Add Math Support/Abstract: Difference between revisions
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papers it lacks one main capability: Formulas. So I want to add these | papers it lacks one main capability: Formulas. So I want to add these | ||
as my summer of code project. Interest in this improvement is expressed | as my summer of code project. Interest in this improvement is expressed | ||
by many people in the | by many people in the bug tracker [1][2], by Debian users [3] and it's | ||
also in the projects roadmap [4]. | also in the projects roadmap [4]. | ||
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The goal of this project is to add a easy to use math support to scribus. | The goal of this project is to add a easy to use math support to scribus. | ||
As the task of writing a complete math typesetter is too large for SOC a | As the task of writing a complete math typesetter is too large for SOC a | ||
different | different approach is used. It is inspired by the Quark XPress(tm) plugin | ||
MATHSETTER [5]: | MATHSETTER [5]: | ||
o Let the user enter LaTeX source either directly or more | o Let the user enter LaTeX source either directly or more user friendly | ||
via an graphical editor | via an graphical editor | ||
o Apply a LaTeX template on this so the user only has to type the formula | o Apply a LaTeX template on this so the user only has to type the formula | ||
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o Run LaTeX on this source. | o Run LaTeX on this source. | ||
o Display LaTeX's output in a frame while still keeping the | o Display LaTeX's output in a frame while still keeping the | ||
(LaTeX-) | (LaTeX-)formula as a property so the whole things stays editable. | ||
Use cases | Use cases | ||
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hand it's very easy to create good posters with scribus but a complicated | hand it's very easy to create good posters with scribus but a complicated | ||
process is necessary to add just a single formula. The ability to use LaTeX | process is necessary to add just a single formula. The ability to use LaTeX | ||
for typesetting the | for typesetting the formula and the post-processing it in scribus (easily | ||
possible, after all it's just a vector graphic from scribus' point of view) | possible, after all it's just a vector graphic from scribus' point of view) | ||
would greatly simplify this. | would greatly simplify this. | ||
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o Math/Physics teachers | o Math/Physics teachers | ||
At school I've seen a lot of teachers that created their tests with Microsoft | At school I've seen a lot of teachers that created their tests with Microsoft | ||
Word and relying on its | Word and relying on its formula editor or even on basic text formatting | ||
(sub-/superscript) and adding any "complicated" math symbols (vectors, | (sub-/superscript) and adding any "complicated" math symbols (vectors, | ||
integrals, etc.) by hand in the printout. Obviously the full power of | integrals, etc.) by hand in the printout. Obviously the full power of | ||
latex is something they are unwilling to learn (and it is probably not | latex is something they are unwilling to learn (and it is probably not | ||
required for them). So I | required for them). So I believe they would be happy to have a WYSIWYG | ||
tool that supports embedded | tool that supports embedded formulas. | ||
Deliverables | Deliverables | ||
Revision as of 23:13, 20 March 2007
Rationale --------- I often wanted to have a tool that allows complicated layouts but still is easy to use. This is exactly what scribus does. However for scientific papers it lacks one main capability: Formulas. So I want to add these as my summer of code project. Interest in this improvement is expressed by many people in the bug tracker [1][2], by Debian users [3] and it's also in the projects roadmap [4]. Overview -------- The goal of this project is to add a easy to use math support to scribus. As the task of writing a complete math typesetter is too large for SOC a different approach is used. It is inspired by the Quark XPress(tm) plugin MATHSETTER [5]: o Let the user enter LaTeX source either directly or more user friendly via an graphical editor o Apply a LaTeX template on this so the user only has to type the formula and not a whole TeX document. o Run LaTeX on this source. o Display LaTeX's output in a frame while still keeping the (LaTeX-)formula as a property so the whole things stays editable. Use cases --------- o Scientific posters It is very hard (if not even impossible) to create good-looking posters with LaTeX but it's easy to add formulas to LaTeX documents. On the other hand it's very easy to create good posters with scribus but a complicated process is necessary to add just a single formula. The ability to use LaTeX for typesetting the formula and the post-processing it in scribus (easily possible, after all it's just a vector graphic from scribus' point of view) would greatly simplify this. o Math/Physics teachers At school I've seen a lot of teachers that created their tests with Microsoft Word and relying on its formula editor or even on basic text formatting (sub-/superscript) and adding any "complicated" math symbols (vectors, integrals, etc.) by hand in the printout. Obviously the full power of latex is something they are unwilling to learn (and it is probably not required for them). So I believe they would be happy to have a WYSIWYG tool that supports embedded formulas. Deliverables ------------ o Math support o integrating an external GUI editor o Python bindings