PPTX Skill

Use this skill any time a .pptx file is involved — as input, output, or both. This includes creating slide decks, pitch decks, presentations, reading/parsing .pptx files, editing/modifying existing presentations, and working with templates, layouts, speaker notes, or comments.

Quick Reference

Task	Approach
Read/analyze content	python-pptx to extract text and structure
Edit or create from template	python-pptx — load and modify
Create from scratch	python-pptx — build slides programmatically

Reading Content

from pptx import Presentation

prs = Presentation('presentation.pptx')
for i, slide in enumerate(prs.slides):
    print(f"--- Slide {i+1} ---")
    for shape in slide.shapes:
        if hasattr(shape, "text"):
            print(shape.text)

Creating from Scratch

from pptx import Presentation
from pptx.util import Inches, Pt, Emu
from pptx.dml.color import RGBColor
from pptx.enum.text import PP_ALIGN, MSO_ANCHOR

prs = Presentation()
prs.slide_width = Inches(13.333)
prs.slide_height = Inches(7.5)

# Title slide
slide_layout = prs.slide_layouts[6]  # Blank layout
slide = prs.slides.add_slide(slide_layout)

# Add background
background = slide.background
fill = background.fill
fill.solid()
fill.fore_color.rgb = RGBColor(0x1E, 0x27, 0x61)

# Add title text
from pptx.util import Inches, Pt
txBox = slide.shapes.add_textbox(Inches(1), Inches(2), Inches(11), Inches(2))
tf = txBox.text_frame
tf.word_wrap = True
p = tf.paragraphs[0]
p.text = "Presentation Title"
p.font.size = Pt(44)
p.font.bold = True
p.font.color.rgb = RGBColor(0xFF, 0xFF, 0xFF)
p.alignment = PP_ALIGN.CENTER

# Subtitle
p2 = tf.add_paragraph()
p2.text = "Subtitle or description"
p2.font.size = Pt(20)
p2.font.color.rgb = RGBColor(0xCA, 0xDC, 0xFC)
p2.alignment = PP_ALIGN.CENTER

prs.save('presentation.pptx')

Content Slides

# Two-column layout
slide = prs.slides.add_slide(prs.slide_layouts[6])

# L...