Document Map where Normal style is set to Right to Left text

[jmt356]

I have a document map in a document whose Normal style direction is set to Right to Left. The text in the Document Map (and all other styles) thus appear in the right to left direction. However, in the Document Map, all of the text is flushed to the right (see screenshot). It does not appear to be indented based on the Outline Level of the corresponding style. Rather, these corresponding levels appear on the left.

However, when my styles are set to Left to Right text direction, they appear to be properly indented based on their Outline levels. How can I get this feature to work with Right to Left text direction?

[HansV]

Again, just guessing. Does it help if you set the language of the Document Map style? (I doubt that it will work though)

[Rudi]

According to posts in other forums, this seems to be a language setting in Word.

If you go to your Word Options dialog and access the Language settings, you might have English set as your priority language for display and help options. Try switching the priority language to the appropriate right to left language, confirm it and restart Word.

Does this resolve the Document map orientation?

[Rudi]

You may want to review the information in this link too: Right-to-left language features

[jmt356]

Hans: I cannot change the language of the Document Map style (or of other styles) to Arabic, though I can change it to other languages, such as French or Spanish. .

Rudi: I will change the Default Language to Arabic under Options | Language and if that does not solve the problem, I will repost.

[jmt356]

Changing the default input language assigns Arabic in right-to-left format to the Normal style in all new documents, with Arabic as the language for entering new text. It does not change the errors with respect to how the Document Map displays. Moreover, it erases my Normal template shortcuts and Style customizations.

[jmt356]

The issue with respect to the display of the Document Map in the Arabic language is solved by going to:
- Options | Language
- Under Choose Display and Help Languages, go to Display Language.
- Select Arabic.
- Click Set as Default.

This works whether the Default Input Language is English or Arabic.

[Rudi]

The issue with respect to the display of the Document Map in the Arabic language is solved by going to:
- Options | Language
- Under Choose Display and Help Languages, go to Display Language.
- Select Arabic.
- Click Set as Default.

This works whether the Default Input Language is English or Arabic.

Yes, the display and help language options are different to the default and dictionary language in Word.
I'm glad this option is resolved.

[jmt356]

I have changed the display language back to English, but there are some characteristics of Arabic that remain, namely, the scroll bars in my Word documents and Outlook emails, appointments and contacts appears on the left rather than on the right. How can I restore the English default?

[Rudi]

Verify or try the following...

Close all Office Apps.
Open Word
Access the Word Options
Access the Language Tab
Remove Arabic from the various Windows
OK to confirm
Accept any message regarding Language settings being adjusted
Close Word down
Restart Word
Check the interface

Outlook (if it uses Word as the default editor should be updated automatically.

[jmt356]

I can verify that I tried the above.

[Rudi]

You will need to wade through the various language settings to find if there is still a remnant setting in Arabic.
If you have checked the Word settings, Style settings, the settings in the Normal Template, Proofing and Preference Languages (on the Reveiw Tab - or Tools | Language | Set Language in Word 2003). How about any settings you adjusted in Regional Language settings or Keyboard language? All of these can affect Office apps. In Outlook, under Outlook mail options, mail messages also have Encoding options determining the character sets being used.

I am just throwing it all out there...its just a matter of checking every setting to find the culprit.

Another thing you can try is to get out of Word and rename your Normal.dot file. This file can contain the default language setting for Word; renaming the file and then restarting Word causes the old Normal.dot to be ignored and a new one created. Of course, renaming Normal.dot also means that other settings contained within the file are also lost.