Creating an equation - XMetaL

This tutorial is written in order to familiarize a new user with MathFlow Editor's basic functions.

Start Arbortext and create a new document of a MathML-aware doctype (such as the provided <installation directory>/Samples/Journalist_math/demo.xml). Insert a new equation by choosing Insert MathML… from the MathFlow menu or by clicking the MathFlow icon on the toolbar: . This will open a MathFlow Editor window. Please note that you may have to wait a few seconds for the MathFlow Editor to finish initializing (you may have to look under the Arbortext window for it, since in some systems it may fail to be brought to the front). When it is ready, you should see

<strong>MathML ancestry <math> : <mrow></strong>

displayed to the right of the Style toolbar. The Editor includes Design View and Source View. Click the Design View tab just below the editor window if it's not already selected.

Click in the editor window, and type this equation: x+y=9. Notice you don't have to use the space bar in-between symbols as you would have to if you typed it into a word processor; the editor automatically adds spacing for you.

Try using the left and right arrow keys to move around in the equation. Change the equation to x+z=9. Notice that what you type appears to the left of the cursor. As you become more comfortable with editing equations, you'll begin to notice (except on a Mac) the delete key erases whatever is to the right of the cursor, while backspace erases whatever is immediately to its left. On a Mac, the delete key erases whatever is to the left of the cursor.