Manage SmartArt in PowerPoint Presentations Using Python

Overview

This article explains how to work with SmartArt in Aspose.Slides. It shows how to extract text from SmartArt shapes, change a SmartArt layout, check whether a SmartArt node is hidden, get or set an organization chart layout, and create a picture organization chart. It also covers several related questions, including SmartArt reversal for RTL languages, cloning SmartArt while preserving formatting, rendering SmartArt as part of a slide image, and identifying a specific SmartArt object on a slide.

Get Text from SmartArt

The text_frame property of the SmartArtShape allows you to retrieve all text from a SmartArt shape—not just the text contained in its nodes. The following sample code shows how to get text from a SmartArt node.

import aspose.slides as slides

with slides.Presentation("SmartArt.pptx") as presentation:
    slide = presentation.slides[0]
    smart_art = slide.shapes[0]

    for smart_art_node in smart_art.all_nodes:
        for node_shape in smart_art_node.shapes:
            if node_shape.text_frame is not None:
                print(node_shape.text_frame.text)

Change the SmartArt Layout Type

To change the SmartArt layout type, follow these steps:

1. Create an instance of the Presentation class.
2. Get a reference to a slide by its index.
3. Add a SmartArt shape with the BASIC_BLOCK_LIST layout.
4. Change its layout to BASIC_PROCESS.
5. Save the presentation as a PPTX file.

import aspose.slides as slides
import aspose.slides.smartart as smartart

with slides.Presentation() as presentation:
    slide = presentation.slides[0]

    # Add a SmartArt shape with the BASIC_BLOCK_LIST layout.
    smart = slide.shapes.add_smart_art(10, 10, 400, 300, smartart.SmartArtLayoutType.BASIC_BLOCK_LIST)

    # Change the layout type to BASIC_PROCESS.
    smart.layout = smartart.SmartArtLayoutType.BASIC_PROCESS

    # Save the presentation.
    presentation.save("ChangedSmartArtLayout.pptx", slides.export.SaveFormat.PPTX)

Check the Hidden Property of SmartArt

The SmartArtNode.is_hidden property returns True if the node is hidden in the data model. To check whether a SmartArt node is hidden, follow these steps:

1. Create an instance of the Presentation class.
2. Add a SmartArt shape with the RADIAL_CYCLE layout.
3. Add a node to the SmartArt.
4. Check the is_hidden property.

import aspose.slides as slides
import aspose.slides.smartart as smartart

with slides.Presentation() as presentation:
    slide = presentation.slides[0]

    # Add a SmartArt shape with the RADIAL_CYCLE layout.
    smart = slide.shapes.add_smart_art(10, 10, 400, 300, smartart.SmartArtLayoutType.RADIAL_CYCLE)

    # Add a node to the SmartArt.
    node = smart.all_nodes.add_node()

    # Check the is_hidden property.
    if node.is_hidden:
        print("The node is hidden.")

Get or Set the Organization Chart Type

The SmartArtNode.organization_chart_layout property gets or sets the organization chart type associated with the current node. To get or set the organization chart type, follow these steps:

1. Create an instance of the Presentation class.
2. Add a SmartArt shape to the slide.
3. Get or set the organization chart type.
4. Save the presentation as a PPTX file.

import aspose.slides as slides
import aspose.slides.smartart as smartart

with slides.Presentation() as presentation:
    slide = presentation.slides[0]

    # Add a SmartArt shape with the ORGANIZATION_CHART layout.
    smart = slide.shapes.add_smart_art(10, 10, 400, 300, smartart.SmartArtLayoutType.ORGANIZATION_CHART)

    # Set the organization chart type.
    smart.nodes[0].organization_chart_layout = smartart.OrganizationChartLayoutType.LEFT_HANGING

    # Save the presentation.
    presentation.save("OrganizationChartLayout.pptx", slides.export.SaveFormat.PPTX)

Create a Picture Organization Chart

Aspose.Slides for Python provides a simple API for creating picture organization charts easily. To create a chart on a slide:

1. Create an instance of the Presentation class.
2. Get a reference to the slide by its index.
3. Add a chart with default data of the desired type.
4. Save the modified presentation as a PPTX file.

import aspose.slides as slides
import aspose.slides.smartart as smartart

with slides.Presentation() as presentation:
    slide = presentation.slides[0]

    smart_art = slide.shapes.add_smart_art(0, 0, 400, 400, smartart.SmartArtLayoutType.PICTURE_ORGANIZATION_CHART)
    
    presentation.save("OrganizationChart.pptx", slides.export.SaveFormat.PPTX)

FAQ

Does SmartArt support mirroring/reversing for RTL languages?

Yes. The is_reversed property switches the diagram direction (LTR/RTL) if the selected SmartArt type supports reversal.

How can I copy SmartArt to the same slide or to another presentation while preserving formatting?

You can clone the SmartArt shape via the shapes collection (ShapeCollection.add_clone) or clone the entire slide containing this shape. Both approaches preserve size, position, and styling.

How do I render SmartArt to a raster image for preview or web export?

Render the slide (or the whole presentation) to PNG/JPEG through the API that converts slides/presentations to images—SmartArt will be drawn as part of the slide.

How can I programmatically select a specific SmartArt on a slide if there are several?

A common practice is to use alternative text (Alt Text) or a name and search for the shape by that attribute within Slide.shapes, then check the type to confirm it’s SmartArt. The documentation describes typical techniques for finding and working with shapes.