---
name: pptx-shell-verify-38bda23a5c4c
description: Verify PowerPoint presentation contents using python-pptx via shell when standard file readers fail
---

# PowerPoint Shell Verification

## When to Use This Skill

Use this skill when:
- `read_file` or other built-in tools fail to read PowerPoint (.pptx) files
- You need to verify presentation structure (slide count, titles, content)
- Standard file inspection methods return errors or incomplete data

## Prerequisites

- Python 3.x installed in the execution environment
- `python-pptx` library available (install if needed)

## Step-by-Step Instructions

### Step 1: Attempt Standard File Read

First, try to read the file using standard methods:

```
read_file: path/to/presentation.pptx
```

If this fails or returns unusable data, proceed to Step 2.

### Step 2: Verify python-pptx Availability

Check if the library is installed:

```
run_shell: python -c "import pptx; print('pptx available')"
```

If not available, install it:

```
run_shell: pip install python-pptx
```

### Step 3: Create Verification Script

Create a Python script to extract presentation metadata:

```python
# verify_pptx.py
from pptx import Presentation
import sys
import json

def verify_presentation(filepath):
    try:
        prs = Presentation(filepath)
        data = {
            "slide_count": len(prs.slides),
            "slides": []
        }
        
        for i, slide in enumerate(prs.slides):
            slide_data = {
                "slide_number": i + 1,
                "title": None,
                "shapes_count": len(slide.shapes)
            }
            
            # Extract title if present
            if slide.shapes.title:
                slide_data["title"] = slide.shapes.title.text
            
            data["slides"].append(slide_data)
        
        print(json.dumps(data, indent=2))
        return True
    except Exception as e:
        print(f"ERROR: {str(e)}", file=sys.stderr)
        return False

if __name__ == "__main__":
    if len(sys.argv) < 2:
        print("Usage: python verify_pptx.py <file.pptx>", file=sys.stderr)
        sys.exit(1)
    
    success = verify_presentation(sys.argv[1])
    sys.exit(0 if success else 1)
```

### Step 4: Execute Verification

Run the verification script:

```
run_shell: python verify_pptx.py path/to/presentation.pptx
```

### Step 5: Interpret Results

Expected output format:

```json
{
  "slide_count": 10,
  "slides": [
    {
      "slide_number": 1,
      "title": "Introduction",
      "shapes_count": 3
    },
    ...
  ]
}
```

Use this data to:
- Confirm expected slide count matches
- Verify slide titles are present
- Validate presentation structure before delivery

## Example Validation Checks

```python
# Check slide count matches requirement
assert data["slide_count"] >= expected_min_slides

# Check all slides have titles
for slide in data["slides"]:
    assert slide["title"] is not None, f"Slide {slide['slide_number']} missing title"
```

## Troubleshooting

| Issue | Solution |
|-------|----------|
| Corrupted file | Verify file was created successfully, check file size |
| Permission denied | Ensure file path is accessible, check read permissions |
| Library not found | Install with `pip install python-pptx` |
| Empty presentation | File may be 0 bytes or incomplete write |

## Best Practices

1. **Always verify after creation**: Run verification immediately after generating a PowerPoint file
2. **Keep verification script reusable**: Store the script for future presentations
3. **Validate before delivery**: Never deliver a presentation without confirming structure
4. **Log verification results**: Keep verification output for audit trails

---
Source attribution: AG064
Original project: https://github.com/AG064/OpenSpace/blob/ff671ef61ed6587c49bd54c81cdc751c0b99e363/gdpval_bench/skills/pptx-shell-verify/SKILL.md
License: MIT
License information: https://opensource.org/license/mit
Original upstream instructions; downloaded from Dave AI.

## Upstream license notice

MIT License

Copyright (c) 2026 ✨Data Intelligence Lab@HKU✨

Permission is hereby granted, free of charge, to any person obtaining a copy
of this software and associated documentation files (the "Software"), to deal
in the Software without restriction, including without limitation the rights
to use, copy, modify, merge, publish, distribute, sublicense, and/or sell
copies of the Software, and to permit persons to whom the Software is
furnished to do so, subject to the following conditions:

The above copyright notice and this permission notice shall be included in all
copies or substantial portions of the Software.

THE SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED "AS IS", WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR
IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY,
FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NONINFRINGEMENT. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE
AUTHORS OR COPYRIGHT HOLDERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY CLAIM, DAMAGES OR OTHER
LIABILITY, WHETHER IN AN ACTION OF CONTRACT, TORT OR OTHERWISE, ARISING FROM,
OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE SOFTWARE OR THE USE OR OTHER DEALINGS IN THE
SOFTWARE.



# Dave AI resource metadata

Creator / publisher: AG064
Original project: https://github.com/AG064/OpenSpace/blob/ff671ef61ed6587c49bd54c81cdc751c0b99e363/gdpval_bench/skills/pptx-shell-verify/SKILL.md
Attribution basis: Source repository record

Fields of work: Content & Media, Development & Engineering, Project & Program Management
Roles: Frontend Developer, Project Manager, Technical Writer
Specialties: Backend, Testing
Tools: Python Pptx
Country applicability: Country not specified
Classification basis: Source catalog labels
Instruction SHA-256: e14dd34c679518117b310ff3851dbb594467f7f8d9fd264ddb8efec3bcef6c3a