Creating a mathML enabled document

Here, we present the steps to generate MathML codes in MS Word desktop editor. The idea right now is not to explain MathML codes, but to show the way to create a proper document with MathML codes and implement the same in the MathML enabled browser on your desktop.

As the codes need to be free from formatting details and other encoding, the file created is saved as plain text with Unicode(UTF-8) specification. As such, the file should be saved as plain text file with extension “xml” in order to view the implementation in the browser.

Once the document has been created, the same can be tested in MathML supported browser like Mozilla’s Firefox. When MathML codes display the output to the satisfaction, then block of codes starting with <m:math> tag and ending with </m:math> tag can be copied and pasted in the XML document for publication purposes or be saved for future use. Now, proceed with the steps given here to create a mathML enabled “xml” document.

1: Open MS Word. Open a new document. Write exactly or copy/paste the following markup lines in the new document :

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" standalone="no"?>
<!DOCTYPE math 
    PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD MathML 2.0//EN"
           "http://www.w3.org/Math/DTD/mathml2/mathml2.dtd"
>

<document xmlns:m="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML">


</document>
	  

2: Write the next top most “xml” element of the document between “document” tags.

<content> 


</content>
	  

Note that “document” and “content” are the only XML elements i.e. the pair of tags, used for practicing MathML code. All other code lines, as detailed below, shall be MathML codes.

3: Write “math” MathML element between “content tags” with an example coding to display mathematical construct : v = AB t v = AB t .

4: For the time being, write exactly or copy / paste the code lines as given below and place them between “content” tags :

	    
  <content>
    <m:math display="block">
           <m:mrow> 
              <m:mi mathvariant="bold">v</m:mi>
              <m:mo>=</m:mo> 
              <m:mfrac> 
                <m:mi mathvariant="bold">AB</m:mi>
                <m:mi>t</m:mi>
              </m:mfrac> 
          </m:mrow>
     </m:math> 
  </content>
	    
	  

5: Click File from Word’s top menu and select “save as”. A dialog box appears. Look at the "Save as type" option. Select “Plain Text” option from the drop down menu. Give a name to the file such as “test.xml”. Ensure that you have provided “xml” extension. Click “Save” button available at the right hand corner (also visible in the figure below).

Figure 1: Select “plain text” from drop-down and give a name with xml extension

Saving options

6: "File Conversion" dialog box appears as shown below. Select the radio button “Other encoding”; Select “Unicode(UTF-8)” option as shown. Click “OK” button. Save the document to the folder you have created for the tutorial.

Figure 2: Select “other coding” radio button and "Unicode(UTF-8)" option

File conversion

7: Using “My Computer” or Window Explorer go to the tutorial folder, where you saved the document in earlier step. Select the file and right click the mouse. Select the option “open with”.

Figure 3: Select “Open with” from drop-down and select the mathML compatible browser

Opening with mathML enabled document

8: If MathML compatible browser is not in the list, select “Choose program” and include the browser that you have downloaded for the purpose. The executable file of the MathML compatible browser must be in the “Program files” folder on your desktop.

9: The mathML code is implemented by the browser as shown below :

v = AB t v = AB t

This completes the basic of creating a “xml” document to implement MathML codes. Subsequently, when you are satisfied by the implementation, you may copy the MathML code lines and paste the same in the document to be published.

Context of MathML

Presentation of mathematical content has been a problem for text editors and web renderers, owing largely to the requirement of (i) arrangement of characters and symbols of different sizes (ii) their staggered alignment and (iii) overall structural arrangement different form normal text. As a consequence, MathML markup has been developed to address the needs of the web authors, overcoming these requirements.

The marking up of MathML tags, however, itself is inherently a lengthy and error prone proposition, requiring frequent and repeated testing in order to compose a “well formed” mark up code. A simple notation such as x 10 x 10 may require 6 lines of coding with strict adherence to the syntax and grammar of the mark up language.

Indeed, development of MathML is not targeted for direct use. In the language of Web Consortium (W3C) “……….. Instead, it is anticipated that authors will use equation editors, conversion programs, and other specialized software tools to generate MathML. Alternatively, some renderers and systems supporting mathematics may convert other kinds of input directly included in Web pages into MathML on the fly, in response to a cut-and-paste operation…….”.

Though, using tailored software is the easiest way around, but a general understanding of the mathML mark up language may let you grasp the environment of mathematical content publication and at the same time let you be independent of the individual software adaptation issues; while simultaneously letting you continue with developing codes in an organized and efficient manner. If you adapt well to the MathML, there is every chance that you might not use a specialized tool at all.

General features of mathML coding

1: MathML tries to capture the requirement of both presentation and content (meaning) of mathmatical expression. Take the example of trigonometric function “sin x”. Simply stated it is an identifier “sin” and a character “x”, which are separated by a white space. From the perspective of mathematics, however, “sin” is a function, which operates on an operand “x”. The two aspects are different when perceived from the angle of presentation and interpretation. MathML provides coding frame work for both these aspects through two different sets of mark-up called “Presentation” and “Content” mark-ups. As pointed out earlier, we would, however, be limited to the presentation mark-up.

2: MathML elements are preceded with “m:”, specifying the namespace for implementing the codes by the renderers i.e. browsers. A namespace associates a unique global identifier (usually a URL) with a particular set of tags and their usage rules.

3: MathML coding is case sensitive. Mostly, it is lower case coding, unless stated otherwise.

4: MathML markup adheres to the HTML markup structure. Most elements begin with a start tag and end with an end tag. Example : </m:mi>a</m:mi>. Ofcourse, there are also few empty tags.

5: MathML implementation is very touchy about the syntax and structure. A start tag must always be closed by an end tag. There are few varieties in the manner they are closed, but then they all must be closed. Empty elements, for example, are closed in the beginning itself.

6: There is no white space allowed between enclosing angles of a tag. The code parser i.e. the browser would not accept a space inside the angles of the tag like < mi>. It should be written without white space as <mi>.