1. A computer-implemented method of detecting a layout of a bi-directional text, comprising using a processor of the computer for: scanning a bi-directional text to detect whether the bi-directional text contains at least one character of a predetermined shape; determining a shaping attribute for the text, responsive to a result of the scanning; using the shaping attribute to determine a text type attribute of the text, the text type attribute indicating how the text is stored; evaluating words of the text, in view of the text type attribute, to determine an orientation attribute of the text, the orientation comprising a left-to-right (“LTR”) value or a right-to-left (“RTL”) value; and associating the determined attributes with the text.