Modifying existing corporate powerpoint template for use in rmarkdown: Could not find shape for Powerpoint content

Question

I have an existing corporate powerpoint template that I must use. What must I change in the template so that I can use it in rmarkdown? I'm currently getting "Could not find shape for Powerpoint content".

edit: I get this error when I run

pandoc --to pptx --reference-doc breed_wit_met_dianummering.potx --output ScrumIntro.pptx ScrumIntro.md

The template I use is at https://company-122895.frontify.com/api/attachment/download/FBcAVUTBYwQUa6UUQtF03Eqt1qDCsN0zgI_LVSjKW85J1PXf4e7m3HRWI-OBE_UYgsjGK2uXc2yLCwDYxzAiMQ, but I already know it doesn't conform to the expectations of pandoc; I'm looking for information on what I should do to create a template that will conform (not necessarily starting with this one, just in general). I'm OK with starting from scratch, but I don't know exactly what must be in place in a template to meet pandoc's expectations.

Answer 1

The required structure in the powerpoint template + a script which will report deviations can be found at https://gist.github.com/retorquere/9053b3dee7b2ce62382e005c73592391 . The rules are:

• There must be at least 4 slides in the slide masters, named ppt/slideLayouts/slideLayout[1-4].xml
• ppt/slideLayouts/slideLayout1.xml is a title slide, and must:
  • have a p:ph element with type="ctrTitle"
  • have a p:ph element with type="subTitle"
  • have a p:ph element with type="dt"
• ppt/slideLayouts/slideLayout2.xml is a title + content slide, and must:
  • have a p:ph element with type="title"
  • have a p:ph element without a type attribute
• ppt/slideLayouts/slideLayout3.xml is a section header slide, and must:
  • have a p:ph element with either type="title" or type="ctrTitle"
• ppt/slideLayouts/slideLayout2.xml is a title + two-content slide, and must:
  • have a p:ph element with type="title"
  • have at least two p:ph elements without a type attribute

you can upload your template to https://rmarkdown-office-template.herokuapp.com/ and it will test against these rules, and report what is missing in these slides if they don't comply with the rules.