xref: /docs/en/application-dev/ui/arkts-mirroring-display.md

# Using the Mirroring Capability

## Overview

To accommodate diverse user reading habits, ArkUI provides a mirroring capability that can reverse the display content along the x-axis, switching the layout from left-to-right to right-to-left.

| Before Mirroring         | After Mirroring                                 |
| ----------- | ----------------------------------- |
|![](figures/mirroring_1-0.PNG)|![](figures/mirroring_1-1.PNG)|

The mirroring capability is activated on a component under either of these conditions:

1. The component's **direction** attribute is set to **Direction.Rtl**.

2. The component's **direction** attribute is set to **Direction.Auto**, and the system language in use (such as Uyghur) is read from right to left.

## Basic Concepts

- LTR: left-to-right reading direction
- RTL: right-to-Left reading direction

## Constraints

ArkUI has default mirroring support for the following capabilities:

| Category    | Name                                                        |
| -------- | ------------------------------------------------------------ |
| Basic components| [Swiper](../reference/apis-arkui/arkui-ts/ts-container-swiper.md), [Tab](../reference/apis-arkui/arkui-ts/ts-container-tabs.md), [TabContent](../reference/apis-arkui/arkui-ts/ts-container-tabcontent.md), [List](../reference/apis-arkui/arkui-ts/ts-container-list.md), [Progress](../reference/apis-arkui/arkui-ts/ts-basic-components-progress.md), [CalendarPicker](../reference/apis-arkui/arkui-ts/ts-basic-components-calendarpicker.md), [CalendarPickerDialog](../reference/apis-arkui/arkui-ts/ts-methods-calendarpicker-dialog.md), [TextPicker](../reference/apis-arkui/arkui-ts/ts-basic-components-textpicker.md), [TextPickerDialog](../reference/apis-arkui/arkui-ts/ts-methods-textpicker-dialog.md), [DatePicker](../reference/apis-arkui/arkui-ts/ts-basic-components-datepicker.md), [DatePickerDialog](../reference/apis-arkui/arkui-ts/ts-methods-datepicker-dialog.md), [Grid](../reference/apis-arkui/arkui-ts/ts-container-grid.md), [WaterFlow](../reference/apis-arkui/arkui-ts/ts-container-waterflow.md), [Scroll](../reference/apis-arkui/arkui-ts/ts-container-scroll.md), [ScrollBar](../reference/apis-arkui/arkui-ts/ts-basic-components-scrollbar.md), [AlphabetIndexer](../reference/apis-arkui/arkui-ts/ts-container-alphabet-indexer.md), [Stepper](../reference/apis-arkui/arkui-ts/ts-basic-components-stepper.md), [SideBarContainer](../reference/apis-arkui/arkui-ts/ts-container-sidebarcontainer.md), [Navigation](../reference/apis-arkui/arkui-ts/ts-basic-components-navigation.md), [NavDestination](../reference/apis-arkui/arkui-ts/ts-basic-components-navdestination.md), [Rating](../reference/apis-arkui/arkui-ts/ts-basic-components-rating.md), [Slider](../reference/apis-arkui/arkui-ts/ts-basic-components-slider.md), [Toggle](../reference/apis-arkui/arkui-ts/ts-basic-components-toggle.md), [Badge](../reference/apis-arkui/arkui-ts/ts-container-badge.md), [Counter](../reference/apis-arkui/arkui-ts/ts-container-counter.md), [Chip](../reference/apis-arkui/arkui-ts/ohos-arkui-advanced-Chip.md), [SegmentButton](../reference/apis-arkui/arkui-ts/ohos-arkui-advanced-SegmentButton.md), [bindMenu](../reference/apis-arkui/arkui-ts/ts-universal-attributes-menu.md#bindmenu), [bindContextMenu](../reference/apis-arkui/arkui-ts/ts-universal-attributes-menu.md#bindcontextmenu8), [TextInput](../reference/apis-arkui/arkui-ts/ts-basic-components-textinput.md), [TextArea](../reference/apis-arkui/arkui-ts/ts-basic-components-textarea.md), [Search](../reference/apis-arkui/arkui-ts/ts-basic-components-search.md), [Stack](../reference/apis-arkui/arkui-ts/ts-container-stack.md), [GridRow](../reference/apis-arkui/arkui-ts/ts-container-gridrow.md), [Text](../reference/apis-arkui/arkui-ts/ts-basic-components-text.md), [Select](../reference/apis-arkui/arkui-ts/ts-basic-components-select.md), [Marquee](../reference/apis-arkui/arkui-ts/ts-basic-components-marquee.md), [Row](../reference/apis-arkui/arkui-ts/ts-container-row.md), [Column](../reference/apis-arkui/arkui-ts/ts-container-column.md), [Flex](../reference/apis-arkui/arkui-ts/ts-container-flex.md), [RelativeContainer](../reference/apis-arkui/arkui-ts/ts-container-relativecontainer.md), [ListItemGroup](../reference/apis-arkui/arkui-ts/ts-container-listitemgroup.md)|
| Advanced components| [SelectionMenu](../reference/apis-arkui/arkui-ts/ohos-arkui-advanced-SelectionMenu.md) , [TreeView](../reference/apis-arkui/arkui-ts/ohos-arkui-advanced-TreeView.md) , [Filter](../reference/apis-arkui/arkui-ts/ohos-arkui-advanced-Filter.md), [SplitLayout](../reference/apis-arkui/arkui-ts/ohos-arkui-advanced-SplitLayout.md), [ToolBar](../reference/apis-arkui/arkui-ts/ohos-arkui-advanced-ToolBar.md), [ComposeListItem](../reference/apis-arkui/arkui-ts/ohos-arkui-advanced-ComposeListItem.md), [EditableTitleBar](../reference/apis-arkui/arkui-ts/ohos-arkui-advanced-EditableTitleBar.md), [ProgressButton](../reference/apis-arkui/arkui-ts/ohos-arkui-advanced-ProgressButton.md), [SubHeader](../reference/apis-arkui/arkui-ts/ohos-arkui-advanced-SubHeader.md) , [Popup](../reference/apis-arkui/arkui-ts/ohos-arkui-advanced-Popup.md), [Dialog](../reference/apis-arkui/arkui-ts/ohos-arkui-advanced-Dialog.md), [SwipeRefresher](../reference/apis-arkui/arkui-ts/ohos-arkui-advanced-SwipeRefresher.md)|
| Universal attributes| [position](../reference/apis-arkui/arkui-ts/ts-universal-attributes-location.md#position), [markAnchor](../reference/apis-arkui/arkui-ts/ts-universal-attributes-location.md#markanchor), [offset](../reference/apis-arkui/arkui-ts/ts-universal-attributes-location.md#offset), [alignRules](../reference/apis-arkui/arkui-ts/ts-universal-attributes-location.md#alignrules9), [borderWidth](../reference/apis-arkui/arkui-ts/ts-universal-attributes-border.md#borderwidth), [borderColor](../reference/apis-arkui/arkui-ts/ts-universal-attributes-border.md#bordercolor), [borderRadius](../reference/apis-arkui/arkui-ts/ts-universal-attributes-border.md#borderradius), [padding](../reference/apis-arkui/arkui-ts/ts-universal-attributes-size.md#padding), [margin](../reference/apis-arkui/arkui-ts/ts-universal-attributes-size.md#margin)|
| APIs    | [AlertDialog](../reference/apis-arkui/arkui-ts/ts-methods-alert-dialog-box.md), [ActionSheet](../reference/apis-arkui/arkui-ts/ts-methods-action-sheet.md), [promptAction.showDialog](../reference/apis-arkui/js-apis-promptAction.md#promptactionshowdialog), [promptAction.showToast](../reference/apis-arkui/js-apis-promptAction.md#promptactionshowtoast)|

However, adaptation is still required in the following three scenarios:

1. For layout and border settings, use the generalized direction terms **start** and **end** as parameter types instead of absolute terms such as **left**, **right**, **x**, and **y**, to accommodate mirroring.

2. The **Canvas** component offers limited support for mirroring in text drawing only.

3. The **XComponent** component does not support mirroring capabilities.

## Layout and Border Settings

To adapt to mirroring capabilities, update the following universal attributes with new parameter types:

Position settings: [position](../reference/apis-arkui/arkui-ts/ts-universal-attributes-location.md#position), [markAnchor](../reference/apis-arkui/arkui-ts/ts-universal-attributes-location.md#markanchor), [offset](../reference/apis-arkui/arkui-ts/ts-universal-attributes-location.md#offset), [alignRules](../reference/apis-arkui/arkui-ts/ts-universal-attributes-location.md#alignrules12)

Border settings: [borderWidth](../reference/apis-arkui/arkui-ts/ts-universal-attributes-border.md#borderwidth), [borderColor](../reference/apis-arkui/arkui-ts/ts-universal-attributes-border.md#bordercolor), [borderRadius](../reference/apis-arkui/arkui-ts/ts-universal-attributes-border.md#borderradius)

Size settings: [padding](../reference/apis-arkui/arkui-ts/ts-universal-attributes-size.md#padding), [margin](../reference/apis-arkui/arkui-ts/ts-universal-attributes-size.md#margin)

For example, with **position**, change the absolute directional descriptions of **x** and **y** to the new parameter types of **start** and **end**.

```typeScript
import { LengthMetrics } from '@kit.ArkUI';

@Entry
@Component
struct Index1 {
  build() {
    Stack({ alignContent: Alignment.TopStart }) {
      Stack({ alignContent: Alignment.TopStart }) {
        Column()
          .width(100)
          .height(100)
          .backgroundColor(Color.Red)
          .position({ start: LengthMetrics.px(200), top: LengthMetrics.px(200) })  // Use the new LocalizedEdges parameter type added since API version 12 for supporting both LTR and RTL.
                                                                                   // It is equivalent to .position({ x: '200px', y: '200px' }) when only LTR is supported.

      }.backgroundColor(Color.Blue)
    }.width("100%").height("100%").border({ color: '#880606' })
  }
}
```

## Custom Drawing with the Canvas Component

The drawings and coordinates of the **Canvas** component do not support mirroring. Content drawn on it does not automatically mirror when the system language changes.

[CanvasRenderingContext2D](../reference/apis-arkui/arkui-ts/ts-canvasrenderingcontext2d.md) supports mirroring for text rendering, which should be used with the **Canvas** component's **direction** attribute and the **direction** attribute of **CanvasRenderingContext2D**. The specific specifications are as follows:

1. Priority: The **direction** attribute of **CanvasRenderingContext2D** takes precedence over the **Canvas** component's **direction** attribute, which in turn follows the system language's horizontal display direction.
2. The **Canvas** component does not automatically mirror with system language changes; applications must listen for system language changes and redraw the content on their own.
3. Only symbols follow the direction setting during text drawing with **CanvasRenderingContext2D**; Latin characters and numbers do not.

```typeScript
import { BusinessError, commonEventManager } from '@kit.BasicServicesKit';

@Entry
@Component
struct Index {
  @State message: string = 'Hello world';
  private settings: RenderingContextSettings = new RenderingContextSettings(true)
  private context: CanvasRenderingContext2D = new CanvasRenderingContext2D(this.settings)

  aboutToAppear(): void {
    // Listen for the system language changes.
    let subscriber: commonEventManager.CommonEventSubscriber | null = null;
    let subscribeInfo2: commonEventManager.CommonEventSubscribeInfo = {
      events: ["usual.event.LOCALE_CHANGED"],
    }
    commonEventManager.createSubscriber(subscribeInfo2, (err: BusinessError, data: commonEventManager.CommonEventSubscriber) => {
      if (err) {
        console.error(`Failed to create subscriber. Code is ${err.code}, message is ${err.message}`);
        return;
      }

      subscriber = data;
      if (subscriber !== null) {
        commonEventManager.subscribe(subscriber, (err: BusinessError, data: commonEventManager.CommonEventData) => {
          if (err) {
            console.error(`Failed to subscribe to the language and region status change event. Code: ${err.code}; message: ${err.message}`);
            return;
          }
          console.info('Successfully subscribed to the language and region status change event: data: ' + JSON.stringify(data))
          // After detecting the language switch, redraw the content on the Canvas component.
          this.drawText();
        })
      } else {
        console.error(`MayTest Need create subscriber`);
      }
    })
  }

  drawText(): void {
    console.error("MayTest drawText")
    this.context.reset()
    this.context.direction = "inherit"
    this.context.font = '30px sans-serif'
    this.context.fillText("ab%123&*@", 50, 50)
  }

  build() {
    Row() {
      Canvas(this.context)
        .direction(Direction.Auto)
        .width("100%")
        .height("100%")
        .onReady(() =>{
          this.drawText()
        })
        .backgroundColor(Color.Pink)
    }
    .height('100%')
  }

}
```

| Before Mirroring         | After Mirroring                                 |
| ----------- | ----------------------------------- |
|![](figures/mirroring_2-0.jpg)|![](figures/mirroring_2-1.jpg)|