Rudi Gaelzer wrote:
> So I ask you LyXperts: is it possible to configure the math mode editor so
> that it uses also mathabx and other different math fonts? The roadmap to
> LyX 2.1 mentions enhanced support for math font selection (OpenType fonts)
> and support ofr cropped PDF/EPS. However, AFAIU, these enhancements will
> have an effect on IP and on the exported document. Seems to me that the
> math editor will still use the same screen fonts. Or am I wrong?
You are right, the mentioned features do not affect the look of the math
editor. However, there are some new symbols in 2.1, mainly from stmaryrd.sty
and mathtools.sty. To some extent you can also add some on your own: The
screen appearance of math symbols is defined in the file lib/symbols, which
contains some very basic documentation for 2.1.
Basically, there are three kinds of symbol definitions in that file:
1) symbols supported by special insets (like the decorations)
2) symbols supported by fonts (like the ones from fontmath.ltx)
3) symbols without any builtin support
Adding symbols of type 1) and 2) requires some programming in LyX, and 2)
requires also a true type font containing the symbols in a certain order,
but symbols of type 3) can easily be added by users: All lines starting with
\def are of this kind. For example, you could define \partialslash like
this:
\def\partialslash{\partial\kern-12mu/}
The slash is a bit too short, but maybe there is a longer one already
supported by mathed, which you could use instead. Although this looks like a
TeX macro definition, it is not used for the output, only for display in
LyX. There is basically no documentation how exactly this \def works, you
have to use trial and error. You could also make the mathabx package load
automatically if this symbol is used (works only for packages in the
compiled in feature list of LyX, and mathabx is in there):
\def\partialslash{\partial\kern-12mu/} mathabx
I strongly advise against doing so, because this makes your LyX document
depend on your personal installation, and it would not typeset on vanilla
installations. This feature is rather for symbols distributed with the
official symbols file.
Finally, if you want some symbols to appear officially in LyX, you could add
them to bug 8888, but please note that font changing packages like txfonts
will not be used.
Georg
PS: It is funny that you also use the math editor for calculations. I used
to do that a lot for my thesis, but always thought I was the only one.
