foyonaczy/aelionbot/presentation-design

Presentation design

Choose the route first

• A new deck when design tools are available: design_start with kind ppt, then design_deck builds an editable PPTX and its HTML companion on the canvas, using the task's design system and fonts. No Python, Office or work computer is needed. Deliver with design_publish, which confirms the PPTX has editable text.
• An existing PPTX/ODP, an ODP deliverable, or features design_deck cannot express (charts from data, embedded media, masters): use the work computer below.

Story before slides

Identify the audience, decision, speaking time, and requested format. Build a sequence with one main takeaway per slide. Make slide titles communicate those takeaways. Pair numerical claims with a legible chart or table and a source; use diagrams for relationships. Put supporting detail in notes or appendices instead of shrinking the body text.

Build with the work computer

• For an existing PPTX/ODP, open it with computer (action: open_app, app: impress, path: ...) and inspect its master, aspect ratio, fonts, and media. Preserve editable objects and speaker notes.
• For a new deck, use Impress directly or the installed python-pptx package. scripts/create_deck.py assets/deck.json output/deck.pptx is an editable 16:9 starting deck. First copy and tailor the JSON in the workspace; never deliver the sample text. It supports title/body slides, two columns, and local images, with explicit text-size bounds to avoid silent clipping.
• Replace the starter palette and layout when the subject or user's design requires it. Establish a type scale and alignment grid. Use fonts actually present in the VM; Noto Sans/CJK, Carlito, and Caladea are usual choices. Do not turn every slide into a screenshot.
• Use real assets from the user or verified sources. A remote image URL alone is not an embedded image. When a slide needs an illustration and generate_image is available, generate it, copy the returned attachment into the workspace with attachment_save, and embed that file. Without an image tool, do not claim to have generated one.

Verify in Impress

Open the saved PPTX in Impress, not just python-pptx. Check editable text, images, slide order, chart labels, contrast, and notes. Materialize aelion-pdf-workbench for its isolated-profile export helper, export the presentation to PDF, and render the slides with Poppler. Inspect all slides at overview scale and detailed slides for clipping and font changes. Correct problems in the editable source and re-export.

Deliver PPTX or ODP as requested, with a PDF preview when useful. State any material compatibility limitation such as unsupported animations; successful file creation alone is not proof that slides render correctly.

Aelion workspace and delivery

• Read incoming files with attachment_read; use attachment_save for binary files and use its returned path.
• python_execute and python_session run in the Linux work computer. file_read, file_write, file_patch, list_directory, find_files, search_files, and exec_command default to the user's selected local project; pass location vm only for the work computer under the current Bot's workspace. These are different filesystems. Never assume a host path exists in the VM. view_image reads host paths only: to look at a PNG or PDF rendered in the VM, open it in the work-computer browser with computer and inspect the screenshot. open_preview shows a file to the user; it is not a check you performed.
• Read supporting files with skill_file_read. Before running a bundled script in the VM, call skill_materialize for this skill and use its returned vmPath; quote that path in shell commands. Keep generated files in the Bot workspace, outside the materialized skill directory.
• Open Writer, Calc, Impress, or the work-computer browser with computer (action: open_app) only when this task needs that application. For an existing document, pass its workspace-relative path. Inspect screenshots before coordinate actions and use the latest returned observationId. Do not open a desktop app in place of search, web_read, file tools, or an edit in the selected host project.
• Final files belong in message_attach using attachments: [{path: "output/actual-file.ext"}]. This also works for a final group or private-chat reply. When explicitly sending a separate collaboration message, bot_send_message and group_send_message accept the same attachment entries. Attach only useful deliverables, not every intermediate preview.
• Discover an omitted tool with tool_search; use only tools actually available. A missing optional library does not justify changing VM networking or using another Bot's files. Prefer existing applications and libraries; report an actual missing dependency if no suitable route exists.