DrawingML

DrawingML is the XML-based markup language used to encode vector graphics, shapes, and related graphical content inside Open XML documents created by Microsoft Office applications such as Word, PowerPoint, and Excel. It defines how graphical objects are stored and rendered within a document, supporting consistent rendering across platforms and devices.

DrawingML covers a wide range of graphic objects, including simple shapes, lines, charts, pictures, and diagrams. It provides a set of properties to describe geometry, fills, lines, effects, and transformations, and organizes graphical elements within a drawing part of a document that is referenced by the main document content.

The DrawingML schema is defined as part of the Office Open XML standard. It uses specific namespaces and includes components for shapes, geometries, fills, lines, and grouping, as well as drawing properties that control rendering such as gradients and shadows. Extensions exist for charts and other specialized graphic content within drawings.

History and standards: DrawingML originated with Office Open XML in the Office 2007 era and has been standardized by ECMA as ECMA-376 and ISO/IEC 29500. The specification has evolved to support richer graphics, new shape types, and broader compatibility with other drawing formats.

Usage and compatibility: Applications render DrawingML content within documents, enabling cross-application exchange of graphical content. Fidelity can vary between software versions and implementations, and some advanced effects may be approximated or unsupported in non-Microsoft products.