Insert a new slide into a presentation

This topic shows how to use the classes in the Open XML SDK to insert a new slide into a presentation programmatically.

Getting a PresentationDocument Object

In the Open XML SDK, the PresentationDocument class represents a presentation document package. To work with a presentation document, first create an instance of the PresentationDocument class, and then work with that instance. To create the class instance from the document call the Open(String, Boolean) method that uses a file path, and a Boolean value as the second parameter to specify whether a document is editable. To open a document for read/write, specify the value true for this parameter as shown in the following using statement. In this code segment, the presentationFile parameter is a string that represents the full path for the file from which you want to open the document.

C#

    using (PresentationDocument presentationDocument = PresentationDocument.Open(presentationFile, true))
    {
        // Insert other code here.
    }

Visual Basic

    Using presentationDocument As PresentationDocument = PresentationDocument.Open(presentationFile, True)
        ' Insert other code here.
    End Using

The using statement provides a recommended alternative to the typical .Open, .Save, .Close sequence. It ensures that the Dispose method (internal method used by the Open XML SDK to clean up resources) is automatically called when the closing brace is reached. The block that follows the using statement establishes a scope for the object that is created or named in the using statement, in this case presentationDocument.

Basic Presentation Document Structure

The basic document structure of a PresentationML document consists of a number of parts, among which is the main part that contains the presentation definition. The following text from the ISO/IEC 29500 specification introduces the overall form of a PresentationML package.

The main part of a PresentationML package starts with a presentation root element. That element contains a presentation, which, in turn, refers to a slide list, a slide master list, a notes master list, and a handout master list. The slide list refers to all of the slides in the presentation; the slide master list refers to the entire slide masters used in the presentation; the notes master contains information about the formatting of notes pages; and the handout master describes how a handout looks.

A handout is a printed set of slides that can be provided to an audience.

As well as text and graphics, each slide can contain comments and notes, can have a layout, and can be part of one or more custom presentations. A comment is an annotation intended for the person maintaining the presentation slide deck. A note is a reminder or piece of text intended for the presenter or the audience.

Other features that a PresentationML document can include the following: animation, audio, video, and transitions between slides.

A PresentationML document is not stored as one large body in a single part. Instead, the elements that implement certain groupings of functionality are stored in separate parts. For example, all comments in a document are stored in one comment part while each slide has its own part.

© ISO/IEC29500: 2008.

The following XML code example represents a presentation that contains two slides denoted by the IDs 267 and 256.

    <p:presentation xmlns:p="…" … > 
       <p:sldMasterIdLst>
          <p:sldMasterId
             xmlns:rel="https://…/relationships" rel:id="rId1"/>
       </p:sldMasterIdLst>
       <p:notesMasterIdLst>
          <p:notesMasterId
             xmlns:rel="https://…/relationships" rel:id="rId4"/>
       </p:notesMasterIdLst>
       <p:handoutMasterIdLst>
          <p:handoutMasterId
             xmlns:rel="https://…/relationships" rel:id="rId5"/>
       </p:handoutMasterIdLst>
       <p:sldIdLst>
          <p:sldId id="267"
             xmlns:rel="https://…/relationships" rel:id="rId2"/>
          <p:sldId id="256"
             xmlns:rel="https://…/relationships" rel:id="rId3"/>
       </p:sldIdLst>
           <p:sldSz cx="9144000" cy="6858000"/>
       <p:notesSz cx="6858000" cy="9144000"/>
    </p:presentation>

Using the Open XML SDK, you can create document structure and content using strongly-typed classes that correspond to PresentationML elements. You can find these classes in the DocumentFormat.OpenXml.Presentation namespace. The following table lists the class names of the classes that correspond to the sld, sldLayout, sldMaster, and notesMaster elements.

PresentationML Element	Open XML SDK Class	Description
sld	Slide	Presentation Slide. It is the root element of SlidePart.
sldLayout	SlideLayout	Slide Layout. It is the root element of SlideLayoutPart.
sldMaster	SlideMaster	Slide Master. It is the root element of SlideMasterPart.
notesMaster	NotesMaster	Notes Master (or handoutMaster). It is the root element of NotesMasterPart.

Sample Code

By using the sample code you can add a new slide to an existing presentation. In your program, you can use the following call to the InsertNewSlide method to add a new slide to a presentation file named "Myppt10.pptx," with the title "My new slide," at position 1.

C#

    InsertNewSlide(@"C:\Users\Public\Documents\Myppt10.pptx", 1, "My new slide");

Visual Basic

    InsertNewSlide("C:\Users\Public\Documents\Myppt10.pptx", 1, "My new slide")

After you have run the program, the new slide would show up as the second slide in the presentation.

The following is the complete sample code in both C# and Visual Basic.

C#

using DocumentFormat.OpenXml;
using DocumentFormat.OpenXml.Packaging;
using DocumentFormat.OpenXml.Presentation;
using System;
using Drawing = DocumentFormat.OpenXml.Drawing;

InsertNewSlide(args[0], int.Parse(args[1]), args[2]);

// Insert a slide into the specified presentation.
static void InsertNewSlide(string presentationFile, int position, string slideTitle)
{
    // Open the source document as read/write. 
    using (PresentationDocument presentationDocument = PresentationDocument.Open(presentationFile, true))
    {
        // Pass the source document and the position and title of the slide to be inserted to the next method.
        InsertNewSlideFromPresentation(presentationDocument, position, slideTitle);
    }
}

// Insert the specified slide into the presentation at the specified position.
static void InsertNewSlideFromPresentation(PresentationDocument presentationDocument, int position, string slideTitle)
{
    PresentationPart? presentationPart = presentationDocument.PresentationPart;

    // Verify that the presentation is not empty.
    if (presentationPart is null)
    {
        throw new InvalidOperationException("The presentation document is empty.");
    }

    // Declare and instantiate a new slide.
    Slide slide = new Slide(new CommonSlideData(new ShapeTree()));
    uint drawingObjectId = 1;

    // Construct the slide content.            
    // Specify the non-visual properties of the new slide.
    CommonSlideData commonSlideData = slide.CommonSlideData ?? slide.AppendChild(new CommonSlideData());
    ShapeTree shapeTree = commonSlideData.ShapeTree ?? commonSlideData.AppendChild(new ShapeTree());
    NonVisualGroupShapeProperties nonVisualProperties = shapeTree.AppendChild(new NonVisualGroupShapeProperties());
    nonVisualProperties.NonVisualDrawingProperties = new NonVisualDrawingProperties() { Id = 1, Name = "" };
    nonVisualProperties.NonVisualGroupShapeDrawingProperties = new NonVisualGroupShapeDrawingProperties();
    nonVisualProperties.ApplicationNonVisualDrawingProperties = new ApplicationNonVisualDrawingProperties();

    // Specify the group shape properties of the new slide.
    shapeTree.AppendChild(new GroupShapeProperties());

    // Declare and instantiate the title shape of the new slide.
    Shape titleShape = shapeTree.AppendChild(new Shape());

    drawingObjectId++;

    // Specify the required shape properties for the title shape. 
    titleShape.NonVisualShapeProperties = new NonVisualShapeProperties
        (new NonVisualDrawingProperties() { Id = drawingObjectId, Name = "Title" },
        new NonVisualShapeDrawingProperties(new Drawing.ShapeLocks() { NoGrouping = true }),
        new ApplicationNonVisualDrawingProperties(new PlaceholderShape() { Type = PlaceholderValues.Title }));
    titleShape.ShapeProperties = new ShapeProperties();

    // Specify the text of the title shape.
    titleShape.TextBody = new TextBody(new Drawing.BodyProperties(),
            new Drawing.ListStyle(),
            new Drawing.Paragraph(new Drawing.Run(new Drawing.Text() { Text = slideTitle })));

    // Declare and instantiate the body shape of the new slide.
    Shape bodyShape = shapeTree.AppendChild(new Shape());
    drawingObjectId++;

    // Specify the required shape properties for the body shape.
    bodyShape.NonVisualShapeProperties = new NonVisualShapeProperties(new NonVisualDrawingProperties() { Id = drawingObjectId, Name = "Content Placeholder" },
            new NonVisualShapeDrawingProperties(new Drawing.ShapeLocks() { NoGrouping = true }),
            new ApplicationNonVisualDrawingProperties(new PlaceholderShape() { Index = 1 }));
    bodyShape.ShapeProperties = new ShapeProperties();

    // Specify the text of the body shape.
    bodyShape.TextBody = new TextBody(new Drawing.BodyProperties(),
            new Drawing.ListStyle(),
            new Drawing.Paragraph());

    // Create the slide part for the new slide.
    SlidePart slidePart = presentationPart.AddNewPart<SlidePart>();

    // Save the new slide part.
    slide.Save(slidePart);

    // Modify the slide ID list in the presentation part.
    // The slide ID list should not be null.
    SlideIdList? slideIdList = presentationPart.Presentation.SlideIdList;

    // Find the highest slide ID in the current list.
    uint maxSlideId = 1;
    SlideId? prevSlideId = null;

    OpenXmlElementList slideIds = slideIdList?.ChildElements ?? default;

    foreach (SlideId slideId in slideIds)
    {
        if (slideId.Id is not null && slideId.Id > maxSlideId)
        {
            maxSlideId = slideId.Id;
        }

        position--;
        if (position == 0)
        {
            prevSlideId = slideId;
        }

    }

    maxSlideId++;

    // Get the ID of the previous slide.
    SlidePart lastSlidePart;

    if (prevSlideId is not null && prevSlideId.RelationshipId is not null)
    {
        lastSlidePart = (SlidePart)presentationPart.GetPartById(prevSlideId.RelationshipId!);
    }
    else
    {
        string? firstRelId = ((SlideId)slideIds[0]).RelationshipId;
        // If the first slide does not contain a relationship ID, throw an exception.
        if (firstRelId is null)
        {
            throw new ArgumentNullException(nameof(firstRelId));
        }

        lastSlidePart = (SlidePart)presentationPart.GetPartById(firstRelId);
    }

    // Use the same slide layout as that of the previous slide.
    if (lastSlidePart.SlideLayoutPart is not null)
    {
        slidePart.AddPart(lastSlidePart.SlideLayoutPart);
    }

    // Insert the new slide into the slide list after the previous slide.
    SlideId newSlideId = slideIdList!.InsertAfter(new SlideId(), prevSlideId);
    newSlideId.Id = maxSlideId;
    newSlideId.RelationshipId = presentationPart.GetIdOfPart(slidePart);

    // Save the modified presentation.
    presentationPart.Presentation.Save();
}

Visual Basic

Imports DocumentFormat.OpenXml.Packaging
Imports DocumentFormat.OpenXml.Presentation
Imports Drawing = DocumentFormat.OpenXml.Drawing


Module MyModule

    Sub Main(args As String())
    End Sub

    ' Insert a slide into the specified presentation.
    Public Sub InsertNewSlide(ByVal presentationFile As String, ByVal position As Integer, ByVal slideTitle As String)

        ' Open the source document as read/write. 
        Dim presentationDocument As PresentationDocument = presentationDocument.Open(presentationFile, True)

        Using (presentationDocument)

            'Pass the source document and the position and title of the slide to be inserted to the next method.
            InsertNewSlide(presentationDocument, position, slideTitle)

        End Using

    End Sub
    ' Insert a slide into the specified presentation.
    Public Sub InsertNewSlide(ByVal presentationDocument As PresentationDocument, ByVal position As Integer, ByVal slideTitle As String)
        If (presentationDocument Is Nothing) Then
            Throw New ArgumentNullException("presentationDocument")
        End If
        If (slideTitle Is Nothing) Then
            Throw New ArgumentNullException("slideTitle")
        End If

        Dim presentationPart As PresentationPart = presentationDocument.PresentationPart

        ' Verify that the presentation is not empty.
        If (presentationPart Is Nothing) Then
            Throw New InvalidOperationException("The presentation document is empty.")
        End If

        ' Declare and instantiate a new slide.
        Dim slide As Slide = New Slide(New CommonSlideData(New ShapeTree))
        Dim drawingObjectId As UInteger = 1

        ' Construct the slide content.
        ' Specify the non-visual properties of the new slide.
        Dim nonVisualProperties As DocumentFormat.OpenXml.Presentation.NonVisualGroupShapeProperties = slide.CommonSlideData.ShapeTree.AppendChild(New _
            DocumentFormat.OpenXml.Presentation.NonVisualGroupShapeProperties())
        nonVisualProperties.NonVisualDrawingProperties = New DocumentFormat.OpenXml.Presentation.NonVisualDrawingProperties() With {.Id = 1, .Name = ""}
        nonVisualProperties.NonVisualGroupShapeDrawingProperties = New DocumentFormat.OpenXml.Presentation.NonVisualGroupShapeDrawingProperties()
        nonVisualProperties.ApplicationNonVisualDrawingProperties = New ApplicationNonVisualDrawingProperties()

        ' Specify the group shape properties of the new slide.
        slide.CommonSlideData.ShapeTree.AppendChild(New DocumentFormat.OpenXml.Presentation.GroupShapeProperties())
        ' Declare and instantiate the title shape of the new slide.
        Dim titleShape As DocumentFormat.OpenXml.Presentation.Shape = slide.CommonSlideData.ShapeTree.AppendChild _
            (New DocumentFormat.OpenXml.Presentation.Shape())
        drawingObjectId = (drawingObjectId + 1)

        ' Specify the required shape properties for the title shape. 
        titleShape.NonVisualShapeProperties = New DocumentFormat.OpenXml.Presentation.NonVisualShapeProperties(New _
            DocumentFormat.OpenXml.Presentation.NonVisualDrawingProperties() With {.Id = drawingObjectId, .Name = "Title"}, _
            New DocumentFormat.OpenXml.Presentation.NonVisualShapeDrawingProperties _
            (New Drawing.ShapeLocks() With {.NoGrouping = True}), _
            New ApplicationNonVisualDrawingProperties(New PlaceholderShape() With {.Type = PlaceholderValues.Title}))

        titleShape.ShapeProperties = New DocumentFormat.OpenXml.Presentation.ShapeProperties()

        ' Specify the text of the title shape.
        titleShape.TextBody = New DocumentFormat.OpenXml.Presentation.TextBody(New Drawing.BodyProperties, _
             New Drawing.ListStyle, New Drawing.Paragraph _
             (New Drawing.Run(New Drawing.Text() With {.Text = slideTitle})))
        ' Declare and instantiate the body shape of the new slide.
        Dim bodyShape As DocumentFormat.OpenXml.Presentation.Shape = slide.CommonSlideData.ShapeTree.AppendChild _
            (New DocumentFormat.OpenXml.Presentation.Shape())
        drawingObjectId = (drawingObjectId + 1)

        ' Specify the required shape properties for the body shape.
        bodyShape.NonVisualShapeProperties = New NonVisualShapeProperties(New NonVisualDrawingProperties() With {.Id = drawingObjectId, .Name = "ContentPlaceholder"}, _
             New NonVisualShapeDrawingProperties(New Drawing.ShapeLocks() With {.NoGrouping = True}), _
             New ApplicationNonVisualDrawingProperties(New PlaceholderShape() With {.Index = 1}))

        bodyShape.ShapeProperties = New ShapeProperties()

        ' Specify the text of the body shape.
        bodyShape.TextBody = New TextBody(New Drawing.BodyProperties, New Drawing.ListStyle, New Drawing.Paragraph)
        ' Create the slide part for the new slide.
        Dim slidePart As SlidePart = presentationPart.AddNewPart(Of SlidePart)()

        ' Save the new slide part.
        slide.Save(slidePart)

        ' Modify the slide ID list in the presentation part.
        ' The slide ID list should not be null.
        Dim slideIdList As SlideIdList = presentationPart.Presentation.SlideIdList

        ' Find the highest slide ID in the current list.
        Dim maxSlideId As UInteger = 1
        Dim prevSlideId As SlideId = Nothing

        For Each slideId As SlideId In slideIdList.ChildElements
            If (CType(slideId.Id, UInteger) > maxSlideId) Then
                maxSlideId = slideId.Id
            End If
            position = (position - 1)
            If (position = 0) Then
                prevSlideId = slideId
            End If
        Next

        maxSlideId = (maxSlideId + 1)

        ' Get the ID of the previous slide.
        Dim lastSlidePart As SlidePart = Nothing

        If (prevSlideId IsNot Nothing) Then
            lastSlidePart = CType(presentationPart.GetPartById(prevSlideId.RelationshipId), SlidePart)
        Else
            lastSlidePart = CType(presentationPart.GetPartById(CType(slideIdList.ChildElements(0), SlideId).RelationshipId), SlidePart)
        End If


        ' Use the same slide layout as that of the previous slide.
        If ((lastSlidePart.SlideLayoutPart) IsNot Nothing) Then
            slidePart.AddPart(lastSlidePart.SlideLayoutPart)
        End If

        ' Insert the new slide into the slide list after the previous slide.
        Dim newSlideId As SlideId = slideIdList.InsertAfter(New SlideId, prevSlideId)
        newSlideId.Id = maxSlideId
        newSlideId.RelationshipId = presentationPart.GetIdOfPart(slidePart)

        ' Save the modified presentation.
        presentationPart.Presentation.Save()

    End Sub
End Module

See also

• Open XML SDK class library reference