PM Controls are usually defined in Resource Scripts. Usually, modfiying resources does not require the application developer to change code in the application.
The BIDIPARAM keyword is used to mark PM controls as having specific bidirectional features (attributes and status). Using the BIDIPARAM keyword in a resource script allows the application developer to change the definition of a PM control window, such that when created it behaves "automatically" in a certain bidirectional manner (e.g, it is formatted "automatically" as a "Right-To-Left" window, or is initially ready to accept Arabic/Hebrew text).
BIDIPARAMs are inherited to child windows. For example, specifying BIDIPARAMs for a dialog window resource, affects all child-windows in that dialog.
The BIDIPARAM keyword is specified with two parameters. The first one is the bidi feature that is manipulated (i.e a certain bidirectional attribute, or a certain bidirectional status flag) and the second parameter is the value that is given to that feature. In the following example, the dialog window is marked has having Right-To-Left window orientation. All child windows inherit this feature, except for the entry field which is specified has having a Left-To-Right window orientation. In addition the radio button is marked has having "Implicit" text type.
DLGTEMPLATE ID_SAMPLE LOADONCALL MOVEABLE DISCARDABLE
BEGIN
DIALOG "Sample Bidirectional Dialog", ID_SAMPLE, 5, 10, 100, 50,
FS_DLGBORDER
BIDIPARAM PP_BDATTR_WND_ORIENTATION BDA_WND_ORIENT_RTL
BEGIN
ENTRYFIELD "", ID_ENTRY, 5, 80, 40, 8
BIDIPARAM PP_BDATTR_WND_ORIENTATION BDA_WND_ORIENT_LTR
RADIOBUTTON "Radio", ID_RADIO, 5, 60, 40, 8
BIDIPARAM PP_BDATTR_TEXTTYPE BDA_TEXTTYPE_IMPLICIT
CHECKBOX "Check", ID_CHECK1, 5, 50, 40, 8
END
END
The following is a list of PM controls with a short description of their bidirectional support behavior.