google-slides

# Google Slides authoring ## Handles and geometry Everything is addressed by objectId from `read_presentation`: slides, shapes, tables, images. Element positions and sizes are in POINTS from the slide's top-left; a standard slide is 720x405 pt. Plan a layout on that grid before inserting (e.g. title at y 40-60, content rows at y 150+, keep 40 pt margins) so elements do not overlap. ## Sequencing a styled deck 1. `create_presentation` (starts with ONE blank slide; it cannot target a folder - move it after with google-drive `google_drive_move_or_rename`). Delete the default placeholders when building a custom layout. 2. `read_presentation` for the first slide's objectId, the layouts list, and the revisionId. 3. Pick a PALETTE first: one background color, one card/accent color that harmonizes with it, one or two text colors. Every element uses it. 4. Per slide: `set_slide_background`, then insert elements with their style INLINE - `insert_text_box` takes bold/fontSize/textColor/textAlignment, `insert_shape` additionally fillColor/outlineColor, so one call produces a finished element. `insert_image` aspect-fits into maxWidth/maxHeight and never crops; give it the box you want filled. 5. More slides: `add_slide` with a predefined layout fills title/body placeholders in the same call; `move_slide` reorders. ## Layout that reads well - Align to a grid: same y for elements in a row, equal sizes for peer cards, equal gaps (e.g. three 180 pt cards at x 60/270/480 on a 720 pt slide). - Whitespace is part of the design, but content should not huddle in one corner of an otherwise empty slide; spread rows vertically (title ~56, content ~180, footer ~330). - Tables are for genuinely tabular data on CONTENT slides; on title or summary slides prefer stat cards (`insert_shape` with text) or short bulleted placeholders. - `set_text_style` restyles ALL text of one shape (or a table cell via cellRow/cellColumn); it does not do partial ranges. Pass `requiredRevisionId` from the latest read (or the previous write's response) so concurrent edits fail the write instead of corrupting layout. ## Tables `insert_table` makes an empty grid; fill cells with `set_shape_text` using `pageObjectId` = the slide, `objectId` = the table, and `cell: {rowIndex, columnIndex}` (0-based, EXACTLY those key names). Note `set_shape_text` REPLACES the whole cell/shape text. ## Placeholders vs free elements `add_slide` with layout TITLE_AND_BODY etc. fills placeholders - the fastest way to a clean, theme-consistent slide. Free `insert_text_box`/`insert_shape` give exact control but inherit no theme styling; set fonts and colors yourself with `set_text_style`. ## Position changes `update_element_position` moves an element to an absolute point position; it does not resize (the API resizes via transform scale against intrinsic size, which is unreliable across element kinds - delete and re-create at the right size instead). ## Verifying visually `get_slide_thumbnail` renders ONE slide as PNG (base64; LARGE = 1600 px wide) - the ground truth for layout checks; read_presentation cannot tell you whether elements overlap. For the whole deck use google-drive `google_drive_export_file` (pdf). Speaker notes: write with `set_shape_text` using pageObjectId = the slide's notesPageId and objectId = speakerNotesObjectId from `read_presentation`.