Document 598

Using mathematics in a caption or other TeX field

Version: 3.x, 4.x, 5.x - Scientific WorkPlace & Scientific Word

To avoid typesetting difficulties, you must use correct LaTeX commands to enter any mathematics that appears in the caption for a floating object or in any other TeX field.

The instructions below explain a method for creating correct LaTeX commands that can be copied into a caption for a table that floats, but you can apply the process to include mathematics in any TeX field. Tables that float are created in SWP and SW with the fragment Table - (4x3, floating) or, in Version 3.0, with the fragment table4_3.

Create mathematics in the caption for a table that floats

1. Create a table that floats:

   1. In your SWP or SW document, place the insertion point where you want the table to appear and apply the Table - (4x3, floating) fragment or, in Version 3.0, the table 4_3 fragment.

   2. Edit the number of rows and columns as necessary and replace the predefined cell contents with the information you want.

   3. Save your document.

2. Create the caption:

   1. Open a new document using the Blank - Standard LaTeX Article shell.

   2. In the body of the new document, enter the caption for the table in a single paragraph.

   3. Apply a Section tag to the caption paragraph.

      Applying the tag adds the required LaTeX \protect statements.

   4. Save the new document using the same document type as you used for the document containing the table.

   5. Open the document containing the caption in an ASCII editor, such as Notepad, and scroll to the caption.

      The caption begins with \section, as in this example:

      \section{According to the rule $\sin ^{2}\protect\theta +\cos ^{2}\protect\theta =1$.}

   6. Change the word section to caption.

   7. Select both lines of the caption and copy them to the clipboard.

3. Place the caption in the table:

   1. In the document containing the table, place the insertion point to the right of the Caption field in the Table - (4x3, floating) fragment.

   2. Choose Properties.

   3. Select the entire contents of the Caption field.

   4. From the Edit menu, choose Paste to replace the existing caption with the caption you created.

   5. Choose OK.

4. Save and typeset your document to see the mathematics appear correctly in the table caption.

NoteVersions of the Table - (4x3, floating) fragment prior to Version 5.0 include a \label as part of the caption TeX field. The fragment included with Version 5.0 and later instead uses a marker immediately following the caption TeX field. The instructions above remove the \label command that is inside the caption TeX field. Therefore, if you are using a version prior to Version 5.0 and you want to create a cross-reference the table, you must add a marker immediately following the caption TeX field.

Last revised 03/14/06

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