Modifying the shortcuts in Microsoft Word Equation Editor?

Question

Microsoft Word 2010 enables equation editing through the Equation Editor.

It is possible to use shortcuts similar to LaTeX code in order to enter equations in a more fluent manner than clicking on the toolbar for each symbol. One of these shortcuts, for ⟺, is \longleftrightarrow but this symbol is in very frequent use for me and I want to use \iff instead of the current very long "short"-cut. I was unable to find a standard way of modifying this shortcut or adding a new one. How can I go around this issue?

Answer 1

You can use AutoCorrect to create additional shortcuts, specifically Math AutoCorrect.

In my Word:

 File -> Options -> Proofing -> AutoCorrect Options (near the top) -> Math AutoCorrect

Find the symbol you want (the list is alphabetical, so look for \Longleftrightarrow), then type in your desired shortcut (\iff), and hit the "Add" button.

I just did this and it worked.

Software: Microsoft Office Professional Plus 2010; version 14.0.6129.5000

Answer 2

Use AutoHotkey. You can replace any string of entered characters with any other string of characters (in any application). Simply place the first string (called a Hotstring) between two double-colons and follow that by the second string:

For example:

::_iff::\Longleftrightarrow

::_qe::x=(-b+-\sqrt(b^2-4ac))/2a

::_em::[e-mail]

1) Go to https://autohotkey.com/

2) Download the app (it's free)

3) Install the app

4) Right-click in Windows Explorer > New > AutoHotkey script

5) Name the new file

6) Right-click the file > Edit

7) Paste the above three lines into the script*

8) Save your changes

9) Double-click the file to run it (a small green icon will appear in your tray)

Now anywhere you enter one of the hotstrings (followed by a space), it will be replaced by whatever is to the right. And in Word's Equation Editor, doing so — for the first two hotstrings — will produce a long left-right arrow and the quadratic equation, respectively.

I included the third line to demonstrate that, with this method, you can create shortcuts to quickly enter your email address or anything else (full paragraphs, etc). (Note: you can use any characters you want to create a hotstring.)

*For some reason the script does not work with a backslash in the hotstring but any other character (eg an underscore), or no character, does the trick.