Path: utzoo!censor!geac!torsqnt!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!rice!uw-beaver!ssc-vax!uvicctr.UVic.CA!hedstrom
From: hedstrom@uvicctr.UVic.CA.UUCP (Brad Hedstrom)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac
Subject: Attn: MathType & Word 4 Users
Message-ID: <934@uvicctr.UVic.CA.UUCP>
Date: 2 Mar 90 00:59:18 GMT
Organization: University of Victoria, Victoria B.C. Canada
Lines: 39

I was talking with Griff at Design Sciences (makers of MathType) today. We
were discussing problems with using MT with Word. For those of you who are
unfamiliar with either applications or the inconstancies, here is a little
background. 

start background{

The main problem is the manner in which Word handles the equation PICTs
created with MT. When one creates a mathmatical expression (especially with
subscripts), MT calculates the number of points the equation needs to be
subscripted in order to have the proper vertical spacing. This information is
included in the PICT which is imported to Word via the Clipboard.
Unfortunately Word ignores this vertical spacing information leaving the user
to manually space the equation. 

Other word processors like T/Maker's WriteNow take advantage of this
information so the graphics have the proper vertical spacing. Thus it would
appear that MT is doing "its part" properly. It seems that the "fault" lies
with Microsoft in the manner in which they handle the clipboard. 

}end background

Griff told me that Design Science is quite small and has little influence with
the giant Microsoft. However, there has been success in the past where the end
users (you) have influenced Microsoft to make their products more consistent
with other products. Griff told me that one problem they was that Word
sometimes corrupted the clipboard data from MT. Enough users complained to
Microsoft and they recently fixed the bug (in a future release of 4.X). 

Thus I finally get to the point. If all of you MathType/Word users write or
call Microsoft, they may at least address the vertical spacing problem. Please
take a few minutes and write...


-- 
_____________________________________________________________________________
Brad Hedstrom, University of Victoria, ECE Dept.
Internet:  hedstrom@sirius.uvic.ca
UUCP:   ...!{uw-beaver,ubc-vision}!uvicctr!hedstrom