PPTX Skill Quick Reference TaskGuideRead/analyze contentpython -m markitdown presentation.pptxEdit or create from templateRead editing.mdCreate from scratchRead pptxgenjs.md

Reading Content bash# Text extraction python -m markitdown presentation.pptx

Visual overview

python scripts/thumbnail.py presentation.pptx

Raw XML

python scripts/office/unpack.py presentation.pptx unpacked/

Editing Workflow Read editing.md for full details.

Analyze template with thumbnail.py Unpack → manipulate slides → edit content → clean → pack

Creating from Scratch Read 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: ThemePrimarySecondaryAccentMidnight Executive1E2761 (navy)CADCFC (ice blue)FFFFFF (white)Forest & Moss2C5F2D (forest)97BC62 (moss)F5F5F5 (cream)Coral EnergyF96167 (coral)F9E795 (gold)2F3C7E (navy)Warm TerracottaB85042 (terracotta)E7E8D1 (sand)A7BEAE (sage)Ocean Gradient065A82 (deep blue)1C7293 (teal)21295C (midnight)Charcoal Minimal36454F (charcoal)F2F2F2 (off-white)212121 (black)Teal Trust028090 (teal)00A896 (seafoam)02C39A (mint)Berry & Cream6D2E46 (berry)A26769 (dusty rose)ECE2D0 (cream)Sage Calm84B59F (sage)69A297 (eucalyptus)50808E (slate)Cherry Bold990011 (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 FontBody FontGeorgiaCalibriArial BlackArialCalibriCalibri LightCambriaCalibriTrebuchet MSCalibriImpactArialPalatinoGaramondConsolasCalibri ElementSizeSlide title36-44pt boldSection header20-24pt boldBody text14-16ptCaptions10-12pt 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 bashpython -m markitdown output.pptx Check for missing content, typos, wrong order. When using templates, check for leftover placeholder text: bashpython -m markitdown output.pptx | grep -iE "xxxx|lorem|ipsum|this.*(page|slide).*layout" If grep returns results, fix them before declaring success. Visual QA ⚠️ USE SUBAGENTS — even for 2-3 slides. You've been staring at the code and will see what you expect, not what's there. Subagents have fresh eyes. Convert slides to images (see Converting to Images), then use this prompt: Visually inspect these slides. Assume there are issues — find them.

Look for:

• •Overlapping elements (text through shapes, lines through words, stacked elements)
• •Text overflow or cut off at edges/box boundaries
• •Decorative lines positioned for single-line text but title wrapped to two lines
• •Source citations or footers colliding with content above
• •Elements too close (< 0.3" gaps) or cards/sections nearly touching
• •Uneven gaps (large empty area in one place, cramped in another)
• •Insufficient margin from slide edges (< 0.5")
• •Columns or similar elements not aligned consistently
• •Low-contrast text (e.g., light gray text on cream-colored background)
• •Low-contrast icons (e.g., dark icons on dark backgrounds without a contrasting circle)
• •Text boxes too narrow causing excessive wrapping
• •Leftover placeholder content

For each slide, list issues or areas of concern, even if minor.

Read and analyze these images:

1. •/path/to/slide-01.jpg (Expected: [brief description])
2. •/path/to/slide-02.jpg (Expected: [brief description])

Report ALL issues found, including minor ones. Verification Loop

Generate slides → Convert to images → Inspect List issues found (if none found, look again more critically) Fix issues Re-verify affected slides — one fix often creates another problem Repeat until a full pass reveals no new issues

Do not declare success until you've completed at least one fix-and-verify cycle.

Converting to Images Convert presentations to individual slide images for visual inspection: bashpython scripts/office/soffice.py --headless --convert-to pdf output.pptx pdftoppm -jpeg -r 150 output.pdf slide This creates slide-01.jpg, slide-02.jpg, etc. To re-render specific slides after fixes: bashpdftoppm -jpeg -r 150 -f N -l N output.pdf slide-fixed

Dependencies

pip install "markitdown[pptx]" - text extraction pip install Pillow - thumbnail grids npm install -g pptxgenjs - creating from scratch LibreOffice (soffice) - PDF conversion (auto-configured for sandboxed environments via scripts/office/soffice.py) Poppler (pdftoppm) - PDF to images