ppt-orchestra-skill

Slide Page Types (Standard)

For slide-by-slide generation (one JS file per slide), classify every slide as exactly one of these 5 page types. This keeps structure consistent and prevents "random layout drift".

1. Cover Page
   • Use for: opening + tone setting
   • Content: big title, subtitle/presenter, date/occasion, strong background/motif
2. Table of Contents
   • Use for: navigation + expectation setting (3–5 sections)
   • Content: section list (optional icons / page numbers)
3. Section Divider
   • Use for: clear transitions between major parts
   • Content: section number + title (+ optional 1–2 line intro)
4. Content Page (pick a subtype)
   • Text: bullets/quotes/short paragraphs (still add icons/shapes)
   • Mixed media: two-column / half-bleed image + text overlay
   • Data visualization: chart + 1–3 key takeaways + source
   • Comparison: side-by-side columns/cards (A vs B, pros/cons)
   • Timeline / process: steps with arrows, journey, phases
   • Image showcase: hero image, gallery, or visual-first layout
5. Summary / Closing Page
   • Use for: wrap-up + action
   • Content: key takeaways, CTA/next steps, contact/QR, thank-you

Layout options:

• Two-column (text left, illustration on right)
• Icon + text rows (icon in colored circle, bold header, description below)
• 2x2 or 2x3 grid (image on one side, grid of content blocks on other)
• Half-bleed image (full left or right side) with content overlay

Data display:

• Large stat callouts (big numbers 60-72pt with small labels below)
• Comparison columns (before/after, pros/cons, side-by-side options)
• Timeline or process flow (numbered steps, arrows)

Visual polish:

• Icons in small colored circles next to section headers
• Italic accent text for key stats or taglines

Typography

Choose an interesting font pairing — don't default to Arial. Pick a header font with personality and pair it with a clean body font.

Spacing

• 0.5" minimum margins
• 0.3-0.5" between content blocks
• Leave breathing room—don't fill every inch

Avoid (Common Mistakes)

• Don't repeat the same layout — vary columns, cards, and callouts across slides
• Don't center body text — left-align paragraphs and lists; center only titles
• Don't skimp on size contrast — titles need 36pt+ to stand out from 14-16pt body
• Don't default to blue — pick colors that reflect the specific topic
• Don't mix spacing randomly — choose 0.3" or 0.5" gaps and use consistently
• Don't style one slide and leave the rest plain — commit fully or keep it simple throughout
• Don't create text-only slides — add images, icons, charts, or visual elements; avoid plain title + bullets
• Don't forget text box padding — when aligning lines or shapes with text edges, set margin: 0 on the text box or offset the shape to account for padding
• Don't use low-contrast elements — icons AND text need strong contrast against the background; avoid light text on light backgrounds or dark text on dark backgrounds
• NEVER use accent lines under titles — these are a hallmark of AI-generated slides; use whitespace or background color instead

Compiling Slides

After all slide JS files are generated in slides/, create slides/compile.js to compile them into a single PPTX:

// slides/compile.js
const pptxgen = require('pptxgenjs');
const pres = new pptxgen();
pres.layout = 'LAYOUT_16x9';

const theme = {
  primary: "22223b",    // dark color for backgrounds/text
  secondary: "4a4e69",  // secondary accent
  accent: "9a8c98",     // highlight color
  light: "c9ada7",      // light accent
  bg: "f2e9e4"          // background color
};

for (let i = 1; i <= 12; i++) {  // adjust count as needed
  const num = String(i).padStart(2, '0');
  const slideModule = require(`./slide-${num}.js`);
  slideModule.createSlide(pres, theme);
}

pres.writeFile({ fileName: './output/presentation.pptx' });

Run with: cd slides && node compile.js

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QA (Required)

Assume there are problems. Your job is to find them.

Your first render is almost never correct. Approach QA as a bug hunt, not a confirmation step. If you found zero issues on first inspection, you weren't looking hard enough.

Content QA

python -m markitdown output.pptx

Check for missing content, typos, wrong order.

When using templates, check for leftover placeholder text:

python -m markitdown output.pptx | grep -iE "xxxx|lorem|ipsum|this.*(page|slide).*layout"

If grep returns results, fix them before declaring success.

Verification Loop

1. Generate slides → Extract text with python -m markitdown output.pptx → Review content
2. List issues found (if none found, look again more critically)
3. Fix issues
4. Re-verify affected slides — one fix often creates another problem
5. Repeat until a full pass reveals no new issues

Do not declare success until you've completed at least one fix-and-verify cycle.

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Dependencies

• pip install "markitdown[pptx]" - text extraction
• npm install -g pptxgenjs - creating from scratch