Is there a way to define a shorter command macro instead of \begin{equation} \label{}\end{equation}?

Question

So instead of using the whole

\begin{equation} 
{body}
\label{}
\end{equation}  

I could simply type something like

\inserteq{{x+y=1}{eq1}} 

That would be very helpful. Thanks on advance!

Answer 1

I've used these for years with no ill effects (other than tohecz [aka yo'] complaining about my typography :^)) This doesn't convert the environments into macros, but merely creates a shorthand syntax for getting into and out of the equation environments, with or without labels and/or punctuation.

%       BEGIN EQUATION MODE
\newcommand{\beq}{\begin{equation}}
%       BEGIN EQUATION MODE WITH LABEL
\newcommand{\beql}[1]{\begin{equation}\label{#1}}
%       END EQUATION MODE
\newcommand{\eeq}{\end{equation}}
%       END EQUATION MODE WITH A PERIOD
\newcommand{\eeqp}{\;\;\;.\end{equation}}
%       END EQUATION MODE WITH A COMMA
\newcommand{\eeqc}{\;\;\;,\end{equation}}

Typical usage might be

\documentclass{article}
%       BEGIN EQUATION MODE
\newcommand{\beq}{\begin{equation}}
%       BEGIN EQUATION MODE WITH LABEL
\newcommand{\beql}[1]{\begin{equation}\label{#1}}
%       END EQUATION MODE
\newcommand{\eeq}{\end{equation}}
%       END EQUATION MODE WITH A PERIOD
\newcommand{\eeqp}{\;\;\;.\end{equation}}
%       END EQUATION MODE WITH A COMMA
\newcommand{\eeqc}{\;\;\;,\end{equation}}
\begin{document}
Here is one equation,
\beql{eq:lbl}
 y = mx+b
\eeqc
while here is another,
\beq
 y = mx+b
\eeqp
\end{document}

Answer 2

Actually, what worked for me is an answer suggested by @eudoxos (he wrote it in the comments on my question) :

\def\inserteq#1#2{\begin{equation}{#1}\label{#2}\end{equation}}   

I think this way is the simplest.

Than you use it as:

\inserteq{x+y=1}{eq1} 

Answer 3

I usually use a eq macro:

\makeatletter
\def\eq{\@ifstar\@eq\@@eq}
\def\@eq#1{\begin{equation*}#1 \end{equation*}}
\def\@@eq#1#2{\begin{equation}\label{#1}#2 \end{equation}}
\makeatother

The eq macro takes the label as first argument and the equation as a second one. The starred version only takes the equation. However, no syntactic coloration, and some editors notice labels and serve them up when writing\ref, that won't work here. Use example:

\eq{b-a:ba}{1+1=2}
\eq*{2+2+=4}

Similarly, I find the parenthesis/bracket shortcuts useful:

\def\({\left(}
\def\){\right)}
\def\[{\left[}
\def\]{\right]}

Example:

\eq{eq:ex-parenthesis}{\(t+3\)\times9-2=0}