PowerPoint Template Master Fixer#

Use this skill when the problem is not just one slide, but the template system behind the deck: slide masters, layouts, placeholders, theme colors, fonts, chart links, and brand rules.

Workflow#

1. Identify the template failure: wrong layout, missing placeholder, changed font, broken chart link, shifted logo, bad theme color, or automated generation that ignores the master.
2. Preserve the original .pptx template and work from a copy. Do not flatten masters into ordinary shapes unless the user explicitly wants a static deck.
3. Inspect the deck structure before editing:
   • ppt/slideMasters/
   • ppt/slideLayouts/
   • ppt/slides/
   • ppt/theme/
   • ppt/charts/
   • relationship files under _rels
4. Map each visible issue to the right layer:
   • Master-level issue: brand elements, theme fonts, default colors, global objects.
   • Layout-level issue: placeholder types, positions, title/body/chart slots.
   • Slide-level issue: content inserted into the wrong placeholder or pasted as freeform shapes.
   • Relationship issue: chart, image, or embedded workbook link has moved or gone missing.
5. Prefer template-aware repairs. Reuse layouts and placeholders before adding manual shapes.
6. When using python-pptx, confirm whether the target feature is supported. For unsupported master/theme/chart-link edits, inspect or patch OOXML directly.
7. Validate by checking slide count, layout assignment, placeholder IDs/types, theme colors, fonts, charts, linked media, and a rendered or opened view when possible.

Fix Patterns#

• Wrong placeholder filled: identify placeholder type and index from the layout, then bind content to that placeholder rather than assuming order.
• Theme colors ignored: use theme references where possible; avoid hard-coded RGB unless the brand guide requires it.
• Fonts change after generation: inspect theme font definitions and local text run overrides.
• Charts lose links: preserve chart relationship IDs, embedded workbook parts, and chart XML.
• Brand elements move: keep logos and fixed elements on masters or layouts, not repeated manually on each generated slide.

Output#

Give the user:

• A diagnosis of the broken template layer.
• A repair or generation plan tied to specific PowerPoint parts.
• Any code or OOXML changes needed.
• A validation note describing what was checked visually and structurally.

Read references/requirement-plan.md only when the original discovery evidence is needed.