Fixing LaTeX Symbol Display Issues on PhysicsForums

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  • Thread starter Thread starter Fredrik
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SUMMARY

The discussion addresses a display issue with LaTeX symbols on PhysicsForums, particularly with large symbols like summation sigmas and matrix parentheses. Users report that these symbols do not render correctly until highlighted or scrolled, with specific mention of a 2x2 matrix example. The problem began prior to the PF 4.0 upgrade, coinciding with changes to LaTeX fonts that increased their size. The issue appears to be browser-specific, as users have noted it primarily in Firefox at a resolution of 1920x1200, while Internet Explorer does not exhibit the same problem.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of LaTeX syntax and formatting
  • Familiarity with web browser rendering issues
  • Knowledge of PhysicsForums platform functionalities
  • Basic troubleshooting skills for web display problems
NEXT STEPS
  • Investigate LaTeX rendering in different browsers, focusing on Firefox and Internet Explorer
  • Explore solutions for fixing LaTeX display issues in web forums
  • Learn about browser developer tools for diagnosing rendering problems
  • Research updates or patches related to LaTeX font changes on forum platforms
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This discussion is beneficial for web developers, forum administrators, and users who frequently utilize LaTeX in online discussions, particularly in educational or scientific contexts.

Fredrik
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In many posts with large LaTeX symbols, such as summation sigmas or the parentheses of a matrix, the upper part of those large symbols aren't displayed until you highlight them. If you then scroll them off the visible part of the page and then scroll back, they're messed up again. You should be able to see this if you open https://www.physicsforums.com/threads/matrix-representations-of-linear-transformations.694922/ for example. Parentheses of a 2x2 matrix seem to be especially vulnerable. I'll try it here
\begin{pmatrix}
1 & 2\\
3 & 4
\end{pmatrix} This isn't a PF 4.0 problem. It started about a week before the upgrade, when the LaTeX fonts were changed. (Everything got a little bit bigger).

Edit: The matrix above looks fine to me, when I just look at the page the usual way. But if I make the page small, and scroll down so that the matrix disappears up top, and then scroll down slowly, the parentheses are displayed incorrectly. If I scroll down fast, they look fine.
 
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I'm using Firefox on my laptop, which has 1920x1200 resolution. I just tried Internet Explorer, and I don't see the problem there.

This is what it looks like:

latex_problem.jpg
 

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