Features and Capabilities

Aspose.Slides FOSS for Python provides a broad set of capabilities for working with PowerPoint .pptx files programmatically. This page lists all supported feature areas with representative code examples.

Presentation I/O

Open an existing .pptx file or create a new one, then save back to PPTX format.

import aspose.slides_foss as slides
from aspose.slides_foss.export import SaveFormat

# Open an existing presentation
with slides.Presentation("input.pptx") as prs:
    print(f"Slide count: {len(prs.slides)}")
    prs.save("output.pptx", SaveFormat.PPTX)

# Create a new presentation (starts with one blank slide)
with slides.Presentation() as prs:
    prs.save("new.pptx", SaveFormat.PPTX)

Note: PPTX is the only supported save format. Export to PDF, HTML, SVG, or images is not available.

Unknown XML parts in the source file are preserved verbatim on save, so opening and re-saving a .pptx will never strip content the library does not yet understand.

Slides Management

Add, remove, clone, and reorder slides.

import aspose.slides_foss as slides
from aspose.slides_foss.export import SaveFormat

with slides.Presentation() as prs:
    # Access the first slide
    slide = prs.slides[0]

    # Add an additional blank slide at the end
    prs.slides.add_empty_slide(prs.layout_slides[0])

    print(f"Total slides: {len(prs.slides)}")
    prs.save("multi-slide.pptx", SaveFormat.PPTX)

Shapes

Add AutoShapes, PictureFrames, Tables, and Connectors to a slide.

AutoShapes

import aspose.slides_foss as slides
from aspose.slides_foss import ShapeType
from aspose.slides_foss.export import SaveFormat

with slides.Presentation() as prs:
    slide = prs.slides[0]
    # Add a rectangle at (x=50, y=50) with width=300, height=100
    shape = slide.shapes.add_auto_shape(ShapeType.RECTANGLE, 50, 50, 300, 100)
    shape.add_text_frame("Aspose.Slides FOSS")
    prs.save("shapes.pptx", SaveFormat.PPTX)

Tables

import aspose.slides_foss as slides
from aspose.slides_foss.export import SaveFormat

with slides.Presentation() as prs:
    slide = prs.slides[0]
    # Column widths and row heights in points
    col_widths = [120.0, 120.0, 120.0]
    row_heights = [40.0, 40.0, 40.0]
    table = slide.shapes.add_table(50, 50, col_widths, row_heights)
    table.rows[0][0].text_frame.text = "Product"
    table.rows[0][1].text_frame.text = "Quantity"
    table.rows[0][2].text_frame.text = "Price"
    prs.save("table.pptx", SaveFormat.PPTX)

Connectors

import aspose.slides_foss as slides
from aspose.slides_foss import ShapeType
from aspose.slides_foss.export import SaveFormat

with slides.Presentation() as prs:
    slide = prs.slides[0]
    box1 = slide.shapes.add_auto_shape(ShapeType.RECTANGLE, 50, 100, 150, 60)
    box2 = slide.shapes.add_auto_shape(ShapeType.RECTANGLE, 350, 100, 150, 60)
    conn = slide.shapes.add_connector(ShapeType.BENT_CONNECTOR3, 0, 0, 10, 10)
    conn.start_shape_connected_to = box1
    conn.start_shape_connection_site_index = 3  # right side
    conn.end_shape_connected_to = box2
    conn.end_shape_connection_site_index = 1    # left side
    prs.save("connector.pptx", SaveFormat.PPTX)

Text Formatting

Format text at paragraph and character level using PortionFormat.

import aspose.slides_foss as slides
from aspose.slides_foss import ShapeType, NullableBool, FillType
from aspose.slides_foss.drawing import Color
from aspose.slides_foss.export import SaveFormat

with slides.Presentation() as prs:
    slide = prs.slides[0]
    shape = slide.shapes.add_auto_shape(ShapeType.RECTANGLE, 50, 50, 500, 150)
    tf = shape.add_text_frame("Bold blue heading")

    fmt = tf.paragraphs[0].portions[0].portion_format
    fmt.font_height = 28
    fmt.font_bold = NullableBool.TRUE
    fmt.fill_format.fill_type = FillType.SOLID
    fmt.fill_format.solid_fill_color.color = Color.from_argb(255, 0, 70, 127)

    prs.save("text.pptx", SaveFormat.PPTX)

NullableBool.TRUE sets the property explicitly; NullableBool.NOT_DEFINED inherits from the slide master.

Fill Types

Apply solid, gradient, pattern, or picture fills to shapes.

import aspose.slides_foss as slides
from aspose.slides_foss import ShapeType, FillType
from aspose.slides_foss.drawing import Color
from aspose.slides_foss.export import SaveFormat

with slides.Presentation() as prs:
    slide = prs.slides[0]
    shape = slide.shapes.add_auto_shape(ShapeType.RECTANGLE, 50, 50, 300, 150)

    # Solid fill
    shape.fill_format.fill_type = FillType.SOLID
    shape.fill_format.solid_fill_color.color = Color.from_argb(255, 30, 120, 200)

    prs.save("fill.pptx", SaveFormat.PPTX)

Visual Effects

Apply outer shadow, glow, soft edge, blur, reflection, and inner shadow to shapes.

The effect properties are accessible through shape.effect_format. Set outer_shadow_effect, glow_effect, soft_edge_effect, blur_effect, reflection_effect, or inner_shadow_effect to configure each independently.

3D Formatting

Apply 3D bevel, camera, light rig, material, and extrusion depth via shape.three_d_format. This controls the visual depth and lighting model for shape rendering in PPTX viewers that support 3D effects.

Speaker Notes

Attach notes to any slide using notes_slide_manager.

import aspose.slides_foss as slides
from aspose.slides_foss.export import SaveFormat

with slides.Presentation() as prs:
    notes = prs.slides[0].notes_slide_manager.add_notes_slide()
    notes.notes_text_frame.text = "Key talking point: emphasize the ROI benefit."
    prs.save("notes.pptx", SaveFormat.PPTX)

Comments

Add threaded comments with author information and slide position.

import aspose.slides_foss as slides
from aspose.slides_foss.drawing import PointF
from aspose.slides_foss.export import SaveFormat
from datetime import datetime

with slides.Presentation() as prs:
    author = prs.comment_authors.add_author("Jane Smith", "JS")
    slide = prs.slides[0]
    author.comments.add_comment(
        "Please verify this data before the presentation.",
        slide,
        PointF(2.0, 2.0),
        datetime.now()
    )
    prs.save("comments.pptx", SaveFormat.PPTX)

Embedded Images

Embed an image from a file path into the presentation and add it to a slide as a PictureFrame.

import aspose.slides_foss as slides
from aspose.slides_foss.export import SaveFormat

with slides.Presentation() as prs:
    with open("logo.png", "rb") as f:
        image_data = f.read()
    image = prs.images.add_image(image_data)
    slide = prs.slides[0]
    slide.shapes.add_picture_frame(
        slides.ShapeType.RECTANGLE, 50, 50, 200, 150, image
    )
    prs.save("with-image.pptx", SaveFormat.PPTX)

Document Properties

Read and write core, app, and custom document properties.

import aspose.slides_foss as slides
from aspose.slides_foss.export import SaveFormat

with slides.Presentation() as prs:
    props = prs.document_properties

    # Core properties
    props.title = "Q1 Results"
    props.author = "Finance Team"
    props.subject = "Quarterly Review"
    props.keywords = "Q1, finance, results"

    # Custom property
    props.set_custom_property_value("ReviewedBy", "Legal Team")

    prs.save("deck.pptx", SaveFormat.PPTX)

Known Limitations

The following areas raise NotImplementedError and are not available in this edition:

Area	Status
Charts	Not implemented
SmartArt	Not implemented
Animations and transitions	Not implemented
PDF / HTML / SVG / image export	Not implemented (PPTX only)
VBA macros	Not implemented
Digital signatures	Not implemented
Hyperlinks and action settings	Not implemented
OLE objects	Not implemented
Mathematical text	Not implemented

Features and Capabilities