Transferring Documents between Windows and Mac OS

The information in this document applies to:

Issue

Many customers want to transfer documents containing MathType equations to another platform, but find that their equations are not correctly converted. Typical problems include inappropriate characters are substituted, characters are missing, equations cannot be edited, equations appear as empty boxes, or equations disappear entirely.

If you are converting a document between Windows and Macintosh and also between two different applications, you should read this notice and our notice which discusses Converting Documents between Applications.

If you are experiencing problems sharing documents with someone who is using the same program on the same platform, please see our notice addressing Sharing Documents Containing MathType Equations.

Solution

Mac OS uses the PICT graphic file format. Windows uses the Windows Metafile Format (WMF). Mac OS does not support the WMF format and Windows does not support the PICT format. MathType for Macintosh, by default, creates PICTs. MathType for Windows, by default, creates WMFs. When you transfer a document containing embedded WMFs or PICTs to a different platform, many applications will attempt to convert the equations to the graphic file format supported by the operating system when opening the document. For complex graphics which include characters from fonts, such as MathType equations, the conversion is rarely completely successful.

This notice addresses the following issues:

1. Updating Equations which use Object Linking and Embedding (OLE)

2. Microsoft Word Users

3. Documents containing GIFs

4. Limitations when converting from MathType 4.0 or 5.x for Windows to MathType 3.6 or 3.7 for Macintosh

Updating Equations which use Object Linking and Embedding (OLE)

If equations were embedded into a document by using Object Linking and Embedding (OLE), i.e., by using a toolbar button in a Microsoft Word or PowerPoint, using an "Insert Equation", "Insert Object", or "Insert OLE Object" command, or, via cut-and-paste, the equations are PICTs or WMFs. If the equations were created in MathType, saved as individual files, and inserted or placed into a document, they may be WMFs, PICTs, Encapsulated PostScript (EPS), or Graphics Interchange Format (GIF) files and did not use OLE.

It is necessary to use MathType to convert WMFs or PICTs on the receiving platform in order for them to appear correctly. 

If you are using an application other that Microsoft Word, it will be necessary to double-click on each equation to open it in Microsoft Equation or MathType, choose Save or Update from the File, and close the window.

You can use MathType to update MathType equations or Equation Editor equations, but they will be converted to MathType equations. Microsoft Equation, CorelEquation, and AppleWorks Equation cannot edit equations created by other equation editors.

Microsoft Word Users

We include an add-in for Microsoft Word with MathType which adds a commands to Microsoft Word for converting all the equations in a document in a single step. 

If you are using any of the following MathType/Word combinations you should run the Convert Equations command in the MathType menu of Word when opening a Windows document on Macintosh and vice-versa. This will convert/refresh all the equations to the proper metafile format on that platform.

• MathType 4.0 for Windows with Microsoft Word 95, 97, or 2000
• MathType 5.x for Windows with Word 97, 2000, 2002 (XP) or 2003
• MathType 6.x for Windows with Word 2000, 2002 (XP), 2003 or 2007
• MathType 5.x for Macintosh with Word 98, 2001, X and 2004
• MathType 6.x for Macintosh with Word X, or 2004

If you are using MathType 6.x for Macintosh with Word 2008, there will be no command for Convert Equations and each equation should be opened and resaved individually.

If you are using MathType 4.0 for Windows with Microsoft Word 2002 (XP), you may need to manually install the MathType add-in for Word manually as outlined in TechNote 86: Using MathType 4 for Windows with Microsoft Office XP.

If you are using MathType 3.7 or earlier with Microsoft Word for Mac or MathType 3.5 or earlier for Windows, before updating any document, contact the author to make sure that your MathType preference settings match the settings that the author used. Updating the equations with MathType 3.x and earlier will correct their appearance, but it will also apply your current spacing, style, and size preferences to them. Please refer to your MathType manual if you are unfamiliar with MathType's Styles, Sizes, Spacing, and formatting rules.

If you are using MathType 3.5 or earlier, the macros must be manually installed. Once installed, you will have an Update Equations command in the Tools menu of Microsoft Word. Instructions for installing the macros are included in your MathType manual, or you can read TechNote 58: Installing MathType 3.5 Macros into Microsoft Word 97 and 2000. Before updating any document, contact the author to make sure that your MathType preference settings match the settings that the author used. Updating the equations with MathType will correct their appearance, but it will also apply your current spacing, style, and size preferences to them. Please refer to your MathType manual if you are unfamiliar with MathType's Styles, Sizes, Spacing, and formatting rules.

MathType 3.1 for Windows does not include macros which are compatible with Microsoft Word 97 or 2000. MathType 3.5 for Mac does not contain macros compatible with Microsoft Word 98. It is necessary to upgrade your copy of MathType if you are using an older version of MathType with a recent version of Word and would like to use MathType's macros.

You cannot update MathType 4.0 and 5.x equations with earlier versions of MathType for Windows. MathType 3.6 and 3.7 for Macintosh will update MathType 4.0 and 5.x for Windows equations.

Documents Containing GIFs

If the equations have been saved separately as GIFs, or the document has been converted to HTML, which has the same effect, they should not need to be updated, as the Graphics Interchange Format is supported on both platforms. There is a substantial loss of formatting using HTML translators, so you should understand the inherent disadvantages before converting your documents to HTML.

Limitations when converting from MathType 4.0 or 5.x for Windows to MathType 3.6 or 3.7 for Macintosh

MathType 4.0 and 5.x for Windows contain symbols and templates which do not exist in MathType 3.6 and 3.7 for the Mac. If you open and edit MathType 4.0 and 5.0 equations using MathType 3.6 or 3.7 for Mac, templates which do not exist on the Mac platform will appear as "[unknown template]". Symbols which do not exist on the Mac platform will be replaced by a question mark or empty box. To have complete cross-platform portability when MathType 3.x for Macintosh is involved, you need to refrain from using any equation templates or symbols in Windows which do not exist on the Mac platform.

MathType 5 for Macintosh, a native OS X version that also supports OS 9, was released in 2004. Equations created in this version of MathType are 100% compatible with equations created in MathType 4.0 and 5.x for Windows. We highly encourage all MathType 3.x for Mac users to upgrade to MathType 5 for Macintosh.

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