950). All colors accessed via `c(family, shade)` from `ppt_colors.py`. **Read `references/colors.md`** for full shade-usage scales, multi-accent triads, and pre-composed themes. Quick setup: ```python palette = theme_palette('deep_indigo', dark_mode=True) set_palette(palette) validate_palette_contrast() init_chart_style(primary=c('indigo', 400), series=chart_series_multi('indigo', 'violet', 'cyan', 'emerald')) ``` **Important:** The palette and accent choices must reflect the user's answers from the Design Brief (Section 0). Do not hardcode `deep_indigo` — use the theme selected during the brief. --- ## 3. Typography Use a modern, geometric or neo-grotesque sans-serif. One font family per deck. **Fonts (preference order):** Inter, DM Sans, Plus Jakarta Sans, IBM Plex Sans, Segoe UI (safe), Calibri (fallback). Use `ensure_fonts()` at session start. **Select based on the personality chosen in the Design Brief (Section 0.5).** **Type scale — 4 sizes, 2 weights:** | Role | Size | Weight | On dark bg | Use | | ------- | ------- | ------- | ------------------ | --------------------------- | | Display | 36–54pt | Bold | slate-50 / white | Title + closing slides only | | Heading | 28–32pt | Bold | accent or slate-50 | Content slide titles | | Body | 14–16pt | Regular | slate-200 | Paragraphs, descriptions | | Caption | 10–13pt | Regular | slate-400/500 | Labels, footnotes | Left-align body text. Center only display titles and hero text. Line spacing 1.3–1.4 for body text. Muted text (slate-400 on dark, neutral-500 on light) is a key hierarchy tool. --- ## 4. Script Toolkit ### 4.1 Loading ```python import sys sys.path.insert(0, '/tmp/skills/ppt/scripts') from ppt_fonts import ensure_fonts ensure_fonts() from ppt_core import * from ppt_colors import c, compose_palette, theme_palette, chart_series, chart_series_multi, list_themes from ppt_charts import init_chart_style, create_bar_chart, create_line_chart, create_pie_chart, create_donut_chart, create_horizontal_bar, create_stacked_bar from ppt_images import download_image, prepare_background, add_full_bleed_bg, safe_add_picture, create_gradient_background from ppt_qa import full_audit, render_slides, render_thumbnail_grid ``` ### 4.2 Module Reference | Module | Purpose | Key Functions | | --------------- | ------------------------ | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | `ppt_core` | Constants, helpers | `init_presentation()`, `blank_slide()`, `add_text()`, `add_multiline_text()`, `card()`, `rect()`, `set_palette()`, `validate_palette_contrast()`, `slide_background()`, `hex_to_rgb()` | | `ppt_colors` | Color system | `c()`, `compose_palette()`, `theme_palette()`, `chart_series()`, `chart_series_multi()`, `list_themes()` | | `ppt_charts` | Matplotlib charts | `init_chart_style()`, `create_bar_chart()`, `create_line_chart()`, `create_pie_chart()`, `create_donut_chart()`, `create_horizontal_bar()`, `create_stacked_bar()` — all accept `pad_inches` param | | `ppt_images` | Image handling | `download_image()`, `prepare_background()`, `create_gradient_background()`, `add_full_bleed_bg()`, `safe_add_picture()`, `create_placeholder_image()`, `composite_transparent_preview()` | | `ppt_qa` | Validation + preview | `validate_layout()`, `check_font_compliance()`, `check_min_font_size()`, `check_contrast_ratios()`, `check_content_zone()`, `full_audit()`, `render_slides()`, `render_thumbnail_grid()` | | `ppt_layouts` | Optional slide shortcuts | `make_title_slide()`, `make_section_divider()`, `make_content_slide()`, `make_kpi_slide()`, `make_chart_slide()`, `make_closing_slide()`, etc. — use when convenient, not required | | `ppt_analyzer` | Read/inspect PPTX | `read_metadata()`, `read_all_text()`, `read_slide_notes()`, `extract_images()`, `inspect_shapes()`, `analyze_template()` | | `ppt_modifier` | Update PPTX | `replace_text()`, `replace_image()`, `delete_slides()`, `reorder_slides()`, `duplicate_slide()`, `update_font_globally()`, `update_colors()`, `add_slide_numbers()` | | `ppt_templates` | Template utilities | `clear_template_slides()`, `populate_placeholder()`, `add_picture_constrained()`, `promote_template_visuals()` | | `ppt_fonts` | Font installation | `ensure_fonts()` | ### 4.3 Building Approach Build slides from scratch using `blank_slide()` + primitives (`add_text()`, `add_multiline_text()`, `card()`, `rect()`, `slide_background()`, `safe_add_picture()`). This gives full creative control over every element's position, size, and styling. `ppt_layouts` functions are optional convenience shortcuts — `make_title_slide()` and `make_closing_slide()` can save time for bookend slides. For content slides, building custom layouts is the default. ### 4.4 New Deck Workflow ```python # 0. Apply choices from the Design Brief # THEME_NAME, DARK_MODE, FONT, TRIAD, PERSONALITY — all set from user answers # 1. Choose palette, validate, configure charts palette = theme_palette(THEME_NAME, dark_mode=DARK_MODE) set_palette(palette) validate_palette_contrast() init_chart_style(primary=c(TRIAD[0], 400), series=chart_series_multi(*TRIAD)) # 2. Define constants from brief ACCENT_1, ACCENT_2, ACCENT_3 = c(TRIAD[0], 400), c(TRIAD[1], 400), c(TRIAD[2], 400) DARK_BG = c('slate', 950) TEXT_WHITE = c('slate', 50) TEXT_BODY = c('slate', 200) TEXT_MUTED = c('slate', 400) # 3. Create gradient backgrounds for variety create_gradient_background('/tmp/grad1.png', hex_to_rgb(c('slate', 950)), hex_to_rgb(c(TRIAD[0], 950))) create_gradient_background('/tmp/grad2.png', hex_to_rgb(c('slate', 950)), hex_to_rgb(c(TRIAD[1], 950))) # 4. Build slides with creative freedom prs = init_presentation() # ... build slides ... # 5. Save + QA — read references/qa-workflow.md for full process prs.save('/tmp/output.pptx') issues = full_audit('/tmp/output.pptx') render_thumbnail_grid('/tmp/output.pptx', '/tmp/grid.png', cols=3) ``` ### 4.5 Modifying Existing Deck ```python from ppt_analyzer import analyze_template, read_all_text from ppt_modifier import replace_text, update_font_globally, update_colors report = analyze_template('/tmp/input.pptx') replace_text('/tmp/input.pptx', '/tmp/v2.pptx', 'DRAFT', 'FINAL') update_font_globally('/tmp/v2.pptx', '/tmp/v3.pptx', new_font='Inter') full_audit('/tmp/v3.pptx') ``` ### 4.6 API Quick Reference — Coordinate Convention **CRITICAL: All helper functions accept raw float values in inches.** They call `Inches()` internally. Do NOT pass `Inches()` objects — this causes double-wrapping and element positions in the millions of inches, triggering overflow audit errors. ```python # ✓ CORRECT — raw floats add_text(slide, 0.8, 1.7, 11.0, 0.5, "Hello", size=28, bold=True, color='#FFFFFF') card(slide, 0.8, 1.7, 5.0, 3.0, fill_color='#1e293b', border=True) rect(slide, 0, 0, 13.333, 7.5, fill_color='#020617') safe_add_picture(slide, '/tmp/img.png', 1.0, 1.7, 10.0, 5.0) # ✗ WRONG — Inches() objects will be double-wrapped add_text(slide, Inches(0.8), Inches(1.7), Inches(11.0), ...) card(slide, Inches(0.8), Inches(1.7), ...) ``` **Function signatures (all positions are raw floats in inches):** | Function | Signature | | -------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | `add_text` | `(slide, x, y, w, h, text, size=16, bold=False, italic=False, color=None, font_name='Calibri', align='left', valign='top', line_spacing=1.05)` | | `add_multiline_text` | `(slide, x, y, w, h, lines, size=16, bold=False, color=None, font_name='Calibri', line_spacing=1.15, space_after_pt=6)` | | `card` | `(slide, x, y, w, h, fill_color=None, corner_radius=0.15, border=False, border_color=None, border_width=0.75)` | | `rect` | `(slide, x, y, w, h, fill_color=None, border=False)` | | `safe_add_picture` | `(slide, img_path, left, top, max_w, max_h=None, footer_margin=0.5)` | | `slide_background` | `(slide, color)` | | `add_full_bleed_bg` | `(slide, image_path)` — no position params, always fills slide | **Parameter conventions:** - **`size`** — plain number in points, not `Pt()`. E.g. `size=28`, not `size=Pt(28)`. Alias `font_size` also accepted. - **`align`** — string: `'left'`, `'center'`, `'right'`. Also accepts `PP_ALIGN` enum values. Alias `alignment` also accepted. - **`color` / `fill_color`** — hex string `'#RRGGBB'` or `RGBColor` object. - **`border`** — must be `True` to show a border; defaults to `False` (invisible line). **Chart function signatures:** | Function | Signature | | ----------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ | | `create_line_chart` | `(categories, series, title='', output_path=None, figsize=(10, 5.5), ylabel='', xlabel='', show_markers=True, show_values=False, value_fmt='{:.0f}', fill=False)` | | `create_bar_chart` | `(categories, series, title='', output_path=None, figsize=(10, 5.5), ylabel='', xlabel='', show_values=True, value_fmt='{:.0f}', horizontal=False, stacked=False)` | | `create_horizontal_bar` | `(categories, values, title='', output_path=None, figsize=(10, 5.5), xlabel='', show_values=True, value_fmt='{:.0f}', sort=True)` | | `create_donut_chart` | `(labels, values, title='', output_path=None, figsize=(7, 5.5), center_text=None, center_subtext=None)` | | `create_pie_chart` | `(labels, values, title='', output_path=None, figsize=(7, 5.5), show_pct=True, pct_fmt='%.1f%%', explode_index=None)` | | `create_stacked_bar` | `(categories, series, title='', output_path=None, figsize=(10, 5.5), ylabel='', show_values=False, value_fmt='{:.0f}')` | Note: `series` is a dict `{'label': [values]}` for multi-series charts. `create_horizontal_bar` takes a flat `values` list instead. --- ## 5. Spatial Awareness Read `references/spatial-rules.md` for complete positioning rules. Key boundaries: **Content zone:** Title at y≈0.7 (28–32pt bold). Content starts y≈1.7, ends y≈7.0 (5.30" usable height). Content slide titles must be 28–32pt — using 36pt+ pushes into the content zone. **Margins:** Minimum 0.5" from all slide edges. 0.3–0.5" between content blocks. **Text boxes:** One text box per content block — stacking separate boxes creates invisible overlaps. Use `\n\n` for paragraph breaks within a single box. --- ## 6. Charts Read `references/charts.md` before creating any chart. Every chart slide communicates an insight, not just data. Include: insight-driven title, the chart, and a takeaway sentence or callout stat. **Charts use transparent backgrounds by default.** To use an opaque background instead, pass background='#FFFFFF' (or any hex color) to init_chart_style(). --- ## 7. Tables Read `references/tables.md` before creating any table. Tables are a first-class content element for structured data, comparisons, and specifications. ```python from pptx.util import Inches, Pt rows, cols = 5, 4 table_shape = slide.shapes.add_table(rows, cols, Inches(0.8), Inches(1.8), Inches(11.7), Inches(4.5)) table = table_shape.table # See tables.md for dark-theme styling ``` --- ## 8. Images **Sourcing:** `tavily_search(query="high quality [topic] photo", include_images=True)`. Download with `download_image()`. **Background prep:** `prepare_background(input, output, darkness=0.5-0.65, tint_color=(r,g,b), blur=1-2)` — crops to 16:9, darkens, tints, blurs. Place with `add_full_bleed_bg(slide, path)`. **Content images:** Use `safe_add_picture()` for bounding-box constrained placement. For template-based presentations, use `add_picture_constrained()`. **Gradient backgrounds:** `create_gradient_background(output, (r1,g1,b1), (r2,g2,b2))`. Use on 30–50% of slides. --- ## 9. Accessibility & Contrast **WCAG minimums:** Normal text (<18pt): 4.5:1. Large text (≥18pt or ≥14pt bold): 3:1. **Dark-first safe combos:** body (slate-200) on bg (slate-950), muted (slate-400) on bg for large text only (slate-300 for small), accents (indigo/violet/cyan-400) on bg, card text (slate-50) on card (slate-900). **Light-mode safe combos:** body (neutral-700/800) on white, muted (neutral-500) on white, accents (chromatic 600+) on white. Avoid chromatic shades 300 and below as text. Never use color as sole information channel. After `set_palette()`, call `validate_palette_contrast()` and fix flagged issues before building. --- ## 10. QA Workflow Assume there are problems. Read `references/qa-workflow.md` for the full process. **Minimum required:** Run `full_audit()` after saving. Render with `render_thumbnail_grid()`. Visually inspect. Fix issues and re-render at least once before finishing. ```python prs.save('/tmp/output.pptx') issues = full_audit('/tmp/output.pptx') grid = render_thumbnail_grid('/tmp/output.pptx', '/tmp/grid.png', cols=3) # Inspect → Fix → Re-render → Verify ``` --- ## 11. Dependencies Required packages (pre-installed in the standard environment): ```python # Verify at session start if needed import pptx # python-pptx — slide generation import matplotlib # Chart rendering from PIL import Image # Image processing import requests # Image downloading ``` --- ## 12. Quick Reference | Item | Value | | ---------------------- | ---------------------------------------- | | Slide size | 13.333 × 7.5 in | | Title area | y ≈ 0.7 | | Content zone | 1.70–7.00 (5.30" usable) | | Display | 36–54pt bold, centered | | Heading | 28–32pt bold | | Body | 14–16pt regular, left-aligned | | Caption | 10–13pt regular | | Font weights | 2 only: Bold + Regular | | Color split | 60% neutral / 30% comp / 10% accent | | Default theme | Dark-first (unless brief says otherwise) | | Card (dark) | slate-900 + 0.75pt slate-700 border | | Card (light) | neutral-100 + 1pt neutral-200 border | | Two-col gutter | left ≤ 6.3, right ≥ 6.8 | | Margins | ≥ 0.5" from edges | | Accents | 2–3 complementary triad | | Gradients | 30–50% of slides | | Decorative dots/badges | Never use | | Tables | Use for structured data | | Coordinates | Raw floats in inches — never Inches() | | Size params | Plain numbers in points — never Pt() | | **Design Brief** | **Mandatory before building** | ---