a:sp (Shape)

Represents a shape object in DrawingML, including rectangles, ellipses, and preset shapes with geometry and appearance properties.

Parent elements

Child elements

Description

a:sp is the DrawingML shape element that represents a visual shape object. It is defined in ECMA-376 Part 1 §20.1.2.5.1.

Shapes are fundamental drawing objects that can be rectangles, circles, ellipses, or custom geometries. Every shape has geometry (defining the visual outline), visual properties (fill, line, shadow), and optional text body for text content. Shapes can be nested within group shapes.

Attributes

Attribute	Type	Possible Values	Description
(none)	-	-	All properties are defined through child elements.

Examples

Rectangle Shape with Blue Fill

<p:sp xmlns:p="http://schemas.openxmlformats.org/presentationml/2006/main" xmlns:a="http://schemas.openxmlformats.org/drawingml/2006/main">
  <p:nvSpPr>
    <p:cNvPr id="1" name="Rectangle 1"/>
    <p:cNvSpPr/>
    <p:nvPr/>
  </p:nvSpPr>
  <p:spPr>
    <a:xfrm>
      <a:off x="1000" y="1000"/>
      <a:ext cx="2000000" cy="1000000"/>
    </a:xfrm>
    <a:prstGeom prst="rect">
      <a:avLst/>
    </a:prstGeom>
    <a:solidFill>
      <a:srgbClr val="0070C0"/>
    </a:solidFill>
  </p:spPr>
  <p:txBody>
    <a:bodyPr/>
    <a:lstStyle/>
    <a:p/>
  </p:txBody>
</p:sp>

using DocumentFormat.OpenXml.Presentation;
using DocumentFormat.OpenXml.Drawing;

var shape = new Shape();
var nvSpPr = new NonVisualShapeProperties();
nvSpPr.Append(new NonVisualDrawingProperties { Id = 1, Name = "Rectangle 1" });
nvSpPr.Append(new NonVisualShapeDrawingProperties());
nvSpPr.Append(new ShapeNonVisualProperties());
shape.Append(nvSpPr);

var spPr = new ShapeProperties();
var xfrm = new Transform2D();
xfrm.Append(new Offset { X = 1000, Y = 1000 });
xfrm.Append(new Extents { Cx = 2000000, Cy = 1000000 });
spPr.Append(xfrm);

var prstGeom = new PresetGeometry { Preset = ShapeTypeValues.Rectangle };
prstGeom.Append(new AdjustmentValueList());
spPr.Append(prstGeom);

var fill = new SolidFill();
fill.Append(new RgbColorModelHex { Val = "0070C0" });
spPr.Append(fill);
shape.Append(spPr);

var txBody = new TextBody();
txBody.Append(new BodyProperties());
txBody.Append(new ListStyle());
txBody.Append(new Paragraph());
shape.Append(txBody);

Ellipse with Red Outline

<p:sp xmlns:p="http://schemas.openxmlformats.org/presentationml/2006/main" xmlns:a="http://schemas.openxmlformats.org/drawingml/2006/main">
  <p:nvSpPr>
    <p:cNvPr id="2" name="Ellipse 1"/>
    <p:cNvSpPr/>
    <p:nvPr/>
  </p:nvSpPr>
  <p:spPr>
    <a:xfrm>
      <a:off x="2000000" y="2000000"/>
      <a:ext cx="1500000" cy="1500000"/>
    </a:xfrm>
    <a:prstGeom prst="ellipse">
      <a:avLst/>
    </a:prstGeom>
    <a:noFill/>
    <a:ln w="50800">
      <a:solidFill>
        <a:srgbClr val="FF0000"/>
      </a:solidFill>
    </a:ln>
  </p:spPr>
  <p:txBody>
    <a:bodyPr/>
    <a:lstStyle/>
    <a:p/>
  </p:txBody>
</p:sp>

var shape = new Shape();
var nvSpPr = new NonVisualShapeProperties();
nvSpPr.Append(new NonVisualDrawingProperties { Id = 2, Name = "Ellipse 1" });
nvSpPr.Append(new NonVisualShapeDrawingProperties());
nvSpPr.Append(new ShapeNonVisualProperties());
shape.Append(nvSpPr);

var spPr = new ShapeProperties();
var xfrm = new Transform2D();
xfrm.Append(new Offset { X = 2000000, Y = 2000000 });
xfrm.Append(new Extents { Cx = 1500000, Cy = 1500000 });
spPr.Append(xfrm);

var prstGeom = new PresetGeometry { Preset = ShapeTypeValues.Ellipse };
prstGeom.Append(new AdjustmentValueList());
spPr.Append(prstGeom);

spPr.Append(new NoFill());
var ln = new Outline { Width = 50800 };
var lineFill = new SolidFill();
lineFill.Append(new RgbColorModelHex { Val = "FF0000" });
ln.Append(lineFill);
spPr.Append(ln);

var txBody = new TextBody();
txBody.Append(new BodyProperties());
txBody.Append(new ListStyle());
txBody.Append(new Paragraph());
shape.Append(txBody);

Notes

Every shape must have non-visual properties, shape properties, and a text body
Preset geometries (rectangle, ellipse, triangle) are easier than custom geometries
Shapes can be positioned and sized using transform properties
Text body can be empty if shape doesn’t contain text
Outline width is in EMUs (914400 EMUs = 1 inch)