Convert .ppt file to .pptx Format in Python


You can convert a .ppt file to .pptx the format in Python using the python-pptx library, which allows for creating and manipulating .pptx files. However, since python-pptx does not directly support converting .ppt files to .pptx, you will need to use a library like pywin32 for Windows or unoconv for a more cross-platform solution.

Here’s how you can achieve this with pywin32 (which requires Windows and Microsoft PowerPoint):

Using pywin32 on Windows

  1. Install the necessary library:

    pip install pywin32
  2. Python code to convert .ppt to .pptx:

    import win32com.client
    def convert_ppt_to_pptx(input_file, output_file): # Create a PowerPoint application instance powerpoint = win32com.client.Dispatch("PowerPoint.Application") # Open the .ppt file presentation = powerpoint.Presentations.Open(input_file) # Save as .pptx presentation.SaveAs(output_file, FileFormat=1) # 1 corresponds to ppSaveAsOpenXMLPresentation # Close the presentation and quit PowerPoint presentation.Close() powerpoint.Quit() # Example usage convert_ppt_to_pptx("path_to_your_file.ppt", "path_to_your_file.pptx")

Using unoconv (cross-platform)

  1. Install unoconv (requires LibreOffice):

    • On Ubuntu:

      sudo apt-get install unoconv
    • On macOS: Install LibreOffice and unoconv through Homebrew:
      brew install libreoffice brew install unoconv
  2. Python code to convert .ppt to .pptx:


    import subprocess def convert_ppt_to_pptx(input_file, output_file): subprocess.run(['unoconv', '-f', 'pptx', '-o', output_file, input_file], check=True) # Example usage convert_ppt_to_pptx("path_to_your_file.ppt", "path_to_your_file.pptx")

In both approaches, replace "path_to_your_file.ppt" and "path_to_your_file.pptx" with your actual file paths. The pywin32 approach is suitable if you're working on a Windows machine with Microsoft PowerPoint installed, while unoconv is a more versatile solution that works on various operating systems with LibreOffice installed.4o mini

combine the code and make platform-specific

Sure! Here’s a combined Python script that selects the appropriate conversion method based on the operating system:


import os import platform import subprocess def convert_ppt_to_pptx(input_file, output_file): system = platform.system() if system == "Windows": try: import win32com.client powerpoint = win32com.client.Dispatch("PowerPoint.Application") presentation = powerpoint.Presentations.Open(input_file) presentation.SaveAs(output_file, FileFormat=1) # 1 corresponds to ppSaveAsOpenXMLPresentation presentation.Close() powerpoint.Quit() print("Conversion successful.") except ImportError: print("pywin32 library is not installed. Please install it using `pip install pywin32`.") except Exception as e: print(f"An error occurred: {e}") elif system == "Linux" or system == "Darwin": # Darwin is macOS try: # Ensure unoconv and LibreOffice are installed subprocess.run(['unoconv', '--version'], check=True) subprocess.run(['unoconv', '-f', 'pptx', '-o', output_file, input_file], check=True) print("Conversion successful.") except FileNotFoundError: print("unoconv is not installed. Please install it along with LibreOffice.") except subprocess.CalledProcessError as e: print(f"An error occurred: {e}") else: print("Unsupported operating system.") # Example usage input_file = "path_to_your_file.ppt" output_file = "path_to_your_file.pptx" convert_ppt_to_pptx(input_file, output_file)

Explanation:

  1. Platform Detection: The script detects the operating system using platform.system() and performs the conversion accordingly.
  2. Windows: Uses pywin32 to interface with Microsoft PowerPoint.
  3. Linux/macOS: Uses unoconv to convert files, provided that unoconv and LibreOffice are installed.
  4. Error Handling: Includes error handling for missing dependencies and other issues that might arise during the conversion.

Installation Notes:

  • Windows: Ensure you have Microsoft PowerPoint installed and pywin32 library installed via pip install pywin32.
  • Linux/macOS: Install unoconv and LibreOffice. On Linux, use package managers like apt or yum, and on macOS, use Homebrew.

Replace "path_to_your_file.ppt" and "path_to_your_file.pptx" with the paths to your actual files.

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