Need an Easy Equation Editor for Writing Papers? Look no Further!

[Curl]

Is there a good free/cheap editor for easily/rapidly writing equations? I need to write 3+ papers in the next 2 months and they all have a lot of matrices and equations with indices and all those things that take forever to enter in using MS Word.

I hate spending hours on entering that stuff in, it is ridiculous.

 

[Vanadium 50]

LaTex.

 

[lisab]

This one is OK.

http://www.codecogs.com/latex/eqneditor.php

 

[Ben Niehoff]

Download and install TexLive. It is free, and comes on all platforms. It comes with a free editor called TexWorks, which shows your LaTeX source and the compiled PDF side-by-side.

TexLive is huge and will take an hour or two to install. Also, TexWorks has no spellcheck, so hopefully you haven't gotten used to relying on that.

 

[Pengwuino]

TexLive is huge and will take an hour or two to install. Also, TexWorks has no spellcheck, so hopefully you haven't gotten used to relying on that.

A spell checker can be installed, though. :)

 

[Curl]

I don't want some DOS command line driven, linux kernel based program. I'm not in computer science I don't know how do deal with all that, and the point is to save time here not waste it trying to figure this out. Something like the one lisab mentioned is what I'm looking for, there's got to be something like that you can download, and also one without the mouse-over menus (i want it laid out, I have plenty of screen resolution)

 

[Ben Niehoff]

I don't want some DOS command line driven, linux kernel based program. I'm not in computer science I don't know how do deal with all that, and the point is to save time here not waste it trying to figure this out.

TexLive installs with the click of a button, and the editor TexWorks is a GUI with menus and all that. To compile your LaTeX, you click a big green button.

I should say, TexLive installs by clicking a button and then waiting 1-2 hours. But it's fully automated; no need to do anything in the command line.

Something like the one lisab mentioned is what I'm looking for, there's got to be something like that you can download, and also one without the mouse-over menus (i want it laid out, I have plenty of screen resolution)

Are you saying that you WANT something with little buttons you can click to enter your formulas, by putting in summation signs, raising powers, etc.? That seems like an odd request coming from someone who is frustrated with MS Word's equation editor. Entering equations by clicking little buttons is excruciatingly slow compared to just typing out the LaTeX code directly.

Trust me on this one. Take 2 hours of your time to install TexLive; then you'll be able to type equations fast enough to take notes during class, if you so desire.

Edited to add: If you're on Windows, you can also consider MikTex. I haven't used it, but some of my friends like it.

 

[jhae2.718]

If you want to use LaTeX in a graphical environment, try LyX.

Personally, I use TeXLive on Linux for everything. For what you described needing to write, learn and use LaTeX. It's wonderful.

 

[Curl]

I think I'm not understanding something. How is typing this:

\begin{bmatrix}
 &  & \\ 
 &  & \\ 
 &  & 
\end{bmatrix}

a fast way of putting 2 brackets around some numbers? Plus I'll have to memorize/look up all of these commands and syntax which takes time to get used to. Is there some kind of newbie-friendly introduction to this to get started?

 

[Saladsamurai]

I think I'm not understanding something. How is typing this:

\begin{bmatrix}
& & \\
& & \\
& &
\end{bmatrix}

a fast way of putting 2 brackets around some numbers? Plus I'll have to memorize/look up all of these commands and syntax which takes time to get used to. Is there some kind of newbie-friendly introduction to this to get started?

Nobody said it was. If you have been using LaTeX for a while and know the commands, then they are faster than point and click. If not, then stick with MS Word Equation editor. Pick one and get to it.

 

[Pythagorean]

"LatexIt" is a fast code to image program.

 

[Pengwuino]

I think I'm not understanding something. How is typing this:

\begin{bmatrix}
& & \\
& & \\
& &
\end{bmatrix}

a fast way of putting 2 brackets around some numbers? Plus I'll have to memorize/look up all of these commands and syntax which takes time to get used to. Is there some kind of newbie-friendly introduction to this to get started?

There are a FEW things that things like MathType and MS Equation Editor can do faster, but a vast majority of things are extremely hard in in MSEE.

For example, I timed myself writing the following out of one of my texts:

$\chi = \left({{|e|\hbar}\over{2m_e cB}}\right) tanh ({{\beta\hbar\omega}\over{2}})$

35 seconds in Latex. 70 seconds in MS word. I'm pretty good at TeX, but I also am very good at using MS's equation function because I am forced to do presentations in PowerPoint. LaTeX does not need to be command-line driven or any of that nonsense. TeXworks for PC with MikTex installs just like any other program and the code just to write papers is absolutely minimal. The number of commands you'll need will be ridiculously minimal and when you learn it, you know it forever. The complexity of TeX is involved in making large articles or books or other things with a lot of formatting and "prettiness" that needs to be taken into consideration.

 

[jhae2.718]

...I'm pretty good at TeX, but I also am very good at using MS's equation function because I am forced to do presentations in PowerPoint...

Can't you use LaTeX-beamer? It's so much better than PowerPoint.

 

[Pythagorean]

user prezi for presentations... latexit for equations in prezi

prezi.com

infinite zoom, super innovative.

 

[Pengwuino]

Both of you shut up. I'm trying to prove a point here.

 

[Pythagorean]

Both of you shut up. I'm trying to prove a point here.

points are sharpened with lots of hard work, not proven with an internet post!

 

[Char. Limit]

points are sharpened with lots of hard work, not proven with an internet post!

Wrong on both counts. Points are graphed in n-space.

 

[Pythagorean]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X5ThccaxWmk

 

[Ben Niehoff]

$$\begin{bmatrix} 1 & 3 & 5 \\ 8 & 13 & 21 \end{bmatrix}$$

That took like 15 seconds typing. I don't even know where the clicky buttons are to do it the other way.

 

[Curl]

Ok can I use TeX in MS word? I realize entering equations in TeX is quick but now I'm getting turned off by the formatting conventions in LaTeX.
One of the papers has to look pretty, and it seems like a pain to put in images etc.

 

[Ben Niehoff]

Ok can I use TeX in MS word? I realize entering equations in TeX is quick but now I'm getting turned off by the formatting conventions in LaTeX.

What formatting conventions are you referring to?

One of the papers has to look pretty, and it seems like a pain to put in images etc.

To include pictures, the simplest way is

\usepackage{graphicx}

And then you can include .gif, .png, .jpg, etc., using

\begin{figure}
\centering
\includegraphics[width=4in]{flux_cap.png}
\caption{\it Here we see the design of the flux capacitor.}
\label{flux capacitor}
\end{figure}

There are other options you can use besides "width" to set the scale of the picture. However, since LaTeX was designed for printing, you will not have pixel-for-pixel settings, so it may look ugly on your screen. For professional printing, publishers will use vector graphics such as .eps that can be scaled to any size with no loss of detail.

Also, LaTeX will not place an image exactly where you put this code in the source. It will try to find the nearest most logical place, which is usually at the top of a page. It will then re-flow text around the picture. This will be annoying if you are used to manually controlling where your pictures appear. But once you get used to it, you will find it makes more sense. You can simply focus on what content to write, and the image will remain pinned to the top of the page, even if you have to go back and edit your text.

The idea is to separate layout and formatting decisions from the content itself, so rather than agonizing over where things appear on the page, you can just write.

 

[Curl]

Seems much less flexible. I want to be in control of how the paper looks like. Are there tricks for doing this?

 

[Saladsamurai]

Seems much less flexible. I want to be in control of how the paper looks like. Are there tricks for doing this?

LaTeX gives you FULL control, i.e. maximum flexibility. Yeah there are tricks. You have been using the software for a day now, maybe some practice is in order. Google LaTeX tutorials. There are nearly infinite resources.

 

[rhody]

Both of you shut up. I'm trying to prove a point here.

points are sharpened with lots of hard work, not proven with an internet post!

And, in this corner, the undisputed...

Sorry guys, I couldn't resist.

Rhody...

 

[Curl]

I'm hearing everyone says to use MikTex. What's the difference.
Also I'm getting confused with the 1000 plugins needed, seems like every feature is a separate install. What's the deal here? What's with TexWorks and TexMaker?

 

[jhae2.718]

MikTeX is a LaTeX distribution for Windows. TeXLive is primarily for Linux/OS X, but also supports Windows.

 

[MarcoD]

I want to be in control of how the paper looks like.

Problem is that for most scientific publications, you don't really want to be in control of the typesetting. Only for maybe fixing the last details.

If you don't do science, then don't do latex, but opt for a publishing tool with equation support.

 

[jhae2.718]

Also I'm getting confused with the 1000 plugins needed, seems like every feature is a separate install. What's the deal here? What's with TexWorks and TexMaker?

LaTeX has additional features through third-party modules called packages. You need to include these packages to access those features with the

[color=#008000][b]\usepackage[/b][/color][color=#008000]{}[/color]

command.

LaTeX is released as "distributions" which contain the basic typesetting program and a wide selection of the most useful packages. Most distributions include tools for managing additional packages, but sometimes you need to install them manually. MikTeX has an option to download and install needed packages on the fly.

You can find almost all LaTeX packages on CTAN, the Comprehensive TeX Archive Network.

 

[Jonathan Scott]

The equation editor in MS Word 2007 supports lots of stuff very similar to LaTeX, and I use it for quick notes and short papers (but I use MikTeX for bigger stuff). I did however have to set up keyboard macros to go into and out of equation mode as that was driving me mad. I personally use Ctrl-# to start equation mode and Ctrl-Shift-# to end (although I didn't find an "end equation mode" functions so I use a trick instead), where these keys are assigned to the following macros:

Sub InsertEquation()
WordBasic.EquationEdit
End Sub
Sub EndEquation()
Selection.TypeParagraph
Selection.TypeBackspace
End Sub

 

[epenguin]

Have you checked what the 'Instructions for Authors' of the journal you intend to publish says? They may have recommendations or requirements.

 

[Jonathan Scott]

The equation editor in MS Word 2007 supports lots of stuff very similar to LaTeX, and I use it for quick notes and short papers (but I use MikTeX for bigger stuff). I did however have to set up keyboard macros to go into and out of equation mode as that was driving me mad. I personally use Ctrl-# to start equation mode and Ctrl-Shift-# to end (although I didn't find an "end equation mode" functions so I use a trick instead), where these keys are assigned to the following macros:

Sub InsertEquation()
WordBasic.EquationEdit
End Sub
Sub EndEquation()
Selection.TypeParagraph
Selection.TypeBackspace
End Sub

I should point out that the standard keyboard function for switching the equation editor on and off in Word 2007 (and switching to the appropriate ribbon at the same time) is Alt-= and I'm sure that would normally be fine. I don't know why I created macros; comments in my macros source say "turn on equation mode without switching ribbon" but I don't know why I wanted to do that. I'll try using Alt-= for a while and see if it comes to me!