How do I change text direction adobe indesign?

[crystallynnoakes]

Hello! I am trying to format Arabic in InDesign CC. I have read several forums but I do not have the option to change the text direction in either the character panel or the paragraph panel.

Please help!

[Ganesh_JI]

Hi

The step by step process is explained by you is very helpful. But my 1 question is after changing the language setting in CC, and click the install indesign app in CC. If i have CC 2018 my app will upgrade to CC 2019 please confirm or it will remain 2018 and ME language only update Please confirm

Thanks

Ganesh.R

[Lydia25117064r8sn]

Thanks both @Willi Adelberger and @ulib2010 for the clearest instructions on this topic.

I was wondering if anyone has an up to date walkthrough for using CC in 2022?

I have followed the @ulib2010's instructions (as closely as possible, the Preferences window has slightly changed) and the option to toggle text direction hasn't appeared. Here is what I have done if anyone can help:

1. Opened the Creative Cloud App from my Status Bar

2. Went to Preferences. There is no Creative Cloud Tab in the window as per the 2018 instructions. Instead I clicked Apps and changed Default Install Language to English with Arabic support. This is the only place within Preferences which asks about language preferences.

3. Exited Preferences, but stayed within the Creative Cloud App.

4. Went to Apps.  InDesign had an Install button next to it.

5. Clicked the install button next to InDesign. I did not uninstall Indesign.

6. Restarted InDesign. In the Character window, Character Direction is not an option. The toggle button on the Paragraph window isn't there either. Unless they are in new locations or look different in 2022?

 Any help would be much appreciated. Seems such a simple ask from InDesign.

[Rishabh_Tiwari]

Hi,

Thanks for reaching out. You can try the suggestions shared here https://helpx.adobe.com/indesign/using/arabic-hebrew.html Let us know if this helps or if you need any further assistance.

Regards

Rishabh

[Lydia25117064r8sn]

Hi,
Thank you Rishabh. The Adobe World-Ready Paragraph Composer appears on mine as an option, but choosing it does nothing, the Text Direction button is not there.

I have solved the issue by uninstalling Indesign, changing language to English يدعم العربية, and reinstalling. Type tool now shows as ME type tool along with all the required features.

[Zaid Al Hilali]

Mohamadad,

Most likely you don't have the Middle Eastern version, follow below steps to get all ME tools and options…

1. Unistall InDesign
2. Switch Language to "English يدعم العربية"
3. Reinstall InDesign

[Willi Adelberger]

Sorry, your advice is WRONG.

You don't need to uninstall. Change language and install above the other lnaguage as missing plugins will be added to your primary version. If you have another language installed than English it would change your UI to English but if you work with a German, Frensch or whatever version it will remain in that language and get additional functionality. And it means also to much work as uninstall is not needed.

[Lydia25117064r8sn]

Update for 2022: clicking install after changing language to English يدعم العربية did not work, the additional plugins did not appear. Uninstalling and reinstalling has worked. Thanks everyone. 

[Laubender]

Willi Adelberger said: "You don't need to uninstall. Change language and install above the other lnaguage as missing plugins will be added to your primary version. …"

Hi Willi,

I wonder if this could go wrong with e.g. InDesign 2022 version 17.4 on a German system, because of a bug where the localization folder in InDesign's cache is not named de_DE, but en_US. This went wrong when updating from 17.3 to 17.4 on Windows. Perhaps also on Macs.

@Lydia25117064r8sn ,

what is the locale of your initial InDesign 2022 version?
English, US English, something else?

Regards,
Uwe Laubender
( Adobe Community Professional )

[Lydia25117064r8sn]

English, on Mac. Uninstalling and reinstalling after changing to English يدعم العربية worked, it was not a huge issue in the end. I was able to save my workspace preferences so nothing important was lost in uninstalling.