CLI reference

Every command takes a path to a .pptx (or .ppt, except check). Warnings go to stderr as warning: lines; errors as error: lines. Exit code 1 means the input could not be read, 2 means bad usage, except for check, which uses 1 for findings at error severity and 2 for an unreadable file.

--threads N, before or after the subcommand, caps the worker threads used to parse slides; the default is every core, or the value of PPTXBOSS_THREADS when that is set. --threads 1 keeps everything on the calling thread, which is also the default for a legacy .ppt deck.

--slides RANGE on info, text and markdown picks slides by their one-based number: a comma-separated list of numbers and low-high ranges such as 1-3,7, printed in the written order, duplicates kept. info still reports the whole deck's counts and lists only the picked slides; text --json and --headings use the real slide numbers. A number the deck does not have, or 0, is a usage error with exit code 2: error: --slides 9: slide 9 out of range (deck has 3 slides).

pptxboss info FILE [--json] [--slides RANGE]

Format (pptx or ppt), slide count, presentation part, slide size in EMU and inches with its declared type, master count, part count, the core properties that are set (title, subject, creator, modified by, created, modified, application), one section: line per section with its slide numbers, then one line per slide: number, title or (no title), and flags among hidden, notes, pictures, tables, objects, comments. A slide that fails to parse shows (unreadable: reason).

pptxboss text FILE [--slides RANGE] [--notes] [--comments] [--alt-text] [--no-charts] [--no-diagrams] [--furniture] [--hidden-shapes] [--skip-hidden] [--headings] [--json]

Slide text, slides separated by a blank line; empty slides are skipped unless --headings or --json is given. --comments appends [comment] Author: text lines (replies as [reply]) after a slide's text and notes; --alt-text adds the alternative text of pictures and other shapes that have no text. Chart data and diagram text are included unless --no-charts or --no-diagrams is given.

pptxboss markdown FILE [--slides RANGE] [--notes] [--comments] [--skip-hidden] [--hidden-shapes] [--furniture] [--no-headings] [--no-images]

The deck as Markdown on stdout: a ## Title heading per slide, bullets, paragraphs, GFM tables, images, chart tables and diagram outlines, slides separated by a rule; --notes and --comments add block quotes. Warnings go to stderr as for text.

pptxboss check FILE [--json] [--quiet] [--max-findings N] [--no-crc]

Findings sorted most severe first, then a summary line FILE: ok|not ok: E error(s), W warning(s), P part(s) checked.

pptxboss rules [--json]

Every rule: severity, code, clause, summary.

pptxboss create blank OUT [--slides N] [--standard]

pptxboss create text OUT --title T [--bullet B]... [--notes N] [--standard]

pptxboss create md OUT INPUT [--standard] [--font F]

INPUT may be - for standard input.

pptxboss skill install [-g|--global], pptxboss skill show

Installs the bundled agent skill into ./.claude/skills/pptxboss/SKILL.md, or with -g into ~/.claude/skills/pptxboss/SKILL.md, overwriting an earlier install. show prints it.