When in a TextBox(Edit), How to Check If the Cursor is LTR or RTL?

[Zohar]

Hello

On Windows that has another language installed, which is a RightToLeft Language,

The user can press Alt-Shift, to Toggle between English and the other, RTL language.

My question is,

I I am now on a TextBox, for example in Notepad's EDIT control,

How can I check If the cursor is for writing english, or for writing a RTL language?

Thank you

Edited November 9, 2009 by Zohar

[PsaltyDS]

It looks from MSDN like the parent window receives a WM_COMMAND with EN_ALIGN_LTR_EC when it is changed to LTR, and EN_ALIGN_RTL_EC for a change to RTL.

That implies you should be able to make the change by sending a message, but I didn't find exactly what that was.

Hmm... saw some references to using GetWindowLog (which would be _WinAPI_GetWindowLong($hEdit, $GWL_EXSTYLE) in AutoIt) and then testing for the bit WS_EX_LAYOUTRTL. But I haven't found the declaration for which bit that would be yet.

Aha! Found it in MSDN: 0x400000

And it's in WindowsConstants.au3 include file. Here's a demo:

expandcollapse popup

#include <GuiConstantsEx.au3>
#include <WinAPI.au3>
#include <WindowsConstants.au3>
#include <Constants.au3>

Opt("GuiOnEventMode", 1)

Global $fRTL = False
Global $hGUI = GUICreate("Test", 300, 200)
GUISetOnEvent($GUI_EVENT_CLOSE, "_Quit")

Global $ctrlEdit_1 = GUICtrlCreateEdit("", 20, 20, 260, 100)
Global $hEdit_1 = GUICtrlGetHandle($ctrlEdit_1)
Global $ctrlButton_1 = GUICtrlCreateButton("Toggle RTL", 100, 150, 100, 30)
GUICtrlSetOnEvent(-1, "_ToggleRTL")
GUISetState()

Sleep(1000)
ControlSetText($hGUI, "", $ctrlEdit_1, "Testing... how about that?" & @CRLF)

While 1
    Sleep(10)
WEnd

Func _Quit()
    Exit
EndFunc   ;==>_Quit

Func _ToggleRTL()
    $fRTL = Not $fRTL
    $iExStyle = _WinAPI_GetWindowLong($hEdit_1, $GWL_EXSTYLE)
    If $fRTL Then
        $iExStyle = BitOR($iExStyle, $WS_EX_LAYOUTRTL)
    Else
        $iExStyle = BitAND($iExStyle, BitNOT($WS_EX_LAYOUTRTL))
    EndIf
    ControlSetText($hGUI, "", $ctrlEdit_1, "")
    _WinAPI_SetWindowLong($hEdit_1, $GWL_EXSTYLE, $iExStyle)
    ControlFocus($hGUI, "", $ctrlEdit_1)
    ControlSend($hGUI, "", $ctrlEdit_1, "Testing... how about that?" & @CRLF)
EndFunc   ;==>_ToggleRTL

I learned something today. Not bad for a Monday!

Edited November 9, 2009 by PsaltyDS

[Zohar]

Hello PsaltyDS!

Your code is very cool, I like it:)

I should clarify one thing tho:

There's a difference between Alt-Shift and Ctrl-Shift.

The code you created, is doing the functionality that you would get by Ctrl-Shift, which is changing the TextAlignment(Left/Right).

Alt-Shift however, does another thing.

Alt-Shift does not change the alignment,

but it changes the Cursor's Direction, and most importantly the Cursor's Output Language.

That means that If the cursor is currently in regular(English - LTR) mode, then pressing Alt-Shift will make the cursor be RTL, and output a RightToLeft Language that you have set on your Windows(If any).

Also I should say that I am looking to Read the value, and not Set it.

I need to Check if the Cursor is currently in RTL, or LTR mode.

Might there be a Bit for that too?

Edited November 10, 2009 by Zohar

[PsaltyDS]

Hello PsaltyDS!

Your code is very cool, I like it:)

I should clarify one thing tho:

There's a difference between Alt-Shift and Ctrl-Shift.

The code you created, is doing the functionality that you would get by Ctrl-Shift, which is changing the TextAlignment(Left/Right).

Alt-Shift however, does another thing.

Alt-Shift does not change the alignment,

but it changes the Cursor's Direction, and most importantly the Cursor's Output Language.

That means that If the cursor is currently in regular(English - LTR) mode, then pressing Alt-Shift will make the cursor be RTL, and output a RightToLeft Language that you have set on your Windows(If any).

Also I should say that I am looking to Read the value, and not Set it.

I need to Check if the Cursor is currently in RTL, or LTR mode.

Might there be a Bit for that too?

I knew it was slightly off what you were asking, but it illustrates the solution anyway. I don't have any RTL languages installed, so that's as close as I could come. But you can see from the code how to get the required bit from "$iExStyle = _WinAPI_GetWindowLong($hEdit_1, $GWL_EXSTYLE)", then doing a BitAND() on the returned value.

[Zohar]

I knew it was slightly off what you were asking, but it illustrates the solution anyway. I don't have any RTL languages installed, so that's as close as I could come. But you can see from the code how to get the required bit from "$iExStyle = _WinAPI_GetWindowLong($hEdit_1, $GWL_EXSTYLE)", then doing a BitAND() on the returned value.

hi:)

yeah I've just finished playing with the code.

First I changed it to Read the value instead of Setting it.

Then I went on to look for the Flag for Alt-Shift instead of Ctrl-Shift.

Didn't find something in MSDN yet.

I then tried another trick.

look at this simple code:

Local   $CurrentControl_Handle  =ControlGetHandle("","",ControlGetFocus(""))
Local   $ExStyle                =_WinAPI_GetWindowLong($CurrentControl_Handle,$GWL_EXSTYLE)
MsgBox(0,$ExStyle)

This code simply displays the whole number that is represented by all flags in ExStyle.

I then ran this code when the TextBox is in regular(english) mode,

and then ran it again, when in a RTL language mode(that means, after pressing Alt-Shift).

If the number is different, then it means I can find the flag myself, even without MSDN.

However the displayed number was the same in both situations :/

Maybe there's another flag set that I can experiment with in addition to $GWL_EXSTYLE?

The value must exist somewhere, since windows knows If it's in LTR or RTL..

I must be able to find it somehow

I have a feeling that this flag is not stored per TextBox("Edit"), but per Window..

will check it now

Edited November 10, 2009 by Zohar

[PsaltyDS]

Good idea. Use the same _WinAPI_GetWindowLong() and just point it to the window's handle vice the control's.

[Zohar]

Good idea. Use the same _WinAPI_GetWindowLong() and just point it to the window's handle vice the control's.

Hi..

I tried.. and no luck..

no flag changed on the window.. neither Style, nor ExStyle..

Anyone has an idea how can I get this flag?