Template Blanks

When you insert a new template into an equation, small squares indicate the empty slots, or template blanks, where data should be inserted. The cursor will automatically jump to the first template blank. If you want to fill in the template blank later, you can move the cursor out of the template without entering characters. Just reposition the cursor in the template when you are ready to fill it in. You can verify that the cursor is on the template blank by looking at the MathML Ancestry.

This is an important aid in avoiding a common confusion: when a template blank appears at the end of an <mrow> or other template, it can be difficult to tell whether the cursor is actually on the template, or on the <mrow>:

Thus it is a good habit to check the Ancestry to make sure the cursor is really on the template. The gray rectangle will confirm what you see in the Ancestry.

Moving Directly to Template Blanks

Because selecting a template blank is such a common task, there are two kinds of shortcuts. Hitting the Tab key will cycle between all open template blanks. You can also move the cursor to a template blank by clicking on it with the mouse.