SetProcessDefaultLayout function (winuser.h)

Changes the default layout when windows are created with no parent or owner only for the currently running process.

Syntax

BOOL SetProcessDefaultLayout(
  [in] DWORD dwDefaultLayout
);

Parameters

[in] dwDefaultLayout

Type: DWORD

The default process layout. This parameter can be 0 or the following value.

Value Meaning
LAYOUT_RTL
0x00000001
Sets the default horizontal layout to be right to left.

Return value

Type: BOOL

If the function succeeds, the return value is nonzero.

If the function fails, the return value is zero. To get extended error information, call GetLastError.

Remarks

The layout specifies how text and graphics are laid out; the default is left to right. The SetProcessDefaultLayout function changes layout to be right to left, which is the standard in Arabic and Hebrew cultures.

After the LAYOUT_RTL flag is selected, flags normally specifying right or left are reversed. To avoid confusion, consider defining alternate words for standard flags, such as those in the following table.

Standard flag Suggested alternate name
WS_EX_RIGHT WS_EX_TRAILING
WS_EX_RTLREADING WS_EX_REVERSEREADING
WS_EX_LEFTSCROLLBAR WS_EX_LEADSCROLLBAR
ES_LEFT ES_LEAD
ES_RIGHT ES_TRAIL
EC_LEFTMARGIN EC_LEADMARGIN
EC_RIGHTMARGIN EC_TRAILMARGIN
 

If using this function with a mirrored window, note that the SetProcessDefaultLayout function does not mirror the whole process and all the device contexts (DCs) created in it. It mirrors only the mirrored window's DCs. To mirror any DC, use the SetLayout function.

Requirements

Requirement Value
Minimum supported client Windows 2000 Professional [desktop apps only]
Minimum supported server Windows 2000 Server [desktop apps only]
Target Platform Windows
Header winuser.h (include Windows.h)
Library User32.lib
DLL User32.dll
API set ext-ms-win-ntuser-window-l1-1-3 (introduced in Windows 10, version 10.0.10240)

See also

Conceptual

GetProcessDefaultLayout

Other Resources

Reference

SetLayout

Windows