Lazy man's Reverse bubbles

Exploit RTL to reverse the layout.
PNGs again from AOSP Messaging app

vector/src/main/java/im/vector/riotx/features/home/room/detail/timeline/item/MessageTextItem.kt

@@ -19,9 +19,10 @@ package im.vector.riotx.features.home.room.detail.timeline.item
 import android.content.res.ColorStateList
 import android.text.method.MovementMethod
 import android.view.Gravity
+import android.view.View
 import android.widget.FrameLayout
+import android.widget.RelativeLayout
 import androidx.appcompat.widget.AppCompatTextView
-import androidx.core.content.ContextCompat
 import androidx.core.text.PrecomputedTextCompat
 import androidx.core.widget.TextViewCompat
 import com.airbnb.epoxy.EpoxyAttribute
@@ -71,14 +72,15 @@ abstract class MessageTextItem : AbsMessageItem<MessageTextItem.Holder>() {
                 null)
         holder.messageView.setTextFuture(textFuture)
 
-        var bubbleStyle = if (incomingMessage || outgoingMessage) BubbleThemeUtils.getBubbleStyle(holder.messageView.context) else BUBBLE_STYLE_NONE
+        val bubbleStyle = if (incomingMessage || outgoingMessage) BubbleThemeUtils.getBubbleStyle(holder.messageView.context) else BUBBLE_STYLE_NONE
+        val reverseBubble = outgoingMessage && bubbleStyle == BUBBLE_STYLE_BOTH
         when (bubbleStyle) {
             BUBBLE_STYLE_NONE -> {
                 holder.messageView.background = null
                 holder.messageView.setPadding(0, 0, 0, 0)
             }
             BUBBLE_STYLE_START, BUBBLE_STYLE_BOTH -> {
-                holder.messageView.setBackgroundResource(R.drawable.msg_bubble_incoming)
+                holder.messageView.setBackgroundResource(if (reverseBubble) R.drawable.msg_bubble_outgoing else R.drawable.msg_bubble_incoming)
                 var tintColor = ColorStateList(
                         arrayOf(intArrayOf(0)),
                         intArrayOf(ThemeUtils.getColor(holder.messageView.context,
@@ -96,8 +98,10 @@ abstract class MessageTextItem : AbsMessageItem<MessageTextItem.Holder>() {
             }
         }
         if (holder.messageView.layoutParams is FrameLayout.LayoutParams) {
-            (holder.messageView.layoutParams as FrameLayout.LayoutParams).gravity =
+            //(holder.messageView.layoutParams as FrameLayout.LayoutParams).gravity =
-                    if (outgoingMessage && bubbleStyle == BUBBLE_STYLE_BOTH) Gravity.END else Gravity.START
+            //        if (outgoingMessage && bubbleStyle == BUBBLE_STYLE_BOTH) Gravity.END else Gravity.START
+            val defaultReverse = holder.messageView.resources.configuration.layoutDirection == View.LAYOUT_DIRECTION_RTL;
+            (holder.messageView.parent.parent as RelativeLayout).layoutDirection = if (reverseBubble != defaultReverse) View.LAYOUT_DIRECTION_RTL else View.LAYOUT_DIRECTION_LTR
         }
     }
 

vector/src/main/res/layout/item_timeline_event_base.xml

@@ -23,6 +23,14 @@
         android:layout_marginTop="4dp"
         tools:src="@tools:sample/avatars" />
 
+    <!--  spacer so rtl-hack works better with messageMemberNameView  -->
+    <View
+        android:id="@+id/spacer_view"
+        android:layout_width="wrap_content"
+        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
+        android:layout_toStartOf="@+id/messageTimeView"
+        android:layout_toEndOf="@+id/messageMemberNameView" />
+
     <im.vector.riotx.core.platform.EllipsizingTextView
         android:id="@+id/messageMemberNameView"
         android:layout_width="wrap_content"
@@ -33,7 +41,6 @@
         android:layout_marginTop="4dp"
         android:layout_marginEnd="4dp"
         android:layout_marginRight="8dp"
-        android:layout_toStartOf="@+id/messageTimeView"
         android:layout_toEndOf="@+id/messageStartGuideline"
         android:ellipsize="end"
         android:maxLines="1"