make-pptx

name	make-pptx
description	Build a styled PowerPoint deck. Prefer the bundled pptxgenjs renderer (designed cards, real timelines, stat callouts, auto-opens); fall back to python-pptx only when Node is missing. Use when the user wants slides / a deck / a pitch / a presentation. NOT for reading existing decks.
version	3.0.0

Make a PPTX — designed by default, never a bullet wall

A plain title-plus-bullets slide with an empty bottom half is the #1 tell of an auto-generated deck. Don't ship it. Two routes, in order of preference:

Route A (PREFER): the pptxgenjs renderer — scripts/build_deck.js

Node is required (check: run_command node --version). You write a content JSON spec; the renderer lays it out as a designed deck — dark cover/closing, light content, shadowed cards, real timeline rails, stat callouts, accent badges. It is structurally impossible to emit a bare bullet wall.

run_command node <skill-folder>/scripts/build_deck.js <workspace>/.build/<slug>.json <workspace>/PPTX/<slug>.pptx

load_skill gave you <skill-folder>. Spec shape (only include the slides you need):

{
  "title": "Deck Title",
  "subtitle": "one-line subtitle",
  "theme": "forest",
  "slides": [
    { "type": "cover",   "eyebrow": "category", "title": "...", "subtitle": "..." },
    { "type": "timeline","heading": "1972-1992", "subhead": "...",
      "events": [ {"date":"1972","title":"Stockholm","text":"one tight line"} ] },
    { "type": "cards",   "heading": "...", "subhead": "...",
      "cards": [ {"badge":"UNEP","title":"...","text":"2-3 lines"} ] },
    { "type": "stats",   "heading": "...",
      "stats": [ {"value":"196","label":"parties to Paris"} ] },
    { "type": "split",   "heading": "...", "lead": "the big idea",
      "points": ["...","...","..."] },
    { "type": "closing", "title": "...", "subtitle": "..." }
  ]
}

• theme — pick one to FIT the topic so decks don't all look the same: forest (nature/climate/health), tech (startup/AI/product), corporate (finance/business), gaming (consumer/entertainment), academic (research/sober). The theme drives the whole palette.
• timeline — up to 5 events per slide; alternating cards on a real rail with date nodes. THE go-to for any "history / timeline / how X evolved" ask. Split a long history across two timeline slides (e.g. foundations, then modern era).
• cards — up to 6; 2 or 3 columns chosen automatically; each gets an accent badge (short acronym/number) + title + body. For "the players / pillars / parts".
• stats — up to 4 big-number callouts. For impact / "why it matters".
• split — a dark lead panel + supporting points. For a thesis or summary.
• Mix slide types. A 6-slide deck that is cover + 2 timelines + cards + stats + closing reads as designed; six identical bullet slides reads as a robot.

Keep each text field tight — the renderer sizes regions; overlong strings wrap ugly. One idea per card.

Route B (fallback): python-pptx — only if Node is unavailable

python-pptx is always installed. Write a fresh build script to <workspace>/.build/<slug>_build.py and run it. Your FIRST slide design is a card-based layout (shadowed rounded rects + accent badges), NOT bullets. Cheat sheet:

from pptx import Presentation
from pptx.util import Inches, Pt
from pptx.dml.color import RGBColor
from pptx.enum.shapes import MSO_SHAPE
from pptx.enum.text import PP_ALIGN, MSO_ANCHOR
from pptx.oxml.ns import qn

prs = Presentation(); prs.slide_width = Inches(13.333); prs.slide_height = Inches(7.5)
def slide(bg):
    s = prs.slides.add_slide(prs.slide_layouts[6])
    r = s.shapes.add_shape(MSO_SHAPE.RECTANGLE, 0, 0, prs.slide_width, prs.slide_height)
    r.fill.solid(); r.fill.fore_color.rgb = bg; r.line.fill.background(); return s
def shadow(shape, blur=90000, dist=38000, alpha=62000):  # python-pptx has no shadow API
    sp = shape._element.spPr; eff = sp.makeelement(qn('a:effectLst'), {})
    sh = sp.makeelement(qn('a:outerShdw'), {'blurRad':str(blur),'dist':str(dist),'dir':'5400000','rotWithShape':'0'})
    c = sp.makeelement(qn('a:srgbClr'), {'val':'000000'}); a = sp.makeelement(qn('a:alpha'), {'val':str(alpha)})
    c.append(a); sh.append(c); eff.append(sh); sp.append(eff)
def card(s, x, y, w, h, fill=RGBColor(0xFF,0xFF,0xFF)):
    c = s.shapes.add_shape(MSO_SHAPE.ROUNDED_RECTANGLE, Inches(x), Inches(y), Inches(w), Inches(h))
    c.fill.solid(); c.fill.fore_color.rgb = fill; c.line.fill.background(); c.shadow.inherit = False
    shadow(c); return c

Charts: render with matplotlib to a transparent PNG and add_picture — never python-pptx add_chart (its legend + fonts are uncontrollable). Drive a themed line/bar at dpi=200, fig.patch.set_alpha(0), control the legend by hand.

Append a cross-platform open snippet so the deck opens in one shot:

import sys, os, subprocess
if sys.platform=="win32": os.startfile(p)
elif sys.platform=="darwin": subprocess.Popen(["open",p])
else: subprocess.Popen(["xdg-open",p])

QA — verify before you claim anything

You placed shapes blind. Run the checker on the REAL output path: run_command python <skill-folder>/scripts/qa_check_pptx.py <workspace>/PPTX/<slug>.pptx It flags off-slide shapes, collisions, leftover placeholder text, tiny fonts, empty slides. If it says FIX NEEDED, edit the spec/script, rebuild ONCE, re-run. If vision-capable, also render to images (Spire.Presentation) and look.

Open it for them — only AFTER it built + passed QA

The renderer does NOT open the file; YOU open it with a visible command so the user sees it happen and can gate it: run_command start "" "<workspace>/PPTX/<slug>.pptx" (Windows), open <path> (macOS), xdg-open <path> (Linux). Never open a file you haven't confirmed exists.

Hard rules — honesty (this matters most)

• NEVER say a deck is "created" / "saved" / "done" until the build command ACTUALLY RAN this turn and printed the output path. If a run_command is awaiting the user's approval, nothing has happened yet — wait for it. Do not narrate a fake "Done." A claimed file the user can't find destroys trust.
• Verify the file exists at the path you report (the build script printing the path is your proof; if it didn't print, it didn't save).
• Do NOT delete the build script / JSON spec until after a successful build + QA. Deleting it first means a re-run 404s.

Hard rules — design

• 16:9 only (13.333 x 7.5). Each slide: ONE idea.
• No edge accent stripes, no "Slide 1/6" footers, no empty bottom halves.
• Cover + closing on dark; content on light. One repeated motif.
• Don't reuse one theme for every deck — match it to the subject.