One of my avocations is linguistics, something that has been ill-supported for a long time by word processing programs all of which have assumed either a Roman style of Left to Right or a Semitic style of Right to Left composition. Not all languages work this way, and for artistic and poetical purposes what I am about to propose creates more expression opportunities for writers. This may also help in the reproduction and use of traditional languages around the world. With a language becoming extinct about every few weeks this is potentially a critical support to aid in slowing or halting that trend. If I could code I would do this, I cannot.
What would be helpful is if one could open a format that was part of the same place where it shows left, center, right, or justified formatting - but with more options. These option sets would be Horizontal or Vertical, Top to Bottom or Bottom to Top, and Boustrophedon, Right to Left, or Left to Right.
Languages and types of languages that would benefit from this attention:
Ancient Berber: R->L in columns B->T.
Batak: R->L in columns B->T.
Chinese: R->L in columns T->B, L->R in rows, or R->L in rows. In publications with columnar text headlines and titles appear R->L across the top of the text.
Chữ-nôm: R->L in columns T->B.
Egyptian Hieroglyphics: Columns T->B, L->R in rows, or R->L in rows.
Elamite, Old: L->R in columns T->B.
Etruscan: Boustrophedon and R->L horizontal.
Hanuno’o: R->L in columns B->T.
Japanese: Originally R->L in columns T->B. Horizontal forms began after 1868.
Korean: Originally written R->L in columns T->B.
Kulitan: R->L in columns T->B.
Linear B: Boustrophedon.
Manchu: L->R in columns T->B.
Mayan: written in columns each containing two glyphs and each glyph comprised of various combined parts.
Meroïtic (Hieroglyphic script): R->L in columns T->B.
Mongolian: L->R in columns T->B.
Nushu: R->L in columns T->B.
Oirat Clear Script: L->R in columns T->B.
Phags-pa: L->R in columns T->B.
Rongo Rongo: Boustrophedon.
Sabaean: Boustrophedon.
Sogdian: L->R in columns T->B.
Sutton Sign Writing: L->R in columns T->B.
Székely-Hungarian Rovás: Boustrophedon.
Tagbanwa: R->L in columns B->T.
Tangut: R->L in columns T->B.
Uyghur: L->R in columns T->B.
KEY to Abbreviations:
Right to Left = R->L
Left to Right = L->R
Top to Bottom = T->B
Bottom to Top = B->T