Latex equation editor for Word and PowerPoint

If you use Latex, usually you hate the equation editor that is built in Microsoft office. One of the miserable factors is that, though the Microsoft office suit has been in the market for more than 20 years, Microsoft failed to provide a decent mathematical equation editor for the academics. In this post, I would like to share the tools I use for Word and PowerPoint.

• For Word, I use TexSword, http://texsword.sourceforge.net/. TeXsword is a macro package for Microsoft Word. It allows you to insert equations with labels, and equations can be referenced later on. Of course,  you use LaTeX to typeset equations.
  
• For PowerPoint, I would like to recommend IguanaTex, http://www.technion.ac.il/~zvikabh/software/iguanatex/ (see below for the new official website). It is a PowerPoint plug-in that allows you to insert LaTeX equations into your PowerPoint presentation. There are other tools available, such as  PowerPointLaTeX, https://code.google.com/p/powerpointtools/wiki/PowerPointLaTeX. But I haven't tried it.
  
  Update: 17 July 2015
  Now IguanaTex is maintained by Jonathan Le Roux. It was expanded from the original version, written by Zvika Ben-Haim. Thus the new official website is http://www.jonathanleroux.org/software/iguanatex/.

Both TexSword and IguanaTex have been tested with Office 2010 and they work well.

Stack math symbols in Latex

When typing in formulas in Latex, sometimes we need to stack math symbols, especially with arrows. Here are some examples that show how to achieve this goal.

1. Using \xleftarrow or \xrightarrow. Both of them have the same syntax.
   

   a=b \xleftarrow[H]{\xi+a\timesc} f=g

   
   
   
2. Using \overset
   

   a=b\overset{F}{\longleftarrow}c=d

   
   
   
3. Using \underset
   a=b\underset{F}{\longleftarrow}c=d
   
   
   
4. Using \stackrel
   

   a=b \stackrel{F}{\longleftrightarrow}c=d

   
   
   
5. Using \mathop
   

   ab \mathop{\sum\sum\sum}_{a=\frac{1}{2}\times 100000}^{b=\frac{4}{5}}cd

   
   

Chinese version:Latex: 堆叠数学符号

Enhance the PowerPoint using LaTex

When preparing the upcoming presentation, I find equation is a big problem in PowerPoint. Capture the screen maybe a good choice or buy the expensive MathType. In the past, TexPoint was a great software, but it is not any more in terms of performance-price ratio，since TexPoint charges US$30 and I don't agree with the author about that US$30 is a small money.

When you read this article, you should know, of course, I have found an alternative tool and it is free ;P. The tool is Tex4PPT, which brings the Tex equation power to your PowerPoint. The newest version is released in 2005, it is not compatible with PowerPoint 2007 (but the author said new version compatible with PowerPoint 2007 will be released). I tested it in PowerPoint 2003, the equation display is really good.

More information can be found in the official website: http://users.ecs.soton.ac.uk/~srg/softwaretools/presentation/TeX4PPT/.

Chinese version:

在幻灯片中使用Latex公式

http://time360.blogspot.com/2007/05/blog-post.html

Edit equation easily in Latex

Inseting equation in Latex is really a pain, especially when you insert some long equations consisting of a wide range of symbols.

It would be easier if you have Mathtype: change the output format to Latex, copy the equation in Mathtype, then paste it into Latex file. However, we all know, this software is extremely expensive, it is not affordable for students in developing countries, even in developed countries.

Luckily, Mathtype also provides a equation editor for Latex, it is free! The website is at:
http://www.dessci.com/en/products/texaide/.

Tips:

1. Mathtype usually generates redundant Latex code.
2. If there are words in the equations, you'd better look up the Latex math guide rather than using Mathtype.