pptx

What this skill does

# PPTX creation, editing, and analysis

## Overview

A user may ask you to create, edit, or analyze the contents of a .pptx file. A .pptx file is essentially a ZIP archive containing XML files and other resources that you can read or edit. You have different tools and workflows available for different tasks.

## Reading and analyzing content

### Text extraction
If you just need to read the text contents of a presentation, you should convert the document to markdown:

```bash
# Convert document to markdown
uv run --with 'markitdown[pptx]' python -m markitdown path-to-file.pptx
```

### Raw XML access
You need raw XML access for: comments, speaker notes, slide layouts, animations, design elements, and complex formatting. For any of these features, you'll need to unpack a presentation and read its raw XML contents.

#### Unpacking a file
`uv run ooxml/scripts/unpack.py <office_file> <output_dir>`

**Note**: Run this from the pptx skill directory, where the script is at `ooxml/scripts/unpack.py`. If it isn't found there, use `find . -name "unpack.py"` to locate it.

#### Key file structures
* `ppt/presentation.xml` - Main presentation metadata and slide references
* `ppt/slides/slide{N}.xml` - Individual slide contents (slide1.xml, slide2.xml, etc.)
* `ppt/notesSlides/notesSlide{N}.xml` - Speaker notes for each slide
* `ppt/comments/modernComment_*.xml` - Comments for specific slides
* `ppt/slideLayouts/` - Layout templates for slides
* `ppt/slideMasters/` - Master slide templates
* `ppt/theme/` - Theme and styling information
* `ppt/media/` - Images and other media files

#### Typography and color extraction
**When given an example design to emulate**: Always analyze the presentation's typography and colors first using the methods below:
1. **Read theme file**: Check `ppt/theme/theme1.xml` for colors (`<a:clrScheme>`) and fonts (`<a:fontScheme>`)
2. **Sample slide content**: Examine `ppt/slides/slide1.xml` for actual font usage (`<a:rPr>`) and colors
3. **Search for patterns**: Use grep to find color (`<a:solidFill>`, `<a:srgbClr>`) and font references across all XML files

## Creating a new PowerPoint presentation **without a template**

When creating a new PowerPoint presentation from scratch, use the **html2pptx** workflow to convert HTML slides to PowerPoint with accurate positioning.

### Design Principles

**CRITICAL**: Before creating any presentation, analyze the content and choose appropriate design elements:
1. **Consider the subject matter**: What is this presentation about? What tone, industry, or mood does it suggest?
2. **Check for branding**: If the user mentions a company/organization, consider their brand colors and identity
3. **Match palette to content**: Select colors that reflect the subject
4. **State your approach**: Explain your design choices before writing code

**Requirements**:
- ✅ State your content-informed design approach BEFORE writing code
- ✅ Use web-safe fonts only: Arial, Helvetica, Times New Roman, Georgia, Courier New, Verdana, Tahoma, Trebuchet MS, Impact
- ✅ Create clear visual hierarchy through size, weight, and color
- ✅ Ensure readability: strong contrast, appropriately sized text, clean alignment
- ✅ Be consistent: repeat patterns, spacing, and visual language across slides

#### Color Palette Selection

**Choosing colors creatively**:
- **Think beyond defaults**: What colors genuinely match this specific topic? Avoid autopilot choices.
- **Consider multiple angles**: Topic, industry, mood, energy level, target audience, brand identity (if mentioned)
- **Be adventurous**: Try unexpected combinations - a healthcare presentation doesn't have to be green, finance doesn't have to be navy
- **Build your palette**: Pick 3-5 colors that work together (dominant colors + supporting tones + accent)
- **Ensure contrast**: Text must be clearly readable on backgrounds

**Example color palettes** (use these to spark creativity - choose one, adapt it, or create your own):

1. **Classic Blue**: Deep navy (#1C2833), slate gray (#2E4053), silver (#AAB7B8), off-white (#F4F6F6)
2. **Teal & Coral**: Teal (#5EA8A7), deep teal (#277884), coral (#FE4447), white (#FFFFFF)
3. **Bold Red**: Red (#C0392B), bright red (#E74C3C), orange (#F39C12), yellow (#F1C40F), green (#2ECC71)
4. **Warm Blush**: Mauve (#A49393), blush (#EED6D3), rose (#E8B4B8), cream (#FAF7F2)
5. **Burgundy Luxury**: Burgundy (#5D1D2E), crimson (#951233), rust (#C15937), gold (#997929)
6. **Deep Purple & Emerald**: Purple (#B165FB), dark blue (#181B24), emerald (#40695B), white (#FFFFFF)
7. **Cream & Forest Green**: Cream (#FFE1C7), forest green (#40695B), white (#FCFCFC)
8. **Pink & Purple**: Pink (#F8275B), coral (#FF574A), rose (#FF737D), purple (#3D2F68)
9. **Lime & Plum**: Lime (#C5DE82), plum (#7C3A5F), coral (#FD8C6E), blue-gray (#98ACB5)
10. **Black & Gold**: Gold (#BF9A4A), black (#000000), cream (#F4F6F6)
11. **Sage & Terracotta**: Sage (#87A96B), terracotta (#E07A5F), cream (#F4F1DE), charcoal (#2C2C2C)
12. **Charcoal & Red**: Charcoal (#292929), red (#E33737), light gray (#CCCBCB)
13. **Vibrant Orange**: Orange (#F96D00), light gray (#F2F2F2), charcoal (#222831)
14. **Forest Green**: Black (#191A19), green (#4E9F3D), dark green (#1E5128), white (#FFFFFF)
15. **Retro Rainbow**: Purple (#722880), pink (#D72D51), orange (#EB5C18), amber (#F08800), gold (#DEB600)
16. **Vintage Earthy**: Mustard (#E3B448), sage (#CBD18F), forest green (#3A6B35), cream (#F4F1DE)
17. **Coastal Rose**: Old rose (#AD7670), beaver (#B49886), eggshell (#F3ECDC), ash gray (#BFD5BE)
18. **Orange & Turquoise**: Light orange (#FC993E), grayish turquoise (#667C6F), white (#FCFCFC)

#### Visual Details Options

**Geometric Patterns**:
- Diagonal section dividers instead of horizontal
- Asymmetric column widths (30/70, 40/60, 25/75)
- Rotated text headers at 90° or 270°
- Circular/hexagonal frames for images
- Triangular accent shapes in corners
- Overlapping shapes for depth

**Border & Frame Treatments**:
- Thick single-color borders (10-20pt) on one side only
- Double-line borders with contrasting colors
- Corner brackets instead of full frames
- L-shaped borders (top+left or bottom+right)
- Underline accents beneath headers (3-5pt thick)

**Typography Treatments**:
- Extreme size contrast (72pt headlines vs 11pt body)
- All-caps headers with wide letter spacing
- Numbered sections in oversized display type
- Monospace (Courier New) for data/stats/technical content
- Condensed fonts (Arial Narrow) for dense information
- Outlined text for emphasis

**Chart & Data Styling**:
- Monochrome charts with single accent color for key data
- Horizontal bar charts instead of vertical
- Dot plots instead of bar charts
- Minimal gridlines or none at all
- Data labels directly on elements (no legends)
- Oversized numbers for key metrics

**Layout Innovations**:
- Full-bleed images with text overlays
- Sidebar column (20-30% width) for navigation/context
- Modular grid systems (3×3, 4×4 blocks)
- Z-pattern or F-pattern content flow
- Floating text boxes over colored shapes
- Magazine-style multi-column layouts

**Background Treatments**:
- Solid color blocks occupying 40-60% of slide
- Gradient fills (vertical or diagonal only)
- Split backgrounds (two colors, diagonal or vertical)
- Edge-to-edge color bands
- Negative space as a design element

### Layout Tips
**When creating slides with charts or tables:**
- **Two-column layout (PREFERRED)**: Use a header spanning the full width, then two columns below - text/bullets in one column and the featured content in the other. This provides better balance and makes charts/tables more readable. Use flexbox with unequal column widths (e.g., 40%/60% split) to optimize space for each content type.
- **Full-slide layout**: Let the featured content (chart/table) take up the entire slide for maximum impact and readability
- **NEVER vertically stack**: Do not place charts/tables below text in a single column - this causes poor readability and layout issues

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