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I use txfonts or newtx packages to typeset in Times font (NimbusRomNo9L). However, wide accents in math mode are too wide or placed incorrectly, such that they touch the next symbol.

\documentclass{article}
\usepackage{txfonts}   
\begin{document}
\[ \widehat{T}^2 \]
\end{document}

enter image description here

Solution:

As answered by "Mico", mtpro2 package has better symbols/typesetting for wide accents. However, its Lite version is incomplete. So I used newtx for text and math; and instead of \widehat,\widetilde,... I used the \what,\wtilde,... symbols form "MathTime" package, as defined below:

%%%% Times font (NimbusRomNo9L) for text and math using Newtx package
\usepackage{newtxtext} %
\usepackage{mathtools,amsthm} % AMS packages
\usepackage{textcomp} % required for special glyphs
\usepackage[varg,varbb,cmintegrals,cmbraces]{newtxmath}
\renewcommand{\rmdefault}{ntxrj} %old-style figures in text

%%%% Define wide accents using symbols from Math Time Pro font
\DeclareFontEncoding{LMP2}{}{}
\DeclareFontSubstitution{LMP2}{mtt}{m}{n}
\DeclareFontFamily{LMP2}{mtt}{\skewchar\font48}
\DeclareFontShape{LMP2}{mtt}{m}{n}{<-7> mt2syf <7-9> mt2sys <9-> mt2syt}{\skewchar\font32} 
\DeclareSymbolFont{mtsymbols}{LMP2}{mtt}{m}{n} 
\DeclareMathAccent{\what}  {\mathord}{mtsymbols}{"79}
\DeclareMathAccent{\wtilde}{\mathord}{mtsymbols}{"7A}
\DeclareMathAccent{\wcheck}{\mathord}{mtsymbols}{"7B}
\DeclareMathAccent{\wbar}  {\mathord}{mtsymbols}{"78}
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  • When I run your MWE, everything works fine for me. What's your compilation route?
    – A.Ellett
    Jan 25, 2013 at 16:57
  • The accent widehat touches the superscript 2. Isn't it necessary to have some clearance there?
    – Aydin
    Jan 25, 2013 at 17:41
  • I tried the newtxmath and mathptmx packages which also offer Times variants and the latter didn't have this issue.
    – marczellm
    Jan 25, 2013 at 17:43
  • 1
    @marczellm, newtx has the same problem, and mathptmx is very old with much more issues.
    – Aydin
    Jan 25, 2013 at 17:47
  • 1
    @Aydin \widehat should be used only when really necessary; the horizontal positioning of the symbols disregards its width. So either you say \hat{T}^{2} or \widehat{T}^{\,2}. I'd prefer the former.
    – egreg
    Jan 25, 2013 at 18:03

1 Answer 1

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3

You may want to give the mtpro2 (MathTime Professional II) package a try, as it provides a good-looking "widehat" accents. It does a similarly good job for "widetilde" accents.

Caveat: The full mtpro2 package isn't free; however, the package's "lite" subset, which is all that's needed for this example, is free of charge. 

\documentclass{article}
\usepackage{times}        % text font
\usepackage[lite]{mtpro2} % math font
\begin{document}
$ \hat{T}^2 \quad \widehat{T}^2 $
\end{document}

enter image description here

Addendum: For the sake of comparison, here's what results from running the preceding MWE with the mathptmx package instead of the mtpro2 package: The superscipt "2" sits a tiny little bit lower -- which may be desirable -- but the "widehat" accent is (to my taste) too dominant.

enter image description here

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6
  • There are many symbols in "newtx" those are not available in the light version of "mtpro2". Can I use "newtx" and keep the \widehat from mtpro2, or use "mtpro2" and keep the additional symbols of "newtx"? _____ P.S. Generally "newtx" typesets slightly better than "mtpro2 light" to my taste, although the difference is not that much.
    – Aydin
    Jan 25, 2013 at 21:55
  • @Aydin - I guess any answers will depend importantly on which symbols and accents you're going to mix-and-match. Please consider posting a new question, to ask specifically how you might certain accents and characters from different math fonts.
    – Mico
    Jan 25, 2013 at 22:36
  • Thanks, I decided to use "mtpro2 light" with "newtxtext", and bold symbols from "bm" package. However, the kerning of bold symbols is terrible! And there is no matching "mathcal", "mathbb" and "mathscr" fonts.
    – Aydin
    Jan 26, 2013 at 0:10
  • @Aydin - Indeed, I believe that if you want to use the mtpro2 package with matching mathcal, mathbb, mathscr, and mathfrak alphabets, you'll have to invest in the full, rather than in the "lite", version of the package. The good news is that, relative to some of the other commercial font packages that provide full support for LaTeX, the mtpro2 package is reasonably affordable. Of course, "reasonable" is a very subjective criterion.
    – Mico
    Jan 26, 2013 at 1:24
  • I agree that mtpro2 is an affordable full package. If I stay with times fonts, I would bye mtpro and give it a try. However, after using the light version for few hours, I realized that some basic mathematical symbols are not well balanced for times typeface. And the overal appearance and typesetting of newtx is superior (to my taste). The question is, how can I solve the \widehat issue of 'newtx' while keeping the rest of the package untouched?
    – Aydin
    Jan 26, 2013 at 10:52

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