Font Properties

The Font Properties dialog gives you a way to control the font properties used to render character data in a template. The Font Properties dialog can also be used to set default font properties for an entire equation. The effect of each property is described discussed below.

Logical and System Fonts

The Logical Font option uses the MathML mathvariant attribute to select the font family used to render characters. Since MathML is frequently used in conjunction with a style language such as CSS in web pages, the MathML mathvariant attribute specifies an abstract class of fonts, rather than a specific font on a specific computer system. So, if you choose an option such as "sans serif", the font chosen to render the characters will differ from system to system.

When the value 'automatic' is specified for identifiers, single character identifiers are rendered in italics, while multi-character identifiers are rendered in an upright font. This is standard mathematical typesetting practice, but can be changed either by choosing a different logical font, or changing the italics preference on the General Preferences Dialog.

The System Font option uses the deprecated MathML fontfamily property to set a specifically named font. For example, if "Times New Roman" is selected, the system being used must have a font installed named "Times New Roman" in order to render characters correctly. The font weight and slant attributes are applied to the chosen system font.

Font Size

The size of characters can be specified using normal MathML size values. In addition, the relative sizes "big", "small" and "inherited" may also be used.

Font Color

The font color property determines the color in which character data in a template will be rendered, as well as any other "foreground" parts of a template, such as the horizontal bar in a fraction. The font color can be set to any MathML color value.

Background color

The background color property determines the background color for a template. Note only the background of the template is affected. The background of enclosing templates will not be affected. For this reason, it is usually preferable to set the background on the outermost template possible. For example, if you set the background for the individual token templates in a row, the background will likely appear ragged, as opposed to the rectangular background of the row. The background color can be set to any MathML color value.

Equation Defaults

At the bottom of the Font Properties dialog are two checkboxes that determine whether the property settings will be sticky or not. If "Apply to each token element in the selection" is chosen, the properties are set for each individual character, and they will stick with them if you cut part of the expression and paste it elsewhere.

By constrast, if you choose "Set as default for selected expression", the editor will insert a style change template as needed, and set the properties once for the entire selection. In this case, the properties also apply to non-character data such as fraction lines. However, since the properties are associated with the expression and not the individual characters within it, they are not sticky, and if you cut data out of the expression and paste it elsewhere, the properties will no longer apply. Conversely, the properties you set for the expression will also apply to any new data you add to it.