PPTX

PPTX Skill

Dependencies are pre-installed in the sandbox — do NOT pip install, npm install, or apt-get install anything. Just import or invoke directly. The sandbox runs as a non-root user without sudo, so apt-get install ... will fail with a permission error and sudo apt-get ... will fail with sudo: not found. If a CLI tool returns not found, fall back to the equivalent Python library on this page rather than attempting to install it.

• Python libraries (always present): python-pptx, markitdown[pptx], Pillow.
• JavaScript libraries (always present, in /usr/lib/node_modules): pptxgenjs, react, react-dom, react-icons, sharp. See pptxgenjs.md for the NODE_PATH invocation — without it, node my_script.js will fail with Cannot find module 'pptxgenjs'.

Reading PPTX text — use read_file

For any request to read, summarise, analyse, or extract text from a deck, call read_file directly:

read_file(path="path/to/presentation.pptx")

The harness parses .pptx natively via markitdown and returns slide text as markdown. Pagination via offset/limit is free (cached). Do NOT shell out to python -m markitdown or pip install python-pptx for plain reading — that subprocess hop is exactly what read_file eliminates.

Use the helpers below only when read_file is not enough (visual overview of slides, raw XML access, editing, or creating from scratch).

Quick Reference

Reading Content (advanced cases only)

For plain text reading use read_file (see top of skill). Use the recipes here when you need a visual layout (thumbnails) or surgical XML access:

# Visual overview of every slide
python scripts/thumbnail.py presentation.pptx

# Raw XML access (rare — for surgical edits, not for reading)
python scripts/office/unpack.py presentation.pptx unpacked/

Editing Workflow

Read editing.md for full details.

1. Analyze template with thumbnail.py
2. Unpack → manipulate slides → edit content → clean → pack

Creating from Scratch

Read pptxgenjs.md for full details.

Use when no template or reference presentation is available.

Design Ideas

Don't create boring slides. Plain bullets on a white background won't impress anyone. Consider ideas from this list for each slide.

Before Starting

• Pick a bold, content-informed color palette: The palette should feel designed for THIS topic. If swapping your colors into a completely different presentation would still "work," you haven't made specific enough choices.
• Dominance over equality: One color should dominate (60-70% visual weight), with 1-2 supporting tones and one sharp accent. Never give all colors equal weight.
• Dark/light contrast: Dark backgrounds for title + conclusion slides, light for content ("sandwich" structure). Or commit to dark throughout for a premium feel.
• Commit to a visual motif: Pick ONE distinctive element and repeat it — rounded image frames, icons in colored circles, thick single-side borders. Carry it across every slide.

Color Palettes

Choose colors that match your topic — don't default to generic blue. Use these palettes as inspiration:

For Each Slide

Every slide needs a visual element — image, chart, icon, or shape. Text-only slides are forgettable.

Layout options:

• Two-column (text left, illustration on right)
• Icon + text rows (icon in colored circle, bold header, description below)
• 2x2 or 2x3 grid (image on one side, grid of content blocks on other)
• Half-bleed image (full left or right side) with content overlay

Data display:

• Large stat callouts (big numbers 60-72pt with small labels below)
• Comparison columns (before/after, pros/cons, side-by-side options)
• Timeline or process flow (numbered steps, arrows)

Visual polish:

• Icons in small colored circles next to section headers
• Italic accent text for key stats or taglines

Typography

Choose an interesting font pairing — don't default to Arial. Pick a header font with personality and pair it with a clean body font.

Spacing

• 0.5" minimum margins
• 0.3-0.5" between content blocks
• Leave breathing room—don't fill every inch

Avoid (Common Mistakes)

• Don't repeat the same layout — vary columns, cards, and callouts across slides
• Don't center body text — left-align paragraphs and lists; center only titles
• Don't skimp on size contrast — titles need 36pt+ to stand out from 14-16pt body
• Don't default to blue — pick colors that reflect the specific topic
• Don't mix spacing randomly — choose 0.3" or 0.5" gaps and use consistently
• Don't style one slide and leave the rest plain — commit fully or keep it simple throughout
• Don't create text-only slides — add images, icons, charts, or visual elements; avoid plain title + bullets
• Don't forget text box padding — when aligning lines or shapes with text edges, set margin: 0 on the text box or offset the shape to account for padding
• Don't use low-contrast elements — icons AND text need strong contrast against the background; avoid light text on light backgrounds or dark text on dark backgrounds
• NEVER use accent lines under titles — these are a hallmark of AI-generated slides; use whitespace or background color instead

QA (Required)

Assume there are problems. Your job is to find them.

Your first render is almost never correct. Approach QA as a bug hunt, not a confirmation step. If you found zero issues on first inspection, you weren't looking hard enough.

Content QA

python -m markitdown output.pptx

Check for missing content, typos, wrong order.

When using templates, check for leftover placeholder text:

python -m markitdown output.pptx | grep -iE "xxxx|lorem|ipsum|this.*(page|slide).*layout"

If grep returns results, fix them before declaring success.

Verification Loop

1. Generate slides → run python -m markitdown output.pptx to inspect content
2. List issues found (typos, missing content, wrong order, leftover placeholders)
3. Fix issues
4. Re-run markitdown on affected slides
5. Repeat until a full pass reveals no new issues

Do not declare success until you've completed at least one fix-and-verify cycle.

Dependencies (all pre-installed)

• markitdown[pptx] — text extraction (Python; just import).
• Pillow — thumbnail grids (Python; just import).
• pptxgenjs — creating from scratch (npm, installed globally; just require('pptxgenjs')).

Do NOT pip install or npm install any of these — they are already on PATH in every sandbox.