Mardown (markup language) is a standard plain text writings format. Some people will use notepad to wrote their notes. If the writings followed markdown rules and format, it can be directly visualized into proper article structure with good visualization

For example, a headings on markdown can be automatically be rendered using bold, a code block on markdown identation will be set to certain pixel from the left, a black square/circle will be automatically added to a markdown list.

A markdown is a popular standard format and has been adopted by various platform (reddit, Github, etc)

Problem Statement

At some point of their career, a white collar worker will utilize microsoft powerpoint or google slide or libre office impress to create a presentation for their work.

— Whether its idea pitching, work report or simply documentation.

There are three key activities of creating presentation slides

  1. write and refine the content
  2. create the slide structure
  3. slide beautification

what matters the most is the content. Some people are getting stuck on the beautification side and spend most of their working time on it instead of refining the content.

Hence, the slide is beautiful but lack of depth (generic).

Slide Content and Layout as Markdown (.md)

to solve above problem, the working method need to be resolved. Beautification process should be least concern when building a deck or presentation.

However, changing habit would not be an easy task. Its because the worker create the content directly on the application (google slide, microsoft power point or libre office impress)

if the intial content can be create outside the apps, it will shift their focus and forced them think about the depth of the content.

Hence, its Slide content and layout as Markdown (.md)

Functionality Scope

postimage Markdown to slides conversion process flow

The project will be limited into turning md files into microsoft pptx/google slides using ECMA-376 open office format XML for slides with following capabilities :

  1. Turn mardown file into slide content as proper content structure without any advanced styling (color, image)
  2. the only covered styling : slide width, height and element positioning
  3. covered element: text boxes & title

sounds like super narrow scope with minimum functionality but the tools will help any worker to focuses building the deck/slides content.

the platform/tools will examile the markdown file and then suggest the most appropriate slide content structure.

for example, a markdown with 1 headings-1 and 5 headings-2.

The tools will convert it into:

  1. heading-1 become title
  2. heading-1 summarized content will be the sub title
  3. heading-1 full content will be shown as descritpion
  4. heading-2 ~ heading-5 will spreaded into 5 boxes vertically.

The variations of the template might be challenging during development, as it need to be manually identified and turned into knowledge model. Hence, if the model can’t find the right structure for the incoming markdown, user can decide it manually because the system limitation.

a proper conversion rules need to be defined, configured and supplied to the knowledge model.

Serie Post Publication Topic & Schedule

Tools/platform will be developed using GO lang and React JS

  1. 17 Sept - PPT Office Open XML deconstruction
  2. 20 Sept - Understanding Open Office XML Structure and Format to create Text Box and title
  3. 23 Sept - Developing conversion markdown to slide business rule (Structure and Styling/Positioninig)
  4. TBC