How can I specify text direction and cursor behavior for bi-directional languages?

If you are using a bi-directional language such as Arabic or Hebrew, you can set the HCL Notes® menus and text to read in the direction appropriate for the language, and specify cursor movement appropriate to the language.

About this task

Note: The Bi-directional tab appears in preferences only when a bi-directional language is available. In Microsoft® Windows® 2000 and Windows® XP, you can set your operating system to use bi-directional languages, but in earlier releases of Windows® you may need to install language locales. Ask your HCL Domino® Administrator for assistance in using other languages.

Procedure

  1. Click File > Preferences.

    Notes Basic client users: Click File > Preferences > User Preferences.

    Macintosh OS X users: Click Notes > Preferences.

  2. Click the plus sign next to Regional Settings and then click Bidirectional.
  3. Do one of the following:
    • Click Right under Menu Direction to display the Notes® main menu items starting from the right edge of the window.
    • Click an option under Global text direction to control the way all text in the user interface appears. Click Right to Left for languages such as Arabic and Hebrew. Click Context to use the reading order you set for paragraphs in a document.
    • Click the behavior you want for the text cursor under Cursor Movement.

      If you click Visual, the text cursor will move through characters in the reading order you set for paragraphs in a document.

      If you click Logical, the cursor will move through characters in the order they were entered in a document. For example, if you have multiple words in English and in a bi-directional language such as Arabic on the same line in a left-to-right paragraph, the cursor will move from left to right through the characters of an English word, and then jump to the first character of an Arabic word and start moving right to left through its characters until it encounters the next English word.

  4. Click OK.

Setting reading order for paragraphs in a document

About this task

If bi-directional text is enabled in Notes®, you can set the reading order for paragraphs in a document.

Procedure

  1. Put the document in Edit mode.
  2. Select the text that you want to specify a reading order for.
  3. Click Text > Text Properties.
  4. Click the Paragraph Alignment tab.
  5. Click Left-to-Right or Right-to-Left next to Reading order.
  6. Click OK.