a:buChar (Bullet Character)

Specifies a character to use as a bullet point in text formatting.

Parent elements

a:pPr

Description

\:buChar\ is the DrawingML element that defines a character to use as a bullet point. It is defined in ECMA-376 Part 1 §21.1.2.1.2.

Bullet characters provide:

Custom bullets: Replace default circles with any Unicode character
Semantic bullets: Use symbols (★, ✓, ◆, etc.) for meaning
Branded bullets: Match corporate identity (company logo/symbol)
Visual emphasis: Draw attention to list items
Localization: Use region-specific symbols

Common bullet characters:

Character	Unicode	Visual	Use Case
•	U+2022	Filled circle	Standard bullet
◦	U+25E6	Empty circle	Secondary level
◾	U+25FE	Filled square	Block bullet
◻	U+25FB	Empty square	Hollow bullet
★	U+2605	Filled star	Emphasis/rating
✓	U+2713	Checkmark	Completed/done
✗	U+2717	X/cross	Not done/error
→	U+2192	Right arrow	Direction/next
✔	U+2714	Heavy checkmark	Strong emphasis
◆	U+25C6	Filled diamond	Alternative
►	U+25B6	Play/triangle	Play/action
–	U+2013	En dash	Dash bullet
—	U+2014	Em dash	Longer dash

Bullet characters differ from:

Bullet font (\:buFont) — Font for rendering character
Bullet number (\:buNone) — No bullet (empty list)
Bullet size (\:buSzPct) — Bullet size percentage
Auto-numbered bullets (\:buAutoNum) — Sequential numbers

Attributes

Attribute	Type	Values	Description
\char\	String	Unicode character	Character to use as bullet (e.g., “•”, “★”)

Content Model

\:buChar\ has no child elements. It is a self-closing element.

xml <a:buChar char="•"/>

Examples

Standard Filled Circle Bullet

<a:pPr>
  <a:buChar char="•"/>
  <a:buFont typeface="Arial"/>
  <a:buSzPct val="100000"/>
</a:pPr>
<a:t>Standard bullet point</a:t>

using DocumentFormat.OpenXml.Drawing;

var pPr = new ParagraphProperties();
pPr.Append(new BulletCharacter { Char = "•" });
pPr.Append(new BulletFont { Typeface = "Arial" });
pPr.Append(new BulletSizePercent { Val = 100000 });

var run = new Run();
run.Append(new Text { Text = "Standard bullet point" });

Star Bullet (★)

<a:pPr>
  <a:buChar char="★"/>
  <a:buFont typeface="Wingdings"/>
  <a:buSzPct val="120000"/>
  <a:buClr><a:srgbClr val="FFD700"/></a:buClr>
</a:pPr>
<a:t>Important item</a:t>

var pPr = new ParagraphProperties();
pPr.Append(new BulletCharacter { Char = "★" });
pPr.Append(new BulletFont { Typeface = "Wingdings" });
pPr.Append(new BulletSizePercent { Val = 120000 });

var buClr = new BulletColorSchemeClr();
var srgbClr = new RgbColorModelHex { Val = "FFD700" };
buClr.Append(srgbClr);
pPr.Append(buClr);

Checkmark Bullet (✓)

<a:pPr>
  <a:buChar char="✓"/>
  <a:buFont typeface="Wingdings"/>
  <a:buSzPct val="100000"/>
  <a:buClr><a:srgbClr val="008000"/></a:buClr>
</a:pPr>
<a:t>Completed task</a:t>

var pPr = new ParagraphProperties();
pPr.Append(new BulletCharacter { Char = "✓" });
pPr.Append(new BulletFont { Typeface = "Wingdings" });
pPr.Append(new BulletSizePercent { Val = 100000 });

var buClr = new BulletColorSchemeClr();
var srgbClr = new RgbColorModelHex { Val = "008000" };
buClr.Append(srgbClr);
pPr.Append(buClr);

Arrow Bullet (→)

<a:pPr>
  <a:buChar char="→"/>
  <a:buFont typeface="Symbol"/>
  <a:buSzPct val="110000"/>
  <a:buClr><a:srgbClr val="0070C0"/></a:buClr>
</a:pPr>
<a:t>Next step</a:t>

var pPr = new ParagraphProperties();
pPr.Append(new BulletCharacter { Char = "→" });
pPr.Append(new BulletFont { Typeface = "Symbol" });
pPr.Append(new BulletSizePercent { Val = 110000 });

var buClr = new BulletColorSchemeClr();
var srgbClr = new RgbColorModelHex { Val = "0070C0" };
buClr.Append(srgbClr);
pPr.Append(buClr);

Diamond Bullet (◆)

<a:pPr>
  <a:buChar char="◆"/>
  <a:buFont typeface="Arial"/>
  <a:buSzPct val="100000"/>
  <a:buClr><a:srgbClr val="FF0000"/></a:buClr>
</a:pPr>
<a:t>Critical point</a:t>

var pPr = new ParagraphProperties();
pPr.Append(new BulletCharacter { Char = "◆" });
pPr.Append(new BulletFont { Typeface = "Arial" });
pPr.Append(new BulletSizePercent { Val = 100000 });

var buClr = new BulletColorSchemeClr();
var srgbClr = new RgbColorModelHex { Val = "FF0000" };
buClr.Append(srgbClr);
pPr.Append(buClr);

X/Cross Bullet (✗)

<a:pPr>
  <a:buChar char="✗"/>
  <a:buFont typeface="Wingdings"/>
  <a:buSzPct val="100000"/>
  <a:buClr><a:srgbClr val="FF0000"/></a:buClr>
</a:pPr>
<a:t>Not completed</a:t>

var pPr = new ParagraphProperties();
pPr.Append(new BulletCharacter { Char = "✗" });
pPr.Append(new BulletFont { Typeface = "Wingdings" });
pPr.Append(new BulletSizePercent { Val = 100000 });

var buClr = new BulletColorSchemeClr();
var srgbClr = new RgbColorModelHex { Val = "FF0000" };
buClr.Append(srgbClr);
pPr.Append(buClr);

Character Selection

Symbol Fonts

Wingdings/Wingdings 2/Wingdings 3 provide special symbols:

Font	Symbols	Use
Wingdings	★✓✗→◆	Standard symbols
Wingdings 2	✔✕✿◈	Extended symbols
Wingdings 3	Special shapes	Specialized graphics
Symbol	Greek/math	Scientific content
Marlett	Buttons/UI	Interface elements

Unicode Character Ranges

Range	Examples	Category
2022–2B50	•◦★✓	General Punctuation, Dingbats
2190–2195	←→↑↓	Arrows
25A0–25FF	▲■●◆	Geometric Shapes
2600–26FF	☀☁✈	Miscellaneous Symbols
2700–27BF	✈✉✌	Dingbats

Character Encoding

Specify characters by:

Direct Unicode: <a:buChar char=”★”/>\
UTF-8 in XML: Direct character in source
HTML entity: \&star;\ (in some contexts)

Bullet Formatting Properties

Typically paired with bullet-related elements:

Element	Purpose	Paired With
\:buChar\	Character shape	Always used together
\:buFont\	Font family	Specifies rendering font
\:buSzPct\	Size percentage	Relative to text size
\:buClr\	Color	RGB or scheme color
\:buSzPts\	Point size	Absolute size
\:buOff\	Offset from indent	Horizontal position
\:buSpcPct\	Space after bullet	Before text

Common Patterns

Standard Bullet List

xml <a:pPr> <a:buChar char="•"/> <a:buFont typeface="Arial"/> </a:pPr>

Hierarchical Bullets

`xml

Colored Bullets

xml <a:buChar char="★"/> <a:buClr><a:srgbClr val="FFD700"/></a:buClr>

Oversized Bullets

xml <a:buChar char="◆"/> <a:buSzPct val="150000"/> 

Bullet Hierarchy Table

Professional bullet hierarchy:

Level	Primary	Secondary	Tertiary
Style A	•	◦	–
Style B	■	▪	▫
Style C	★	✓	►
Style D	◆	◇	◆

Rendering Behavior

Property	Effect	Notes
Char	Bullet symbol	Determines bullet appearance
Font	Rendering engine	Some symbols need specific fonts
Size	Relative to text	Usually 100-120% of text size
Color	Bullet hue	Can differ from text color
Position	Horizontal offset	Managed by buOff, margin settings

Compatibility Matrix

Feature	PowerPoint	Word	Excel	Notes
Custom characters	✓	✓	✓	Full support
Bullet color	✓	✓	Partial	Word limited
Symbol fonts	✓	✓	✓	Font dependent
Unicode chars	✓	✓	✓	Font dependent

Common Issues

Character Not Displaying

Problem	Cause	Solution
Missing symbol	Font doesn’t support char	Choose different font
Wrong appearance	Wrong font selected	Use Wingdings/Symbol
Size mismatch	buSzPct incorrect	Adjust size percentage
Color invisible	Foreground = background	Change color

Notes

Element Characteristics

Self-closing: No child elements
Character-based: Uses single Unicode character
Font-dependent: Rendering depends on typeface
Customizable: Size and color independently adjustable
Semantic: Communicates intent via symbol choice

Design Considerations

Choose intuitive symbols (★ for important, ✓ for done)
Match bullet style to document tone
Test on target platforms (symbol availability varies)
Use hierarchy for multi-level lists
Document custom bullet meanings
Maintain consistency across documents

Unicode Selection

Common symbols (•, ◦, ★) widely supported
Specialized symbols may require specific fonts
Test on different OS/applications
Consider accessibility (some symbols unclear)
Verify Web/PDF export compatibility

Performance

Minimal impact on file size
Character selection doesn’t affect rendering speed
Font requirement may add file size if embedding

Best Practices

Use standard symbols for accessibility
Pair with \:buFont\ for consistent rendering
Test bullet appearance at multiple zoom levels
Document any non-standard bullets in templates
Consider color-blind friendly bullet choices
Validate symbol appearance in target format (PDF, Web)