Exporting wxMaxima output to ordinary word processors.

Hi, I think this will be a very useful property. I still hope that my
lecturer in the nonlinear vibrations course did not understand my outputs
and I got a lower grade :)



On Wed, Jul 23, 2008 at 10:10 PM, Christian Jorgensen <fb190459 at skynet.be>wrote:

>  As part of a study project we are looking at how students, using
> Maxima/wxMaxima to work on assignments, can generate a report, a document in
> an "ordinary" word processor, using the inputs/outputs on the wxMaxima text
> window directly, then edit the report (adding additional text, removing
> non-essential interim steps, removing the input and output labels, etc.) and
> then e-mail the report to his instructor for evaluation.
>
> We were surprised not to find such ready functionalities - we thought that
> this would have been a common user-demand for which solutions had been
> provided.
>
> There is the option to "copy to Tex," but this cannot be expected to be
> useful for students in mathematics or physics with no more than low
> to average computer skills.
>
> Export to HTML does provide a nice document that can be edited.  The
> problem (in addition to the need to know HTML) is that by exporting to HTML
> the Maxima output is exported as images in separate files.  A directory is
> generated that includes the HTML file plus the image files.  However, if the
> student attaches the HTML file in an e-mail to the instructor the image
> files are not automatically included.
>
> We have therefore developed a solution that converts the text-window to XML
> format which is then exported to Open Office as a document that can be
> edited and transmitted.  The attachment includes the code and explanations.
> (The explanations are copied from a larger (draft) document in the Dutch
> language by machine-generated translation plus manual adjustments.)
>
> The questions we have are the following:
>
> (a)  Do there already exist solutions to export to "ordinary" word
> processors which we have thus overlooked?  (b)  We hope for comments from
> the Maxima community on the solutions/methods we have adopted.  (c)  Is such
> a functionality a general user-requirement and could our draft solution form
> an element of a functionality in future releases?
>
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