fractions in Pages in Sierra

Here's the drill.

Here is how you enter fractions into the System Preferences : Keyboard : Text panel:

• Replace field
  • 1/2
  • tab over to the with field
• With field
  • While in the With field, press control+command+Spacebar to launch the characters panel.
  • Enter fraction in the search window
  • double-click the fraction you want in the unicode name display area. The fraction is inserted into the With field. Press return to set it.

Hi Glen,

You should be able to drag the common fractions from the Character Viewer (aka Emoji and Symbols), found in the Input menu (which displays as a flag matching your Keyboard setting in Sys Preferences).

You could also copy them from this message:

¼ ½ ¾ ⅓ ⅔ ⅕ ⅖ ⅗ ⅙ ⅚ ⅛ ⅜ ⅝ ⅞

There are a few more, including only the slash and one with a numerator (1), but no denominator.

Regards,

Barry

With Pages v6.0.5, you must first visit the Edit menu : Substitutions sub-menu, and the only thing that should be checked is Text Replacement. Then, when you type 1/2", you will receive ½" . This is how mine works in the U.S.

Pages is not smart enough to know that you have typed any arbitrary fraction as x/y, and automatically convert it to ^x⁄_y for you. Any automation will require the appropriate fraction already preconfigured in the System Preferences : Keyboard : Text panel, and Pages Edit menu : Substitutions : Text Replacement must be enabled.

_{You could download the free MathType trial, which after 30 days, reverts to a functional MathType Lite. When you launch this application prior to Pages, the Insert menu : Insert MathType Equation... menu item becomes active, and you can enter arbitrary fractions in that manner.}

_Th

_{Thanks! Suppose I wish to type the fraction 5/9.}

_{W/O having to D/L a 3rd party app, Is there a way for me to configure this particular fraction? Thanks to you & others, I now know how to take any fraction that already appears in the Emoji & symbols/Characters pop up window & add it to the System Preferences/Keyboard/Text field for automatic substitution.}

_{What I wish to do is to ADD additional fractions to that Characters pop up window.}

_{I don't see any fractions listed when I select “Math Symbols” in the left pane. I must type “fraction” Into the search field & then under “Unicode name” I see the default list of ~ 20 fractions. (Vulgar fractions). I see many blank squares in this Unicode name panel & when I click on them, I see names such as “Merotic Cursive Fraction for four twelves.”}

_{If I double click I get a square with a “?” that appears where I wanted to insert the symbol.}

_{How can I add to this list?}

growler62000 wrote:

I see many blank squares in this Unicode name panel & when I click on them, I see names such as “Merotic Cursive Fraction for four twelves.”

Blank squares means you do not have a font installed which has the character in question. You have to download and install an extra font to have them appear in the Character Viewer. Try a google search on "meroitic font".

growler62000 wrote:

_Th

_{Thanks! Suppose I wish to type the fraction 5/9.}

_{W/O having to D/L a 3rd party app, Is there a way for me to configure this particular fraction?}

You can use the Unicode super/subscripts (range 2070+) to make it up: ⁵⁄₉

Tom,

One can build a fraction from the Unicode 2070 superscripts and subscripts, and the fraction slash, but the resulting fraction introduces too much distance from the slash to the subscript, and looks different than the standard fractions under the “fraction” search.

On my El Capitan 10.11.6 machine, the Unicode superscripts and subscripts section U+2070+ is missing the numeric 1, 2, and 3 superscripts, and then, one must hunt the U+00B9 — U+00B2, and U+00B3 via the search window.

Use one of the provided fractions, and then for contrast, build 15/16, and compare the standoff from the fraction slash of the 16. To make it “look” right can be achieved by changing the subscript's base line (6 pt), but that devolves into madness, due to its effect on the overall paragraph spacing.

This is why one might have better control using dedicated math fonts (e.g. MathType), over a more grass-roots roll your own approach.

I think I know what you mean. Seems a decent work-a-round.

Type the fraction, in this case: 5/9

highlight the “5”

format/font/baseline/superscript

Highlight the “9”

format/font/baseline/subscript

Voila! ⁵/₉

The short cut for superscript & subscript:

cmd cntrl+

cmd cntrl-

x/_y

For some reason, I can’t get the superscript shortcut to work

http://osxdaily.com/2014/09/29/type-superscript-subscript-text-pages-mac-os-x/

From the comments on that page: “…go to the View menu, choose “Customize Tool Bar” and add the superscript and subscript icons to the tool bar.”

Easy!

This is a great solution for me. But for those who routinely type a certain fraction that is NOT listed in the default group of fractions, I suppose there is no way to add one.

After wasting half an hour, finally I found a way to display fractions in the broken character viewer that some maniac improved in macOS Sierra.

In TextEdit, choosing Emoji & Symbols from the Edit menu does not display a viewer with a search box. Excuse me. I just tried it again and now it does. (Inconsistent user experience) Why are these conversion symbols unfindable by scrolling? How does one know to type "fraction"? Typing "fractions" doesn't display anything. Actually, they appear as soon as you type "frac" in the Search box. Perhaps I was typing too quickly previously when the "No characters found" message appeared?

Everything has to be excruciatingly precise. This situation is called "novice vicious," indicating that a bunch of out-of-control, do-it-my-way developers are in charge of the code without adequate adult supervision or usability testing. Just my rant for the day—not your problem!

Regards!

HI Glen

Check System Preferences > Keyboard > Text

Do you have this replacement on the list?

Image from El Capitan. Yours may differ.

Regards,

Barry