Re: [docbook-apps] Docbook with Math ML/Latex => PDF

[Justus-bulk@Piater.name]

Dave Pawson <davep@dpawson.co.uk> wrote on Mon, 20 Oct 2008 13:49:51
+0100:

> http://www.antennahouse.com/product/mathml.htm
>
> Nikolai has http://www.grigoriev.ru/svgmath/
>
> I.e. mathml to SVG, then incorporate the SVG into docbook/fo

There is also Apache FOP with the JEuclid FOP plugin.

I have used both methods; both have minor quirks but are pretty usable
and give satisfactory results for all of my current needs. I currently
prefer the latter, as it requires fewer processing steps than svgmath.

Then there is my own baby, http://sourceforge.net/projects/pmml2svg/,
which seeks to provide an XSLT-only solution by converting MathML to
SVG (for non-Gecko Web browsers, FOP without JEuclid, inkscape etc.).
It is currently working as a proof of concept, and I have a student
working on it, hoping to make it an attractive alternative by summer
2009.

> AFAIK there is no 'recommended' way to get mathml (either kind)
> embedded into docbook... yet.

Yep. What I do is:

- type individual variables and very short equations directly as
  mathml

- type more lengthy math in LaTeX syntax into <textobject role="tex">
  directly into the docbook source, followed by a

  <textobject role="html">
    <xi:include href="texmath/whatever.xml"/>
  </textobject>

  I have makefile-triggered scripts that create the whatever.xml using
  a standalone TeX-to-MathML converter.

To reduce typing to a minimum, I use emacs-lisp code to create the
docbook math environments (<[inline]equation> and subtrees).

This setup works very efficiently for me now, but takes some setting
up.

Justus