Microsoft Word/Mathtype to LaTeX Coversion

In summary, Microsoft Word and Mathtype are commonly used software programs for creating documents and equations, respectively. However, when needing to convert these documents to LaTeX format, users can use specialized tools such as Pandoc or online conversion services. These tools allow for a smooth conversion process and ensure accurate formatting and equations in the final LaTeX document. Additionally, users can also manually convert their documents by learning the LaTeX syntax and using a text editor. Overall, converting from Microsoft Word and Mathtype to LaTeX can be done efficiently and accurately with the help of available tools and knowledge of the LaTeX language.
  • #1
'AQF
33
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Does anyone know of an easy, effective, and preferably free way to convert Word (*.doc) documents with Mathtype 5.2 equations to standard, compliable LaTeX format (*.tex).

This is very important.

Thanks.
 
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  • #2
I don't know about that but Mathtype itself has a built-in LaTeX-translater, so you can always translate your equations manually with Mathtype.
 
  • #3
Thanks. Any other ideas?
 
  • #4
I doubt you can convert the whole .doc file, but Mathtype has a very good translator by itself.
 
  • #5
I use the same combo (MS word/ MathType) for my HW and papers. I have been just printing to PDF and meanwhile looking for that exact fix.

*You are not alone 'AFQ*
 
  • #6
...you could always just learn LaTeX and make the .tex files yourself. It seems like it would be more work to convert a .doc to a .tex.
 
  • #7
the reason he wants to convert is probably because writing Mathtype is much faster than writing in tex. Writing in Mathtype can even be faster than writing the equations by hand.
 
  • #8
[QUOTE='AQF]Does anyone know of an easy, effective, and preferably free way to convert Word (*.doc) documents with Mathtype 5.2 equations to standard, compliable LaTeX format (*.tex).
This is very important.
Thanks.[/QUOTE]
Why do you want Word documents converted into Latex format :confused:
Are you trying to convert them into pdf files ?
If so, you could try Open Office (free to download from somewhere).
You can open Word documents (with Mathtype eqns) into Open Office. It has a button that directly converts its documents into pdf files.
 
  • #9
No. Only TEX files are supported by the University Publishing System. Thus, I must convert to TEX, not PDF.
 
  • #10
I have MathType, and I know LaTex :smile:

But if you do not know LaTex, go to the menu bar, and under "Preferences", click on "Translators".

Rather than use the "Equation Object", click on "Translation to other language" and selected LaTex.

:wink:
 
  • #11
tmc said:
the reason he wants to convert is probably because writing Mathtype is much faster than writing in tex. Writing in Mathtype can even be faster than writing the equations by hand.

are you on crack? There is a reason that AMS uses latex. inline equations make it easier and faster to write a mathematically rich paper. having to click around for the stupid math editor all the time is a pain and makes you change focus from writing to constructing and object.
 
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  • #12
[QUOTE='AQF]Does anyone know of an easy, effective, and preferably free way to convert Word (*.doc) documents with Mathtype 5.2 equations to standard, compliable LaTeX format (*.tex).

This is very important.

Thanks.[/QUOTE]

Word2TeX ( www.word2tex.com ) does this job and it seems quite good, although I haven't used it. You just Save As.. your .doc file in .TeX format and it has plenty of options, including image convertion.

I don't recommend Word for writing papers - I prefer using MathType so that you can see what you 're writing and then copy-paste the equations to LaTeX using the tip bomba923 said. MathType has also keyboard shortcuts for most of the symbols and customization flexibility. But it 's worthwhile to spend a few hours learning LaTeX - it's easier than general relativity anyway! :rolleyes:
 
  • #13
ComputerGeek said:
are you on crack? There is a reason that AMS uses latex. inline equations make it easier and faster to write a mathematically rich paper. having to click around for the stupid math editor all the time is a pain and makes you change focus from writing to constructing and object.

I've mastered using keyboard shortcuts with MathType 5.2 (copying and pasting onto with MS Word) and with LaTeX. I don't need to use a single mouse click with either method. I am definitely a faster typer with MathType 5.2 and am also much more confident with what I am actually typing with the WYSIWYG interface of MathType. In fact, I type faster with MathType then I write out a solution by hand, simply because I can copy and paste long expressions and often repeat themselves in a solution. However, if I were to publish a work, I would have to use LaTeX. On the other hand, I could always convert MathType to LaTeX with WordtoLaTeX.
 
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  • #14
Download a copy of technicenter (http://www.toolscenter.org/) or miktex (http://www.miktex.org/ ) and use their guis. I used Word2TeX and it is ok, better than retyping everything. The gui's have come a long way to help speed and productivity, when I started using TeX back in '88, there were none and you typed in everything from scratch and spent hours and hours debugging and spell checking to get everything to compile and run. forget getting a pdf file, they didn't exist and you has to use postscript.

If you are using linux, try kile (http://kile.sourceforge.net/) , it is the best out there on that platform, but watch out, one of the libraries will overwrite a library for Fedora Core 3 and you will not be able to completely upgrade your system.
 
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1. How do I convert my Microsoft Word document to LaTeX?

To convert a Microsoft Word document to LaTeX, you can use a tool such as Pandoc or an online converter like Word2LaTeX. These tools will automatically convert your Word document into a LaTeX file, which you can then edit as needed.

2. Can I convert equations written in Mathtype to LaTeX?

Yes, you can convert equations written in Mathtype to LaTeX using a tool called MathType2LaTeX. This tool allows you to copy and paste equations from Mathtype into a LaTeX document, or it can convert an entire Mathtype file into a LaTeX file.

3. Are there any limitations to the conversion process?

While most of the formatting and equations will be converted accurately, there may be some limitations to the conversion process. For example, complex tables or custom formatting may not be converted correctly. It is always a good idea to check the converted document and make any necessary edits.

4. Can I convert a LaTeX document back to Microsoft Word?

Yes, there are tools available that allow you to convert a LaTeX document back to Microsoft Word. However, the conversion may not be perfect and you may lose some formatting or equations in the process. It is recommended to keep a backup of your original LaTeX document.

5. Do I need to have a strong understanding of LaTeX to convert my document?

No, you do not need to have a strong understanding of LaTeX to convert your document. However, it may be helpful to have some basic knowledge of LaTeX in order to make any necessary edits or changes to the converted document. There are many online resources and tutorials available to help you learn LaTeX.

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