+static void graph_output_commit_char(struct git_graph *graph, struct strbuf *sb)
+{
+ /*
+ * For boundary commits, print 'o'
+ * (We should only see boundary commits when revs->boundary is set.)
+ */
+ if (graph->commit->object.flags & BOUNDARY) {
+ assert(graph->revs->boundary);
+ strbuf_addch(sb, 'o');
+ return;
+ }
+
+ /*
+ * If revs->left_right is set, print '<' for commits that
+ * come from the left side, and '>' for commits from the right
+ * side.
+ */
+ if (graph->revs && graph->revs->left_right) {
+ if (graph->commit->object.flags & SYMMETRIC_LEFT)
+ strbuf_addch(sb, '<');
+ else
+ strbuf_addch(sb, '>');
+ return;
+ }
+
+ /*
+ * Print 'M' for merge commits
+ *
+ * Note that we don't check graph->num_parents to determine if the
+ * commit is a merge, since that only tracks the number of
+ * "interesting" parents. We want to print 'M' for merge commits
+ * even if they have less than 2 interesting parents.
+ */
+ if (graph->commit->parents != NULL &&
+ graph->commit->parents->next != NULL) {
+ strbuf_addch(sb, 'M');
+ return;
+ }
+
+ /*
+ * Print '*' in all other cases
+ */
+ strbuf_addch(sb, '*');
+}
+