Template-style equation editors require the user to select, either from a toolbar or menu, templates for the mathematical constructs that they wish to use.
All template editors have a similar style of use. Basic operations such as addition and subtraction can be entered from the keyboard by pressing the appropriate key. For operations which are not on the keyboard or are two-dimensional in nature, such as exponentiation, integration, square-root, summation and fractions, the user typically uses the mouse to select from a toolbar the template for the operator they want. The operator then appears on the screen, and the user positions the cursor in boxes, using the TAB key, arrows on the keyboard, or by clicking in the boxes with the mouse, and then fills in the boxes. The boxes are initially placeholders for, and finally contain the operands for the operators.
Figure 2.1 shows a screenshot of a user part way through entering a formula using Microsoft's template based equation editor. Along the top of the window is a toolbar that offers templates for the operations that the system supports. In the main entry area, you can see a partially entered formula. The box in the lower part of the fraction template is yet to be filled.
A number of template based editors exist, typically as part of some larger system. Some examples include:
is a tool designed for teaching introductory mathematics. As part of it, there is a formula entry system which is based on a template style of entry.
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