August 2023

From: Dr Christopher Mabb, Scientific Word Ltd.
To: Our Scientific Word/WorkPlace/Notebook Technical Typesetting list

1. L^aT_eX commands in v6:    Someone commented on our YouTube video SWdemo to ask:

   Hi. One question. In Scientific workplace 5.5 you can write latex command by holding ctrl and writting the latex commando, for example ctrl+cdot make a center dot. Is there a similar functionality in Scientific workplace 6? Thank you

   We replied:

   Yes. The v5.5 functionality you're referring to is documented at Help – Search – keyboard shortcuts – keyboard shortcuts – available TeX commands: cdot is under Binary operations. In v6, the documentation is at Help – Scientific WorkPlace Help – (search: TeX) – TeX Names for Characters and Symbols. The interface is slightly different: instead of Ctrl+cdot you would enter Ctrl+space then cdot – Enter.

   Even if you weren't wanting to enter any L^aT_eX commands, this information might help you make better use of the online Help capabilities.




2. Importing L^aT_eX code:    We've discussed this topic previously in respect of v5.5 in our Midsummer's Day 2020 mailing Item 3 and December 2020 mailing Item 3. A few weeks ago someone asked about any differences when doing so with Scientific WorkPlace v6. We replied, with reference to the paragraph he'd supplied, giving a benefit of v6 and a workaround in order to overcome the drawback:

   When you use v6 it adds the required packages automatically, which v5.5 does not; the v5.5 route may require adding the packages manually in order to compile:
       \usepackage{amssymb,amsmath,​mathtools,xcolor,graphicx,xspace,​colortbl,ragged2e,rotating}
   You get these packages added for you when you use v6 and then File – Export (in order to re-Import the exported v5.5 file since you won’t see the contents of the TeX Field otherwise).

   The final phrase in brackets above refers to the point made in our December 2020 mailing Item 3, that when importing L^aT_eX into version 6:

   The Encapsulated box defaults to checked, whether you actually check it or not: Scientific WorkPlace does not interpret and display the contents you have imported.

   But by exporting from v6 to v5.5 format (File – Export TeX) and then re-importing into v6 (File – ImportTeX), the contents of the TeX Field (the L^aT_eX code you imported) will be interpreted and displayed.
   
   The user continued:

   If I send a SWP document that contains TeX fields to LaTeX users who have no access to Scientific Workplace, will they be able to read the contents of the TeX fields?

   We said:

   Yes: click on File – Export TeX to create the .tex file. If you open the .tex file with WordPad you’ll see that the TeX Field has been incorporated into the rest of the text.
   Any LaTeX user should be able to compile this .tex file and view the PDF, if and only if their LaTeX system has all the required packages.
   
   You can test compiling a .tex file directly yourself (without using SWP v5.5) by selecting the Compiler: Start – Scientific WorkPlace v5.5 (dropdown) – TrueTeX Formatter, and navigating to your .tex file. Then use the Previewer: Start – Scientific WorkPlace v5.5 (dropdown) – TrueTeX Previewer to view the DVI file the Formatter produced. If you have the Microsoft Print to PDF printer installed, you can produce the PDF from the Previewer.
   This is similar to what non-SWP LaTeX users would do. <snip>
   
   It’s worth double checking, before you send the .tex file to a co-author, that it does not contain a line in the Preamble saying
       \input{tcilatex}
   It shouldn’t; if it does, delete this line. This is a throwback to v5.5, but can sometimes crop up again; non-SWP users will not have tcilatex.tex. The file tcilatex.tex has no relevance in v6. See our October 2022 mailing Item 3.

   We thought these instructions for compiling .tex files outside of Scientific Word/WorkPlace (middle paragraph above) might be of interest to a wider audience.




3. Registration/Activation:    A prospective user in Burkino Faso said:

   Unfortunately I was unable to install the licence and the version I have does not allow me to save what I enter. How can I get the licence for the trial version?

   Absolutely so – the 30-day trial of both v5.5 and v6 initially installs in Viewer mode! We replied:

   Thank you for your Email – we’re sorry to hear you’ve had problems. To turn the Trial Viewer version into a full working version (for 30-days) that will allow you to save your documents, you do need to Register (v5.5) or Activate (v6) according to the relevant installation instructions for version 6.1 (Step 6) or version 5.5 (Step 8; or Help – Register).
   Do please confirm you are now up and running; or else let us know it still doesn’t work, and we will help you further. Please tell us whether you are trying out Scientific WorkPlace version 5.5 or v6.

   We didn't hear back, so we assume that solved the problem.




4. Lost licence:    Someone – not one of our own users – Emailed with this request:

   I had a scientific word license registered on either of these email address

   <snip>

   I would like to reinstall this software on my new laptop – but I cannot find my license for this. Would you be able to help ?

   We like to help if we can. We said:

   Yes we can help you install your Scientific Word licence:

   1. We can provide the executable file by download for whichever version of Scientific Word you had:
      • v5.0 or v5.5 for Windows; or
      • v6 for Windows or Mac
   2. We can provide detailed installation instructions for the appropriate version.

   
   You will need your serial number, in the format shown in our February 2019 mailing Item 1; you did not buy your Scientific Word licence from us, otherwise we could provide this to you as well. You can find your serial number:

   1. Either: from any installation of Scientific Word on any of your past computers: either from within Scientific Word – Help – System Features; or from File Explorer by examining (eg. with WordPad) the file
      • c:\sw55\Licenses\license.lic (v5.5) or
      • c:\Users\[Name]\AppData\​Roaming\SW[P]\​Profiles\[cht11msu].default\license.lic (v6 Windows)
      • ~/Library/Application Support/SW[P]/Profiles/​[pu0nd1yk].default/license.lic (v6 Mac)
   2. Or: from the Email the licence server sent you on any previous occasion when you installed and Registered/Activated Scientific Word.

   
   We hope this is helpful. Do please let us have your Scientific Word version number and serial number, and we will supply the appropriate download link and installation instructions.

   Unfortunately we don't have access to the serial numbers of people who didn't buy their licence from us unless they've given them to us.




5. Numbering equations (v5.5):    Someone Emailed to say:

   I can't get the numbering of equations to work. As a work-around, I can copy and paste a numbered equation, but cannot form one in a document. I thought you were to right click on a blank line and choose it from the display properties, but that doesn't work. I only get it to show display properties on an existing numbered line.

   We replied:

   An equation must be in a display (Insert – Display), then right-click to the right and select Number – Auto to number. You only need to give it a key if you are going to cross refer to the equation number. To help see what is going on, you should turn on View – Helper Lines, Input Boxes, Markers. Exceptionally we will give you access to Module 2-2 of our v5.5 Training Course: watch from 7m38s to the end

   which the user confirmed enabled him to add numbered equations.




6. Subdocuments (again)    (please also see our previous pieces in the November 2021 mailing Item 5, October 2022 mailing Item 5 and December 2022 mailing Item 4): A user with the 5-hour Support Package is writing a book with Scientific Word v5.5 and asked for our advice on the best way to proceed:

   I'm now starting to process the various SW5.5 tex files for the chapters that will make up the book I'm writing.  I intend to do the final editing separately for each chapter. Each chapter is in a separate subdirectory as a complete document with the graphic files.  I need to send J Wiley a complete .tex file so they can do the final processing.
   <snip>
   Assuming that it is straightforward will portable latex produce the appropriate file that I can send J Wiley that will produce the final pdf?

   We replied:

   Please note the following points:

   1. It is important that you create your master document using the document shell that gives the appearance you want for your finished output:
      1. If Wiley have supplied you with a template document to use, then use that. Quite possibly they haven’t, if they are going to do the final formatting themselves.
      2. If they haven’t, we recommend you start with File – New – Standard LaTeX – Standard LaTeX Book, since you’re probably familiar with that. <snip>
   2. If you’re creating a new master document, note the instructions in our December 2022 mailing Item 4, middle section:

      “For each of the master document and subdocuments, you will need to:

      1. Open the document
      2. Click on Typeset – Output Choice – PDF – OK
      3. Make a change to the document (eg. add a space and then delete it)
      4. Save the document.”

   3. The final document you give to Wiley will be this master document. But Wiley will also need the separate subdocuments (.tex files) since the master document basically just says:
      1. Put Chapter1.tex here;
      2. Put Chapter2.tex here;
      3. Put Chapter3.tex here etc.
   4. The best way to send the book to Wiley is to do what we have done here to send it to you <snip>. For example: we recommend you create your master document as c:\sw55\docs\book\master.tex; create the Chapter 1 subdocument as c:\sw55\docs\book\chapter1\​chapter1.tex; create the Chapter 2 subdocument as c:\sw55\docs\book\chapter2\​chapter2.tex etc.
      Then to send the book to Wiley, use File Explorer and right-click on the c:\sw55\docs\book folder and select SendTo – Compressed zipped folder <snip>
   5. Yes, you want to save your documents as Portable LaTeX files; for an explanation, see our October 2022 mailing Item 3(2). This is also covered in Section 5-1 of the Training videos you have access to (from 6m23s – 7m40s)

   
   If at any point our instructions are not clear, we can always log on to your computer remotely (with your consent) and perform any of these steps for you. Please let us know if you’d like us to send you the instructions for using Windows Quick Assist.

   The availability of our logging on to your computer and resolving a problem for you remotely is included in our paid support options: our Consultancy Time, the 5-hour Support Package and the Support Contract.




7. Align*:    A Scientific WorkPlace v5.5 user with our Individual Annual Maintenance sent us a .tex file and asked:

   Could please delete the command {align*} from the attached theorem

   For reference, note that:

   The asterisk symbol (*) <snip> is commonly used to indicate that a command or environment does not produce numbering, e.g. \section* or \begin{align*}.

   So this is a question about the align environment provided by the amsmath package, not about the asterisk. We replied:

   I’m not sure what effect you are really wanting.
   
   If you highlight the display, right-click Properties and uncheck Enable Alignment – OK then the Display will start with
       \begin{eqnarray*}
   rather than
       \begin{align*}
   
   Is that what you were looking for?

   (see our sample .tex file and screenshot) which he confirmed worked as required.




8. Installation checklist:    We had an Email last month saying:

   I am trying to install my old version of SW 5.0 in my new laptop, but it is not accepting my license number.
   Could you help pleases?

   We didn't know the user, and started by asking him:

   1. Is it version 5.0 or version 5.5 you are trying to install?
   2. Are you following any installation instructions? If so, please send them to us.
   3. Are you installing from a CD or from a download? If a CD, does it say v5.0 or v5.5 on the front? If from a download, is the file sciword500.exe or sciword550.exe?
   4. Check that your serial number is of the correct format for the version: see our February 2019 mailing Item 1
   5. Please send us a screenshot of the error message that leads you to say “it is not accepting my license number”.

   And that was enough. He replied:

   Many thanks for your quick response!
   While I was going through the process in order to get the screenshot…it worked.  I am not sure what when wrong the previous times I tried

   although, interestingly, he didn't then take us up on our offer of 12 months' complimentary Tech Support!




9. Spam folder:    We have had another couple of occasions recently where support Emails we have sent in response to someone's request have ended up in their junk folder – and only been discovered a while later. These two most recent cases were in respect of people with AOL and Yahoo Email accounts.
   We recommend you whitelist our Email address – especially if you've asked for our input! We also think it's good practice to scan the junk folder from time to time for names or topics you recognise (say, weekly... although we do so once a day): it only takes about 20 seconds.
   
   On the downside, if you're one of the users for whom this item is relevant, this Email will probably be in your junk folder already!