【Python×PowerPoint】Insert Table into Slide in ”python-pptx”

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In this article, we will continue to introduce the “python-pptx” library, which provides functions to operate “PowerPoint” from Python.

Please refer to the following table of contents for the series.

Now, in the previous article, I explained the procedure for creating graphs, but what you may want to consider following graphs is inserting “Table” into slide, right?

Tables are also a function in which ”Excel” excels. I think that the most common procedure is to create a “Presentation” by pasting the table created in Excel onto slides.

Also, there may be some routine tasks, such as monthly sales reports, where the template for the presentation has been prepared to some extent, and the numbers in the table are to be replaced. In such cases, it would be faster and easier to automate the process by operating PowerPoin directly without going through Excel.

In this fourth article in the series, we will show you how to create tables using only PowerPoint with “python-pptx”.

By reading this article you will learn the following.

python-pptx Official Documents(API Document)

https://openpyxl.readthedocs.io/en/stable/

１. Putting a Table(Table object) on the slide

This section outlines the procedure for inserting a table into a slide, provides an overview of the Table object, and describes its related attributes.

1.1 Relationship between slide components and tables

As shown in Fig1, PowerPoint is composed of various elements such as Place folders(TITLE, BODY, etc.), Shapes, Graphs, and Tables.

Each of these elements is managed as the Shape object in “python-pptx”. Tables, the main topic of this article, are also treated as a type of Shape object. (Fig2)

The following section describes the objects, methods, and properties related to the “Shape object” of “Table”.

1.2 Add Shape object for the Table

This section outlines the procedure for inserting tables into slides with “python-pptx”.

The procedure for inserting a table is shown in Fig3. (The numbers ➀~➂ in the following explanation correspond to the numbers in Fig3.)

➀ Obtains a Shape object (table) by specifying the size and placement position of the table in the argument of the add_table() method. Next(➁), the Table object is obtained from the Shape object using the table property.

This Table object can be further broken down into rows, columns, and cell units (Columns, Rows, and Cells objects, respectively). Each of these will allow you to set cell values, colors, widths, heights, and other details with the various methods and properties under them. ➂

In addition, we’ll also take a deeper look at the Columns, Rows, and Cells objects.

Fig4 shows an image of the various object configurations. (The numbers ➀~➅ in the following explanations correspond to the numbers in Fig4.)

The entire table (➀) is the Table object. The next layer is the Columns object (➁) and the Rows object (➂). Each will be an iterable object with elements for column and row.

Coloumns/Rows objects can access each Row and Column either sequentially or individually via the For statement or Index notation (➃➄). (Note that “s” is not added.)

Also, each individual cell is the Cell object, which is the smallest unit that makes up a table, row, or column. (➅)

In other words, the Column or Row object, and thus the Table object, is an aggregate of Cell objects. (Fig.5)

Each Cell object is assigned an index, and each cell is accessed with the reference cell “A1” as “(0, 0)”.

In the following sections, we will discuss each object in depth and at the same time explain the methods and properties associated with it.

1.3 Objects composing the Table

As mentioned earlier, the elements that make up a table have many related objects and properties, including the Shape object. In this section, we will pick up and organize essential objects and their properties.

1.3.1 Add “Table” to the Shapes collection

When adding a new table, The Shape object for the table must be added (and retrieved at the same time). In python-pptx, the add_table() method is supported in the following format.

1.3.2 Get Table object

As mentioned in , the entity of the Shape object added by the add_table() method is the GraphicFrame object, which is a container that manages graphs, tables, and SmartArt.

Therefore, to manipulate the table, it is necessary to extract the Table object from the GraphicFrame object. The following table property is the attribute for this purpose.

1.3.3 Get Column/Row object

Rows/Columns object manage tables by rows and columns.

These are iterable objects (collections) of all the rows or columns that make up a table.

Access the desired row or column object (Row/Column (note that there is no “s“)) by specifying the index as in the following format.

The Column object has width property that sets the column width, and the Row object has height property that sets the row height.

Row/Column can also iterably access the constituent Cell objects.

1.3.4 Get and Set Cell Object

The minimum unit that constitutes a table is a Cell object. Several methods are provided for acquiring it.

Cell objects have a variety of properties that can be configured in detail. Some of the major ones include.

Cell objects can be set to “number” and “string” (text property), but not “image” and “shape”. A paragraph (text_frame property) can also be provided.

It is also possible to combine (merge) multiple cells into one. The merge() method is used for merging, and the split() method is used for unmerging, with the following arguments.

The above is a description of the objects and their attributes related to table creation.

Finally, the object hierarchy is summarized in Fig6.

2. Example of inserting “Table”

So far, we have discussed objects and attributes related to table creation. Let’s check how they are used in practice with examples.

2.1 Sample1 (Basic of Table Creation)

First, here is an example of inserting a table with 4 rows x 4 columns and setting values in each cell.

from pptx import Presentation
from pptx.util import Cm

prs = Presentation()
sld0 = prs.slides.add_slide(prs.slide_layouts[5])
sld0.shapes[0].text = 'Inserting a Table'

rows = 4		# number of rows in table
cols = 4		# number of columns in table

# Add Shape object (table)
# Arguments: number of rows, number of columns, x-coordinate of top-left corner, x-coordinate of top-left corner, width,  height
table_shape = sld0.shapes.add_table(rows, cols,
                                   Cm(3), Cm(5), Cm(20), Cm(8))

table = table_shape.table	# Create Table object

#----------------------------------------------------------------------------
# Column Heading Text Settings

category = ['Category_1', 'Category_2',  'Category_3']

for i in range(len(category)):
    cell = table.cell(i+1, 0)	 # Getting a Cell object
    cell.text = category[i]	   # Set the value with the text property

#----------------------------------------------------------------------------
# Line heading text setting

series = ['Series1', 'Series2', 'Series3']

for i in range(len(series)):
    cell = table.cell(0, i+1)	 # Getting a cell object
    cell.text = series[i]	     # Set the value with the text property

#----------------------------------------------------------------------------
# Set values in other cells

value1 = [[1, 2, 3],[4, 5, 6],[7, 8, 9]]

for i in range(len(value1)):
    for k in range(len(value1[i])):
        cell = table.cell(k+1, i+1)	   # Getting a cell object
        cell.text = str(value1[i][k])	 # Set the value with the text property

prs.save('Art4_List1_result.pptx')

The following is an explanation of key points.

The result of running <List1> is as follows.

The table could be attached to the slide at the specified position and size. Each cell is set to the specified value. (Fig.7)

<List1>Execution results are available here.

2.2 Sample2 (Table Formatting)

Here is one more code example.

The code summary is as follows:

1. Reads the presentation saved in <List1> and adjusts the appearance and formatting of the table.
2. Specifically, edit the font (Font, Text color, and Centering) and edit the cells format (Fill).

from pptx import Presentation
from pptx.dml.color import RGBColor
from pptx.enum.text import PP_ALIGN  # Class for text frame positioning
from pptx.util import Pt             # Class for specifying points


prs = Presentation('Art4_List1_result.pptx')  # Load an existing file
table = prs.slides[0].shapes[1].table    # Get Table object
 
#-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
for col_obj in table.columns:
    print(col_obj)       # <pptx.table._Column object at 0x0000021B8A7FC588>
                                          
for row_obj in table.rows:	
    print(row_obj)	     # <pptx.table._Row object at 0x0000021B8A7FC588>


#--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
# Column Heading Format
for i in range(len(table.columns)):	        # Getting the number of table columns 
    cell = table.cell(0, i)
    pg = cell.text_frame.paragraphs[0]	    # Getting paragraph object
    pg.font.size = Pt(15)		                # Setting the font size of paragraphs
    pg.font.color.rgb = RGBColor(255, 0, 0) # Setting the font color for paragraphs
    pg.aligment = PP_ALIGN.CENTER	          # Setting paragraph string positioning (centered)

#---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
# Row Heading Format
for i in range(len(table.rows)):   # Getting the number of table rows
    cell = table.cell(i, 0)
    cell.fill.solid()			         # fill a cell
    cell.fill.fore_color.rgb = RGBColor(100, 200, 50)   # Specify cell fill color

prs.save('Art4_List2_result.pptx')

The following is an explanation of key points.

The result of running <List2> is as follows.

Font size, color, and alignment (centered) could be specified for “Row Heading Titles” and a fill effect could be applied to “Column Heading Titles”. (Fig8)

<List2>Execution results are available here.

3. SUMMARY

How was it?

In this article, we have explained the procedure for inserting tables using the “python-pptx” library.

The combination of graphs (general trends and future projections) introduced in the previous article and tables (specificity) will result in high-quality, easy-to-understand presentation for a third party.

We hope you will make use of the techniques.

Finally, let us summarize the contents of this article so far.

Now, in the next issue, we will explain how to insert shapes.

Create visually appealing presentation with a good balance of “Shapes“, “Tables“, and “Graphs“.

In this concluding article of this series, we have focused on how to insert shapes into slide.

Please read this as well. The link will be here. ↓

【Python×PowerPoint】Insert "Shape, Image and Text Box" in python-pptx

This is a step-by-step guide to inserting shapes, images, and text boxes into slides using the "python-ppptx" library.The "python-pptx" library provides classes for manipulating shapes and images.

www.shibutan-bloomers.com

2022.07.01

Thank you for reading to the end.

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