Font Problem using MathType

Question

Level 1

25 points

Font Problem using MathType

I need to write some papers with mathematical symbols and have been trying to use MathType. I get an error when I start up the current version of MathType. A window pops up that says:

"MathType requires a newer version of the MT Extra font that is currently installed. Please reinstall MathType to get the current version or [instructions for disabling the Apple font]."

I tried deinstalling and reinstalling MathType and still get the same error. I tried disabling the Apple font and that didn't work. I called MatType support and they gave me instructions for installing the MT Extra font from the Applications>MathType 6>Fonts>TrueType folder. I did that and got a pop-up window which looked like a preview of the font: symbols such as universal quantification. After a few seconds a window appeared that was titled "Font Validation". It said:

"1 serious error was found do not use this font". There is a button at the bottom of the window that says "Install Checked" its greyed out but if I select MT Extra in the Window it still gives me the option to click the button.

I didn't go ahead and install the font though since that sounded like a serious error. I asked MathType support and they said not to worry about it and just go ahead and use the font. However, when I go ahead and click on the "Install" button in spite of the one serious red warning, I get ANOTHER warning saying something like:

"doing this could seriously harm your environment, including system crashes."

I'm asking the MathType people one more time but thought I would as here. Does anyone know why I'm getting these errors and more importantly is it really fine to use the font? Are there other ways besides MathType to get math formulas? I don't need many, mostly just for First Order Logic, Set Theory, and Summation.

I'm on an iMac running OS 10.11.5 (the info in my profile is out of date, will fix that) and using Apple's Pages product version 5.6.2

I would appreciate any suggestions here.

iMac, OS X El Capitan (10.11.3), 2.7 GHz Intel Core i5 8GB RAM

Posted on Jun 24, 2016 11:05 AM

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Answer 1

VikingOSX

Level 10

123,446 points

Jun 24, 2016 11:20 AM in response to JGatsby

This is a Pages for Mac support community, and not the place to debug MathType. Continue to work with the MathType support team, as it is their product, and not an integral part of Pages.

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Answer 2

JGatsby Author

Level 1

25 points

Jun 24, 2016 2:03 PM in response to VikingOSX

This is a community, people in the past have been able to ask all kinds of questions, regardless of whether it involved 3rd party products. That was one of the things I used to like about Apple is that I didn't have all the BS with each vendor pointing their finger at the other when I had to debug a problem as I did with Windows. So if you work for Apple you should think about how your high handed rude answer is driving away what used to be a very loyal customer. And if you don't work for Apple you have no right to be telling people what can't be asked here.

And anyway MathType is documented in Pages as the official way that nerds like me are supposed to get equations into our papers. Its ridiculous that a text editor aiming for the kind of market that Pages is aiming for is telling its customers that if they are having trouble doing fairly simple math formulas that its our tough luck.

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Answer 3

VikingOSX

Level 10

123,446 points

Jun 24, 2016 2:30 PM in response to JGatsby

The only potential censorship that may occur in the Apple Support Communities is governed by the site terms of use, and the hosts interpretation of it. Unless you see an Apple logo associated with a reply, then it is a non-Apple employee donating their personal time in pursuit of a recommendation, or solution.

MathType is an entry in the Pages Insert menu. That is all. It does not imply that Apple Pages engineers are responsible for its support. No Apple product engineering teams participate in the Apple Support Communities. The Design Science team knows more about their product than anyone else, and since you already established a two-way dialog with them about your issue, it was simply logical that I recommend that you continue working with them as a product knowledge source.

Once that particular Extra font issue is resolved, then the latest MathType version should work with Pages as expected.

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