[Solved] Formatting Text as a Fraction

[roadbike]

Draw can automatically format the following as a fraction: 1/4, 1/2 and 3/4.

You can also go INSERT>SPECIAL CHARACTER...-SUBSET: SUPERSCRIPTS AND SUBSCRIPTS and choose 1/3, 2/3, 1/8, 3/8, 5/8 and 7/8.

I need to do fractions that are not listed such as 3/32, 1/64 etc...

I've tried making a number a superscript, then adding a slash and then making a subscript number. However, that route is a pain and I have not been able to make it look like a Draw formatted fraction. Any ideas?????

[acknak]

The nice looking fractions are actually designed as part of the font, so they will always look good, but only a few are available.

If you need others, you can:
• Use character-formatted text (as you've already tried)
• Use OOo Math to create them (e.g. "3 over 32")
• Make the fractions yourself using graphics objects

The second two will look slightly better, but won't mix with text (they're separate objects)

Hmm... just a guess: there might be special fonts available with more fractions.

[roadbike]

I guess a decent work around might be to:

1) Create a new theme in the gallery called Fractions.

2) Create the fraction that I need and add it to the gallery.

At least this way they will all have the same appearance and I won't have to recreate them again. They would also be retained as text objects, so they could be resized to whatever the font size I was using at the time. Still kinda a pain in the you know what, but it would work.

If I do that though, what folder would the fractions be stored in? I use OpenOffice.org on 3 different computers, so I would need to move the Fractions gallery over to the other two computers.

[acknak]

You can try a search here--I know the question of moving Gallery items around has come up before.

However, as I recall, the Gallery is kind of weird. It may be more complicated than just copying files--I think there's a registration process also.

I find that keeping things in a plain Draw document is almost as easy, and easier to manage.

Edit: PS:

Here's the result of my fiddling around with it:

[tdtu]

Found a much easier, program designed, quick resolve on yahoo answers:

To insert an equation, you go to Insert->Object->Formula. This will make a textbox pop up on the bottom of the window. In that textbox, type {stuff} over {other stuff}, including the braces, replacing stuff with what you want the fraction to be.

[CannedMan]

Here’s my list of Unicode fractions: http://cannedman.blogspot.no/2011/03/korrektur-tegnsetting-ii.html. Also, note that there is a symbol for [numerator one with fraction slash]. There also, of course, is the invaluable site &what (http://amp-what.com).

However, if I want to create fractions written with a horizontal line, taking up only one line, how can I do this with ease? Is there a method similar to the one shown for MS Word below?

I found this on Microsoft’s support page for Word:

To Create the Fraction Symbol

• Method 1: Use an Equation Field to Create the Fraction: ...

Being an OpenOffice-user since before it actually came to life (that is, since StarOffice got free distribution), I have no plans to port.

[acknak]

The idea is the same as with MS Word: create an embedded math formula object, but the steps for OO Draw are completely different. I've snipped out the insttructions you quoted just so no one gets confused thinking they apply to OpenOffice.

You can insert a formula object using Insert > Object > Formula, then click on the "a over b" symbol and fill in the numerator and denominator.

However, the formula object is an isolated object; you can't make a formula that's part of a text object. You can arrange for empty space and overlay a formula object to give the appearance of an embedded fraction, but it's a lot of extra work.

[Alida]

Highlight the fraction and make it a couple font sizes smaller than the rest of the text