PPTX File Validation Workflow

This skill provides a reliable method to validate PowerPoint (.pptx) files when the built-in read_file function fails or returns insufficient information.

When to Use

• read_file fails to read a .pptx file
• You need to verify presentation contents (slide count, titles, structure)
• Standard file readers return incomplete or unreadable data

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Detect read_file Failure

Attempt to read the PowerPoint file using read_file. If it fails, returns garbled content, or doesn't provide the structural information you need, proceed to Step 2.

Step 2: Use run_shell with python-pptx

Execute a Python script using run_shell with the python-pptx library to inspect the presentation:

python3 -c "
from pptx import Presentation
prs = Presentation('path/to/file.pptx')
print(f'Total slides: {len(prs.slides)}')
for i, slide in enumerate(prs.slides, 1):
    print(f'Slide {i}: {slide.shapes.title.text if slide.shapes.title else \"[No Title]\"}')
"

Step 3: Parse and Validate Output

Analyze the output to verify:

• Slide count matches expected number
• Slide titles align with required topics
• Structure is complete and properly formatted

Step 4: Report Validation Results

Document the validation findings, including:

• Total number of slides
• List of slide titles
• Any missing or problematic content

Example Usage

# In your agent workflow
run_shell(command="python3 -c \"from pptx import Presentation; prs = Presentation('output.pptx'); print(f'Slides: {len(prs.slides)}'); [print(f'{i}: {s.shapes.title.text}') for i, s in enumerate(prs.slides, 1) if s.shapes.title]\"")

Prerequisites

Ensure python-pptx is available in the environment:

pip install python-pptx

Benefits

• Reliable: Works when built-in readers fail
• Detailed: Provides slide-by-slide breakdown
• Programmatic: Easy to parse and validate against requirements
• Lightweight: No need for PowerPoint software installation