Adding a 'macro' to sort out chemical equations / symbols

Adding a 'macro' to sort out chemical equations / symbols

by Julian Whitehead -
Number of replies: 11
As a science teacher I quite regularly need to add subscript and superscript to text in moodle. In Word kind people have written macros to do this.
While with a little moodle page this is not a problem, if quite a few equations are added, it can become difficult, especially when adding Greek Symbols.
To see what I mean, look here:
How do I go about it, or can something be modified to do this?
Cheers
Jools
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In reply to Julian Whitehead

Re: Adding a 'macro' to sort out chemical equations / symbols

by Breanndan O'Cinneide -
Julian,

    would the mimeTex filter be able to do this more easily that the HTML editor?
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In reply to Julian Whitehead

Re: Adding a 'macro' to sort out chemical equations / symbols

by Laurie Savage -
I use the TeX filter for this sort of thing
$$2\mathrm{H}_2\mathrm{O} \arrow 2\mathrm{H}_2 + \mathrm{O}_2$$
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In reply to Laurie Savage

Re: Adding a 'macro' to sort out chemical equations / symbols

by Laurie Savage -
My server crashed befor I had the chance to fix things!

$$2H_2O \Rightarrow 2H_2 + O_2 + \theta$$

The text version is attached
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In reply to Laurie Savage

Re: Adding a 'macro' to sort out chemical equations / symbols

by Julian Whitehead -
Forgive my complete ignorance, how does this work?
I have seen the filter section, but not really sure how they work. I take it there is a guide somewhere.
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In reply to Julian Whitehead

Re: Adding a 'macro' to sort out chemical equations / symbols

by Julian Whitehead -
Okay, had a quick look and activated the filter (from admin). If I stick in something that should give me a greek letter alpha $$\alpha$$ I get the image that indicates that an image cannot be loaded or viewed (the X in a box).
Any ideas anyone?
Cheers
A TeX ignorant person - looks quite exciting!
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In reply to Julian Whitehead

Re: Adding a 'macro' to sort out chemical equations / symbols

by Zbigniew Fiedorowicz -
Right click on the broken image, select Properties, then go to that url directly in your browser. You will get further guidance.  If you need further help, please post to the Mathematics Tools forum
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In reply to Julian Whitehead

Re: Adding a 'macro' to sort out chemical equations / symbols

by Breanndan O'Cinneide -
Julian,

    the tex filter depends on an executable mimetex.exe which is in the directory moodle/filter/tex and should be about 322Kb in size. Recent zip downloads have not had  the correct  version of this (just a small 2kb file). The correct version is available, I think, on www.forkosh.com.
Check what you have...
wink


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In reply to Breanndan O'Cinneide

Re: Adding a 'macro' to sort out chemical equations / symbols

by Breanndan O'Cinneide -
I should have added that this applies to Windows servers only! black eye
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In reply to Julian Whitehead

Re: Adding a 'macro' to sort out chemical equations / symbols

by Mark Winter -
Why not write α directly? Or

2H<sub>2</sub> + O<sub>2</sub> &rarr; 2H<sub>2</sub>O
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In reply to Julian Whitehead

Re: Adding a 'macro' to sort out chemical equations / symbols

by Laurie Savage -
TeX/LaTex is huge and powerful. I use it for any technical typesetting (Physics/Maths exams, papers). The part that Moodle will play with is its mathematical component. For chemistry these symbols are prety much all you need. Remember to enclose the expression in double dollar signs.

H^a_b gives you $$H^a_b$$
\rightarrow gives you $$\rightarrow$$
\omega + \Omega gives you $$\omega + \Omega$$
\frac{A}{B} gives you $$\frac{A}{B}$$
\rightleftharpoons gives you $$\rightleftharpoons$$ sad
\leftrightarrow gives you $$\leftrightarrow$$


More Symbols at
http://www.artofproblemsolving.com/LaTeX/AoPS_L_GuideSym.php

There is extensive documentation on the net and on your computer if you are running a standard Linux installation.

Check out Chapter 3 in

http://www.ctan.org/tex-archive/info/lshort/english/lshort.pdf

I think the first couple of paragraphs are all you need to know.

Email me if you need help. BTW its nice to see a trombone - tenor sax is my weapon of choice!
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In reply to Laurie Savage

Re: Adding a 'macro' to sort out chemical equations / symbols

by Julian Whitehead -
Thanks for all that, perhaps we ought to start a moodle band, to see the gang I mainly play with (blatent advertising www.subb.co.uk ) though don't listen to the tracks on there as they were recorded a while ago.

Help much appreciated.
Regards

Jools
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