Editing with MathType's TeX-syntax
Abstract:
MathType is well-known for its point and click user interface for editing math. However, the latest
version adds TeX input from the keyboard, cut-and-paste, or drag-and-drop. This provides the user with
the best of both worlds. When the user knows the TeX language for the math they want to create, they
simply type it. TeX source can also be pasted into MathType, where MathType translates as much of the
TeX input as it can, highlighting any TeX input that can't be translated. The user can correct the errors in
the TeX code or simply replace it with math entered using the point and click interface. In addition to
TeX source, images of formulas from Web pages that include TeX markup in the alt attribute of the
<img>
element, can be copied and pasted or dragged into MathType, and the associated TeX source will be
extracted and processed.
The dialect of TeX/LaTeX that MathType accepts is based on Texvc, the TeX variant used by Wikipedia
and other wikis. This allows MathType to be used as a math input editor for Wikipedia authors. More
importantly, it allows anyone doing research with Wikipedia to copy equations from its pages straight
into MathType and then reuse them by pasting into Microsoft Word or PowerPoint documents, or any
of the many applications MathType works with. Formulas entered as TeX can also be saved as GIF or EPS
image files.