TLDR: MLI helps simplify the process of finding and typing special characters like mathematical symbols, Latin, or Greek characters, which are not easily accessible on conventional keyboards.
Currently available online: MLI Tool
You can search for a character by opening the dropdown with the PageDown key.
There are two search methods:
- Keyword Search: Look for characters by name.
- Example: Searching "arrow" will suggest characters like LEFT RIGHT ARROW (↔).
- Composition Search: Search based on visual similarity to a sequence of characters.
- Example: Typing "--", "=/" or ">=/" suggests symbols like "=", "≠", "≩", respectively.
You can see the symbol names and compositions in the photo above. All search terms can be done in any order. Example: You can search for Does not force ⊮ symbol using force not.
With over 10,000 characters supported, multiple pages of results are common. Use Shift + ArrowDown or Shift + ArrowUp to navigate through suggestions, or scroll through the UI.
The order of symbol recommendations is based on three main factors:
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Search Term Similarity:
- For keyword searches: Searching "Equa" will match better with equal than equality.
- For composition searches: Typing "--" will match better with "=" than "≠".
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Search Specificity:
- Example: Searching for "fo" can match both force and four. Since force is more specific and matches fewer symbols, it would be prioritized over four.
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Usage Patterns:
- The tool tracks user preferences to predict and prioritize commonly chosen symbols.
MLI uses a B+ Tree for efficient symbol searches. For more detailed technical information, check out the formal documentation.