UK TeX FAQ -- question label scriptfonts

### Better script fonts for maths

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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