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The font selected by
\mathcal is the only script font ‘built
in’. However, there are other useful calligraphic fonts included with
modern TeX distributions.
- Euler
- The eucal package (part of most sensible TeX
distributions; the fonts are part of the AMS font set) gives
a slightly curlier font than the default. The package changes the
font that is selected by
\mathcal.
Type 1 versions of the fonts are available in the AMS fonts
distribution.
- mathabx
- The mathabx bundle provides calligraphic
letters (in both upper and lower case); the fonts were developed in
MetaFont, but a version in Adobe Type 1 format is available. The
bundle’s documentation offers a series of comparisons of its
calligraphic set with Computer Modern’s (both regular mathematical
and calligraphic letters); the difference are not large.
- mnsymbol
- The mnsymbol bundle provides (among many
other symbols) a set of calligraphic letters, though (again) they’re
rather similar to the default Computer Modern set.
- RSFS
- The mathrsfs package uses a really fancy script
font (the name stands for “Ralph Smith’s Formal Script”) which is
already part of most modern TeX distributions (Type 1 versions of
the font are also provided, courtesy of Taco Hoekwater). The package
creates a new command
\mathscr.
- RSFSO
- The bundle rsfso provides a less dramatically
oblique version of the RSFS fonts; the result proves quite
pleasing — similar to the effect of the the (commercial) script
font in the Adobe Mathematical Pi collection.
- Zapf Chancery
- is the standard PostScript calligraphic font. There
is no package but you can easily make it available by means of the
command
\DeclareMathAlphabet{\mathscr}{OT1}{pzc}{m}{it}
in your preamble. You may find the font rather too big; if so, you
can use a scaled version of it like this:
\DeclareFontFamily{OT1}{pzc}{}
\DeclareFontShape{OT1}{pzc}{m}{it}{<-> s * [0.900] pzcmi7t}{}
\DeclareMathAlphabet{\mathscr}{OT1}{pzc}{m}{it}
Adobe Zapf Chancery (which the above examples use) is distributed in
any but the most basic PostScript printers. A substantially identical
font (to the extent that the same metrics may be used) is
available from URW, called URW Chancery L: it is distributed
as part of the “URW base35” bundle; the
urwchancal package (which includes virtual fonts to tweak
appearance) provides for its use as a calligraphic font.
The TeX Gyre font family also includes a Chancery replacement,
Chorus; use it with tgchorus (and ignore the
complaints about needing to change font shape).
Examples of the available styles are linked from the packages’
catalogue entries.
- eucal.sty
- Distributed as part of fonts/amsfonts (or browse the directory); catalogue entry
- euler fonts
- Distributed as part of fonts/amsfonts (or browse the directory); catalogue entry
- mathabx as Metafont
- fonts/mathabx (or browse the directory); catalogue entry
- mathabx in Type 1 format
- fonts/ps-type1/mathabx (or browse the directory); catalogue entry
- mathrsfs.sty
- Distributed as part of macros/latex/contrib/jknappen (or browse the directory); catalogue entry
- mnsymbol fonts
- fonts/mnsymbol (or browse the directory); catalogue entry
- rsfs fonts
- fonts/rsfs (or browse the directory); catalogue entry
- rsfso fonts
- fonts/rsfso (or browse the directory); catalogue entry
- Script font examples
- info/symbols/math/scriptfonts.pdf
- TeX Gyre Chorus font family
- Distributed as part of fonts/tex-gyre (or browse the directory); catalogue entry
- urwchancal
- fonts/urwchancal (or browse the directory); catalogue entry
- URW Chancery L
- Distributed as part of fonts/urw/base35 (or browse the directory); catalogue entry
This answer last edited: 2011-08-17
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This is FAQ version 3.27, released on 2013-06-07.