How to paste matrix to website and Email?

Question

I tried to copy matrix from Mathematica to website, only end up with lots of garabge like this:

\!\(
TagBox[GridBox[{
{"16", "2", "3", "13"},
{"5", "11", "10", "8"},
{"9", "7", "6", "12"},
{"4", "14", "15", "1"}
},
AutoDelete->False,
GridBoxItemSize->{
     "Columns" -> {{Automatic}}, "ColumnsIndexed" -> {}, 
      "Rows" -> {{Automatic}}, "RowsIndexed" -> {}, "Items" -> {}, 
      "ItemsIndexed" -> {}}],
"Grid"]\)

Then I have to edit it manually. Sometimes I send math equations and matrices in Email. Is there a better way to paste matrix?

Answer 1

Suppose we have a grid like this:

x = NestList[RotateRight, {1.5, 2/3, Pi, 9/7`, "!"}, 5];

Grid[x]

It looks like this in the Front End:

The image above was produced by selecting the Cell bracket and choosing File > Save Selection As....

If we use the Context Menu item Copy As > Plain Text we get:

1.5 2/3 \[Pi]   1.28571 !
!   1.5 2/3 \[Pi]   1.28571
1.28571 !   1.5 2/3 \[Pi]
\[Pi]   1.28571 !   1.5 2/3
2/3 \[Pi]   1.28571 !   1.5
1.5 2/3 \[Pi]   1.28571 !

Using halirutan's toolbar the \[Pi] are easily converted to π:

1.5 2/3 π   1.28571 !
!   1.5 2/3 π   1.28571
1.28571 !   1.5 2/3 π
π   1.28571 !   1.5 2/3
2/3 π   1.28571 !   1.5
1.5 2/3 π   1.28571 !

Copy As > Input Text results different things depending on what is selected. If only the content of the grid is selected (e.g. quadruple-click) we get:

{
 {1.5, 2/3, \[Pi], 1.28571, "!"},
 {"!", 1.5, 2/3, \[Pi], 1.28571},
 {1.28571, "!", 1.5, 2/3, \[Pi]},
 {\[Pi], 1.28571, "!", 1.5, 2/3},
 {2/3, \[Pi], 1.28571, "!", 1.5},
 {1.5, 2/3, \[Pi], 1.28571, "!"}
}

This form is useful because it can be pasted back into Mathematica.

However if the entire grid is selected we get something a lot messier:

\!\(
TagBox[GridBox[{
{"1.5`", 
FractionBox["2", "3"], "\[Pi]", "1.2857142857142856`", "\<\"!\"\>"},
{"\<\"!\"\>", "1.5`", 
FractionBox["2", "3"], "\[Pi]", "1.2857142857142856`"},
{"1.2857142857142856`", "\<\"!\"\>", "1.5`", 
FractionBox["2", "3"], "\[Pi]"},
{"\[Pi]", "1.2857142857142856`", "\<\"!\"\>", "1.5`", 
FractionBox["2", "3"]},
{
FractionBox["2", "3"], "\[Pi]", "1.2857142857142856`", "\<\"!\"\>", "1.5`"},
{"1.5`", 
FractionBox["2", "3"], "\[Pi]", "1.2857142857142856`", "\<\"!\"\>"}
},
AutoDelete->False,
GridBoxItemSize->{
     "Columns" -> {{Automatic}}, "ColumnsIndexed" -> {}, "Rows" -> {{Automatic}}, 
      "RowsIndexed" -> {}, "Items" -> {}, "ItemsIndexed" -> {}}],
"Grid"]\)

Another option is Copy As > LaTeX and then pasting the expression between $ symbols, to yield:

$\begin{array}{ccccc} 1.5 & \frac{2}{3} & \pi & 1.28571 & ! \\ ! & 1.5 & \frac{2}{3} & \pi & 1.28571 \\ 1.28571 & ! & 1.5 & \frac{2}{3} & \pi \\ \pi & 1.28571 & ! & 1.5 & \frac{2}{3} \\ \frac{2}{3} & \pi & 1.28571 & ! & 1.5 \\ 1.5 & \frac{2}{3} & \pi & 1.28571 & ! \\ \end{array}$

This is visually pleasing but slow to render, and it cannot be easily pasted back into Mathematica.

Finally we can use Export or ExportString to export in any supported format:

ExportString[x, "TSV"]

And Copy As > Plain Text:

1.5 2/3 Pi  1.2857142857142856  !
!   1.5 2/3 Pi  1.2857142857142856
1.2857142857142856  !   1.5 2/3 Pi
Pi  1.2857142857142856  !   1.5 2/3
2/3 Pi  1.2857142857142856  !   1.5
1.5 2/3 Pi  1.2857142857142856  !

Note that the Real numbers are printed here with full precision rather than being truncated.