powerpoint

name	powerpoint
description	Create designed, editable PowerPoint .pptx presentations with PptxGenJS. Use when the user asks to create, generate, update, or inspect a deck, slide deck, presentation, or .pptx file.

PowerPoint

Use this skill whenever a PowerPoint deck is involved. For new decks, write a trusted local PptxGenJS .mjs build script and run it with the pptx_write tool.

Workflow

1. Decide the deck outline and choose a visual system: palette, typography, repeated motif, and slide rhythm.
2. Create a local .mjs script that exports default async function build(pptx, ctx) or named build(pptx, ctx).
3. In the script, add slides directly with PptxGenJS. Do not generate HTML for this workflow.
4. Call pptx_write with path, script_path, optional assets_dir, and optional data.
5. Verify the result with pptx_read; for visual QA, convert the PPTX to images if the environment has LibreOffice and Poppler.

Script File Creation

• Prefer local_file_write to create the .mjs script in one complete write. Use overwrite: true when revising a script.
• Do not build long JavaScript files with repeated shell commands such as echo ... >> build.mjs, especially on Windows. Shell escaping for {}, (), >, &, |, %, quotes, and newlines is fragile.
• After the .mjs script is written, call pptx_write directly. Do not keep appending, rewriting, or checking the script with shell unless there is a concrete error.
• To inspect a script, prefer local_file_read. If only shell is available, use type C:\path\build.mjs on Windows or cat /path/build.mjs on Linux/macOS.
• echo ... >> file commonly returns no stdout on success. A (no output) shell result is not evidence that the write failed; do not retry only because output is empty.

Tool Contract

{
  "tool": "pptx_write",
  "arguments": {
    "path": "deck.pptx",
    "script_path": "/absolute/path/to/build_deck.mjs",
    "assets_dir": "/absolute/path/to/assets",
    "data": {"title": "Quarterly Review"}
  }
}

The worker creates the PptxGenJS instance and writes the output file. The script only adds slides and content.

export default async function build(pptx, ctx) {
  pptx.layout = "LAYOUT_WIDE";
  pptx.author = "OpenAgent";

  const slide = pptx.addSlide();
  slide.background = { color: "FFFFFF" };
  slide.addText("Title", {
    x: 0.6, y: 0.4, w: 8, h: 0.6,
    fontSize: 36, bold: true, color: "1F2937",
    margin: 0,
  });
  slide.addNotes("speaker notes");
}

ctx includes:

• ctx.data: JSON data passed from the tool call.
• ctx.assetsDir: resolved asset directory.
• ctx.outPath: final PPTX path.
• ctx.resolveAsset("image.png"): absolute path under assets_dir.
• ctx.imageData("image.png"): base64 image data URL.
• ctx.iconSvgData("check", "16A34A"): Font Awesome solid icon as SVG data.

Design Rules

• Avoid plain white bullet decks. Every slide should have a visual element: shape, image, chart, icon, timeline, stat callout, or diagram.
• Vary layouts across the deck: title, divider, two-column, card grid, process flow, quote/callout, and conclusion.
• Pick topic-specific colors. Use one dominant color, one or two supporting tones, and one accent.
• Use strong hierarchy: titles around 36-44 pt, section labels around 20-24 pt, body text around 14-18 pt.
• Keep at least 0.5 inch margins and consistent gaps around 0.3-0.5 inch.
• Use editable text wherever practical; use images for photos, screenshots, logos, or complex visual backgrounds.
• Add speaker notes when useful; pptx_read can surface them later.

PptxGenJS Reference

For API patterns, chart examples, bullets, image sizing, icons, and common file-corruption pitfalls, load pptxgenjs.md.

Required QA

• Run pptx_read on the generated file and check slide order, missing text, typo risk, and notes.
• Inspect generated XML or render slides when visual precision matters.
• Watch for overlap, text overflow, low contrast, cramped spacing, repeated layouts, and leftover placeholder text.
• If a visual issue is found, edit the .mjs script and rewrite the PPTX.