If there are Word equations (or expressions) in a Word file, apply the appropriate output settings per the project specification.
References/Prerequisites
- SAI
- MathType
Word Equations
Note: Working with embedded equations in Word requires an external PC-only tool, MathType. WFDW subscribers should consult Scribe for assistance with this process, if needed.
Use plain text if possible. Follow the Word scribing procedure when converting equations to plain text. This applies to the following:
- Simple, single-line equations
- Characters that have a single Unicode equivalent.
Convert Equations to MathType Objects
- Go to the MathType tab on the ribbon.
- Click .
- Select the following options:
- Microsoft Word EQ Fields
- MathType translator text equations
- Word 2007 and later (OMML) equations
- Range: Whole document
- Convert equations to: MathType equations (OLE objects)
- Review the results. Issues that can occur here include but are not limited to the following:
- Math operators and symbols should match the source to a reasonable degree in both rendering and position.
- Confirm equations have not shifted more than expected or disrupted the surrounding text.
- If any math operators or symbols have been converted to private use area characters, change these to the equivalent Unicode characters.
- Check that any Greek symbols are marked as “Math” or “Greek-Symbol” under Style in MathType.
Note: To convert only a single equation, use the Navigation pane to go to an equation and choose “Range: Current Selection” instead of “Range: Whole document.”
Change Font Options for Equations
- Open an Equation.
- Click and select .
- Change the Primary Font to the required font. Do not change Greek and math. Click .
- Click .
- Change the Full size to the required size and click .
- Click . Name the preference file and save it locally. Exit out of the equation.
- Click on the MathType tab on the ribbon.
- Click and browse to the preference file.
- Select . Select “Use for new equations” and click .
- Confirm that the font changes were applied to all equations.
If preferred, a different approach may be used at the Equation Preferences step:
- Click , then exit out of the equation and go to the next equation.
- Select the equation and click on the MathType tab on the ribbon
- Select MathType’s “New Equation” preferences. Select and click .
- Repeat for all equations.
Convert Equations to Images
After all equations have been converted to MathType objects and all font issues have been addressed, convert the equations to images.
- Click in the MathType tab on the ribbon.
- Fill in the directory to which the equations will export.
- Select the type of image file to use.
- Default: Select . This is the safest export option, as it avoids images with blank spaces, daggers, or other font issues.
- If exporting to WMF results in equations with rendering issues, export directly to Encapsulated Postscript/none (*.eps).
- Select “Replace equation with file name.”
- This will remove the equation from the Word file and replace it with placeholder text (e.g., <<Eqn001.eps>>).
- Rename the files as needed.
- Select the “Whole document” as the Range and click .
- After this runs, use Word wildcards to replace the placeholder name with image queries. For example:
- Find: <<(Eqn[0-9]@.eps)>>
- Replace:
{~?~IM: insert \1 here. ALT: TK}
Style: img
See Short Description Text (Alt Text) for recommendations and instructions for writing alt text for equations and formula images.
Convert WMF to EPS
Create an action in Adobe Illustrator to open and resave the WMF files as EPS.
- Click .
- Click the icon labeled or go to the submenu and select . Name this action “MathType WMF to EPS” and click .
- Go to and select one of the exported equations.
- Click and select “Illustrator EPS.” Click and in the next screen (do not change the options presented).
- Click .
- In the Actions pane, click . Then click the submenu and click .
- Select the saved action.
- For Source, select the folder containing the WMF equations. Select “Override ‘Action’ Open Commands.”
- For Destination, select the folder where the EPS images will be saved. (If the resaved EPS file was kept in the same folder as the original WMF files when creating the action, do not set a destination folder.)
- Click .
Review the saved EPS files using Adobe Acrobat.
- In Adobe Acrobat Pro, go to .
- Select all the equation images and click .
- Confirm that all equations are rendering properly. Check that the intended fonts are in use and that there are no blank boxes or overlapping characters.
To create JPG/JPEG versions of the images, follow the same conversion procedure with modified input/output selections.