Equation editor (MathML)

[ptc-953926]

Adepters:

We have some documentation that makes heavy use of equations. To date, our users been authoring them in Word and then doing screen caps for our published output (PDF and HTML). So, now they're interested in using an equation editor (MathML) directly and have looked a at least one third-party vendor who has Arbortext Editor and Publisher add-ons. We're using AE 5.4 M070 and are moving to PE 5.4 M070. Oh, and we are not DITA users (have our own custom schema).

Just curious if anyone has gone this route and what your recommendations would be?

Thanks,
Dave Hintz
Siemens

[ebenton]

Awaiting Clay Helberg response in 3..2..1...

[lfraley]

(I beat Clay?)

You're best bet is to use Design Science's MathFlow plug-ins to Editor and
the Composition pipeline.

[peter.li]

J



Thanks Liz, I was just about to recommend the same.



Contact Autumn Cuellar for eval copy etc.



autumnc@dessci.com



Cheers



Pete

[ClayHelberg]

You know how I am--get me started talking about math and you'd better be
ready for me to go on for a while...

[ClayHelberg]

Thanks for the correction. That's why I said "You should check with DS
for current prices"....

[ClayHelberg]

LOL, nice Ed. I guess my reputation as a math geek precedes me. 🙂



Anyway, Dave, there are a couple of routes you can go:



1) If you have the budget for it, you should seriously consider the
Design Science all-in-one solution called MathFlow
(

[lfraley]

We should never talk cost of things, we're nearly always wrong. It's not
more than AE.

[ptc-953926]

Thanks, Clay. One of our users got a couple of quotes for fixed licenses for AE and PE for option 1. We'd have a small number of users, so the cost probably isn't a problem.

You say that the editor widget generates high-quality graphics for HTML and PDF. So, what does the PE add-on do? Also, we roll our own HTML, so I assume we can grab those images for that?

Dave

[ClayHelberg]

There are two pieces to the MathFlow solution: the editor (which is
really just for authoring the MathML in your document) and the publisher
(which handles rendering). The latter is the PE add-on you are thinking
of.



You should be able to adapt it to generate images for your HTML output.
How easy or difficult that is will depend on the specific process you
are using to "roll your own". (I assume by that you mean you are using
XSLT or some other process outside of Arbortext to generate HTML.) If
it's outside of Arbortext, there is an SDK you can use to integrate
their rendering engine with your HTML publish process.



--Clay

[GarethOakes]

We have had great success with integrating the MathFlow product range into
our customer solutions, and I would highly recommend it. The icing on the
cake is that Design Science are a great company to deal with, and have
really nice and helpful staff.



-Gareth

[ClayHelberg]

I agree, Gareth. Design Science has some great people, and they are very
helpful in making sure you get things working.