Specify text and container direction

You can specify the text direction and container direction properties for a report object.

The text direction and container direction properties include:

  • Direction

    Sets the reading direction for an object, such as Right to left. If Inherit is selected, the direction is inherited from the parent object. The default is Left to right.

    For text objects, an additional choice named Contextual exists. This choice sets the text direction based on the first letter in the text. If the letter belongs to a right-to-left script, the text direction is right-to-left. Otherwise, the text direction is left-to-right. Numbers and special characters do not influence the text direction. For example, if the text starts with a number followed by an Arabic letter, the direction is right-to-left. If the text starts with a number followed by a Latin letter, the direction is left-to-right.

    Tip: You can also set the direction of text objects by clicking the Text direction icon Text direction icon in the toolbar. This icon is visible only when the user preference Enable bidirectional support is selected in the Cognos® Analytics portal.
  • Writing mode

    Sets the direction and flow of content in an object.

    This property has limitations in the following report formats:

    • PDF reports

      This property has no effect on the PDF report format. If the property is set to Top to bottom, right to left, the PDF reports behave as when the property is not applied.

    • Excel reports

      If the property is set to Top to bottom, right to left, Excel rotates the text by 90 degrees. For certain languages, like Japanese, Chinese, and Korean, it is not currently possible to achieve vertical stacked text in Excel output.

  • Bidirectional

    Sets the level of embedding in an object.

    For text objects, if the Direction option is set to a value other than (Default) and no value is selected for this option, this option is set to Embed. Setting this option to Embed ensures that the base text direction specified for the text is applied. For more information, see Support for bidirectional languages.

  • Justification

    Sets the type of alignment used to justify text in an object.

  • Kashida space

    Sets the ratio of kashida expansion to white space expansion when justifying lines of text in the object. This property applies only to languages that use the Arabic writing script.

About this task

The text direction and container direction properties can be specified for the following types of objects:

  • Compound objects

    Compound objects are container objects that contain text objects. Examples of compound objects are charts, maps, active reports, and prompts. You cannot set the text direction for a specific text object within a compound object.

    To specify the container direction for compound objects, click the Direction & justification property for the object. To specify the direction for a text object within a compound object, click the Contained text direction property for the object.

  • Container objects

    Examples of container objects are tables, blocks, report pages, and any report frames where you can insert other objects. To specify the direction for a container object, use the Direction & justification property.

    By default, the direction of text in a container is inherited from the container.

  • Text objects

    Examples of text objects are titles, footers, and labels. For all text objects, use the Direction & justification property to specify the text direction.

For more information about types of objects in reports, see Report objects.

In charts, the container direction impacts all aspects of a chart, as described in the following list:

  • The chart itself.
  • The location of the Y-axis and the horizontal run direction of the X-axis.
  • The labeling, including the orientation of angled labels on axes.
  • The location and content of the legend.

Container direction has no impact on rotary axes. For example, the slices in a pie always progress in the same direction around the pie. However, container direction affects the labeling, and the position and direction of the legend.

Note: You cannot specify the text direction and container direction for legacy charts.

Procedure

  1. Click an object in your report.
    Tip: To specify the base direction of a text object that is inside another object, first unlock the object by clicking the lock icon Lock/unlock the report icon.
  2. In the Properties pane, click one of the following properties under the FONT & TEXT heading:
    • Direction & justification
    • Contained text direction

      This property is used only with compound objects.

  3. Specify the text direction and container direction options as required.