GUI input tools
for Mathematics
Gregory Tappero
greg@edoboard.com
UK Mathematical Content Workshop
Milton Keynes
9 September 2009
http://groups.google.com/group/uk-math-content-2009/files/ 1

GUI is nice to end users
Using emacs to edit LaTeX code then run
command lines to compile and output a
pdf may be fun, but only to a particular
type of people.
GUI input tools UKMCW 2009 2

Their Purpose
From:
To:
A portable, standardised, digital
format that we can share integrate
and reuse.
GUI input tools UKMCW 2009 3

Tools Survey: What's around ?
●
MathType ●
Formulator
●
MathTran ●
Publicon (Wolfram Research)
●
Wiris ●
Math Magic
●
Edoboard ●
Detexify
●
Sitmo ●
Math Input Panel (Windows 7)
●
Word 2007
GUI input tools UKMCW 2009 4

MathType
http://www.dessci.com/en/products/mathtype/
GUI input tools UKMCW 2009 5

MathType
Pros Cons
Point-and-click editing Desktop client.
(WYSIWYG).
Non Free (100$ for v6.5).
TeX/LaTeX/MathML
compatible.
Feature Rich.
Interoperable with many apps.
http://www.dessci.com/en/products/mathtype/
GUI input tools UKMCW 2009 6

MathTran
http://www.mathtran.org
GUI input tools UKMCW 2009 7

MathTran
Pros Cons
Uses a variant of TeX. No visual shortcuts to input
equations.
Realtime output rendering.
Web based. TeX knowledge required.
Free & Open Source.
FAB (formula autobuild) editing.
http://www.mathtran.org
GUI input tools UKMCW 2009 8

Edoboard
http://edoboard.com
GUI input tools UKMCW 2009 9

Edoboard
Pros Cons
Uses Mathtran as Flash Based.
a Web Service (TeX). - Slow on Linux.
- Takes some time to Load.
Fit for simple Maths.
Live collaboration. Wont be free for ever.
Hybrid editing WYSIWYG and
FAB (formula autobuild).
http://edoboard.com
GUI input tools UKMCW 2009 10

Wiris
http://www.wiris.com/
GUI input tools UKMCW 2009 11

Wiris
Pros Cons
Web & Desktop Client. No LaTeX support yet.
Supports MathML and Non free.
OpenMath. Java Based.
Hybrid editing.
Feature Rich: Solver and
Grapher.
Cross-platform. http://www.wiris.com/
GUI input tools UKMCW 2009 12

Sitmo
http://www.sitmo.com/latex/
GUI input tools UKMCW 2009 13

Sitmo
Pros Cons
LaTeX compatible. LaTeX knowledge required.
Realtime output rendering.
Web based (HTML/Js).
Free.
Hybrid Editing.
http://www.sitmo.com/latex/
GUI input tools UKMCW 2009 14

Detexify
http://detexify.kirelabs.org/classify.html
GUI input tools UKMCW 2009 15

Detexify
Pros Cons
IPhone and Android Apps. Only works for one
character at a time.
Super Simple (Handwriten).
Free. You need a recent browser
supporting HTML5.
Web based (HTML/Js).
http://detexify.kirelabs.org/classify.html
GUI input tools UKMCW 2009 16

Math Input Panel (Windows 7)
http://bit.ly/3Uf6dT
GUI input tools UKMCW 2009 17

Math Input Panel (Windows 7)
Pros Cons
Can recognise a whole Pen tablet usage is
equation. advised.
Natural handling Windows 7 only.
(Handwriten).
Export as MathML.
http://bit.ly/3Uf6dT
GUI input tools UKMCW 2009 18

Word 2007
GUI input tools UKMCW 2009 19

Word 2007
Pros Cons
MathML compatible. Windows only.
Point-and-click editing Non Free.
(WYSIWYG). No official LaTeX support.
Feature Rich. Desktop Client.
Microsoft Office Integration.
Microsoft Office
GUI input tools UKMCW 2009 20

Math Magic
http://www.mathmagic.com/
GUI input tools UKMCW 2009 21

Math Magic
Pros Cons
LaTeX/MathML/MathType Desktop client,Win & Mac.
compatible, and more.
Non free - Regular version
Heavily customizable via 300£ p.a.
templates.
Feature rich and powerful.
Point-and-click editing.
http://www.mathmagic.com/
GUI input tools UKMCW 2009 22

Formulator
http://bit.ly/1PeGRA
GUI input tools UKMCW 2009 23

Formulator
Pros Cons
MathML compatible. Desktop client.
Free. Windows only.
Simple.
Point-and-click editing
http://bit.ly/1PeGRA
GUI input tools UKMCW 2009 24

Publicon - Wolfram Research
http://www.wolfram.com/products/publicon/index.html
GUI input tools UKMCW 2009 25

Publicon - Wolfram Research
Pros Cons
Math and chemistry Non free 100£ p.a.
typesetting.
Windows and Mac.
*-TeX /MathML plus BioMed
Desktop client.
XML.
Highly specialised for
Science.
Point-and-click editing.
http://cnx.org/
GUI input tools UKMCW 2009 26

What should i use ?
For Moodle (LMS)
MathType
Wiris
GUI input tools UKMCW 2009 28

What should i use ?
Web Based Equation Editor
Wiris
Sitmo
Mathtran
GUI input tools UKMCW 2009 30

What should i use ?
Desktop apps with Advance Features
Publicon
MathType
Math Magic
~Word
GUI input tools UKMCW 2009 31

What should i use ?
Live Math Tutoring
Edoboard
GUI input tools UKMCW 2009 32

What should i use ?
HandWriting Recognition
Detexify
Math Input Panel
GUI input tools UKMCW 2009 33

What should i use ?
Free Simple Desktop Equation Editor
Formulator
GUI input tools UKMCW 2009 34

GUI input tools UKMCW 2009 29

Mathtrans: http://www.mathtran.org Formulator: http://bit.ly/1PeGRA
Edoboard: http://www.edoboard.com
Publicon: http://www.wolfram.com/products/publicon/index.html
MathMagic: http://www.mathmagic.com/
What do you use ?
MathType: http://www.dessci.com/en/products/mathtype/
Math Input Panel: http://bit.ly/3Uf6dT Word 2007: http://bit.ly/SGqoE
Detexify: http://detexify.kirelabs.org/classify.html
Sitmo: http://www.sitmo.com/latex/
Wiris: http://www.wiris.com
GUI input tools UKMCW 2009 35