Entering Math Formulas in PF - A Guide

[alexepascual]

I would like to know if there is a simple way to enter mathematical formulas in PF.
Someone suggested a few days ago that I use WinShell. This doesn't seem to be easy to use and the documentation is not very helpful. I thought for a while that I could eventually use it to write articles, but I am getting frustrated. Even If I can't find a good, well documented program to write LaTex articles, I would like to have a way to insert mathematical expressions in the forum. I though the forum used to have a built-in way to do this a few years ago, but I don't see that now. I realize that I can learn LaTex and type it in, but I would rather use my brain to learn more physics rather than LaTex. If there was some WYSIWYG program similar to Equation Editor which allowed to save the formulas in LaTex that would be great. I'll appreciate your help.

 

[mgb_phys]

The only wysiwyg Latex editor I know of is lyx (http://www.lyx.org/)
Don't use it so I on't know how good at formulae it is

 

[jtbell]

If there was some WYSIWYG program similar to Equation Editor which allowed to save the formulas in LaTex that would be great.

MathType (the full-featured version of Word's Equation Editor) can be configured so that equations on the clipboard are in LaTeX format. Then you can copy an equation from MathType and paste it into a posting directly as LaTeX. Of course, you have to buy it, so it won't do if you're looking for a free solution.

 

[alexepascual]

The only wysiwyg Latex editor I know of is lyx (http://www.lyx.org/)
Don't use it so I on't know how good at formulae it is

Thanks mgb_phys for this information. I went to the link you listed and I liked what I saw. It looks that the documentation is much better than that available for WinShell and it appears at first sight that the program is easier to use. I think I am going to install this program in my desktop PC to write articles. I may still look into a smaller solution such as MathType to write formulas in the forum.
Thanks again,
Alex

 

[alexepascual]

MathType (the full-featured version of Word's Equation Editor) can be configured so that equations on the clipboard are in LaTeX format. Then you can copy an equation from MathType and paste it into a posting directly as LaTeX. Of course, you have to buy it, so it won't do if you're looking for a free solution.

I'll look into this. Currently I have only Open Office installed on my Vista laptop. I'll get more information about MathType as I don't know if I can use it stand-alone. If I can't then I'll see if there is something similar for open office.
Thanks a lot jtbell for the info.