Documentation

Word Equations

If there are Word equations (or expressions) in a Word file, apply the appropriate output settings per the project specification.

References/Prerequisites

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

  1. Go to the MathType tab on the ribbon.
  2. Click Convert Equations.
  3. 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)
  4. 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

  1. Open an Equation.
  2. Click Style > Define and select Simple.
  3. Change the Primary Font to the required font. Do not change Greek and math. Click OK.
  4. Click Size > Define.
  5. Change the Full size to the required size and click OK.
  6. Click Preferences > Equation Preferences > Save to File. Name the preference file and save it locally. Exit out of the equation.
  7. Click Format Equations on the MathType tab on the ribbon.
  8. Click MathType preference file and browse to the preference file.
  9. Select Whole document. Select “Use for new equations” and click OK.
  10. Confirm that the font changes were applied to all equations.

If preferred, a different approach may be used at the Equation Preferences step:

  1. Click Preferences > Equation Preferences > Save to Preferences for New Equations, then exit out of the equation and go to the next equation.
  2. Select the equation and click Format Equations on the MathType tab on the ribbon
  3. Select MathType’s “New Equation” preferences. Select Current selection and click OK.
  4. 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.

  1. Click Export Equations in the MathType tab on the ribbon.
  2. Fill in the directory to which the equations will export.
  3. Select the type of image file to use.
    • Default: Select Export to WMF. 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).
  4. 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.
  5. Select the “Whole document” as the Range and click OK.
  6. 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.

  1. Click Window > Actions.
  2. Click the icon labeled Create New Action or go to the submenu and select New Action. Name this action “MathType WMF to EPS” and click Record.
  3. Go to File > Open and select one of the exported equations.
  4. Click File > Save As and select “Illustrator EPS.” Click Save and OK in the next screen (do not change the options presented).
  5. Click File > Close.
  6. In the Actions pane, click Stop Recording. Then click the submenu and click Batch.
  7. Select the saved action.
  8. For Source, select the folder containing the WMF equations. Select “Override ‘Action’ Open Commands.”
  9. 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.)
  10. Click OK.

Review the saved EPS files using Adobe Acrobat.

  1. In Adobe Acrobat Pro, go to Menu > Create > PDF from file.
  2. Select all the equation images and click Open.
  3. 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.