October 2017

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

 

    Here's some further news and technical tips to help you get the most from your Scientific Word/WorkPlace/Notebook system.
    The latest version is v6.0.27 with the extensive list of updates below. We recommend you update to the current version when convenient; the installation instructions are here.

 

  1. Version 6.0.27:    There are many changes, updates and improvements in v6.0.27:


  2. Vista errors:    We know nobody's still using Windows Vista – Microsoft ended even their "Extended Support" earlier this year – but we like to test these things so as to be prepared for any possible problems.
    We'd been running Scientific Word/WorkPlace on Vista quite happily up until v6.0.26, but by the time v6.0.27 was released the current version of TeXLive was TeXLive 2017. Having accepted the Scientific Word/WorkPlace installer's default options to install TeXLive along with the SW/P program, we had a couple of error message: first this and then this. And after pressing ahead with the installation anyway, SW/P files imported from version 5.5 failed in this way when trying to compile. Even following the instructions linked in our June 2016 mailing Item 2, we were unable to install TeXLive 2017 on Windows Vista.
    However, all was not lost as we were able to revert to our TeXLive 2016 installation by rebuilding the TeXLive 2016 filename database (indicated by the 'tcilatex.tex not found' error); rebuilding/updating the filename database is documented in our April 2016 mailing Item 4(2)1. Then we were back to where we'd started. And finally we installed Scientific Word/WorkPlace v6.0.27, being careful this time to uncheck the option for installing TeXLive – thus ending up running SW/P v6.0.27 with TeXLive 2016.
    But you're not still using Vista anyway...


  3. Importing tables to v6.0:    One of our London users who's been with us for a decade or so reported an issue when importing into v6.0 a Scientific WorkPlace v5.5 document including tables. In order to centre the tables on the line he'd been putting them inside maths displays; we don't make any criticism of this – indeed, it was what our v5.5 Training Course recommended people to do. The problem was that those tables inside maths displays were not being successfully imported into v6.0. At least, they appeared in the editing screen... but were missing from the resulting PDF compiled in v6.0: see an example here (download; open in v5.5; and then try importing into v6.0).
    Until the version 6.0 import filter is amended to handle tables inside maths displays, the easiest workaround is to first open the v5.5 document with WordPad and remove the commands (highlighted below) before and after such tables responsible for putting them inside displays (simply back-spacing to remove the displays in Scientific Word/WorkPlace is insufficient as it leaves the tables still in maths mode):
    \[
    \begin{tabular}{|c|c|c|}
    \hline
    \textbf{Apple} & \textbf{Orange} & \textbf{Pear} \\ \hline
    \multicolumn{1}{|l|}{Round} & \multicolumn{1}{|l|}{Round} &
    \multicolumn{1}{|l|}{Pear-shaped} \\ \hline
    \multicolumn{1}{|r|}{52} & \multicolumn{1}{|r|}{47} & \multicolumn{1}{|r|}{57
    } \\ \hline
    \multicolumn{1}{|l|}{$\mathbb{R}$} & \multicolumn{1}{|l|}{$\mathbb{Z}$} &
    \multicolumn{1}{|l|}{$\mathbb{N}$} \\ \hline
    \end{tabular}%
    \]
    and:
    \begin{equation}
    \begin{tabular}{|c|c|c|}
    \hline
    \textbf{Apple} & \textbf{Orange} & \textbf{Pear} \\ \hline
    \multicolumn{1}{|l|}{Round} & \multicolumn{1}{|l|}{Round} &
    \multicolumn{1}{|l|}{Pear-shaped} \\ \hline
    \multicolumn{1}{|r|}{52} & \multicolumn{1}{|r|}{47} & \multicolumn{1}{|r|}{57
    } \\ \hline
    \multicolumn{1}{|l|}{$\mathbb{R}$} & \multicolumn{1}{|l|}{$\mathbb{Z}$} &
    \multicolumn{1}{|l|}{$\mathbb{N}$} \\ \hline
    \end{tabular}%
    \end{equation}

    You can then save the .tex file, import into v6.0, and the resulting PDF will include the tables. We trust this workaround will soon be unnecessary as the import filter continues to improve.


  4. Firewall problems:    One of our newest corporate bank customers reported a problem Activating Scientific WorkPlace v6.0 (ie. getting the licence file):
    Hi I have installed the software and when I try to ok the licence ‘error server not found.’ Is there an internet connection we need to change in the product to see our proxy?
    Our first offer was to generate the licence file for them if their firewall was getting in the way of connecting to the licence server. But our second suggestion was probably more useful in the longer term:
    An alternative way forward would be for you to enter your computer ID, serial number (you’ll need to type it, not copy and paste) and Email address at http://licensing.mackichan.com/activate, and then with the Email you receive, follow Step 8 bullet point 2 of our installation instructions at https://www.sciword.co.uk/pdfs/v6.0Installation.pdf
    which works for standalone permanent licences just as for 12-month home-use licences. The test of successfully licensing the program is getting the gold seal from Help – License Information (see the link in our April 2016 mailing Item 5).


  5. Version 5.5/6.0:    If you're having difficulties registering version 5.5 of Scientific Word/WorkPlace/Notebook after installing v6.0, please don't hesitate to get in touch... it's not something you can fix at your end!


  6. Found a bug?    Do please let us know so that any outstanding bugs can be fixed. For example, one of our users Emailed recently having found one:
    Type some paras such as:
    Asdf
    Asg
    Asg
    Then assign either a numbered list or a bullet list item to these objects. You will get
    •  
    Asdf
    Asg
    Asg
    Then position your cursor in front of the A at the very first para (Asdf) and hit backspace so that you can bring the para in line with the bullet list item. Every time I try to do this, my program just shuts down...
    We trust this particular bug will be fixed in the next release. But something like this could take months for us to find by methodical testing of every combination of keystrokes; the sooner such outstanding bugs are reported to us, the sooner they'll be ironed out!


  7. Version 6.0 Training:    Now that the academic year is in full swing, don't forget to schedule in Scientific Word/WorkPlace v6.0 Training for yourself and your colleagues. Our Standard Two-Day Training Course covers everything that most users will ever need to know.
    Not entirely sure it's worth it? Well, did you and your colleagues know how to produce web pages from Scientific Word? Change the margins around? And everything else in the v6.0 Course Summary for that matter? As well as training your people to a high level of competence, you'll get me on site personally for two days to deal with any technical or installation issues. And all for less than £1500 if you qualify for the small-group discount... Click here to find out.


  8. v5.5 videos:    As you're aware (see our October 2016 mailing Item 7 and May 2017 mailing Item 8) Technical Support for v5.5 of Scientific Word, WorkPlace and Notebook ended for Standard users (though not Premier users, Annual Maintenance sites and Support Contracts) in June.
    And so we're both surprised and pleased to see that sales continue to come in for our v5.5 Training Course videos. If more than 50 lectures/topics in over four hours of 720HD video content would help (with several exercises for you to complete throughout), the videos can be yours for just £197 + VAT with Educational discount to £147 + VAT... with a further discount of £50 when bought together with a Scientific Word/WorkPlace licence (which of course covers you to use SW/P both v6.0 and v5.5).


  9. Holiday Closure:    Everyone deserves a break when they work hard – so please take note of our Holiday Closure dates! But be assured we'll continue to be available to our registered users for Tech Support by Email throughout this period.

 

We send this mailing to our users every couple of months or so; by the time the next one arrives you'll be able to smell the turkey cooking! But please just let us know if you no longer wish to remain on our mailing list, and we'll confirm your removal within hours.

This software is way too good to keep to yourself! Why not tell your colleagues and co-authors...

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Cheers,

Christopher
--
Christopher Mabb, Scientific Word Ltd., UK
Tel: +44 (0)345 766 0340; Fax: +44 (0)345 603 9443
Email: christopher@sciword.co.uk
Web: https://www.sciword.co.uk/