pptx git:20260525.98cd536A

Immutable. This exact content is served forever at /api/v1/blob/360a111df865252f.

---
name: pptx
description: "Use this skill any time a .pptx file is involved in any way — as input, output, or both. This includes: creating slide decks, pitch decks, or presentations; reading, parsing, or extracting text from any .pptx file (even if the extracted content will be used elsewhere, like in an email or summary); editing, modifying, or updating existing presentations; combining or splitting slide files; working with templates, layouts, speaker notes, or comments. Trigger whenever the user mentions \"deck,\" \"slides,\" \"presentation,\" or references a .pptx filename, regardless of what they plan to do with the content afterward. If a .pptx file needs to be opened, created, or touched, use this skill."
license: Proprietary. LICENSE.txt has complete terms
---

# 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](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

| Task | Guide |
|------|-------|
| **Read / analyze content** | **`read_file(path="presentation.pptx")`** |
| Visual overview of slides | `python scripts/thumbnail.py presentation.pptx` |
| Edit or create from template | Read [editing.md](editing.md) |
| Create from scratch | Read [pptxgenjs.md](pptxgenjs.md) |

---

## 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:

```bash
# 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](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](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:

| Theme | Primary | Secondary | Accent |
|-------|---------|-----------|--------|
| **Midnight Executive** | `1E2761` (navy) | `CADCFC` (ice blue) | `FFFFFF` (white) |
| **Forest & Moss** | `2C5F2D` (forest) | `97BC62` (moss) | `F5F5F5` (cream) |
| **Coral Energy** | `F96167` (coral) | `F9E795` (gold) | `2F3C7E` (navy) |
| **Warm Terracotta** | `B85042` (terracotta) | `E7E8D1` (sand) | `A7BEAE` (sage) |
| **Ocean Gradient** | `065A82` (deep blue) | `1C7293` (teal) | `21295C` (midnight) |
| **Charcoal Minimal** | `36454F` (charcoal) | `F2F2F2` (off-white) | `212121` (black) |
| **Teal Trust** | `028090` (teal) | `00A896` (seafoam) | `02C39A` (mint) |
| **Berry & Cream** | `6D2E46` (berry) | `A26769` (dusty rose) | `ECE2D0` (cream) |
| **Sage Calm** | `84B59F` (sage) | `69A297` (eucalyptus) | `50808E` (slate) |
| **Cherry Bold** | `990011` (cherry) | `FCF6F5` (off-white) | `2F3C7E` (navy) |

### 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.

| Header Font | Body Font |
|-------------|-----------|
| Georgia | Calibri |
| Arial Black | Arial |
| Calibri | Calibri Light |
| Cambria | Calibri |
| Trebuchet MS | Calibri |
| Impact | Arial |
| Palatino | Garamond |
| Consolas | Calibri |

| Element | Size |
|---------|------|
| Slide title | 36-44pt bold |
| Section header | 20-24pt bold |
| Body text | 14-16pt |
| Captions | 10-12pt muted |

### 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

```bash
python -m markitdown output.pptx
```

Check for missing content, typos, wrong order.

**When using templates, check for leftover placeholder text:**

```bash
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.