Improving Latex Image Quality: Can Anti-Aliasing and Text Size Increase Help?

  • Context: LaTeX 
  • Thread starter Thread starter TriKri
  • Start date Start date
  • Tags Tags
    Images Latex
Click For Summary

Discussion Overview

The discussion centers on improving the quality of images generated by LaTeX code within the forum, specifically focusing on the potential benefits of anti-aliasing and text size adjustments. Participants express concerns about the clarity and readability of LaTeX-rendered text and images.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Technical explanation
  • Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants suggest that enabling anti-aliasing could enhance the smoothness and overall quality of LaTeX images, as current images appear jagged and difficult to read.
  • One participant notes that the pixel size of LaTeX images seems larger compared to regular text, contributing to a perception of poor quality.
  • Another participant questions the rendering of specific symbols and characters, such as the arrow and the prime notation, indicating that some elements appear cut off or unclear.
  • There is mention of a previous extensive discussion on LaTeX improvements by a user named Chroot, with a link provided to that thread for further reference.
  • Some participants observe that while recent changes have improved text size, the images still appear blocky, and inconsistencies in grayscale rendering between different elements are noted.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants generally agree that there are issues with the current quality of LaTeX images, but multiple competing views remain regarding the effectiveness of recent changes and the specific causes of the observed problems.

Contextual Notes

It is noted that any changes to LaTeX rendering will only affect newly generated images, leaving older posts unchanged due to prior formatting processes.

TriKri
Messages
72
Reaction score
0
Hi!

Is there possible to improve the quality of the images generated by latex code? It should be good if anti aliasing could be turned on, which would produce smooth and fine images. Now, the text looks a little bit awkward in my opinion, since it it all edged, and the small text is hard to read.
 
Physics news on Phys.org
Ok, nice!
 
I came here to post the same thing. I don't know what anti aliasing is, but I know it's not looking great right now:

\begin{pmatrix}1 &amp; 0 &amp; 0\\ 0 &amp; \frac{u_x}{u} &amp; \frac{u_y}{u}\\ 0 &amp; -\frac{u_y}{u} &amp; \frac{u_x}{u} \end{pmatrix}<br />

It's like the pixel size is much bigger than in the regular text. And I think the text is a bit too small.

Does this look like an arrow and a "prime"? \vec p&#039; Why does this T get cut off? \begin{pmatrix}a &amp; b\end{pmatrix}^T.
 
As has been mentioned previously, Chroot is looking into the matter. The forum recently had a software upgrade and server move so the admins are still sorting the flak from those two things out.
 
Bump?
 
Actually, a lot of work and experimenting with PF's LaTex was done earlier in the year by chroot. There was an extensive discussion of it, if I can find the thread I'll post a link to it.

EDIT found the thread:
https://www.physicsforums.com/showthread.php?t=314512

Note, my understanding is that any changes only affect newly generated LaTex images. Old posts will always look the same, because the LaTex images have already been generated using the old formatting process.
 
Last edited:
Fredrik said:
I came here to post the same thing. I don't know what anti aliasing is, but I know it's not looking great right now:

\begin{pmatrix}1 &amp; 0 &amp; 0\\ 0 &amp; \frac{u_x}{u} &amp; \frac{u_y}{u}\\ 0 &amp; -\frac{u_y}{u} &amp; \frac{u_x}{u} \end{pmatrix}<br />

It's like the pixel size is much bigger than in the regular text. And I think the text is a bit too small.

Does this look like an arrow and a "prime"? \vec p&#039; Why does this T get cut off? \begin{pmatrix}a &amp; b\end{pmatrix}^T.

Sure, the latex images look much better now since the text size has increased, but they still look a little bit blocky, even though I can see that anti-aliasing has been used. And the T and the end of the arrow still get cut off. I can't see the ' over the p either, but maybe it happens to be hidden by the arrow.

What I can see when I open the matrix image with a photo viewer is that the parenthesis seem to (for some reason?) have only 4 gray scale colors (hence looking a little blocky), while the rest of the formula renders much better since it uses many more gray scale colors. I find it strange that the parenthesis should be rendered with lower quality than the rest of the formula, but I guess it's okay. The parenthesis in the other image though, have more gray scale colors.
 

Similar threads

  • · Replies 4 ·
Replies
4
Views
5K
  • · Replies 4 ·
Replies
4
Views
3K
Replies
6
Views
2K
Replies
1
Views
3K
  • · Replies 8 ·
Replies
8
Views
2K
  • Sticky
  • · Replies 0 ·
Replies
0
Views
23K
  • Sticky
  • · Replies 0 ·
Replies
0
Views
18K
  • Sticky
  • · Replies 1 ·
Replies
1
Views
26K
  • Sticky
  • · Replies 0 ·
Replies
0
Views
22K
  • · Replies 2 ·
Replies
2
Views
2K