Then eng mark responded:
The equation editor does not allow formatting but the size
of the equation can be changed by dragging the sizing
handles after it is created.
That's a common misconception. The *wrong* way to re-size an
Equation Editor (EE) equation is by dragging the resizing
handles. Not only does it take too long to do that for every
equation in the document or presentation, but if you do, every
equation is a slightly different size. You re-size equations by
first opening EE, then click on the Size menu, then click on
Define (all the way at the bottom of the menu). There are 5
different sizes to adjust, but here's a tip I recommend: set the
Full size to whatever you want, then set the remainder of the
sizes to these values (in order from top to bottom): 58%, 45%,
150%, 100%. Be sure to include the percent symbol. The advantage
of this is that if you change size (like going from Word to
PowerPoint, or from a 12-pt document to a 10-pt one), the only
size you need to change is the Full size. Everything else will
size proportionally. Changing size affects everything in the
equation; there is no need to select (i.e., "highlight") the
equation first.
Changing the font is done in the Style menu, also by clicking on
Define. (Note that there is also an "Other" item in both Style
and Size menus, but these are to be used by exception only. You
should almost never need them.) When setting the fonts in the
Define Styles dialog, make sure to keep these styles set to
Symbol font: LCGreek, UCGreek, and Symbol. Not doing so will
cause unpredictable results.
"Navels", I don't know why your text didn't change when you did
what you described in your original post. The best way to set
Text style is to click on Style > Text before you enter the text
into the equation, then click on Style > Math when you're ready
to finish the math portion of the equation.
Double clicking the equation reopens the editor to allow edits.
That's correct.
This formatting issue seems to have been fixed in Word
2007. Here the equation can be formatted.
Word 2007 actually has 2 ways to create equations. If you want,
you can use the same EE that's included in Word 2003 by clicking
on Object in the Insert Ribbon. Then you choose Microsoft
Equation 3.0 from the list just like in Word 2003. Office 2007
also has its own built-in EE, named Equation Builder (EB). You
insert an EB equation by clicking on the Pi symbol on the Insert
Ribbon. In EE, you can change either the size or the font face to
match your document, as described above. In EB, you can change
the size of the equation but not the font.
That's correct. The Equation Editor toolbar isn't a Word toolbar,
it's a separate application. That's why you can't see it on the
list of Word toolbars. You can put an icon onto one of your Word
toolbars though, such that clicking the icon will launch Equation
Editor. There are instructions for this in our article "Equation
Editor Tips & Tricks", available at the link in my signature.
--
Bob Mathews bobm at dessci.com
Director of Training
http://www.dessci.com/free.asp?free=news
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