presentation-automation

# Presentation Automation Automate slide generation from data sources, build programmatic presentations, and integrate slide creation into CI/CD pipelines. ## Core Principles ### 1. Templates Are the Foundation Never build slides from scratch in code. Create a well-designed template (.potx or Google Slides master), then populate it programmatically. Templates enforce consistency; code fills in the blanks. ### 2. Separate Data from Presentation Keep data extraction, transformation, and presentation logic in distinct layers. CSV/JSON/API → Data transformation → Slide population. This makes both testing and maintenance easier. ### 3. Idempotency Matters The same input data should always produce the same output slides. Use deterministic logic, avoid random placement, and version your templates alongside your code. ### 4. Validate Before Generating Validate input data, template placeholders, and output formats before generating slides. A broken slide at 11:59 PM before the board meeting is a career-limiting bug. --- ## Presentation Automation Maturity Model | Level | Approach | Data Integration | Error Handling | Maintainability | |-------|----------|-----------------|----------------|-----------------| | **1: Manual** | Copy-paste into PowerPoint | Manual data entry | Human review | Fragile, one-off | | **2: Scripted** | Basic python-pptx scripts | CSV/Excel import | Try-except blocks | Single-purpose scripts | | **3: Templated** | Template-based generation | API/DB connections | Validation, logging | Modular functions | | **4: Automated** | CI/CD pipeline, scheduled runs | Multiple data sources | Automated testing | Parameterized, configurable | | **5: Intelligent** | Auto-charting, NLP summaries | Streaming data | Self-healing | Framework with plugins | Target: **Level 3** for recurring reports. **Level 4** for client-facing and board presentations. --- ## python-pptx Fundamentals ### Installation and Setup ```bash # Install python-pptx pip install python-pptx # For working with images pip install Pillow # For data processing pip install pandas numpy openpyxl # Verify installation python -c "import pptx; print(pptx.__version__)" ``` ### Basic Slide Creation ```python from pptx import Presentation from pptx.util import Inches, Pt, Emu from pptx.enum.text import PP_ALIGN from pptx.dml.color import RGBColor # Create a presentation prs = Presentation() # Set dimensions for 16:9 widescreen prs.slide_width = Inches(13.333) prs.slide_height = Inches(7.5) # Common aspect ratios aspect_ratios = { "standard_4_3": (Inches(10), Inches(7.5)), "widescreen_16_9": (Inches(13.333), Inches(7.5)), "widescreen_16_10": (Inches(11.25), Inches(7.03)), "a4": (Inches(11.69), Inches(8.27)), } # Add a blank slide slide_layout = prs.slide_layouts[6] # 6 = blank layout slide = prs.slides.add_slide(slide_layout) # Add a title text box left = Inches(0.5) top = Inches(0.5) width = Inches(12) height = Inches(1) txBox = slide.shapes.add_textbox(left, top, width, height) tf = txBox.text_frame tf.word_wrap = True p = tf.paragraphs[0] p.text = "Hello, Automated World!" p.font.size = Pt(44) p.font.bold = True p.font.color.rgb = RGBColor(0x1A, 0x36, 0x5D) p.alignment = PP_ALIGN.LEFT # Save prs.save("automated_presentation.pptx") print("Presentation created successfully!") ``` ### Working with Slide Layouts and Placeholders ```python from pptx import Presentation def inspect_template_layouts(template_path): """Inspect all layouts and placeholders in a template.""" prs = Presentation(template_path) for i, layout in enumerate(prs.slide_layouts): print(f"\nLayout {i}: {layout.name}") for j, placeholder in enumerate(layout.placeholders): print(f" Placeholder {j}: idx={placeholder.placeholder_format.idx}, " f"name='{placeholder.name}', type={placeholder.placeholder_format.type}") return prs # Usage # inspect_template_layouts("my_template.potx") def populate_placeholder_slide(template_path, output_path, data): """ Populate placeholders in a template slide. Args: template_path: Path to .pptx template output_path: Path for generated file data: Dict mapping placeholder_idx -> text """ prs = Presentation(template_path) # Use the first layout (index 0 — typically title slide) layout = prs.slide_layouts[0] slide = prs.slides.add_slide(layout) for placeholder in slide.placeholders: idx = placeholder.placeholder_format.idx if idx in data: placeholder.text = data[idx] prs.save(output_path) print(f"Generated: {output_path}") # Example # populate_placeholder_slide( # "template.pptx", # "output.pptx", # {0: "Q4 2024 Board Report", 1: "Prepared by Analytics Team"} # ) ``` --- ## Chart Generation ### Creating Bar Charts ```python from pptx import Presentation from pptx.chart.data import CategoryChartData from pptx.enum.chart import XL_CHART_TYPE from pptx.util import Inches, Pt from pptx.dml.color import RGBColor def add_bar_chart(slide, categories, values, title="", chart_type=XL_CHART_TYPE.COLUMN_CLUSTERED): """ Add a bar/column chart to a slide. Args: slide: pptx Slide object categories: List of category labels values: List of numeric values title: Chart title string chart_type: XL_CHART_TYPE constant """ chart_data = CategoryChartData() chart_data.categories = categories chart_data.add_series("Revenue", values) # Add chart to slide left = Inches(0.5) top = Inches(1.5) width = Inches(12) height = Inches(5.5) chart_frame = slide.shapes.add_chart( chart_type, left, top, width, height, chart_data ) chart = chart_frame.chart # Style the chart chart.has_legend = True chart.legend.include_in_layout = False # Style the plot plot = chart.plots[0] plot.gap_width = 80 # Gap between bars # Set colors for each series point series = plot.series[0] series.format.fill.solid() series.format.fill.fore_color.rgb = RGBColor(0x2B, 0x6C, 0xB0) # Title chart.has_title = True chart.chart_title.text_frame.paragraphs[0].text = title chart.chart_title.text_frame.paragraphs[0].font.size = Pt(16) chart.chart_title.text_frame.paragraphs[0].font.bold = True return chart def add_line_chart(slide, categories, series_data, title=""): """ Add a line chart with multiple series. Args: slide: Slide object categories: List of category labels (x-axis) series_data: List of (name, values) tuples title: Chart title """ chart_data = CategoryChartData() chart_data.categories = categories colors = [ RGBColor(0x2B, 0x6C, 0xB0), # Blue RGBColor(0xE5, 0x3E, 0x3E), # Red RGBColor(0x38, 0xA1, 0x69), # Green RGBColor(0xD6, 0x9E, 0x2E), # Amber ] for i, (name, values) in enumerate(series_data): chart_data.add_series(name, values) chart_frame = slide.shapes.add_chart( XL_CHART_TYPE.LINE_MARKERS, Inches(0.5), Inches(1.5), Inches(12), Inches(5.5), chart_data ) chart = chart_frame.chart # Style series for i, series in enumerate(chart.series): series.format.line.color.rgb = colors[i % len(colors)] series.format.line.width = Pt(2.5) chart.has_title = True chart.chart_title.text_frame.paragraphs[0].text = title chart.chart_title.text_frame.paragraphs[0].font.size = Pt(16) chart.chart_title.text_frame.paragraphs[0].font.bold = True return chart ``` ### Creating Pie Charts ```python from pptx.chart.data import CategoryChartData from pptx.enum.chart import XL_CHART_TYPE, XL_LABEL_POSITION def add_pie_chart(slide, categories, values, title=""): """Add a styled pie chart (max 5 slices recommended).""" chart_data = CategoryChartData() chart_data.categories = categories chart_data.add_series("Distribution", values) chart_frame = slide.shapes.add_chart( XL_CHART_TYPE.PIE, Inches(2), Inches(1.5), Inches(9), Inches(5.5), chart_data ) chart = chart_frame.chart # Add data labels with percentages plot = chart.plots[0] data_labels = plot.data_labels data_labels.show_percentage = True data_labels.show_category_name = True data_labels.font.size = Pt(12) data_labels.label_position = XL_LABEL_POSITION.OUTSIDE_END # Colors for slices colors = [ RGBColor(0x2B, 0x6C, 0xB0), RGBColor(0x38, 0xA1, 0x69), RGBColor(0xD6, 0x9E, 0x2E), RGBColor(0xE5, 0x3E, 0x3E), RGBColor(0x9B, 0x2C, 0x2C), ] series = plot.series[0] for i, point in enumerate(series.points): point.format.fill.solid() point.format.fill.fore_color.rgb = colors[i % len(colors)] chart.has_title = True chart.chart_title.text_frame.paragraphs[0].text = title return chart ``` --- ## Table Population from Data ### Creating Tables from DataFrames ```python import pandas as pd from pptx import Presentation from pptx.util import Inches, Pt, Emu from pptx.dml.color import RGBColor from pptx.enum.text import PP_ALIGN def dataframe_to_slide(prs, df, title="", header_color=RGBColor(0x1A, 0x36, 0x5D), header_text_color=RGBColor(0xFF, 0xFF, 0xFF), alt_row_color=RGBColor(0xF7, 0xFA, 0xFC)): """ Convert a pandas DataFrame to a PowerPoint table on a new slide. Args: prs: Presentation object df: pandas DataFrame title: Slide title text header_color: Background color for header row header_text_color: Text color for header row alt_row_color: Alternating row background color """ slide_layout = prs.slide_layouts[6] # Blank layout slide = prs.slides.add_slide(slide_layout) # Add title if title: txBox = slide.shapes.add_textbox(Inches(0.5), Inches(0.3), Inches(12), Inches(0.8)) tf = txBox.text_frame p = tf.paragraphs[0] p.text = title p.font.size = Pt(28) p.font.bold = True p.font.color.rgb = RGBColor(0x1A, 0x36, 0x5D) # Table dimensions rows, cols = len(df) + 1, len(df.columns) # +1 for header left = Inches(0.5) top = Inches(1.3) width = Inches(12.3) row_height = Inches(0.45) height = row_height * rows # Create table table_shape = slide.shapes.add_table(rows, cols, left, top, width, height) table = table_shape.table # Set column widths proportionally col_width = width / cols for i in range(cols): table.columns[i].width = col_width # Header row for j, col_name in enumerate(df.columns): cell = table.cell(0, j) cell.text = str(col_name) # Format header for paragraph in cell.text_frame.paragraphs: paragraph.font.size = Pt(12) paragraph.font.bold = True paragraph.font.color.rgb = header_text_color paragraph.alignment = PP_ALIGN.LEFT # Header background color cell.fill.solid() cell.fill.fore_color.rgb = header_color # Data rows for i, (_, row) in enumerate(df.iterrows()): for j, value in enumerate(row): cell = table.cell(i + 1, j) cell.text = str(value) if not pd.isna(value) else "" for paragraph in cell.text_frame.paragraphs: paragraph.font.size = Pt(11) paragraph.font.color.rgb = RGBColor(0x2D, 0x37, 0x48) paragraph.alignment = PP_ALIGN.LEFT # Alternating row colors if i % 2 == 1: cell.fill.solid() cell.fill.fore_color.rgb = alt_row_color else: cell.fill.solid() cell.fill.fore_color.rgb = RGBColor(0xFF, 0xFF, 0xFF) return slide, table # Usage example # data = pd.DataFrame({ # "Metric": ["ARR", "MRR", "Users", "Churn"], # "Value": ["$1.2M", "$100K", "45,000", "3.2%"], # "Change": ["+40%", "+35%", "+22%", "-0.5%"], # "Status": ["On Track", "On Track", "Ahead", "Watch"] # }) # prs = Presentation() # dataframe_to_slide(prs, data, title="Q4 2024 Key Metrics") # prs.save("report.pptx")