Adding and editing equations with MathType (Writer)

MathType (currently version 7) is the original mathematical notation tool for Microsoft Word. Open MathType and you have everything at your fingertips for professional-quality math typesetting. Maths for More, a mathematical software company based in Barcelona, Spain that makes WIRIS tools, acquired Design Science, makers of MathType, in September 2017.

Insert an equation

To insert an equation with MathType:

1. Select a command from the Insert Equation group on the MathType tab.
   

2. This launches the MathType application.
   

   NOTE If the MathType title bar does not say Equation in … and instead simply says something like Untitled 1 there is no link between MathType and Microsoft Word. Please close MathType and again select a command from the Insert Equations group on the MathType tab.

3. After creating your equation, close the MathType application to place it in your Word document.

   TIP The first time you do this a pop-up will appear asking if you want to save changes; if you don't want to see this confirmation every time, tick the Don't show this dialog from now on check box.

Change or edit an equation

To change or edit an equation that was previously written, simply double-click it. This will open the equation for editing in a new MathType window.

TIP If your document has Equation Builder equations, but you prefer or need to use MathType instead, click Convert Equations in the Format group on the MathType tab, and then select the equation types you want to convert to MathType equations. You can select the whole document or your current selection, and also whether you want to be prompted before each conversion. You may need to do some cleanup on the converted equations, but it's much less work than recreating the equations manually.

For more information on authoring equations using MathType, please see the WIRIS MathType documentation.

Because MathType uses OLE (Object Linking and Embedding) objects to insert its equations into Microsoft Word, they must be converted into an alternate format before they can be used in applications that don't support OLE (for example, the Saxon XSLT processor or Adobe InDesign).

Typefi Writer automates the conversion of MathType equations into MathType EPS equation images once you've installed two additional Microsoft Word templates (contact your Typefi Solutions Consultant for access):

1. The MathType SDK template exposes the advanced capabilities of MathType to third-party applications like Typefi Writer; and
2. The MathType for Typefi Writer template modifies Typefi Writer's Publish function to export all MathType equations as MathType EPS equation images and swap them into a temporary copy of your document to replace the original MathType OLE objects (this temporary file is submitted to the selected Typefi Server workflow, leaving your original document untouched).

NOTE Because this conversion relies on the MathType SDK and the locally installed MathType application, MathType-enabled documents are restricted from being used directly as inputs to server-side Typefi workflows. For example, if you select a MathType-enabled document as input for an Import DOCX workflow action, the Content XML output will not include your equations.