Document Skills:pptx

PowerPoint Presentation Skills

Overview

This skill provides comprehensive PowerPoint manipulation capabilities using Python's python-pptx library.

When to Use

• Creating new presentations
• Modifying or editing existing slides
• Working with slide layouts and masters
• Adding speaker notes
• Inserting images, charts, and tables
• Extracting content from presentations

Dependencies

pip install python-pptx

Quick Reference

Create a new presentation

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

prs = Presentation()

# Add title slide
title_slide_layout = prs.slide_layouts[0]
slide = prs.slides.add_slide(title_slide_layout)
title = slide.shapes.title
subtitle = slide.placeholders[1]

title.text = "Presentation Title"
subtitle.text = "Subtitle here"

prs.save('output.pptx')

Add content slide

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

prs = Presentation()

# Title and Content layout (index 1)
bullet_slide_layout = prs.slide_layouts[1]
slide = prs.slides.add_slide(bullet_slide_layout)

title = slide.shapes.title
title.text = "Slide Title"

body = slide.placeholders[1]
tf = body.text_frame
tf.text = "First bullet point"

p = tf.add_paragraph()
p.text = "Second bullet point"
p.level = 0

p = tf.add_paragraph()
p.text = "Sub-bullet"
p.level = 1

prs.save('output.pptx')

Read existing presentation

from pptx import Presentation

prs = Presentation('input.pptx')

for slide in prs.slides:
    for shape in slide.shapes:
        if hasattr(shape, "text"):
            print(shape.text)

Add images

from pptx import Presentation
from pptx.util import Inches

prs = Presentation()
blank_slide_layout = prs.slide_layouts[6]
slide = prs.slides.add_slide(blank_slide_layout)

# Add image
left = Inches(1)
top = Inches(1)
width = Inches(5)
slide.shapes.add_picture('image.png', left, top, width=width)

prs.save('output.pptx')

Add tables

from pptx import Presentation
from pptx.util import Inches

prs = Presentation()
slide = prs.slides.add_slide(prs.slide_layouts[6])

# Create table
rows, cols = 3, 4
left = Inches(1)
top = Inches(2)
width = Inches(8)
height = Inches(2)

table = slide.shapes.add_table(rows, cols, left, top, width, height).table

# Fill cells
for i in range(rows):
    for j in range(cols):
        table.cell(i, j).text = f'R{i+1}C{j+1}'

# Style header row
for cell in table.rows[0].cells:
    cell.fill.solid()
    cell.fill.fore_color.rgb = RGBColor(0x42, 0x72, 0xC4)

prs.save('output.pptx')

Add speaker notes

from pptx import Presentation

prs = Presentation()
slide = prs.slides.add_slide(prs.slide_layouts[1])

# Add notes
notes_slide = slide.notes_slide
notes_tf = notes_slide.notes_text_frame
notes_tf.text = "These are the speaker notes for this slide."

prs.save('output.pptx')

Text formatting

from pptx import Presentation
from pptx.util import Pt
from pptx.dml.color import RGBColor

prs = Presentation()
slide = prs.slides.add_slide(prs.slide_layouts[6])

# Add text box
left = Inches(1)
top = Inches(1)
width = Inches(6)
height = Inches(1)

txBox = slide.shapes.add_textbox(left, top, width, height)
tf = txBox.text_frame
p = tf.paragraphs[0]
run = p.add_run()
run.text = "Formatted Text"

# Format
run.font.name = 'Arial'
run.font.size = Pt(24)
run.font.bold = True
run.font.color.rgb = RGBColor(0xFF, 0x00, 0x00)

prs.save('output.pptx')

Slide layouts reference

Index 0: Title Slide
Index 1: Title and Content
Index 2: Section Header
Index 3: Two Content
Index 4: Comparison
Index 5: Title Only
Index 6: Blank
Index 7: Content with Caption
Index 8: Picture with Caption

Tips

• Use slide layouts for consistent formatting
• Access shapes.title for the title placeholder
• Use placeholders[1] for the main content area
• EMU (English Metric Units) are used internally; use Inches() or Pt() helpers
• Charts require additional setup with pptx.chart