PPTX Quality Gates

PPTX Quality Gates

Prerequisite: Apply the manual audit in references/audit-checklist.md. Use pptx-reference-deck-analysis for reference-deck analysis, OOXML package inspection, and package validation.

Use this skill before considering a generated PPTX complete.

Workflow

1. Confirm required artifacts exist or collect missing paths before validating.
2. Confirm the python-pptx build script applies the spec-to-PPTX build contract (word-wrap on, autofit off, zeroed text insets, explicit anchors) so the rendered deck matches the spec.
3. Load references/audit-checklist.md and apply the specification checks.
4. Reopen the PPTX and check actual shape bounds, slide count, package structure, and hidden-slide state.
5. For production decks, run pptx-reference-deck-analysis/scripts/validate_package.py <deck.pptx> --output <report.json> and save the package report.
6. Check accessibility metadata and inspect rendered previews when a compatible renderer is available.
7. Repair the spec or generation script, rebuild the PPTX, and rerun the checks.
8. Stop only when the layout, editable-content, package, and accessibility checks pass or the remaining exception is clearly reported.

Required Artifacts

• If required artifact paths or names are missing, collect them with the VS Code prompt input dialog (vscode_askQuestions or equivalent) before building, validating, or repairing.
• Keep the generated spec, PPTX, and audit together: deck-spec.json, deck.pptx, and deck-audit.json.
• For production deliverables, also save deck-geometry-audit.json, deck-accessibility-audit.json, and rendered preview images or a documented reason why a renderer was unavailable.
• Save deck-build.json with the builder path, input spec path, output PPTX path, slide count, build time, and warnings. Save deck-sources.json when the deck contains sourced claims or metrics.
• Keep the agent-authored JSON spec or generation script on disk so it can be reviewed, repaired, and rebuilt.
• Save analysis or extraction manifests when reference PPTX context was used.
• Save selected design profile IDs, source URLs, license IDs, and style lock details in summary.design_context for every newly generated deck unless a user-provided brand guide or reference PPTX is the primary style source.

Audit Checks

• A production-ready generated deck should have zero content collisions.
• A production-ready generated deck should have zero text overflows.
• A production-ready generated deck must define a layout policy with a safe margin, content bottom, footer top, and minimum gap. Content must stay above the footer rail.
• A production-ready generated deck must use native editable objects for its titles, messages, labels, metrics, tables, diagrams, and chart values. Images may support the slide but cannot be its only meaningful content.
• A production-ready generated deck should have zero classification: "content" objects outside the slide bounds or inside the content-safe margin (only layout_design full-bleed bands may cross an edge).
• A production-ready generated deck should keep every child object inside its parent group bbox, and keep on-shape text within the shape minus its inner padding.
• Tables must fit: column widths sum to the table width, no cell text overflows, and long tables are split across slides rather than shrunk below the font floor.
• A production-ready generated deck should have zero classification: "content" objects with style.font_size below 9 pt. Apply the font-size check in references/audit-checklist.md.
• For CJK/full-width text, estimate capacity at half the Latin characters-per-line value so dense non-Latin copy is not falsely marked as fitting.
• Review audit warnings for each slide even when collisions and overflows are zero.
• Check that slide count, language, tone, and major topic sequence match the user request or reference context.
• Check that the selected design context profile matches the user request and that source-backed context was translated into explicit primitives, colors, spacing, typography, and bboxes.
• Fail generated decks that have no summary.design_context, plain white backgrounds throughout, Calibri-only text, default theme colors, or placeholder-like title-plus-bullet layouts unless the user explicitly requested that style.
• Confirm every normal content slide contains at least one style-derived visual element such as an accent band, card shell, grid, divider, shape motif, image treatment, or pattern.
• When a deck includes hidden appendix slides, inspect ppt/presentation.xml for p:sldId show="0" and confirm the hidden slides are last unless the user asked otherwise.
• Do not accept image-only slides. When a generated infographic includes essential text, metrics, labels, or legends, verify that the slide recreates that information with native editable objects. The raster or SVG may remain only as a supporting visual or hidden reference.
• For important deliverables, open the generated PPTX with python-pptx or inspect the zip package to confirm slide count, relationships, media, and hidden-slide metadata.
• For production deliverables, reopen the generated PPTX and compare actual object bounds with the layout tree. Record safe-margin, footer-rail, and off-slide violations in the geometry audit. Record requested-versus-actual geometry differences that exceed the selected tolerance.
• For production deliverables, check accessible slide titles, document language, alt text for meaningful images, reading order, and table headers. Record findings in the accessibility audit.
• When a compatible renderer is available, inspect slide previews for clipping, font fallback, contrast, image crops, and visual hierarchy. Record the result.
• For sourced claims and metrics, check that every source_ref resolves to an entry in the sources manifest and that its locator identifies the evidence.

Repair Loop

• If content collides, move or resize objects, reduce content density, split slides, or change the coordinate plan.
• If text overflows, shorten bullets, split sections, enlarge target bboxes, or split slides. Lower explicit font_size only as a last resort, and never below 9 pt for content objects.
• If visual hierarchy is weak, edit explicit colors, type scale, dividers, metric cards, callouts, or whitespace in the layout tree.
• If the deck looks like default python-pptx, load a design profile from bundled references, add summary.design_context, choose a style lock, and rebuild with explicit background/accent/card/rule primitives.
• If an asset covers text, lower its z_index, move it to layout_design, resize it, or change its bbox.
• If coordinates are cramped or inconsistent, repair the agent-authored bboxes directly; current plugin scripts will not run a browser or auto-layout pass.
• Rebuild after each spec repair and inspect the new audit or package checks.

Verification Commands

• Apply the manual checklist and pptx-reference-deck-analysis/scripts/validate_package.py to validate generated decks.
• Audit the layout-tree spec and the generated PPTX with references/audit-checklist.md, then record the package and rendered-preview results when available.