Pptx Manipulation

by claude-office-skills9c4c7d5cd281MIT499 starsListed Oct 8, 2026Updated Oct 8, 2026Repository updated 8 months ago

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Instructions onlyDocuments & Office
AI-generated overview

Creates, edits and extracts content from PowerPoint .pptx presentations using python-pptx code.

What it does
This skill guides an agent in writing and running python-pptx code to build and modify PowerPoint presentations. It covers adding slides from layouts, text boxes, shapes, images, tables and standard charts, plus formatting text, fills, lines and alignment. It also supports extracting text from existing decks and generating slides from outlines or markdown content.
When to use it
Use it when a task requires producing or altering a .pptx file, such as building a pitch deck, adding a chart or table to a slide, or pulling text out of an existing presentation. It fits deck generation from structured content and template-based slide work.
Requirements
Requires the python-pptx library (pip install python-pptx) and a Python runtime. The skill ships no scripts; it provides instructions and code patterns. The metadata references an office-mcp server with tools such as create_pptx and extract_from_pptx.

PPTX Manipulation Skill

Overview

This skill enables programmatic creation, editing, and manipulation of Microsoft PowerPoint (.pptx) presentations using the python-pptx library. Create professional slides with text, shapes, images, charts, and tables without manual editing.

How to Use

  1. Describe the presentation you want to create or modify
  2. Provide content, data, or images to include
  3. I'll generate python-pptx code and execute it

Example prompts:

  • "Create a 10-slide pitch deck from this outline"
  • "Add a chart to slide 3 with this data"
  • "Extract all text from this presentation"
  • "Generate slides from this markdown content"

Domain Knowledge

python-pptx Fundamentals

python
from pptx import Presentationfrom pptx.util import Inches, Ptfrom pptx.enum.shapes import MSO_SHAPEfrom pptx.enum.text import PP_ALIGN
# Create new presentationprs = Presentation()
# Or open existingprs = Presentation('existing.pptx')

Presentation Structure

Presentation├── slide_layouts (predefined layouts)├── slides (individual slides)│   ├── shapes (text, images, charts)│   │   ├── text_frame (paragraphs)│   │   └── table (rows, cells)│   └── placeholders (title, content)└── slide_masters (templates)

Slide Layouts

python
# Common layout indices (may vary by template)TITLE_SLIDE = 0TITLE_CONTENT = 1SECTION_HEADER = 2TWO_CONTENT = 3COMPARISON = 4TITLE_ONLY = 5BLANK = 6
# Add slide with layoutslide_layout = prs.slide_layouts[TITLE_CONTENT]slide = prs.slides.add_slide(slide_layout)

Adding Content

Title Slide
python
slide_layout = prs.slide_layouts[0]  # Title slideslide = prs.slides.add_slide(slide_layout)
title = slide.shapes.titlesubtitle = slide.placeholders[1]
title.text = "Quarterly Report"subtitle.text = "Q4 2024 Performance Review"
Text Content
python
# Using placeholderbody = slide.placeholders[1]tf = body.text_frametf.text = "First bullet point"
# Add more paragraphsp = tf.add_paragraph()p.text = "Second bullet point"p.level = 0
p = tf.add_paragraph()p.text = "Sub-bullet"p.level = 1
Text Box
python
from pptx.util import Inches, Pt
left = Inches(1)top = Inches(2)width = Inches(4)height = Inches(1)
txBox = slide.shapes.add_textbox(left, top, width, height)tf = txBox.text_frame
p = tf.paragraphs[0]p.text = "Custom text box"p.font.bold = Truep.font.size = Pt(18)
Shapes
python
from pptx.enum.shapes import MSO_SHAPE
# Rectangleshape = slide.shapes.add_shape(    MSO_SHAPE.RECTANGLE,    Inches(1), Inches(2),  # left, top    Inches(3), Inches(1.5) # width, height)shape.text = "Rectangle with text"
# Common shapes:# MSO_SHAPE.RECTANGLE, ROUNDED_RECTANGLE# MSO_SHAPE.OVAL, CHEVRON, ARROW_RIGHT# MSO_SHAPE.CALLOUT_ROUNDED_RECTANGLE
Images
python
# Add imageslide.shapes.add_picture(    'image.png',    Inches(1), Inches(2),  # position    width=Inches(4)        # auto height)
# Or specify both dimensionsslide.shapes.add_picture(    'logo.png',    Inches(8), Inches(0.5),    Inches(1.5), Inches(0.75))

Tables

python
# Create tablerows, cols = 4, 3left = Inches(1)top = Inches(2)width = Inches(8)height = Inches(2)
table = slide.shapes.add_table(rows, cols, left, top, width, height).table
# Set column widthstable.columns[0].width = Inches(2)table.columns[1].width = Inches(3)table.columns[2].width = Inches(3)
# Add headersheaders = ['Product', 'Q3 Sales', 'Q4 Sales']for i, header in enumerate(headers):    cell = table.cell(0, i)    cell.text = header    cell.text_frame.paragraphs[0].font.bold = True
# Add datadata = [    ['Widget A', '$10,000', '$12,500'],    ['Widget B', '$8,000', '$9,200'],    ['Widget C', '$15,000', '$18,000'],]for row_idx, row_data in enumerate(data, 1):    for col_idx, value in enumerate(row_data):        table.cell(row_idx, col_idx).text = value

Charts

python
from pptx.chart.data import CategoryChartDatafrom pptx.enum.chart import XL_CHART_TYPE
# Chart datachart_data = CategoryChartData()chart_data.categories = ['Q1', 'Q2', 'Q3', 'Q4']chart_data.add_series('Sales', (19.2, 21.4, 16.7, 23.8))chart_data.add_series('Expenses', (12.1, 15.3, 14.2, 18.1))
# Add chartx, y, cx, cy = Inches(1), Inches(2), Inches(8), Inches(4)chart = slide.shapes.add_chart(    XL_CHART_TYPE.COLUMN_CLUSTERED,    x, y, cx, cy, chart_data).chart
# Customizechart.has_legend = Truechart.legend.include_in_layout = False

Formatting

Text Formatting
python
from pptx.dml.color import RGBColor
run = p.runs[0]run.font.name = 'Arial'run.font.size = Pt(24)run.font.bold = Truerun.font.italic = Truerun.font.color.rgb = RGBColor(0x00, 0x66, 0xCC)
Shape Fill & Line
python
from pptx.dml.color import RGBColor
shape.fill.solid()shape.fill.fore_color.rgb = RGBColor(0x00, 0x80, 0x00)
shape.line.color.rgb = RGBColor(0x00, 0x00, 0x00)shape.line.width = Pt(2)
Paragraph Alignment
python
from pptx.enum.text import PP_ALIGN
p.alignment = PP_ALIGN.CENTER  # LEFT, RIGHT, JUSTIFY

Best Practices

  1. Use Templates: Start with a .pptx template for consistent branding
  2. Layout First: Plan slide structure before coding
  3. Reuse Slide Masters: Maintain consistency across presentations
  4. Optimize Images: Compress images before adding
  5. Test Output: Always verify generated presentations

Common Patterns

Slide Deck Generator

python
def create_deck(title, slides_content):    prs = Presentation()        # Title slide    slide = prs.slides.add_slide(prs.slide_layouts[0])    slide.shapes.title.text = title        # Content slides    for slide_data in slides_content:        slide = prs.slides.add_slide(prs.slide_layouts[1])        slide.shapes.title.text = slide_data['title']                body = slide.placeholders[1]        tf = body.text_frame        for i, point in enumerate(slide_data['points']):            if i == 0:                tf.text = point            else:                p = tf.add_paragraph()                p.text = point        return prs

Data-Driven Charts

python
def add_bar_chart(slide, title, categories, values):    from pptx.chart.data import CategoryChartData    from pptx.enum.chart import XL_CHART_TYPE        chart_data = CategoryChartData()    chart_data.categories = categories    chart_data.add_series('Values', values)        chart = slide.shapes.add_chart(        XL_CHART_TYPE.BAR_CLUSTERED,        Inches(1), Inches(2),        Inches(8), Inches(4),        chart_data    ).chart        chart.chart_title.text_frame.text = title    return chart

Examples

Example 1: Create a Pitch Deck

python
from pptx import Presentationfrom pptx.util import Inches, Pt
prs = Presentation()
# Slide 1: Titleslide = prs.slides.add_slide(prs.slide_layouts[0])slide.shapes.title.text = "StartupX"slide.placeholders[1].text = "Revolutionizing Document Processing"
# Slide 2: Problemslide = prs.slides.add_slide(prs.slide_layouts[1])slide.shapes.title.text = "The Problem"body = slide.placeholders[1].text_framebody.text = "Manual document processing costs businesses $1T annually"p = body.add_paragraph()p.text = "Average worker spends 20% of time on document tasks"p.level = 1
# Slide 3: Solutionslide = prs.slides.add_slide(prs.slide_layouts[1])slide.shapes.title.text = "Our Solution"body = slide.placeholders[1].text_framebody.text = "AI-powered document automation"body.add_paragraph().text = "90% faster processing"body.add_paragraph().text = "99.5% accuracy"body.add_paragraph().text = "Works with existing tools"
# Slide 4: Marketslide = prs.slides.add_slide(prs.slide_layouts[5])  # Title onlyslide.shapes.title.text = "Market Opportunity: $50B by 2028"
# Add chartfrom pptx.chart.data import CategoryChartDatafrom pptx.enum.chart import XL_CHART_TYPE
data = CategoryChartData()data.categories = ['2024', '2025', '2026', '2027', '2028']data.add_series('Market Size ($B)', [30, 35, 40, 45, 50])
slide.shapes.add_chart(    XL_CHART_TYPE.LINE,    Inches(1), Inches(1.5),    Inches(8), Inches(5),    data)
prs.save('pitch_deck.pptx')

Example 2: Report with Data Table

python
from pptx import Presentationfrom pptx.util import Inches, Pt
prs = Presentation()
# Title slideslide = prs.slides.add_slide(prs.slide_layouts[0])slide.shapes.title.text = "Sales Performance Report"slide.placeholders[1].text = "Q4 2024"
# Data slideslide = prs.slides.add_slide(prs.slide_layouts[5])slide.shapes.title.text = "Regional Performance"
# Create tabletable = slide.shapes.add_table(5, 4, Inches(0.5), Inches(1.5), Inches(9), Inches(4)).table
# Headersheaders = ['Region', 'Revenue', 'Growth', 'Target']for i, h in enumerate(headers):    table.cell(0, i).text = h    table.cell(0, i).text_frame.paragraphs[0].font.bold = True
# Datadata = [    ['North America', '$5.2M', '+15%', 'Met'],    ['Europe', '$3.8M', '+12%', 'Met'],    ['Asia Pacific', '$2.9M', '+28%', 'Exceeded'],    ['Latin America', '$1.1M', '+8%', 'Below'],]for row_idx, row_data in enumerate(data, 1):    for col_idx, value in enumerate(row_data):        table.cell(row_idx, col_idx).text = value
prs.save('sales_report.pptx')

Limitations

  • Cannot render complex animations
  • Limited SmartArt support
  • No video embedding via API
  • Master slide editing is complex
  • Chart types limited to standard Office charts

Installation

bash
pip install python-pptx

Resources

Source and attribution

Source:claude-office-skills/skillsinpptx-manipulationat commit9c4c7d5

License: MIT

Content belongs to its original authors. SourceWeft indexes it from a public repository.

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