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It can be done with Google, but we use Microsoft products here.

I'm looking to be able to make a JSON request sending it some URL's to accessible images, and creating a slide for each image.

RudyOnRails
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1 Answers1

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There's a couple of ways to go about this. The first is to use MS' built in API that comes packaged with MS PPT, which is a set of COM objects. The second is to use the OpenXML standard which is a standard created after MS was forced to open up Office to the public. It allows you to create any MS Office document using an XML-based format.

Microsoft's PowerPoint API: These are tricky because of versioning and licensing. Just bear in mind that the COM API interacts (kind of) directly with the PowerPoint that is saved on your computer. So, if you move your application to a different computer, you'll have to make sure PPT is installed there and that the versioning and licensing are compatible with the COM objects you developed with (or, replace them with compatible COM objects). Start here if you want to go this route: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/visualstudio/vsto/powerpoint-solutions?view=vs-2017

OpenXML: The upside to using OpenXML is that it doesn't require PowerPoint to be installed on the computer your application is running on. Microsoft has a .net library that helps in creating OpenXML documents. Read this article on how to create a basic PPT presentation w/ their API: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/office/open-xml/how-to-create-a-presentation-document-by-providing-a-file-name . I also found this SO answer that has some good links in it: Sample create powerpoint with openxml

Good luck!

ylax
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  • sorry i never accepted this! we are pushing this feature to post-launch but if/when we do need to tackle it, I think I will try the OpenXML route! thanks again. – RudyOnRails Mar 28 '19 at 22:32