# How to make LaTeX easier than it is?

SMJepard shared this question 7 years ago

There is a “Text” tool in GeoGebra that we use for inserting text into our drawings. Using “Text” tool we can operate with formulas. For this purpose we mainly use LaTeX.

For many people LaTeX is not easy to use, and I’m not the exclusion. Personally, I find working with the source code (\sqrt, \frac, etc.) a bit hard and uncomfortable. And for my teachers (and teachers in general) it’s very hard to deal with it, because they are not really in computers. I can’t say the teachers are lazy or they don’t want to study. THEY REALLY DO, but it’s too hard for them. They want to use it without any problems. They shouldn’t think what for this code is and what for that one is.

The main idea of this topic is how to make work with LaTeX easier, more pleasant and more comfortable.

1.We will need the program called MathType. Unfortunately, this program is not free. MathType is the same as Microsoft Equation, but the first one has more preferences and features.

2.We open this program and type our formula, as we got used to it in Microsoft Office (or OpenOffice).

3.Then, “Preferences” -> “Cut and Copy Preferences…”. Make the preferences as it’s shown below.

4.Then we copy all our formula and paste it into GeoGebra. Ready. Enjoy :)

I hope that will make your work with LaTeX a bit easier. Thank you for reading. :)

1

Thank you, Noel. Didn't know about this program. As far as I understand it's an older version of MathType. :D

If you use this program, then follow these steps.

1. Install the program.

2. Open it and type your formula.

3. "Edit"->"Translators..." We should have such window as shown below:

4. Copy our formula to GG. Enjoy :)

Files: art4.png
1

Doing a search for an English site, I found the following quote...

TeXaide no longer available?

If you are looking for Texaide you will find that Design Science no longer have it as a free download, they now redirect you to the trial version of MathType (which is excellent but will require 's for use after the first 30 days).

I presume that means that if you find it elsewhere on the web it is no longer a legal download. http://mathhelpforum.com/latex-help/83827-texaide-no-longer-available.html

I would caution you to not use this in the classroom.

I am fortunate to own MathType, but I seldom use it as the Tools in GeoGebra are getting better. My students do not find it difficult, also see the wiki at http://wiki.geogebra.org/en...

Tony

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Equation Author (free) available in http://ctan.org/tex-archive...

Saludos

1

http://www.numberempire.com... is another free site I found in my bookmarks.

Tony

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Have a look at

Regards Abakus

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http://www.numberempire.com... is another free site I found in my bookmarks.

Tony

Have a look at

Regards Abakus

All of them are approximately the same as we have in GG. So this is not the way out of this problem.

1

I know that now everyone will hate me :smiley_cat: ...

but I think that the templates included into ggb are enough for most students applications... and why not teaching LaTeX, too? It's rather intuitive, even if I understand that, since the commands are in English, we... foreigners need to learn a bit more. But this is a good exercise to learn how to speak "English math", and this is important, since a lot of math literature is written in English. But once students learn the LaTeX basics, they'll find it easier to use, rather than clicking here and there to select the right template. Btw I sometimes use the link provided by abakus, it's visual, and contains many templates.

Cheers,

S.

1

Has anyone tried http://equalx.sourceforge.net/? I haven't tried it yet, but it also needs MikTeX installed which adds another 160MB.

1

Has anyone tried http://equalx.sourceforge.net/? I haven't tried it yet, but it also needs MikTeX installed which adds another 160MB.

Nice add-on, but you see the problem is the same :) The user has to work with the LaTeX code.

I'd like to remind everyone, we are looking for the soft that allows to work with formulas and then export them to LaTeX. In other words, the soft that protects the user from the work with the code.

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Have a look at the screen shots, there appears to be a symbol editor. As I said I haven't tried it :)

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@ mathmum

I know that now everyone will hate me :smiley_cat: ...
don't hate you, I agree with you, not hate :) . Also, like the wiki page http://wiki.geogebra.org/en.... If someone feels a formula is missing, it can be added.

Tony

1

What's about the planed equation-editor? http://dev.geogebra.org/tra...

1

I liked TutorMates Equation Editor very much :)

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But I don't really understand how to include it into GGB, though I have already read the instruction. In what file should I put the code? And where should be *.jar files?

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It looks as if it is meant to be integrated in a larger GeoGebra project where you keep the java files on a server you maintain yourself and requires you to change the java code of the main application. This may be something for the developers to look into.

For everyday use of an equation editor I suggest running it in parallell to GeoGebra. Take exported LaTeX code and insert in text boxes in GeoGebra.

1

Hi,

I'll just say that GeoGebra's own Equation Editor is now not only on wishlist, but is actually being worked on.

Cheers,

Zbynek

1

and, similar to CodeCogs, http://www.sciweavers.org/f...

to generate TeX syntax.