Posted: Fri Dec 07, 2007 8:47 am Post subject: Formulae: writing ions
Hello everybody,
I learned how to write some formulae in NeoO, but I can't write well ions in chemical reactions.
For the minus sign a workaround could be typing option+- to obtain a "–" sign that is not recognised as an operator.
A less adequate workaround for the plus sign is to insert a "crux desperationis" instead by typing option+x, this is not very well looking after printing, there is a way to tell NeoO to recognise a symbol not as an operator?
This could be a good topic for the wiki.
Bye.
Last edited by xja on Fri Dec 07, 2007 3:45 pm; edited 1 time in total
You might want to read the following Apple help article as NeoOffice uses the standard method of inputting symbols that Apple switched to starting with Mac OS X 10.3:
xja, I'm a chemist and I can say that writing chemical equations with NeoOffice (and OpenOffice.org too) is quite a pain.
But for simple tasks, as write sodium bicarbonate in ionic form, things are quite simple.
Code:
Na^"+" ~~~ HCO^"-"_3
as it is writing isotope formulas
Code:
C lsup{12} lsub{6}
Problem comes when you want to write an arrow and want to put a text above it and/or under it (as in a chemical reaction where you want to describe reaction conditions). Best I can do is
Code:
CH_4 + 2 O_2 ignition over temp > CO_2 + H_{2}O
but don't know how to write an equilibrium reaction...
guides and help didn't explained this solution, it works!
I don't have, for now to write double arrows for equilibrium, but, if anybody knows, maybe digging in the character map....
I'm not a chemist, just a mathematician, but I think you can try to add a symbol to the Catalog.
1) Create a new formula document, or insert a formula in a Writer document.When the formula window opens, go to the Tools > Catalog… menu.
2) In the Symbols window, click on Special in the Symbol set drop-down, then on Edit…
3) Give a name to the new symbol, i.e. "equilibrium".
4) In the Subset category, click on Arrows.
5) Select the appropriate double arrow, and click on Add, then on OK.
6) Close the Catalog window.
When you want to use the symbol, you need to go to Tools > Catalog, click on Special in the drop-down, select the "equilibrium" symbol and click Insert. Close the Catalog window.
Of course, if you don't want to go the Catalog every time you write an "equilibrium", you can save your formula as an independant one. I've a collection of independant formulas (and, frankly, I often use LaTeX to write important math documents, but it's another story).
Thanks, the only problem is finding the right symbol...
Digging through the character map isn't easy to find what you want, you may not be searching in the right font....
Update
It was easier than expected, under Arial Unicode MS in arrows section there is an equilibrium-like double arrow symbol, there are also double-headed arrows and curved arrows (more difficult to use).
I forgot to say that to use that symbol, you don't need to open the Catalog, you can enter "%equilibrium" (without quotes) in the formula window.
When I open the Edit Symbols window, the Font drop-down is blank, and when I select Arrows, the appropriate double arrow is quite easy to find. The Font drop-down remains blank.
Jacqueline, I used that method, but it doesn't work if you have to put some text above or under the "%equilibrium" symbol. We need to expand it, but it doesn't.
Anyway, I think the best we can do is to dowload a free software like http://easychem.sourceforge.net/stable/EasyChem-0.6.dmg (but it requires X11, and we don't lile it, do we?), or to download the outstanding ChemDraw. Than we have to copy and paste the equation in NeoOffice.
For example try this %equilibrium csup{∆} csub{CDCl_3} this will show the double arrow, if you added in the catalog with such code, with a delta on top and CDCl3 at bottom, this may not be the best looking solution but is a first step.
It's the same as stack but a bit more simple to write.
It's a good method, but you cannot enter a formula in the Catalog. You can just enter the double arrow. However, there is a workaround: write the formula in a document, then create an Autotext. Autotexts are very handy.
To know how to create an Autotext, have a look at this page in the wiki (in Italian ).
You cannot post new topics in this forum You cannot reply to topics in this forum You cannot edit your posts in this forum You cannot delete your posts in this forum You cannot vote in polls in this forum You cannot attach files in this forum You cannot download files in this forum
