local-pptx-editor

name	local-pptx-editor
description	Edit PowerPoint (PPTX) files locally without Canva API. Use this skill when user provides a PPTX file and wants to modify slides, update text, change images, or restructure content. Maintains original formatting, themes, animations, and layout. Does NOT require Canva. Output goes to output/ folder. Use for: "edit this presentation", "update slide 5", "change PPT text".

Local PPTX Editor Skill

QUICK REFERENCE

• Utility script: scripts/local/pptx_utils.py
• Sample script: scripts/samples/sample_pptx_edit.py
• Safe copy: scripts/local/safe_copy.py
• Output folder: output/pptx/
• Working folder: output/working/
• Run with: .venv\Scripts\python.exe scripts/samples/sample_pptx_edit.py
• 3-Step workflow: (1) Copy from input/ to output/working/ → (2) Edit the copy → (3) Save to output/pptx/
• Python: ALWAYS use .venv\Scripts\python.exe (never bare python)

Edit and manipulate PowerPoint files locally without requiring Canva API.

CRITICAL: Never Modify Original Files

1. ALWAYS copy the original to output/working/ first
2. ALL edits happen on the copy
3. SAVE results to output/pptx/
4. ORIGINAL file remains untouched

When to Use This Skill

Use this skill when:

• User provides a PPTX/PPT file and wants modifications
• Need to update slide content while maintaining design
• Need to add/remove/reorder slides
• Need to modify speaker notes
• User has NOT explicitly asked to use Canva

Capabilities

Read Operations

• Extract all text from slides
• Extract images from presentation
• Get slide layouts and themes
• Analyze slide structure
• Extract speaker notes

Write Operations

• Modify text on any slide
• Replace images
• Add/delete/reorder slides
• Update speaker notes
• Bulk text replacement

Conversion

• PPTX to PDF
• PPTX to images (one per slide)

Running Python Scripts (Virtual Environment)

IMPORTANT: Always use the virtual environment Python:

# Windows
.venv\Scripts\python.exe scripts/local/script_name.py

# macOS/Linux
.venv/bin/python scripts/local/script_name.py

Workflow

Step 1: Create Safe Copy

.venv\Scripts\python.exe scripts/local/safe_copy.py --source "input/presentation.pptx"

Step 2: Analyze

.venv\Scripts\python.exe scripts/local/pptx_utils.py "output/working/presentation_copy.pptx"

Step 3: Make Modifications

Use the pptx_utils.py functions to:

• Replace text while preserving formatting
• Update specific slides
• Reorder slides

Step 4: Save Result

Save to output/pptx/presentation_modified.pptx

3-Mode Workflow

MODE 1: PLAN

• Analyze presentation structure
• List all slides with content summary
• Document proposed changes

MODE 2: CLARIFY

• Confirm which slides to modify
• Verify text replacements
• Check formatting requirements

MODE 3: IMPLEMENT

• Create working copy
• Apply modifications
• Save to output folder

Maintaining Format Integrity

Preservation Rules

1. Theme & Master Slides - Never modify unless requested
2. Layouts - Maintain placeholder positions
3. Animations - Keep existing animations
4. Text Formatting - Same font size, color, style

Word Count Management

• Track original word count per slide
• Warn if new content differs significantly
• Suggest adjustments to maintain layout

Research Capabilities

This skill can:

• Search for PowerPoint best practices
• Look up python-pptx documentation
• Research presentation design principles
• Find solutions to formatting challenges

Available Scripts

• pptx_utils.py - Core PPTX analysis and manipulation
• safe_copy.py - Create working copies safely

Todo List Tracking (REQUIRED)

ALWAYS use TodoWrite to track progress:

[
  {"content": "Create safe working copy", "status": "in_progress", "activeForm": "Creating safe copy"},
  {"content": "Analyze presentation structure", "status": "pending", "activeForm": "Analyzing slides"},
  {"content": "Apply modifications", "status": "pending", "activeForm": "Applying changes"},
  {"content": "Save to output/pptx/", "status": "pending", "activeForm": "Saving result"}
]

Output Location

• output/pptx/ - Modified presentations
• output/working/ - Working copies