LaTeX LaTeX showing old images in preview

  • Thread starter Thread starter Jonathan Scott
  • Start date Start date
  • Tags Tags
    Images Latex
AI Thread Summary
Users are experiencing issues with LaTeX rendering in previews, where old images of LaTeX expressions appear instead of the updated ones. This problem persists even with valid LaTeX code, leading to frustration when attempting to share accurate information. It is suggested that this may be a cache issue in the preview screen. Refreshing the preview may not always resolve the problem, but refreshing after posting does display the correct LaTeX image. Users are advised to copy their content before refreshing to avoid losing edits. The distinction between TEX and ITEX is clarified, with ITEX being used for inline equations. Some users have found that while refreshing in preview mode may not always work, posting and then refreshing can yield the correct display. Overall, the discussion highlights the challenges faced with LaTeX rendering and the need for a workaround to ensure accurate representation of mathematical expressions.
Jonathan Scott
Gold Member
Messages
2,344
Reaction score
1,184
I've been trying to use LaTeX in a response, but the preview keeps showing images of different LaTeX expressions which I used in previous responses. This happens even for the most trivial case such as just a single letter X, both in ITEX and TEX tags. Is there something I need to do to reset it in some way?
 
Physics news on Phys.org
6 \,\frac{Gm}{c^2a(1-e^2)}

You will get an old image if your LaTeX code is invalid. For example, with [noparse]\frac {GmM{r^2}[/noparse]

I see r^2. You will see

\frac{GmM{r^2}
Edit:
Hmmm.

The "LaTeX image generation failed" is being shown for a valid LaTeX expression and the generated LaTeX image for the invalid expression is the image corresponding to the valid expresion. Weird.
 
I will echo Jonathon's observation. It's frustrating when you're trying to give accurate information, and equations won't display properly. As a result I avoid using LaTex if at all possible. Luckily there are some https://www.physicsforums.com/blog.php?b=347" , but they're not as versatile as LaTex.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
I think its a cache issue in the preview screen. This has been known about for a while. If you refresh each time you preview the problem should go away. Make sure you copy the contents of your post just in case something happens in the refresh.
 
I'm pretty sure I tried a screen refresh the last time this happened to me (at least 2 weeks ago), and it didn't help. But enough time has passed that I'm not 100% sure. I'll try to remember trying this next time it happens.
 
Whats the difference between TEX and ITEX anyway?
 
itex is inline latex so if you want an equation in a sentence it will not skew the lines of text.
 
Oh right.
 
Kurdt said:
I think its a cache issue in the preview screen. This has been known about for a while. If you refresh each time you preview the problem should go away. Make sure you copy the contents of your post just in case something happens in the refresh.

I just made a post with Latex and found that:
  • Refreshing in preview mode does not get rid of the old LaTex image
  • Refreshing after actually posting does get rid of the old image and displays the correct one.

At least this is the case in Firefox, the browser that I use.

So this puts us in the somewhat awkward position of having to post, where others can view, before we are finished editing. I guess we can always put "WORK IN PROGRESS, DO NOT RESPOND (YET)" at the top of a post until it is really in its final form.
 
  • #10
Oh well. That theory is shot down then.
 
  • #11
Not totally shot down. At least we have some way of seeing what should be there, even if it's not perfect.
 
  • #12
I'm using Firefox too, and I don't have a problem with previews. Sometimes the wrong image shows up when I view what I just posted, but a refresh always takes care of that.

Edit: I got an old image in the preview today. I had already previewed the page and it looked fine except that I had written e(ipx) instead of e^{ipx}. So I changed it and previewed again. The old image was still there. Refresh didn't help. Then I noticed that I had actually written e^{ipx). So I replaced the ) with a } and previewed again. This time it looked the way I intended it to. No refresh needed.
 
Last edited:

Similar threads

Replies
23
Views
4K
Replies
12
Views
3K
Replies
4
Views
3K
Replies
2
Views
2K
Replies
2
Views
2K
Replies
20
Views
3K
Replies
5
Views
2K
Replies
2
Views
3K
Replies
1
Views
2K
Back
Top