Aspose.Slides FOSS
Python
How to Create Presentations in Python

How to Create Presentations in Python

Aspose.Slides FOSS for Python lets you create PowerPoint presentations entirely in Python with no dependency on Microsoft Office. This guide shows how to create a new presentation, add slides and shapes, format text, and save the result.

Step-by-Step Guide

Step 1: Install the Package

Install Aspose.Slides FOSS from PyPI. Python 3.10 or later is required.

pip install aspose-slides-foss

Verify the installation:

import aspose.slides_foss as slides
print("Aspose.Slides FOSS ready")

The lxml dependency is installed automatically. No other system packages are required.

Step 2: Import the Required Modules

Import the package and the SaveFormat enum needed for saving.

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

All shape-type constants live in aspose.slides_foss.ShapeType. All formatting types (FillType, NullableBool) are also in aspose.slides_foss.

Step 3: Create a Presentation

Use slides.Presentation() as a context manager. A new presentation starts with one blank slide.

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

with slides.Presentation() as prs:
    print(f"Slides in new presentation: {len(prs.slides)}")
    # work with prs inside this block
    prs.save("output.pptx", SaveFormat.PPTX)

Important: Always open and use Presentation inside a with block. Do not store a reference outside the with statement; resources will not be released correctly.

Step 4: Access a Slide

The first slide is at index 0. A blank presentation has exactly one slide.

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

with slides.Presentation() as prs:
    slide = prs.slides[0]  # zero-based index
    print(f"Slide at index 0: {slide}")
    prs.save("output.pptx", SaveFormat.PPTX)

Step 5: Add a Shape

Use slide.shapes.add_auto_shape() to add an AutoShape. The parameters are (shape_type, x, y, width, height) all in points (1 point = 1/72 inch; standard slide is 720 × 540 pt).

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]

    # Rectangle at (50, 50) with 400 wide and 120 tall
    shape = slide.shapes.add_auto_shape(ShapeType.RECTANGLE, 50, 50, 400, 120)

    # Attach a text frame
    shape.add_text_frame("Hello from Aspose.Slides FOSS!")

    prs.save("with-shape.pptx", SaveFormat.PPTX)

Step 6: Save the Presentation

Call prs.save(path, SaveFormat.PPTX) before the with block exits. PPTX is the only supported output format.

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

The file is written atomically; if an error occurs before this call, no output file is created.

Complete Working Example

The following script creates a two-slide presentation with a title shape on the first slide and a table on the second.

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 1: title shape ---
    slide1 = prs.slides[0]
    title = slide1.shapes.add_auto_shape(ShapeType.RECTANGLE, 40, 40, 640, 80)
    tf = title.add_text_frame("Q1 Results: Executive Summary")
    fmt = tf.paragraphs[0].portions[0].portion_format
    fmt.font_height = 32
    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)

    # --- Slide 2: table ---
    prs.slides.add_empty_slide(prs.layout_slides[0])
    slide2 = prs.slides[1]
    table = slide2.shapes.add_table(40, 40, [200.0, 120.0, 120.0], [40.0, 40.0, 40.0])
    headers = ["Region", "Revenue", "Growth"]
    data = [
        ["North", "$1.2M", "+8%"],
        ["South", "$0.9M", "+4%"],
    ]
    for col, header in enumerate(headers):
        table.rows[0][col].text_frame.text = header
    for row_idx, row_data in enumerate(data):
        for col, cell_text in enumerate(row_data):
            table.rows[row_idx + 1][col].text_frame.text = cell_text

    prs.save("q1-results.pptx", SaveFormat.PPTX)

print("Saved q1-results.pptx")

Common Issues and Fixes

ResourceWarning: unclosed Presentation

You are instantiating Presentation without a with block. Always use:

with slides.Presentation() as prs:
    ...

AttributeError: __enter__

If you see this error, check that you imported aspose.slides_foss (not aspose.slides). The package name on PyPI is aspose-slides-foss and the runtime import is aspose.slides_foss.

TypeError: SaveFormat.PPTX is not callable

SaveFormat.PPTX is an enum member, not a function. Use it as prs.save("file.pptx", SaveFormat.PPTX).

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the default slide size?

A new Presentation() creates slides at the standard 10 × 7.5 inch (720 × 540 point) size. Changing the slide size is not yet supported in this edition.

Can I add more than one slide?

Yes. Call prs.slides.add_empty_slide(prs.layout_slides[0]) to append a blank slide and access it by index:

prs.slides.add_empty_slide(prs.layout_slides[0])
slide2 = prs.slides[1]

Can I open an existing file and add slides?

Yes:

with slides.Presentation("existing.pptx") as prs:
    prs.slides.add_empty_slide(prs.layout_slides[0])
    prs.save("existing.pptx", SaveFormat.PPTX)

What formats can I save to?

Only SaveFormat.PPTX is supported. Export to PDF, HTML, SVG, or images is not available in this edition.

See Also