nevamind-ai/memubot/keynote-creator
- community
Checking that the SKILL.md file is still in the repository.
Guide for creating and editing Keynote presentations using AppleScript via bash
Install
npx vskill@latest install nevamind-ai/memubot/keynote-creatorSKILL.md
Keynote Creator Skill
This skill guides you on how to create and manipulate Keynote presentations on macOS using AppleScript.
When to Use
Create a Keynote presentation when the user asks to:
- Create a presentation/slideshow/PPT
- Generate slides from documents, reports, or data
- Make a pitch deck, proposal, or summary presentation
- Convert content into visual presentation format
Workflow
- Open Keynote (for visual demo): Use
macos_show(app: "keynote")if visual mode is enabled - Create presentation: Use bash with AppleScript
- Add slides: Use AppleScript to add and configure slides
- Set content: Add titles, body text, and images
- Export: Save as .key or export to PDF
CRITICAL: Stability Best Practices
ALWAYS use a SINGLE AppleScript to create the entire presentation. Do NOT run multiple separate scripts.
Why this matters:
- Each
osascriptinvocation may restart Keynote's scripting bridge - Multiple rapid scripts cause Keynote to crash or become unresponsive
- A single comprehensive script is much more stable
Bad approach (causes crashes):
Good approach (stable):
Required delays:
- After
activate:delay 1(let app fully launch) - After
make new document:delay 0.5 - After adding each slide:
delay 0.3(optional but recommended for many slides)
AppleScript Patterns
Create New Presentation
Available themes: "White", "Black", "Gradient", "Classic", "Modern Type", "Showcase", "Photo Essay", "Bold", "Industrial", "Blueprint"
Add a Slide
Common master slides (layouts):
"Title - Center"- Title and subtitle centered"Title - Top"- Title at top with content area"Title & Subtitle"- Classic title slide"Title & Bullets"- Title with bullet points"Title, Bullets & Photo"- Title, bullets, and image"Bullets"- Full slide bullet points"Photo"- Full slide image"Photo - Horizontal"- Landscape photo layout"Quote"- Quote layout"Blank"- Empty slide
Set Slide Title and Body
Add Text Box with Custom Position
Add Image to Slide
Navigate to Specific Slide
Get Slide Count
Export to PDF
Save Presentation
Complete Example: Multi-Slide Presentation
This is the recommended pattern - ALL operations in ONE script with proper delays:
Key points about this example:
- Single
osascriptcommand containing everything delay 1after activate to let Keynote fully launchdelay 0.5after creating documentdelay 0.3after eachmake new slidedelay 0.5before save operation
Tips for Better Presentations
- Structure: Always start with a title slide, then overview, details, and conclusion
- Bullet Points: Keep to 4-6 points per slide for readability
- Titles: Use clear, action-oriented titles
- Consistency: Use the same master slide for similar content types
- Images: Position images consistently across slides
Error Handling
When Keynote operations fail, common issues are:
- Crashes/Freezes: Almost always caused by running multiple separate scripts. Solution: Combine into ONE script.
- App not running: Use
macos_show(app: "keynote")first, then wait 1-2 seconds before running the creation script. - Invalid master slide name: Check available layouts with document's master slides
- File path issues: Always use POSIX file syntax and expand ~ to full path (e.g.,
/Users/username/Desktop/) - "Keynote got an error": Add more
delaystatements, especially aftermake new slide
If the script times out or crashes:
- First, check if Keynote is still open - it may have created partial content
- Try adding longer delays (e.g.,
delay 1instead ofdelay 0.3) - For very long presentations (10+ slides), consider splitting into two separate runs
Recommended Workflow for Generating from Reports
- Read the source (reports, documents)
- Plan slide structure (identify key sections)
- Create presentation with appropriate theme
- Add slides iteratively - one at a time with content
- Save and Export - save as .key AND export to PDF
- Close Keynote - always close the app after finishing (see below)
- Send BOTH files to user via messaging platform (.key for editing, PDF for viewing)
Closing Keynote After Creation
IMPORTANT: Always close Keynote after you finish creating and saving the presentation.
If you have macos_close tool available (Visual Demo Mode), use:
Alternatively, use AppleScript:
This keeps the user's desktop clean and shows a complete workflow.
File Handling
- Save .key files to
~/Desktop/or user's preferred location - Export PDF to the same location with same base name
- Use descriptive filenames with dates (e.g.,
Q1_2026_Review.keyandQ1_2026_Review.pdf) - IMPORTANT: Always send both .key and .pdf files to the user
Security
- Security scanPassed, 96 of 100Pattern checks on the skill's files.
- Model reviewPassed
Quality evaluation
- Task evaluationNot runNo evaluation yet. Run one in Skill Studio.
Source
- SKILL.md in the repositoryCheckingsrc/main/builtin-skills/keynote-creator/SKILL.md
Popularity
- Repository stars
- 427
- Repository forks
- 46
- 7-day trend score
- 30
Stars and forks are for the whole GitHub repository, not this skill alone. Refreshed 19 Mar 2026, 7 months ago.
Works with
Any agent vskill installs to: 56 targets in all. These 39 have a page on this site.
- Claude Code
- Cursor
- GitHub Copilot
- Windsurf
- Codex
- Gemini CLI
- Cline
- Amp
- Roo Code
- Goose
- Continue
- Kilo Code
- Junie
- Trae
- OpenHands
- Qwen Code
- AI Agent
- Tabnine Chat
- Sourcegraph Cody
- Amazon Q
- Firebase Genkit
- Sweep
- Devin
- Phind
- Mentat
- Claude Desktop
- Aider
- GPT Pilot
- Plandex
- bolt.new
- v0
- Replit Agent
- Anse
- TypingMind
- BetterChatGPT
- LibreChat
- Warp AI
- Pieces
- Fig AI
Embed badge
[](https://verified-skill.com/skills/nevamind-ai/memubot/keynote-creator)