PowerPoint Capability Matrix

OfficeIMO.PowerPoint is strongest when the output must stay editable and the workflow can use tested Open XML features. The table below separates native authoring from preservation and preview support so a successful save is not confused with full edit fidelity.

Capability	Author or edit	Preserve on unrelated edits	PNG/SVG and PDF proof	Notes
Slides, ordering, sections, size, metadata	Yes	Yes	Yes	Includes duplicate and cross-deck slide import workflows.
Text boxes, rich runs, bullets, links, notes	Yes	Yes	Yes	`InspectPreflight()` measures bounds and reports clipped or unreadably reduced text.
Auto shapes, lines, connectors, groups, custom paths and polygons	Yes	Yes	Yes, within reported renderer limits	Shared `OfficeShape` paths and polygons write editable DrawingML custom geometry. Effects may still be approximated in fixed-layout exports.
Pictures and SVG assets	Yes	Yes	Yes	Crop and transforms are supported; broken image relationships are preflight errors.
Native tables	Yes	Yes	Yes	`AddTableSlides(...)` creates deterministic continuation pages and repeats headers.
Semantic story families	Yes	Yes	Yes	Executive, chart, comparison, screenshot, appendix, architecture, and closing stories each have two editable compositions.
Deck rhythm inspection	Yes, before rendering	Not applicable	Not applicable	Reports repeated kinds/variants, dense streaks, long sections, weak openings, and missing closings with stable codes.
All 17 shared chart kinds	Yes	Yes	Yes	Clustered/stacked/100% column and bar, line and area variants, scatter, bubble, radar, pie, and doughnut use `OfficeChartKind`. Bubble charts preserve X, Y, and size values in native chart XML and the embedded workbook.
Categorical combo charts and secondary value axes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Per-series `RenderKind` and `OfficeChartAxisGroup` stay in native chart XML with cached values and embedded workbook data.
Chart accessibility and data summary	Yes	Yes	Yes	Native alt text can include a deterministic data summary; `SaveDataSummary(...)` writes a UTF-8 sidecar.
Other chart XML already present in a deck	Limited edit surface	Yes	Snapshot/export support varies	Inspect and test the concrete family before promising mutation parity.
Themes, masters, layouts, placeholders	Inspect, select, copy from `.pptx`/`.potx`, and map by semantic name	Yes	Inherited content is included where supported	Template inventory includes brand tokens, footer content, assets, and safe areas.
Transitions	Yes	Yes	Static proof only	Preview exports show the slide state, not animated playback.
Semantic SmartArt	Yes: process, hierarchy, cycle, list, matrix, pyramid, relationship	Yes	Yes	Node text stays editable; other imported SmartArt layouts remain preservation/reporting scenarios.
Classic and modern comments	Yes	Yes	Metadata proof	Classic comments cover PPTX and supported PPT round trips. Modern Open XML comments support replies, status, reassignment, and removal.
Shape, text, and chart animations	Yes for supported effects	Broader timelines are preserved and reported	Static proof only	Image and PDF exports prove the static slide state, not playback timing.
Custom shows	Yes	Yes	Structural proof	Slide membership, order, rename, and removal use the presentation API.
Audio, video, embedded and linked content	OLE storage has a typed add/replace surface; other media mutation varies	Yes	Reported or represented by a fallback	Do not treat a preview as playback proof.
VBA projects	Add, replace, extract, and remove opaque projects	Yes in matching macro-enabled formats	Structural proof only	OfficeIMO validates bounded compound storage but does not generate or interpret VBA source.
Custom XML and ActiveX	No general authoring contract	Preserve/report where possible	Not a fidelity promise	Use `InspectFeatures()` before edit-heavy round trips.
Digital signatures	Inspect/report only	Save policy applies	Not applicable	Editing a signed package can invalidate its signature.

Generation checks

PowerPointDeckPreflightReport report = presentation.InspectPreflight();
report.SaveJson("deck.preflight.json");

var options = new PowerPointDeckPreflightOptions {
    FailureSeverity = PowerPointDeckPreflightSeverity.Error
};
PowerPointDeckPreflightReport gate = presentation.InspectPreflight(options);
gate.ThrowIfFindings(options.FailureSeverity);
presentation.Save();

The preflight report is the same contract returned by designer generation and OfficeIMO.Markup.PowerPoint. Stable finding codes are intended for CI policy; human messages are supporting context.

For imported presentations, combine layout preflight with InspectFeatures() so the pipeline sees both generated-content risks and package features outside the editable surface.

PowerPoint 97-2003 capability contract

Binary .ppt, .pot, and .pps support has four independently reported directions: import into the editable model, new binary authoring, binary round-trip, and PPTX-to-binary conversion. Query the versioned catalog instead of inferring support from a successful open:

using OfficeIMO.PowerPoint.LegacyPpt.Capabilities;

LegacyPptCapability capability = LegacyPptCapabilityCatalog.Get(
    LegacyPptFeature.RasterPictures);
string json = LegacyPptCapabilityCatalog.ToJson();

Each direction is Native, Preserved, Converted, or Blocked. There are no provisional catalog rows. Saving blocks known loss by default. Imported files preserve unrelated compound-file records and streams; tables, charts, and SmartArt can convert to static PNG visuals only with explicit loss acceptance; features without a safe mapping remain blocked.