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The LineFormat object provides access to line properties for shape borders, connectors, and chart elements. It controls line color, width, and dash style.

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Usage

from pptx import Presentation
from pptx.util import Inches, Pt
from pptx.dml.color import RGBColor
from pptx.enum.dml import MSO_LINE_DASH_STYLE

prs = Presentation()
slide = prs.slides.add_slide(prs.slide_layouts[6])
shape = slide.shapes.add_shape(MSO_SHAPE.RECTANGLE, Inches(1), Inches(1), Inches(2), Inches(1))

# Set line color
shape.line.color.rgb = RGBColor(255, 0, 0)

# Set line width
shape.line.width = Pt(2.5)

# Set line style
shape.line.dash_style = MSO_LINE_DASH_STYLE.DASH_DOT
A LineFormat object is typically accessed via the .line property of a shape such as Shape or Picture.

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Properties

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color
ColorFormat
Read-only. ColorFormat instance providing access to line color settings.This is essentially a shortcut for line.fill.fore_color.Important: As a side-effect, accessing this property causes the line fill type to be set to MSO_FILL.SOLID. If you need to non-destructively check the existing fill type, use line.fill.type first.
shape.line.color.rgb = RGBColor(255, 0, 0)  # Red line
shape.line.color.theme_color = MSO_THEME_COLOR.ACCENT_1
shape.line.color.brightness = -0.25  # 25% darker
​
fill
FillFormat
Read-only. FillFormat instance for this line, providing access to fill properties.Lines can have solid fills, gradient fills, or pattern fills, just like shape fills.
# Solid line color
shape.line.fill.solid()
shape.line.fill.fore_color.rgb = RGBColor(255, 0, 0)

# Gradient line
shape.line.fill.gradient()
shape.line.fill.gradient_angle = 90.0
​
width
Length
Read/write. Width of the line as an integer number of English Metric Units (EMU).The returned value is an instance of Length, which has properties like .inches, .cm, and .pt for unit conversion.Returns Emu(0) (effectively no line) when no explicit line width has been set.Assigning None sets the width to 0 (no line).
from pptx.util import Pt, Inches

# Set width using points
shape.line.width = Pt(2.5)

# Set width using inches
shape.line.width = Inches(0.05)

# Read width in different units
width_pt = shape.line.width.pt
width_inches = shape.line.width.inches
width_cm = shape.line.width.cm

# Remove line
shape.line.width = None
​
dash_style
MSO_LINE_DASH_STYLE | None
Read/write. Line dash style from the MSO_LINE_DASH_STYLE enumeration.Returns None if no explicit dash style has been set. When None, the line dash style is inherited from the style hierarchy.Assigning None removes any existing explicitly-defined dash style.Available dash styles include:
  • MSO_LINE_DASH_STYLE.SOLID - Solid line (default)
  • MSO_LINE_DASH_STYLE.DASH - Dashed line
  • MSO_LINE_DASH_STYLE.DASH_DOT - Alternating dashes and dots
  • MSO_LINE_DASH_STYLE.DASH_DOT_DOT - Dash followed by two dots
  • MSO_LINE_DASH_STYLE.DOT - Dotted line
  • MSO_LINE_DASH_STYLE.LONG_DASH - Long dashes
  • MSO_LINE_DASH_STYLE.LONG_DASH_DOT - Long dash followed by dot
  • MSO_LINE_DASH_STYLE.LONG_DASH_DOT_DOT - Long dash followed by two dots
  • MSO_LINE_DASH_STYLE.ROUND_DOT - Round dots
  • MSO_LINE_DASH_STYLE.SQUARE_DOT - Square dots
  • MSO_LINE_DASH_STYLE.SYSTEM_DASH - System dash style
  • MSO_LINE_DASH_STYLE.SYSTEM_DASH_DOT - System dash-dot style
  • MSO_LINE_DASH_STYLE.SYSTEM_DOT - System dot style
from pptx.enum.dml import MSO_LINE_DASH_STYLE

shape.line.dash_style = MSO_LINE_DASH_STYLE.DASH

# Remove custom dash style (inherit from theme)
shape.line.dash_style = None

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Examples

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Basic Line Formatting

from pptx.util import Pt
from pptx.dml.color import RGBColor

shape = slide.shapes.add_shape(
    MSO_SHAPE.RECTANGLE, 
    Inches(1), Inches(1), 
    Inches(3), Inches(2)
)

# Red line, 2.5 points wide
shape.line.color.rgb = RGBColor(255, 0, 0)
shape.line.width = Pt(2.5)

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Dashed Line

from pptx.enum.dml import MSO_LINE_DASH_STYLE

shape.line.color.rgb = RGBColor(0, 0, 255)  # Blue
shape.line.width = Pt(1.5)
shape.line.dash_style = MSO_LINE_DASH_STYLE.DASH_DOT

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Line with Theme Color

from pptx.enum.dml import MSO_THEME_COLOR

shape.line.color.theme_color = MSO_THEME_COLOR.ACCENT_1
shape.line.color.brightness = -0.25  # 25% darker
shape.line.width = Pt(3)

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Gradient Line

from pptx.dml.color import RGBColor

shape.line.fill.gradient()
shape.line.fill.gradient_angle = 90.0

# Blue to light blue gradient
shape.line.fill.gradient_stops[0].color.rgb = RGBColor(0, 112, 192)
shape.line.fill.gradient_stops[1].color.rgb = RGBColor(155, 194, 230)

shape.line.width = Pt(5)

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No Line (Remove Border)

# Method 1: Set width to None
shape.line.width = None

# Method 2: Set width to 0
shape.line.width = Pt(0)

# Method 3: Use background fill
shape.line.fill.background()

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Connector Line

from pptx.enum.shapes import MSO_CONNECTOR
from pptx.util import Inches, Pt

connector = slide.shapes.add_connector(
    MSO_CONNECTOR.STRAIGHT,
    Inches(1), Inches(1),
    Inches(4), Inches(3)
)

connector.line.color.rgb = RGBColor(0, 0, 0)  # Black
connector.line.width = Pt(2)
connector.line.dash_style = MSO_LINE_DASH_STYLE.DASH

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Reading Line Properties

# Check if line has explicit width
if shape.line.width > Pt(0):
    print(f"Line width: {shape.line.width.pt} points")

# Check line color type
if shape.line.fill.type == MSO_FILL.SOLID:
    if shape.line.color.type == MSO_COLOR_TYPE.RGB:
        print(f"RGB: {shape.line.color.rgb}")
    elif shape.line.color.type == MSO_COLOR_TYPE.SCHEME:
        print(f"Theme: {shape.line.color.theme_color}")

# Check dash style
if shape.line.dash_style:
    print(f"Dash style: {shape.line.dash_style}")
else:
    print("Dash style inherited from theme")

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