DBnomics PowerPoint (pptx) tools

This CLI tool allows to update data coming from DBnomics in PowerPoint presentations.

Usage

First, define a YAML metadata file describing the charts and tables on each slide to update.

For example see simple_presentation_1.yaml.

See the metadata file section below for more details.

The dbnomics-pptx CLI command provides 2 commands: fetch and update.

fetch command

This command reads all the series needed by the charts and tables of all slides in the YAML metadata file, deduplicate and download them in a cache directory, where they are stored as JSON files.

dbnomics-pptx fetch samples/simple_presentation_1.yaml

Use the -v option to display debug messages.

By default, the series that are already present in the cache directory are skipped, in order to avoid putting pressure on DBnomics servers. Use the --force option to always download them.

update command

This command takes a PowerPoint presentation file in input, and a YAML metadata file, and updates the charts and tables defined in the metadata file, then saves the result in an output presentation file (it does not modify the input one).

dbnomics-pptx update samples/simple_presentation_1.pptx --metadata-file samples/simple_presentation_1.yaml samples/simple_presentation_1.output.pptx

Use the -v option to display debug messages.

Metadata file

slides:
  My slide 1: # the title of the slide
    charts:
      My chart 1: # the name of the chart (as defined in the "Selection pane")
        series:
          - OECD/GDP_GROWTH/W.USA.tracker_yoy # simple form: the series ID
          - id: OECD/GDP_GROWTH/W.Eurozone.tracker_yoy # extended form: a map of the ID and the name of the series
            name: Eurozone
    tables:
      My table 1: # the name of the table (as defined in the "Selection pane")
        series:
          - OECD/KEI/NAEXKP01.EA19.GP.A
          - OECD/KEI/NAEXKP01.DEU.GP.A
          - OECD/KEI/NAEXKP01.FRA.GP.A
          - OECD/KEI/NAEXKP01.ITA.GP.A
series: # a map of properties for series, shared between all the charts and tables of all slides
  OECD/GDP_GROWTH/W.USA.tracker_yoy:
    name: United States
  OECD/KEI/NAEXKP01.DEU.GP.A:
    name: Germany
  OECD/KEI/NAEXKP01.EA19.GP.A:
    name: Euro Area
  OECD/KEI/NAEXKP01.FRA.GP.A:
    name: France
  OECD/KEI/NAEXKP01.ITA.GP.A:
    name: Italy

Series properties defined in charts of tables have a higher precedence level than the ones defines in the top-level series map (which act as a fallback).

For example, here the name of the series OECD/GDP_GROWTH/W.Eurozone.tracker_yoy is defined at the chart level, in "My chart 1" (the name is "Eurozone"), and it is not defined in the top-level series map. On the contrary, in "My chart 1", the named of the series OECD/GDP_GROWTH/W.USA.tracker_yoy is not defined, and will be found in the top-level series map, where it is defined as "United States".

How to know the names of the charts/tables?

The names of the charts and tables can be read or modified in the "Selection pane" in PowerPoint.

The "Selection pane" can be opened with Alt+F10 in PowerPoint. Then you just have to select a chart or a table, and it will highlight the corresponding line in the "Selection pane", showing its name.

You can also modify the name to improve readability.

Once you get the name of a chart or a table, you can put it in the YAML file. In the previous example, the names are "My chart 1" and "My table 1".

See also:

• Manage objects with the Selection pane
• The PowerPoint Selection Pane