Using techexplorer in Other Applications

The feature described is only available in the Professional Edition of techexplorer.

This section describes how you can use techexplorer in concert with other applications. In particular, we will describe how to use the ActiveX Control version of techexplorer as a component to enliven other applications with interactive scientific and technical content. We will also provide an overivew of products that include special support for exporting and interacting with techexplorer documents.

What kinds of applications can use techexplorer as component?

The IBM techexplorer ActiveX control can used with any Windows application that allows embedded controls. We have tested techexplorer with Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, Excel as well as Lotus Word Pro.

How do I use techexplorer with Lotus Notes?

You can send email with mathematical content rendered by techexplorer! Simple create a techexplorer ActiveX control object by selecting "object" from the "Create" menu and select the "IBM techexplorer Hypermedia Browser Control" from the "Create Object" dialog.

Lotus object list

This will cause an "empty" IBM techexplorer region to appear in your email. Right click on the region and bring up the "techexplorer Properties Page".

ActiveX control properties

Insert some LaTeX or MathML and send your email!

Lotus Notes email with techexplorer content

The email receipient will need to have the ActiveX control version of techexplorer installed to view the content. You can even make the Mathematics interactive by using the Mathematica add-in!

How do I use techexplorer with Mathematica?

Mathematica 4.1 includes support for exporting Mathematica Notebooks in LaTeX and MathML that is compatible with techexplorer. This means that content authtored in Mathematica can be viewed and interacted with on the web using techexplorer and a Mathematica Kernel.

To use a Mathematica Notebook on the web with techexplorer:

  1. Save the note book as a .tex, .ltx or .tcx file by selecting the "techexplorer" option from the "Save as special" item on the "File" menu.
  2. Open the resulting file in your web browser.

    techexplorer rending a Mathematica Notebook

    Mathematica input areas become "live" techexplorer text areas where you can input Mathematica syntax for evaluation. Change the expression and press the "OK" button.

  3. The "Mathematica" item on the techexplorer context menu will bring up the "Mathematica Options" dialog. Here you can select which Mathematica Kernel (remote or local) to use for evaluation.

    techexplorer rending a Mathematica Notebook

Click to see a PowerPoint presentation that uses techexplorer.

How do I use techexplorer with Microsoft PowerPoint?

First bring up the Control Toolbox dialog by right clicking on the top menu bar and selecting Control Toolbox. Click on the More Controls icon and select IBM techexplorer Hypermedia Browser.

PowerPoint control toolbox        PowerPoint control list

Create a region where techexplorer will be displayed by dragging the crosshair. Right click on the region to bring up the techexplorer properties dialog.

techexplorer ActiveX control properties

Select the appropriate data type from the pull down menu and insert the data into the text area. Start the presentation by selecting View Show from the Slide Show menu item and enjoy beautiful mathematics!

Click to see a PowerPoint presentation that uses techexplorer.

How do I use techexplorer with Microsoft Word?

First bring up the Control Toolbox dialog by right clicking on the top menu bar and selecting Control Toolbox. Click on the More Controls icon and select IBM techexplorer Hypermedia Browser.

PowerPoint control toolbox        PowerPoint control list

This will create a region where techexplorer will be displayed. You can change the size of the region by dragging one of the edges. Right click on the region to bring up the techexplorer properties dialog.

techexplorer ActiveX control properties

Select the appropriate data type from the pull down menu and insert the data into the text area. You can add formatting behavior to the techexplorer control by using the Format Control option on the techexplorer object instance context menu (right click on the techexplorer display).

Word format properties

Enjoy beautiful mathematics!

Click to see a Word document that uses techexplorer.

How do I use techexplorer add-ins and other applications in concert?

techexplorer add-ins can help make your documents more interactive and consequently can be used to elivien other applications. For example, you can use the \evalLink control sequence to connect a techexplorer document to the Mathematica Add-in.

Click to see a PowerPoint presentation that uses techexplorer and the Mathemaitca add-in.

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IBM techexplorer Hypermedia Browser is a trademark of the IBM Corporation.
Send comments and questions to techexpl@us.ibm.com.
Visit the official techexplorer home page at http://www.software.ibm.com/techexplorer/.