Manage Bullet

In Microsoft PowerPoint, you can create bullet and numbered lists the same way you do in Word and other text editors. Aspose.Slides for PHP via Java also allows you to use bullets and numbers in slides in your presentations.

Why Use Bullet Lists?

Bullet lists help you to organize and present information quickly and efficiently.

Bullet List Example

In most cases, a bullet list serves these three main functions:

• draws your readers or viewers attention to important information
• allows your readers or viewers to scan for key points easily
• communicates and delivers important details efficiently.

Why Use Numbered Lists?

Numbered lists also help in organizing and presenting information. Ideally, you should use numbers (in place of bullets) when the order of the entries (for example, step 1, step 2, etc.) is important or when an entry has to be referenced (for example, see step 3).

Numbered List Example

This is a summary of the steps (step 1 to step 15) in the Creating Bullets procedure below:

1. Create an instance of the presentation class.
2. Perform several tasks (step 3 to step 14).
3. Save the presentation.

Creating Bullets

This topic is also the part of the topic series of managing text paragraphs. This page will illustrate how we can manage paragraph bullets. Bullets are more useful where something is to be described in steps. Moreover, text looks well organized with the use of bullets. Bulleted paragraphs are always easier to read and understand. We will see how developers can use this small yet powerful feature of Aspose.Slides for PHP via Java. Please follow the steps below to manage the paragraph bullets using Aspose.Slides for PHP via Java:

1. Create an instance of Presentation class.
2. Access the desired slide in slide collection using ISlide object.
3. Add an AutoShape in selected slide.
4. Access the TextFrame of the added shape.
5. Remove the default paragraph in the TextFrame.
6. Create the first paragraph instance using Paragraph class.
7. Set the bullet type of the paragraph.
8. Set the bullet type to Symbol and the set the bullet character.
9. Set the Paragraph Text.
10. Set the Paragraph Indent to set the bullet.
11. Set the Color of Bullet.
12. Set the Height of Bullets.
13. Add the created paragraph in TextFrame paragraph collection.
14. Add the second paragraph and repeat the process given in steps 7 to 13.
15. Save the presentation.

This sample code —an implementation of the steps above—shows you to create a bullet list in a slide:

  # Instantiate a Presentation class that represents a PPTX file
  $pres = new Presentation();
  try {
    # Accessing first slide
    $slide = $pres->getSlides()->get_Item(0);
    # Adding and accessing Autoshape
    $aShp = $slide->getShapes()->addAutoShape(ShapeType::Rectangle, 200, 200, 400, 200);
    # Accessing the text frame of created autoshape
    $txtFrm = $aShp->getTextFrame();
    # Removing the default exisiting paragraph
    $txtFrm->getParagraphs()->removeAt(0);
    # Creating a paragraph
    $para = new Paragraph();
    # Setting paragraph bullet style and symbol
    $para->getParagraphFormat()->getBullet()->setType(BulletType::Symbol);
    $para->getParagraphFormat()->getBullet()->setChar(8226);
    # Setting paragraph text
    $para->setText("Welcome to Aspose.Slides");
    # Setting bullet indent
    $para->getParagraphFormat()->setIndent(25);
    # Setting bullet color
    $para->getParagraphFormat()->getBullet()->getColor()->setColorType(ColorType::RGB);
    $para->getParagraphFormat()->getBullet()->getColor()->setColor(java("java.awt.Color")->BLACK);
    # set IsBulletHardColor to true to use own bullet color
    $para->getParagraphFormat()->getBullet()->isBulletHardColor();
    # Setting Bullet Height
    $para->getParagraphFormat()->getBullet()->setHeight(100);
    # Adding Paragraph to text frame
    $txtFrm->getParagraphs()->add($para);
    # saving the presentation as a PPTX file
    $pres->save("Bullet.pptx", SaveFormat::Pptx);
  } finally {
    $pres->dispose();
  }

Creating Picture Bullets

Aspose.Slides for PHP via Java allows you to change the bullets on bullet lists. You get to replace the bullets with custom symbols or images. If you want to add visual interest to a list or draw even more attention to entries on a list, you can use your own image as the bullet.

Ideally, if you intend to replace the regular bullet symbol with a picture, you may want to select a simple graphics image with a transparent background. Such images work best as custom bullet symbols.

In any case, the image you choose will be reduced to a very small size, so we strongly recommend you select an image that looks good (as a replacement for the bullet symbol) in a list.

To create a picture bullet, go through these steps:

1. Create an instance of Presentation class
2. Access the desired slide in slide collection using ISlide object
3. Add an autoshape in selected slide
4. Access the TextFrame of the added shape
5. Remove the default paragraph in the TextFrame
6. Create the first paragraph instance using Paragraph class
7. Load Image from disc in IPPImage
8. Set the bullet type to Picture and the set the image
9. Set the Paragraph Text
10. Set the Paragraph Indent to set the bullet
11. Set the Color of Bullet
12. Set the Height of Bullets
13. Add the created paragraph in TextFrame paragraph collection
14. Add the second paragraph and repeat the process given in previous steps
15. Save the presentation

This PHP code shows you to create a picture bullet in a slide:

  $pres = new Presentation();
  try {
    # Accessing the first slide
    $slide = $pres->getSlides()->get_Item(0);
    # Instantiate the image for bullets
    $picture;
    $image = Images->fromFile("asp1.jpg");
    try {
      $picture = $pres->getImages()->addImage($image);
    } finally {
      if (!java_is_null($image)) {
        $image->dispose();
      }
    }
    # Adding and accessing Autoshape
    $aShp = $slide->getShapes()->addAutoShape(ShapeType::Rectangle, 200, 200, 400, 200);
    # Accessing the text frame of created autoshape
    $txtFrm = $aShp->getTextFrame();
    # Removing the default exisiting paragraph
    $txtFrm->getParagraphs()->removeAt(0);
    # Creating new paragraph
    $para = new Paragraph();
    $para->setText("Welcome to Aspose.Slides");
    # Setting paragraph bullet style and image
    $para->getParagraphFormat()->getBullet()->setType(BulletType::Picture);
    $para->getParagraphFormat()->getBullet()->getPicture()->setImage($picture);
    # Setting Bullet Height
    $para->getParagraphFormat()->getBullet()->setHeight(100);
    # Adding Paragraph to text frame
    $txtFrm->getParagraphs()->add($para);
    # Writing the presentation as a PPTX file
    $pres->save("Bullet.pptx", SaveFormat::Pptx);
  } catch (JavaException $e) {
  } finally {
    if (!java_is_null($pres)) {
      $pres->dispose();
    }
  }

Creating Multilevel Bullets

To create a bullet list that contains items on different levels—additional lists under the main bullet list—go through these steps:

1. Create an instance of Presentation class.
2. Access the desired slide in slide collection using ISlide object.
3. Add an autoshape in selected slide.
4. Access the TextFrame of the added shape.
5. Remove the default paragraph in the TextFrame.
6. Create the first paragraph instance using Paragraph class and with depth set to 0.
7. Create the second paragraph instance using Paragraph class and with depth set to 1.
8. Create the third paragraph instance using Paragraph class and with depth set to 2.
9. Create the fourth paragraph instance using Paragraph class and with depth set to 3.
10. Add the created paragraphs in TextFrame paragraph collection.
11. Save the presentation.

This code, which is an implementation of the steps above, shows you how to create a multilevel bullet list :

  # Instantiate a Presentation class that represents a PPTX file
  $pres = new Presentation();
  try {
    # Accessing first slide
    $slide = $pres->getSlides()->get_Item(0);
    # Adding and accessing Autoshape
    $aShp = $slide->getShapes()->addAutoShape(ShapeType::Rectangle, 200, 200, 400, 200);
    # Accessing the text frame of created autoshape
    $txtFrm = $aShp->addTextFrame("");
    # Removing the default exisiting paragraph
    $txtFrm->getParagraphs()->clear();
    # Creating first paragraph
    $para1 = new Paragraph();
    # Setting paragraph bullet style and symbol
    $para1->setText("Content");
    $para1->getParagraphFormat()->getBullet()->setType(BulletType::Symbol);
    $para1->getParagraphFormat()->getBullet()->setChar(8226);
    $para1->getParagraphFormat()->getDefaultPortionFormat()->getFillFormat()->setFillType(FillType::Solid);
    $para1->getParagraphFormat()->getDefaultPortionFormat()->getFillFormat()->getSolidFillColor()->setColor(java("java.awt.Color")->BLACK);
    # Setting bullet level
    $para1->getParagraphFormat()->setDepth(0);
    # Creating second paragraph
    $para2 = new Paragraph();
    # Setting paragraph bullet style and symbol
    $para2->setText("Second level");
    $para2->getParagraphFormat()->getBullet()->setType(BulletType::Symbol);
    $para2->getParagraphFormat()->getBullet()->setChar('-');
    $para2->getParagraphFormat()->getDefaultPortionFormat()->getFillFormat()->setFillType(FillType::Solid);
    $para2->getParagraphFormat()->getDefaultPortionFormat()->getFillFormat()->getSolidFillColor()->setColor(java("java.awt.Color")->BLACK);
    # Setting bullet level
    $para2->getParagraphFormat()->setDepth(1);
    # Creating third paragraph
    $para3 = new Paragraph();
    # Setting paragraph bullet style and symbol
    $para3->setText("Third level");
    $para3->getParagraphFormat()->getBullet()->setType(BulletType::Symbol);
    $para3->getParagraphFormat()->getBullet()->setChar(8226);
    $para3->getParagraphFormat()->getDefaultPortionFormat()->getFillFormat()->setFillType(FillType::Solid);
    $para3->getParagraphFormat()->getDefaultPortionFormat()->getFillFormat()->getSolidFillColor()->setColor(java("java.awt.Color")->BLACK);
    # Setting bullet level
    $para3->getParagraphFormat()->setDepth(2);
    # Creating fourth paragraph
    $para4 = new Paragraph();
    # Setting paragraph bullet style and symbol
    $para4->setText("Fourth Level");
    $para4->getParagraphFormat()->getBullet()->setType(BulletType::Symbol);
    $para4->getParagraphFormat()->getBullet()->setChar('-');
    $para4->getParagraphFormat()->getDefaultPortionFormat()->getFillFormat()->setFillType(FillType::Solid);
    $para4->getParagraphFormat()->getDefaultPortionFormat()->getFillFormat()->getSolidFillColor()->setColor(java("java.awt.Color")->BLACK);
    # Setting bullet level
    $para4->getParagraphFormat()->setDepth(3);
    # Adding Paragraph to text frame
    $txtFrm->getParagraphs()->add($para1);
    $txtFrm->getParagraphs()->add($para2);
    $txtFrm->getParagraphs()->add($para3);
    $txtFrm->getParagraphs()->add($para4);
    # saving the presentation as a PPTX file
    $pres->save("MultilevelBullet.pptx", SaveFormat::Pptx);
  } finally {
    if (!java_is_null($pres)) {
      $pres->dispose();
    }
  }

Create Custom Numbered List

Aspose.Slides for PHP via Java provides a simple API to manage paragraphs with custom numbers formatting. To add a custom number list in a paragraph, please follow the steps below:

1. Create an instance of Presentation class.
2. Access the desired slide in slide collection using ISlide object.
3. Add an autoshape in selected slide.
4. Access the TextFrame of the added shape.
5. Remove the default paragraph in the TextFrame.
6. Create the first paragraph instance using Paragraph class and set NumberedBulletStartWith to 2
7. Create the second paragraph instance using Paragraph class and set NumberedBulletStartWith to 3
8. Create the third paragraph instance using Paragraph class and set NumberedBulletStartWith to 7
9. Add the created paragraphs in TextFrame paragraph collection.
10. Save the presentation.

This PHP code shows you how to create a numbered list in a slide:

  # Instantiate a Presentation class that represents a PPTX file
  $pres = new Presentation();
  try {
    # Accessing first slide
    $slide = $pres->getSlides()->get_Item(0);
    # Adding and accessing Autoshape
    $aShp = $slide->getShapes()->addAutoShape(ShapeType::Rectangle, 200, 200, 400, 200);
    # Accessing the text frame of created autoshape
    $txtFrm = $aShp->addTextFrame("");
    # Removing the default exisiting paragraph
    $txtFrm->getParagraphs()->clear();
    # First list
    $paragraph1 = new Paragraph();
    $paragraph1->setText("bullet 2");
    $paragraph1->getParagraphFormat()->setDepth(4);
    $paragraph1->getParagraphFormat()->getBullet()->setNumberedBulletStartWith(2);
    $paragraph1->getParagraphFormat()->getBullet()->setType(BulletType::Numbered);
    $txtFrm->getParagraphs()->add($paragraph1);
    $paragraph2 = new Paragraph();
    $paragraph2->setText("bullet 3");
    $paragraph2->getParagraphFormat()->setDepth(4);
    $paragraph2->getParagraphFormat()->getBullet()->setNumberedBulletStartWith(3);
    $paragraph2->getParagraphFormat()->getBullet()->setType(BulletType::Numbered);
    $txtFrm->getParagraphs()->add($paragraph2);
    # Second list
    $paragraph5 = new Paragraph();
    $paragraph5->setText("bullet 5");
    $paragraph5->getParagraphFormat()->setDepth(4);
    $paragraph5->getParagraphFormat()->getBullet()->setNumberedBulletStartWith(5);
    $paragraph5->getParagraphFormat()->getBullet()->setType(BulletType::Numbered);
    $txtFrm->getParagraphs()->add($paragraph5);
    $pres->save($resourcesOutputPath . "SetCustomBulletsNumber-slides.pptx.pptx", SaveFormat::Pptx);
  } finally {
    if (!java_is_null($pres)) {
      $pres->dispose();
    }
  }