4

I'm using kile in Linux, but, unfortunately writing math with it is very hard.

I'd like a tool to write math formulas in a easy way, like "Basic Math Input" in Mathematica software.

Is there a good one?

Caramdir
  • 89,023
  • 26
  • 255
  • 291
GarouDan
  • 3,291
  • 4
    I would suggest looking at possible LaTeX IDEs and see whether there is some editor that would benefit your best. – Werner Oct 04 '11 at 20:55
  • 1
    Doesn't Mathematica have an 'export to LaTeX' feature? – Caramdir Oct 04 '11 at 22:50
  • 1
    For those of us without Mathematica, can you describe its "Basic Math Input" and explain what it is about it that you like so much? – Andrew Stacey Oct 05 '11 at 08:47
  • I found a good form to do this...using Mathematica too, as Caramdir says and use TeXForm[expr]...do the LaTeX code. I will wait a little for other answers...Maybe i will answer my own question. Anyway, if anyone have a better solution...please say it^^ – GarouDan Oct 06 '11 at 11:57
  • Even if you end up answering your question yourself, it would still help make it a useful resource for others if you would explain a bit more what you are trying to do. I'm curious as to what you want to do, but have no picture in my head as to what it is! – Andrew Stacey Oct 06 '11 at 13:30
  • @Andrew: The "Basic Math Assistant" is just a Palette that lays out and organises all of the Mathematatica and typesetting commands. Here's a blog.wolfram post with links to screencasts. However, in Mathematica and LaTeX, I find it best/fastest to learn the keyboard commands and syntax combined with command completion. I guess GarouDan has a different opinion! – Simon Oct 06 '11 at 19:48
  • @Simon: Thanks for the explanation, and your answer. Both very informative. I completely agree with the suggestion to learn the keyboard, but this does come up now and again so clearly there are some that aren't yet convinced and now, thanks to you, we have a better answer. – Andrew Stacey Oct 06 '11 at 20:33
  • Hum...I would like learn the TeX math symbols too...but its a big list... Another thing is very complicated write a real proof using just LaTeX symbols with very steps...I think we should use both strategies...but its very usefull and helpfull have a gui tool too. – GarouDan Oct 10 '11 at 21:39
  • You can use equalX – rral Jun 18 '16 at 04:02

2 Answers2

7

If you're used to using Mathematica with the various input assistant palettes, then maybe the best option for you to switch to LaTeX is LyX. It has toolbars that contain everything you'd find in Mathematica's basic math assistant, so typing math and structuring your document is quite easy. Just like Mathematica, the math can be entered "by hand" or by using the toolbar.

Here's the math toolbar: Math Toolbar

And here's what the main input window looks like and what it compiles to: WYSIWYM OUTPUT

Note that you could write your document fully in Mathematica and distribute it as CDF and PDF - this is a perfectly valid option. However, I don't believe that the export to LaTeX is optimal. I'm not a big fan of how it lays out the maths and which commands it uses to it with, but a larger issue is that it does not deal with numbered equations very well. And using Mathematica to generate every LaTeX equation you want (through TeXForm) then copy/pasting into your LaTeX document, is going to be very inefficient.

This said, I have used Mathematica to generate some particularly nasty equations (see the appendix of arXiv:1102.3043). However I did use a customized TeXForm type command that used lots of string replacements to make things look nicer and then I had to do all of the line breaks by hand...

My personal opinion is that you should take the plunge and learn how to type LaTeX by hand. It's not that hard and is a useful skill. Kile or TeXWorks are both good linux environments, I use gedit with the LaTeX plugin. If you want to be hard core and impress your friends, then try Emacs (with AUXTeX) or vim (with LaTeX-suite). Ultimately, once you learn your way around one of these environments, then you'll get things done much faster than any GUI/WYSIWYG environment.

Community
  • 1
Simon
  • 4,262
  • Really like the attention given to me in this answer. Unfortunally I can't use LyX becuase I need LaTeX to write my monograph, but I liked this option. I can use this in other time.I will try this tools too. Thanks. Cya. – GarouDan Oct 07 '11 at 22:16
0

Have a look at our visual equation editor JMathEdit. It's free on Linux platform.

Equation elements provided by this editor include sub/super/over/under scripts, roots, fractions, matrices, fences, stretchy arrows,integrals, summation operators and accents. Symbols supported include greek letters, some old book symbols, mathematical operators and arrows.

The editor supports saving and loading in LaTeX and MathML formats (only files created by the editor can be loaded). Exports as SVG, EPS, PNG, EMF, RTF and XHTML.

Fonts, styling and shortcuts can be customized.

sbjo
  • 11