def is_negative_coord(coords, axis, widgets_so_far):

    if isinstance(coords[axis], unicode):
        coord_split = coords[axis].split('.')
        # The coordinate is in the form other_widget.edge.mode
        # We simply need to know if other_widget's coordinate is negative or not.
        return widgets_so_far[coord_split[0]].negative_alignment[axis]

    return coords[axis] < 0