This guide explains how to use the Google Slides API to add shapes to slides and insert text into shapes.
Each slide in a presentation can contain a number of page elements , each of which is one of the following elements:
Shapes
A Shape
is a
page element such as a rectangle, arc, arrow, text box, or other defined type of
shape. When you create a shape, you specify:
-
What type of shape it is, using one of the predefined shape types .
-
PageElementPropertiessuch as size, transform, and the containing "parent" slide ID. -
An optional unique object ID.
The transform
page property defines how the shape is rendered on the page,
including its location and scaling. For more information about transforms, see Size and position page elements
.
Text and shapes
Text can appear on a slide in one of two ways:
- Within a shape
- Within a cell in a table
You insert text into a shape or table cell using an InsertTextRequest
.
Any text Autofit
settings on the shape are automatically deactivated by requests that can impact
how text fits in the shape.
Example
The following example adds a square text box to an existing slide and inserts some text into it:
Apps Script
slides/api/Snippets.gs
/** * Create a new square textbox, using the supplied element ID. * @param {string} presentationId * @param {string} pageId * @returns {*} */ function createTextboxWithText ( presentationId , pageId ) { const elementId = 'MyTextBox_01' ; const pt350 = { magnitude : 350 , unit : 'PT' }; const requests = [ { createShape : { objectId : elementId , shapeType : 'TEXT_BOX' , elementProperties : { pageObjectId : pageId , size : { height : pt350 , width : pt350 }, transform : { scaleX : 1 , scaleY : 1 , translateX : 350 , translateY : 100 , unit : 'PT' } } } }, // Insert text into the box, using the supplied element ID. { insertText : { objectId : elementId , insertionIndex : 0 , text : 'New Box Text Inserted!' } } ]; // Execute the request. try { const createTextboxWithTextResponse = Slides . Presentations . batchUpdate ({ requests : requests }, presentationId ); const createShapeResponse = createTextboxWithTextResponse . replies [ 0 ]. createShape ; console . log ( 'Created textbox with ID: %s' , createShapeResponse . objectId ); return createTextboxWithTextResponse ; } catch ( err ) { // TODO (Developer) - Handle exception console . log ( 'Failed with error: %s' , err . error ); } };
Go
slides/snippets/presentations.go
// Create a new square text box, using a supplied object ID. textBoxId := "MyTextBox_01" pt350 := slides . Dimension { Magnitude : 350 , Unit : "PT" , } requests := [] * slides . Request {{ // Create a new square text box, using a supplied object ID. CreateShape: &slides.CreateShapeRequest{ ObjectId: textBoxId, ShapeType: "TEXT_BOX", ElementProperties: &slides.PageElementProperties{ PageObjectId: slideId, Size: &slides.Size{ Height: &pt350, Width: &pt350, }, Transform: &slides.AffineTransform{ ScaleX: 1.0, ScaleY: 1.0, TranslateX: 350.0, TranslateY: 100.0, Unit: "PT", }, }, }, }, { // Insert text into the box, using the object ID given to it. InsertText: &slides.InsertTextRequest{ ObjectId: textBoxId, InsertionIndex: 0, Text: "New Box Text Inserted", }, } } // Execute the requests. body := & slides . BatchUpdatePresentationRequest { Requests : requests , } response , err := slidesService . Presentations . BatchUpdate ( presentationId , body ). Do () if err != nil { log . Printf ( "Unable to create text box. %v" , err ) } fmt . Printf ( "Created text box with ID: %s" , response . Replies [ 0 ]. CreateShape . ObjectId )
Java
slides/snippets/src/main/java/CreateTextboxWithText.java
import com.google.api.client.googleapis.json.GoogleJsonError ; import com.google.api.client.googleapis.json.GoogleJsonResponseException ; import com.google.api.client.http.HttpRequestInitializer ; import com.google.api.client.http.javanet.NetHttpTransport ; import com.google.api.client.json.gson.GsonFactory ; import com.google.api.services.slides.v1.Slides ; import com.google.api.services.slides.v1.SlidesScopes ; import com.google.api.services.slides.v1.model.AffineTransform ; import com.google.api.services.slides.v1.model.BatchUpdatePresentationRequest ; import com.google.api.services.slides.v1.model.BatchUpdatePresentationResponse ; import com.google.api.services.slides.v1.model.CreateShapeRequest ; import com.google.api.services.slides.v1.model.CreateShapeResponse ; import com.google.api.services.slides.v1.model.Dimension ; import com.google.api.services.slides.v1.model.InsertTextRequest ; import com.google.api.services.slides.v1.model.PageElementProperties ; import com.google.api.services.slides.v1.model.Request ; import com.google.api.services.slides.v1.model.Size ; import com.google.auth.http.HttpCredentialsAdapter ; import com.google.auth.oauth2.GoogleCredentials ; import java.io.IOException ; import java.util.ArrayList ; import java.util.Collections ; import java.util.List ; /* Class to demonstrate the use of Slides Create Textbox API */ public class CreateTextboxWithText { /** * Create a new square textbox, using the specified id. * * @param presentationId - id of the presentation. * @param slideId - id of the slide. * @param textBoxId - id for the textbox. * @return textbox id * @throws IOException - if credentials file not found. */ public static BatchUpdatePresentationResponse createTextBoxWithText ( String presentationId , String slideId , String textBoxId ) throws IOException { /* Load pre-authorized user credentials from the environment. TODO(developer) - See https://developers.google.com/identity for guides on implementing OAuth2 for your application. */ GoogleCredentials credentials = GoogleCredentials . getApplicationDefault () . createScoped ( Collections . singleton ( SlidesScopes . PRESENTATIONS )); HttpRequestInitializer requestInitializer = new HttpCredentialsAdapter ( credentials ); // Create the slides API client Slides service = new Slides . Builder ( new NetHttpTransport (), GsonFactory . getDefaultInstance (), requestInitializer ) . setApplicationName ( "Slides samples" ) . build (); // Create a new square text box, using a supplied object ID. List<Request> requests = new ArrayList <> (); Dimension pt350 = new Dimension (). setMagnitude ( 350.0 ). setUnit ( "PT" ); requests . add ( new Request () . setCreateShape ( new CreateShapeRequest () . setObjectId ( textBoxId ) . setShapeType ( "TEXT_BOX" ) . setElementProperties ( new PageElementProperties () . setPageObjectId ( slideId ) . setSize ( new Size () . setHeight ( pt350 ) . setWidth ( pt350 )) . setTransform ( new AffineTransform () . setScaleX ( 1.0 ) . setScaleY ( 1.0 ) . setTranslateX ( 350.0 ) . setTranslateY ( 100.0 ) . setUnit ( "PT" ))))); // Insert text into the box, using the object ID given to it. requests . add ( new Request () . setInsertText ( new InsertTextRequest () . setObjectId ( textBoxId ) . setInsertionIndex ( 0 ) . setText ( "New Box Text Inserted" ))); BatchUpdatePresentationResponse response = null ; try { // Execute the requests. BatchUpdatePresentationRequest body = new BatchUpdatePresentationRequest (). setRequests ( requests ); response = service . presentations (). batchUpdate ( presentationId , body ). execute (); CreateShapeResponse createShapeResponse = response . getReplies (). get ( 0 ). getCreateShape (); System . out . println ( "Created textbox with ID: " + createShapeResponse . getObjectId ()); } catch ( GoogleJsonResponseException e ) { // TODO(developer) - handle error appropriately GoogleJsonError error = e . getDetails (); if ( error . getCode () == 404 ) { System . out . printf ( "Presentation not found with id '%s'.\n" , presentationId ); } else { throw e ; } } return response ; } }
JavaScript
slides/snippets/slides_create_textbox_with_text.js
function createTextboxWithText ( presentationId , pageId , callback ) { // Create a new square textbox, using the supplied element ID. const elementId = 'MyTextBox_01' ; const pt350 = { magnitude : 350 , unit : 'PT' , }; const requests = [{ createShape : { objectId : elementId , shapeType : 'TEXT_BOX' , elementProperties : { pageObjectId : pageId , size : { height : pt350 , width : pt350 , }, transform : { scaleX : 1 , scaleY : 1 , translateX : 350 , translateY : 100 , unit : 'PT' , }, }, }, }, // Insert text into the box, using the supplied element ID. { insertText : { objectId : elementId , insertionIndex : 0 , text : 'New Box Text Inserted!' , }, }]; // Execute the request. try { gapi . client . slides . presentations . batchUpdate ({ presentationId : presentationId , requests : requests , }). then (( createTextboxWithTextResponse ) = > { const createShapeResponse = createTextboxWithTextResponse . result . replies [ 0 ]. createShape ; console . log ( `Created textbox with ID: ${ createShapeResponse . objectId } ` ); if ( callback ) callback ( createTextboxWithTextResponse . result ); }); } catch ( err ) { document . getElementById ( 'content' ). innerText = err . message ; return ; } }
Node.js
slides/snippets/slides_create_textbox_with_text.js
/** * Adds a textbox with text to a slide. * @param {string} presentationId The presentation ID. * @param {string} pageId The page to add the textbox to. */ async function createTextboxWithText ( presentationId , pageId ) { const { GoogleAuth } = require ( 'google-auth-library' ); const { google } = require ( 'googleapis' ); const auth = new GoogleAuth ({ scopes : 'https://www.googleapis.com/auth/presentations' , }); const service = google . slides ({ version : 'v1' , auth }); const elementId = 'MyTextBox_01' ; const pt350 = { magnitude : 350 , unit : 'PT' , }; const requests = [ { createShape : { objectId : elementId , shapeType : 'TEXT_BOX' , elementProperties : { pageObjectId : pageId , size : { height : pt350 , width : pt350 , }, transform : { scaleX : 1 , scaleY : 1 , translateX : 350 , translateY : 100 , unit : 'PT' , }, }, }, }, // Insert text into the box, using the supplied element ID. { insertText : { objectId : elementId , insertionIndex : 0 , text : 'New Box Text Inserted!' , }, }, ]; // Execute the request. try { const createTextboxWithTextResponse = await service . presentations . batchUpdate ({ presentationId , resource : { requests }, }); const createShapeResponse = createTextboxWithTextResponse . data . replies [ 0 ]. createShape ; console . log ( `Created textbox with ID: ${ createShapeResponse . objectId } ` ); return createTextboxWithTextResponse . data ; } catch ( err ) { // TODO (developer) - Handle exception throw err ; } }
PHP
slides/snippets/src/SlidesCreateTextboxWithText.php
< ?php use Google\Client; use Google\Service\Slides\BatchUpdatePresentationRequest; use Google\Service\Slides; use Google\Service\DriveFile; use Google\Service\Slides\Request; function createTextboxWithText($presentationId, $pageId) { /* Load pre-authorized user credentials from the environment. TODO(developer) - See https://developers.google.com/identity for guides on implementing OAuth2 for your application. */ $client = new Google\Client(); $client->useApplicationDefaultCredentials(); $client->addScope(Google\Service\Drive::DRIVE); $slidesService = new Google_Service_Slides($client); try { // Create a new square textbox, using the supplied element ID. $elementId = "MyTextBoxxxx_01"; $pt350 = array('magnitude' => 350, 'unit' => 'PT'); $requests = array(); $requests[] = new Google_Service_Slides_Request(array( 'createShape' => array( 'objectId' => $elementId, 'shapeType' => 'TEXT_BOX', 'elementProperties' => array( 'pageObjectId' => $pageId, 'size' => array( 'height' => $pt350, 'width' => $pt350 ), 'transform' => array( 'scaleX' => 1, 'scaleY' => 1, 'translateX' => 350, 'translateY' => 100, 'unit' => 'PT' ) ) ) )); // Insert text into the box, using the supplied element ID. $requests[] = new Google_Service_Slides_Request(array( 'insertText' => array( 'objectId' => $elementId, 'insertionIndex' => 0, 'text' => 'New Box Text Inserted!' ) )); // Execute the requests. $batchUpdateRequest = new Google_Service_Slides_BatchUpdatePresentationRequest(array( 'requests' => $requests )); $response = $slidesService->presentations->batchUpdate($presentationId, $batchUpdateRequest); $createShapeResponse = $response->getReplies()[0]->getCreateShape(); printf("Created textbox with ID: %s\n", $createShapeResponse->getObjectId()); return $response; } catch (Exception $e) { echo 'Message: ' . $e->getMessage(); } }
Python
slides/snippets/slides_create_textbox_with_text.py
import google.auth from googleapiclient.discovery import build from googleapiclient.errors import HttpError def create_textbox_with_text ( presentation_id , page_id ): """ Creates the textbox with text, the user has access to. Load pre-authorized user credentials from the environment. TODO(developer) - See https://developers.google.com/identity for guides on implementing OAuth2 for the application. """ creds , _ = google . auth . default () # pylint: disable=maybe-no-member try : service = build ( "slides" , "v1" , credentials = creds ) # Create a new square textbox, using the supplied element ID. element_id = "MyTextBox_10" pt350 = { "magnitude" : 350 , "unit" : "PT" } requests = [ { "createShape" : { "objectId" : element_id , "shapeType" : "TEXT_BOX" , "elementProperties" : { "pageObjectId" : page_id , "size" : { "height" : pt350 , "width" : pt350 }, "transform" : { "scaleX" : 1 , "scaleY" : 1 , "translateX" : 350 , "translateY" : 100 , "unit" : "PT" , }, }, } }, # Insert text into the box, using the supplied element ID. { "insertText" : { "objectId" : element_id , "insertionIndex" : 0 , "text" : "New Box Text Inserted!" , } }, ] # Execute the request. body = { "requests" : requests } response = ( service . presentations () . batchUpdate ( presentationId = presentation_id , body = body ) . execute () ) create_shape_response = response . get ( "replies" )[ 0 ] . get ( "createShape" ) print ( f "Created textbox with ID: { ( create_shape_response . get ( 'objectId' )) } " ) except HttpError as error : print ( f "An error occurred: { error } " ) return error return response if __name__ == "__main__" : # Put the presentation_id, Page_id of slides whose list needs # to be submitted. create_textbox_with_text ( "12SQU9Ik-ShXecJoMtT-LlNwEPiFR7AadnxV2KiBXCnE" , "Myfirstpage" )
Ruby
slides/snippets/lib/file_snippets.rb
# Create a new square textbox, using the supplied element ID. element_id = 'MyTextBox_01' pt350 = { magnitude : '350' , unit : 'PT' } requests = [ { create_shape : { object_id_prop : element_id , shape_type : 'TEXT_BOX' , element_properties : { page_object_id : page_id , size : { height : pt350 , width : pt350 }, transform : { scale_x : '1' , scale_y : '1' , translate_x : '350' , translate_y : '100' , unit : 'PT' } } } }, # Insert text into the box, using the supplied element ID. { insert_text : { object_id_prop : element_id , insertion_index : 0 , text : 'New Box Text Inserted!' } } ] # Execute the request. req = Google :: Apis :: SlidesV1 :: BatchUpdatePresentationRequest . new ( requests : requests ) response = slides_service . batch_update_presentation ( presentation_id , req ) create_shape_response = response . replies [ 0 ]. create_shape puts "Created textbox with ID: #{ create_shape_response . object_id } "
For more information about controlling the size and position of shapes, see Size and position page elements .
