right-left-alignment

[Markus Symank]

Hi everyone,

I am using FLEX to create a dictionary for a language community that uses a modified Arabic script (right-to-left-language).

How can I change the default left alignment of the FLEX dictionary to a right alignment?

Thanks for any help that you may offer :)

Markus

[Ann Bush]

Usually this is automatic because the writing system database knows that Arabic is right to left. There is also a check box in the writing system properties that specifies right to left,

 

Ann

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[asi...@yahoo.com]

This might not be the right question, but is your Vernacular Writing System the R-L Arabic one?

To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/flex-list/d44fdb7bb492aa03ddd07ea512172c85%40mail.gmail.com.

[Markus Symank]

Thanks for your answer. What I mean is not the script/writing itself, but the alignment of the dictionary as a whole. With an Arabic based script, the entries should start on the right (not in the left). Is it possible to change that?

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[asi...@yahoo.com]

Right. I understand that, but I was thinking that if your Vernacular Writing System is not R-L, then your alignment of the dictionary might not be R-L. Just a guess, though.

 

From: flex...@googlegroups.com <flex...@googlegroups.com> On Behalf Of Markus Symank
Sent: Monday, March 23, 2026 11:25 AM
To: flex...@googlegroups.com
Subject: Re: [FLEx] right-left-alignment

 

Thanks for your answer. What I mean is not the script/writing itself, but the alignment of the dictionary as a whole. With an Arabic based script, the entries should start on the right (not in the left) Is it possible to change that?

To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/flex-list/CAHuMa-80M_qCLw2N%2BEU6Su%3D%3DsnSfYCyr81LqcSw243O7_8hNag%40mail.gmail.com.

[Markus Symank]

The vernacular writing system we use for the dictionary is R-L (an Arabic based script) but the alignment of the dictionary is still L-R. Do you know whether that is something that can be changed?

To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/flex-list/002801dcbae3%24843ec140%248cbc43c0%24%40yahoo.com.

[asi...@yahoo.com]

I'm sure one of the experts will answer you on this list soon, but my wild guess is that the setting must be under Tools / Configure / Dictionary and then in one the myriad of settings that show up there. We use R-L languages in our Analysis Writing Systems, but not the Vernacular so this is not something we have had to deal with.

 

Here is what AI said when I asked so proceed at your own risk:

 

To change the dictionary view to Right-to-Left (RTL) in SIL's FLEx program, you need to adjust the Direction control for the Dictionary-Normal style within the Configure Dictionary settings. 

downloads.languagetechnology.org

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Open the Configure Dictionary dialog: Navigate to the main menu and select Tools > Configure > Dictionary.

1. Alternatively, you can right-click anywhere within a Dictionary view entry and choose Configure Dictionary View.

2. Select the appropriate view: In the "Choose the view to configure" box, ensure the correct view is selected (this view will be applied whenever you click "Dictionary" in the Navigation Pane).
3. Find the Dictionary-Normal style: In the hierarchical structure within the dialog box, find and select the Dictionary-Normal style.
4. Set the Direction control: Use the Direction control associated with the Dictionary-Normal style to set it to Right-to-Left.
5. Confirm and check the results: Click OK to apply the changes. The dictionary view should now align to the right, and the headwords will be correctly positioned for RTL reading. 

software.sil.org +3

After making this change, it is a good idea to examine several entries in the dictionary view to ensure all the data is presented correctly. 

downloads.languagetechnology.org

 

 

From: flex...@googlegroups.com <flex...@googlegroups.com> On Behalf Of Markus Symank
Sent: Tuesday, March 24, 2026 2:09 AM
To: flex...@googlegroups.com
Subject: Re: [FLEx] right-left-alignment

 

The vernacular writing system we use for the dictionary is R-L (an Arabic based script) but the alignment of the dictionary is still L-R. Do you know whether that is something that can be changed?

asigwan via FLEx list <flex...@googlegroups.com> schrieb am Mo., 23. März 2026, 19:38:

Right. I understand that, but I was thinking that if your Vernacular Writing System is not R-L, then your alignment of the dictionary might not be R-L. Just a guess, though.

 

From: flex...@googlegroups.com <flex...@googlegroups.com> On Behalf Of Markus Symank
Sent: Monday, March 23, 2026 11:25 AM
To: flex...@googlegroups.com
Subject: Re: [FLEx] right-left-alignment

 

Thanks for your answer. What I mean is not the script/writing itself, but the alignment of the dictionary as a whole. With an Arabic based script, the entries should start on the right (not in the left) Is it possible to change that?

To view this discussion visit https://groups.googlecom/d/msgid/flex-list/d44fdb7bb492aa03ddd07ea512172c85%40mail.gmail.com.

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[Markus Symank]

Great, it worked. Thanks so much for this! Very much appreciated. :) 

To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/flex-list/000601dcbb56%2476ce10b0%24646a3210%24%40yahoo.com.

[asi...@yahoo.com]

I'll report this back to the informal Tech get-together here at JAARS. We just had a meeting yesterday talking about how to use AI for SIL-related questions. And here it worked!

To view this discussion visit https://groupsgoogle.com/d/msgid/flex-list/002801dcbae3%24843ec140%248cbc43c0%24%40yahoocom.

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[Beth-docs Bryson]

Well, I would say that the AI answer was “close enough to get him where he needed to be”.

But it wasn’t in Tools/Configure Dictionary.  It would have been Format/Styles, and then find “Dictionary-Normal”.

There are multiple ways to get to the Styles settings, and one way is through some of the buttons in Configure Dictionary, but the Styles settings are independent of the settings in Configure Dictionary.  That is, you set up styles, and in Configure Dictionary you can use those styles, but one set of styles is available for all the different configurations.

The principle for using the Styles is that you want to set something at the document level.  Dictionary-Normal is indeed the right place to set the directionality.

And if you happen to have two different writing systems, where one is RTL and the other is LTR, or you just have need for different layouts, you could duplicate the style Dictionary-Normal, and call the new one Dictionary-Normal-RTL, and set only that one to RTL.  (And you may need to adjust other styles as well to inherit from that.)

There is a lesson in the DLS Lexicography Course about Styles.  I can’t remember if it address directionality or not.

In any case, I’m glad you found a way to get what you needed.

-Beth

On Mar 24, 2026, at 2:03 AM, asigwan via FLEx list <flex...@googlegroups.com> wrote:

I'll report this back to the informal Tech get-together here at JAARS. We just had a meeting yesterday talking about how to use AI for SIL-related questions. And here it worked!

 

From: flex...@googlegroups.com <flex...@googlegroups.com> On Behalf Of Markus Symank
Sent: Tuesday, March 24, 2026 3:00 AM
To: flex...@googlegroups.com
Subject: Re: [FLEx] right-left-alignment

 

Great, it worked. Thanks so much for this! Very much appreciated. :) 

 

On Tue, Mar 24, 2026 at 9:21 AM asigwan via FLEx list <flex...@googlegroups.com> wrote:

I'm sure one of the experts will answer you on this list soon, but my wild guess is that the setting must be under Tools / Configure / Dictionary and then in one the myriad of settings that show up there. We use R-L languages in our Analysis Writing Systems, but not the Vernacular so this is not something we have had to deal with.

 

Here is what AI said when I asked so proceed at your own risk:

 

To change the dictionary view to Right-to-Left (RTL) in SIL's FLEx program, you need to adjust the Direction control for the Dictionary-Normal style within the Configure Dictionary settings. 

<image001.png>downloads.languagetechnology.org

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Open the Configure Dictionary dialog: Navigate to the main menu and select Tools > Configure > Dictionary.

1. Alternatively, you can right-click anywhere within a Dictionary view entry and choose Configure Dictionary View.

2. Select the appropriate view: In the "Choose the view to configure" box, ensure the correct view is selected (this view will be applied whenever you click "Dictionary" in the Navigation Pane).
3. Find the Dictionary-Normal style: In the hierarchical structure within the dialog box, find and select the Dictionary-Normal style.
4. Set the Direction control: Use the Direction control associated with the Dictionary-Normal style to set it to Right-to-Left.
5. Confirm and check the results: Click OK to apply the changes. The dictionary view should now align to the right, and the headwords will be correctly positioned for RTL reading. 

<image002.png>software.sil.org +3

After making this change, it is a good idea to examine several entries in the dictionary view to ensure all the data is presented correctly. 

<image001.png>downloads.languagetechnology.org

To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/flex-list/001801dcbb5c%245f1613e0%241d423ba0%24%40yahoo.com.