Skip to main content
A
Anonymous
February 22, 2012
Question

How do you insert an equation in a structured doc using DITA 1.2?

  • February 22, 2012
  • 1 reply
  • 1022 views

Good morning,

I'm currently in the process of structuring a set of unstructured user manuals using FM10 and the DITA 1.2 standard. I have my conversion table and templates setup and everything has been going well so far, but I can't figure out how to structure equations or insert new equations into a structured doc.

FrameMaker flags equations as an unsupported element (see below) no matter where the equation appears in the map.

I've looked through my element catalogue, but I can't find anything that seems like it would support an equation.

In some of my research, I've stumbled across something called a mathML element, but that doesn't seem to be an available option for me. Is this something that's only available if you are using DITA specialization?

If anyone has any ideas for how I can insert equations into my doc while keeping it inline with the DITA 1.2 standards, it would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks,

D'Arcy

This topic has been closed for replies.

1 reply

M
MarttiP
Inspiring
February 23, 2012

Framemaker handles equations in a special way that is not supported by DITA out-of-the-box (DITA relies on MathML).

The only format that allows equations round-trip to XML and back to Frame is MIF (Maker Interchange Format) if the equations must be editable by FM's equation editor. This basically means that equations must be handled the same way frame graphics are handled and that requires some DITA spesialisation work.

Look this article:http://www.kynosarges.de/FrameDita.html#Equations

If you have a requirement that these equations should be usable outside FM environment, things get complicated. Framemaker can write equations out as graphics files instead of MIF, gif for example, but the equations cannot be edited any longer in Frame. It cannot write both during XML save.

The ultimate solution would a special XML writer/reader that would store both the MIF rendition and graphic rendition into a spesialised equation-element and let applications use either of them. Or that  someone would create equation-MIF <-> MathML converter..

We've done a few customer projects where XML content authoring keeps equations as MIF files and publishing, for example, to web writes out equations as graphics.

BR, Martti

Terms & ConditionsAccessibility statement
Using the community Terms of use Privacy Cookie preferences Do not sell or share my personal information ad choicesAdChoices