Description ilan klein 2006-09-03 08:46:54 EDT

For Sametime 7.5 (IBM leading product), we need to support BIDI and an RTL user interface.

Currently there is no common interface/API for getting information from the system about data, that the user has:

1. What language is currently selected in a multipule language environment (the list should be accessible and not only the first 2 bit, in OS.java)

2. Need a way to get the list of available languages in the system so we can choose one, and not just the next BIDI language (currently in OS.java).

3. In styledtext and other components, there is initial support for BIDI and Global Orientation (RTL and LTR), but we need a better way to be informed if the user has selected to change the writing direction.
In windows a press on CTRL+Left Shift means selecting the LTR way, and CTRL+Right shift, means RTL.
I do not know how it is on a mac, or linux but we should have an API to subscribe to that, which will be implemented in all the platforms.

4. Similary so, in windows (and probwbly othe platforms), you can assign a shortcut (usually, ALT+LEFT/RIGHT shift) for preffered languages, I think we should have a way to know about these shortcuts, and receive notifications that a languages has been selected/changed.

5. There are a few languages which are RTL by design (Hebrew, Arabic....) but I did not see where that info was available to programers, I think it should be in the Local object, currenly I asked and everyone said they were adding their own checkes for the language (if hebrew or arabic then RTL) but that could be avoided if we have better support in SWT and platform.

Suggested New API:

public void languageChanged(LangEvent e) - ALT+ SHIFT (and shortcuts) in windows
public void globalOrientationChanged() - this could be in windows CTRL + LEFT/Right shift

public List getInstalledLanguages()
public Lang getSelectedLanguage()
public void selectLanguage(Lang lang)
public boolean isSelecetedLangRTL(Lang lang)