Master PowerPoint Automation with python-pptx: A Complete Guide

Introduction

The article introduces a comprehensive Python automation manual that focuses on manipulating PowerPoint presentations with the python-pptx library, covering both reading existing PPT files and creating new content programmatically.

python-pptx Module Overview

The python-pptx package enables creation and modification of .pptx files. It is not part of the Python standard library and must be installed separately.

Installation and Import

pip install python-pptx

import pptx

Reading PPT Content

Getting Slides

from pptx import Presentation
prs = Presentation("example.pptx")
for slide in prs.slides:
    print(slide)

Getting Shapes and Text

for slide in prs.slides:
    for shape in slide.shapes:
        if shape.has_text_frame:
            print(shape.text_frame.text)

Accessing Specific Slide and Paragraphs

for i, slide in enumerate(prs.slides):
    if i == 5:
        for shape in slide.shapes:
            if shape.has_text_frame:
                for paragraph in shape.text_frame.paragraphs:
                    print(paragraph.text)

Writing to PPT

Using Slide Layouts and Placeholders

prs = Presentation("blank.pptx")
slide = prs.slides.add_slide(prs.slide_layouts[0])
for shape in slide.placeholders:
    phf = shape.placeholder_format
    print(f"{phf.idx}--{shape.name}--{phf.type}")
    shape.text = f"{phf.idx}--{shape.name}--{phf.type}"
prs.save("output.pptx")

Adding a Text Box

from pptx.util import Cm
left = top = width = height = Cm(3)
text_box = slide.shapes.add_textbox(left, top, width, height)
tf = text_box.text_frame
tf.text = "This is a sample text box"

Adding a Picture

pic = slide.shapes.add_picture("sample.png", left, top)

Adding a Table

rows, cols = 5, 3
left = top = Cm(5)
width = Cm(18)
height = Cm(3)
table = slide.shapes.add_table(rows, cols, left, top, width, height).table
# Example data filling
data = [
    ["Name", "Gender", "Score"],
    ["Zhang San", "M", "96"],
    ["Li Si", "F", "87"],
    ["Wang Wu", "F", "90"],
    ["Zhao Liu", "M", "78"]
]
for r in range(rows):
    for c in range(cols):
        table.cell(r, c).text = str(data[r][c])
prs.save("table_example.pptx")

Adjusting Text Box Style

Position, Background Color, Border, Alignment, Font

from pptx.enum.text import MSO_ANCHOR
from pptx.dml.color import RGBColor
from pptx.util import Pt
# Vertical alignment and word wrap
tf.vertical_anchor = MSO_ANCHOR.BOTTOM
tf.word_wrap = True
# Background fill
fill = text_box.fill
fill.solid()
fill.fore_color.rgb = RGBColor(247, 150, 70)
# Border line
line = text_box.line
line.color.rgb = RGBColor(255, 0, 0)
line.width = Cm(0.3)
# Paragraph formatting
p = tf.add_paragraph()
p.text = "Styled paragraph"
p.font.bold = True
p.font.name = "SimSun"
p.font.size = Pt(30)
p.font.color.rgb = RGBColor(247, 150, 70)