I can no longer render LaTeX

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Users are experiencing issues with LaTeX rendering in posts, particularly after a recent software update. Attempts to refresh or use the preview function often result in LaTeX code being converted to an uneditable ASCII format, complicating recovery efforts. Workarounds include posting, refreshing, and editing, but these are seen as inadequate and frustrating. The editor's performance has also been noted as laggy, further hindering the user experience. Ongoing efforts are being made to resolve these issues, with hopes for improvements in future updates.
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I just tried to post a message with LaTex using Windows Chrome but it fails to render using the Preview button, even after refreshing the page several times. I've logged out of my account and deleted all saved cookies associated with PF but still no luck. I've never before encountered problems posting LaTeX until this week. Any suggestions?
 
Physics news on Phys.org
I can reproduce this in Android Firefox.

Occam's razor makes me suspect it's related to the software update yesterday, @Greg Bernhardt.
 
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Something changed with the editor. I'll look into it.
 
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hmmm this is a tough one. I'm at a bit of a loss. Nothing I'm trying is close to working.
 
I observed that refreshing the page makes a difference. As long as I do not refresh or preview + refresh my code while editing, everything seems ok, but one refresh or preview + refresh, and it turns into a mess with several problems, up to not being able to add anything to it.
 
Test without refresh or preview: ##\begin{pmatrix}1&0\\0&1\end{pmatrix} ##
 
A new result: I looked at my unposted message and the LaTeX code has been converted to an ASCII version:
−∇⋅[ρ∇ψ(r,θ)]=(sxx−syy)ΔTsin⁡2θlog⁡(ro/ri)r2[H(θ)−H(θ−π/2)]+syyΔTlog⁡(ro/ri)r2δ(θ−π/2)−sxxΔTlog⁡(ro/ri)r2δ(θ)
But now I'm unable to recover the raw code, nor can I properly render it!
 
renormalize said:
A new result: I looked at my unposted message and the LaTeX code has been converted to an ASCII version:
−∇⋅[ρ∇ψ(r,θ)]=(sxx−syy)ΔTsin⁡2θlog⁡(ro/ri)r2[H(θ)−H(θ−π/2)]+syyΔTlog⁡(ro/ri)r2δ(θ−π/2)−sxxΔTlog⁡(ro/ri)r2δ(θ)
But now I'm unable to recover the raw code, nor can I properly render it!
Once it is ASCII there is no way to recover it. I had a couple of attempts.
 
fresh_42 said:
Once it is ASCII there is no way to recover it. I had a couple of attempts.
Undo (if you're using the rich text editor or a laptop or something where ctrl-z will work) used to work to recover your original LaTeX when this bug was around before. Probably not once you've left the page, though.
 
  • #10
Ibix said:
Undo (if you're using the rich text editor or a laptop or something where ctrl-z will work) used to work to recover your original LaTeX when this bug was around before. Probably not once you've left the page, though.
Yes. The "refresh" command is the critical point. This is therefore problematic since it has to be used if the "preview" option doesn't render LaTeX.
 
  • #11
renormalize said:
I just tried to post a message with LaTex using Windows Chrome but it fails to render using the Preview button, even after refreshing the page several times. I've logged out of my account and deleted all saved cookies associated with PF but still no luck. I've never before encountered problems posting LaTeX until this week. Any suggestions?
I still have this problem. No "preview", "refresh", backward nor forward helps. If I submit the reply and refresh, I can see the LaTeX, but then I send some premature notifications to some innocent honest members. If I go back to editing, LaTeX disappears again.
 
  • #13
Making small progress. I can get the preview to render latex, but it also breaks regular post latex rendering globally :rolleyes:
 
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  • #14
The "Insert Symbol" button seems to have disappeared from the ribbon at the top of the box.
 
  • #15
mjc123 said:
The "Insert Symbol" button seems to have disappeared from the ribbon at the top of the box.
See:
 
  • #16
JimWhoKnew said:
I still have this problem. No "preview", "refresh", backward nor forward helps. If I submit the reply and refresh, I can see the LaTeX, but then I send some premature notifications to some innocent honest members. If I go back to editing, LaTeX disappears again.
I installed FireFox 113.0.2 in hope to overcome the rendering issue. Now it is even worse. Preview mode only works on rare occasions, and when it does, exiting preview mode ruins all LaTeX.
 
  • #17
JimWhoKnew said:
I installed FireFox 113.0.2 in hope to overcome the rendering issue. Now it is even worse. Preview mode only works on rare occasions, and when it does, exiting preview mode ruins all LaTeX.
Still working on a fix. Hoping for next week.
 
  • #18
Greg Bernhardt said:
Still working on a fix. Hoping for next week.
Thanks for everything. Much appreciated :bow:
 
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  • #19
Greg Bernhardt said:
Still working on a fix. Hoping for next week.
It shouldn't be broken in the first place.
 
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  • #20
I ran into this problem recently and found this thread. I was going to say that next week was last week, but I guess one could argue that it's never next week. Hoping for a fix soon!
 
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  • #21
tex and itex bbcode brackets now work in preview but the short hand ## and $$ currently do not. I'll continue to work to get those working. Progress is being made.
 
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  • #22
Greg Bernhardt said:
tex and itex bbcode brackets now work in preview but the short hand ## and $$ currently do not. I'll continue to work to get those working. Progress is being made.
Adapted. One of the great advantages of using AutoHotKey.
 
  • #23
Greg Bernhardt said:
tex and itex bbcode brackets now work in preview but the short hand ## and $$ currently do not. I'll continue to work to get those working. Progress is being made.
Not sure if this is related, but the editor box is extremely laggy for me since this announcement. I'm frequently typing two words ahead of the text in the box. It might just be my phone being rubbish, but thought I'd comment in case others are experiencing this.

Firefox 139.0.4 on Android.
 
  • #24
Greg Bernhardt said:
tex and itex bbcode brackets now work in preview but the short hand ## and $$ currently do not. I'll continue to work to get those working. Progress is being made.
It does not really work. The code

Just multiply the sums:
Code:
[tex]
\left( \sum_{n=1}^\infty a_n \right) \cdot \left( \sum_{m=1}^\infty b_m \right)= \sum_{k=2}^\infty \sum_{n+m=k}a_nb_m= \sum_{n=1}^\infty \sum_{m=1}^\infty a_nb_m
[/tex]
by the distributive law. The real question is why you can swap the infinite summation with the integral.

led to

1750801603561.webp


My current workaround is "post"+"refresh"+"edit" (repeat as long as necessary). I added a comment "Do not answer. This post is still under construction." at the beginning of longer posts and delete this line when I'm done.
 
Last edited:
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  • #25
fresh_42 said:
It does not really work.
yeah it's rendering the returns. keep the tag on the same line as the start of the latex
 
  • #26
Greg Bernhardt said:
yeah it's rendering the returns. keep the tag on the same line as the start of the latex
The color trick to prevent code from rendering also isn't working anymore. It seems to strip the color tags.

It looks as if this whole thing is really complicated to fix. Just a question: MSE uses a MathJax version that renders LaTeX one-to-one, why can't we do the same?
 
  • #28
Greg Bernhardt said:
What is MSE?
https://math.stackexchange.com/
Greg Bernhardt said:
What is one-to-one?
You can type LaTeX code in their MathJax version, and it renders as a LaTeX editor would, including dollar instead of double sharp and double dollar as usual. The preview is below the edit window, and it updates immediately. I don't like the forum for several reasons, but their editor is nice.
Greg Bernhardt said:
The problem is the Xenforo 2.3 editor.

I also know a forum that uses Xenforo with an even worse editor.
 
  • #29
Hmm, something seems extra-broken today; testing:

-----------------------------------------------------
Example of in-line LaTeX: ##v(t) = L \frac{di(t)}{dt}##

Example of stand-alone LaTeX:
$$v(t) = L \frac{di(t)}{dt}$$
-----------------------------------------------------

using [ itex ] and [ tex ]:
-----------------------------------------------------
Example of in-line LaTeX: v(t) = L \frac{di(t)}{dt}

Example of stand-alone LaTeX:
v(t) = L \frac{di(t)}{dt}
-----------------------------------------------------
 
  • #30
I lost my favorite

Code:
\begin{align*}
\ldots & \ldots \\
\end{align*}
environment. The ampersand doesn't work in the preview; plus, it requires extra math tags, which it does not in the final version.

My best workaround is still:

a) Line 1: Do not answer, this post is still under construction.
b) do while necessary: type, post, refresh, edit
c) delete Line 1

I think that the code changes created more trouble than they solved. The preview function should simply be equal to the post+refresh function, just without actually posting.
 
  • #31
berkeman said:
Hmm, something seems extra-broken today; testing:

-----------------------------------------------------
Example of in-line LaTeX: ##v(t) = L \frac{di(t)}{dt}##

Example of stand-alone LaTeX:
$$v(t) = L \frac{di(t)}{dt}$$
-----------------------------------------------------

using [ itex ] and [ tex ]:
-----------------------------------------------------
Example of in-line LaTeX: v(t) = L \frac{di(t)}{dt}

Example of stand-alone LaTeX:
v(t) = L \frac{di(t)}{dt}
-----------------------------------------------------
Okay, that's really weird. When I first posted it the double-delimiter things did not work and the [ tex ] tags did. Now it's the opposite when I re-check my post. I'm guessing it's being worked on in the background... :wink:
 
  • #32
fresh_42 said:
My current workaround is "post"+"refresh"+"edit" (repeat as long as necessary). I added a comment "Do not answer. This post is still under construction." at the beginning of longer posts and delete this line when I'm done.
It goes without saying that we shouldn't have to do this. This has been two months now.
 
  • #33
PeroK said:
It goes without saying that we shouldn't have to do this. This has been two months now.
I have a couple of freelance Xenforo devs working on this and struggling with the new editor. Xenforo 2.4 (out in a few months) will switch to yet another editor. Maybe that is a good thing. @PeroK I would love your support as a programmer. Please DM me and it would be great for you to have a look. Thanks!!

Also I just got word that MathJax 4 is coming out soon. I'm sure that will change things.
 
Last edited:
  • #34
Another LaTeX issue:
Since last September I have been exchanging PF direct messages with @fluidistic regarding a problem he is interested in. I just went back to review them and although the messages clearly include raw LaTeX code, none of them actually render LaTeX equations anymore, no matter how often I refresh my browser page. That behavior is distinctly different from posts in PF threads which properly display LaTeX after refreshing the post (as long as you never use Preview prior to posting). Frustrating.
 
  • #35
renormalize said:
Another LaTeX issue:
Update: @Greg Bernhardt promptly fixed the issue. All my messages now properly render their LaTeX content.
 
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  • #36
PeroK said:
It goes without saying that we shouldn't have to do this. This has been two months now.
One other possible workaround is to keep a dummy insight around. Latex preview in Wordpress works just fine. When done, cut and paste to your reply.
 
  • #37
PAllen said:
One other possible workaround is to keep a dummy insight around. Latex preview in Wordpress works just fine. When done, cut and paste to your reply.
Yeah, but it has another big disadvantage: Do not do this with an existing WP text!

I was tempted to repair a broken link today. No big deal within WP. However, whenever you do this (any update) then it automatically destroys the corresponding OP of the PF thread! Hence, I had to decide: keep that broken link, or figure out where the corresponding PF thread is, which by itself is difficult enough, then enter the edit mode, enable the BB mode, copy the entire text to somewhere, then make your update, go back to that thread, enter edit mode again and delete the nonsense that has been created by your update, and insert the saved text again.

Well, I did not repair the broken link.
 
  • #38
fresh_42 said:
Yeah, but it has another big disadvantage: Do not do this with an existing WP text!

I was tempted to repair a broken link today. No big deal within WP. However, whenever you do this (any update) then it automatically destroys the corresponding OP of the PF thread! Hence, I had to decide: keep that broken link, or figure out where the corresponding PF thread is, which by itself is difficult enough, then enter the edit mode, enable the BB mode, copy the entire text to somewhere, then make your update, go back to that thread, enter edit mode again and delete the nonsense that has been created by your update, and insert the saved text again.

Well, I did not repair the broken link.
Can you clarify? I see you would never want to use a posted insight; that's why I suggested a dummy (draft) insight. Once the latex issue is solved, get rid of the dummy draft. Do you see any problems with that?
 
  • #39
PAllen said:
Can you clarify? I see you would never want to use a posted insight; that's why I suggested a dummy (draft) insight. Once the latex issue is solved, get rid of the dummy draft. Do you see any problems with that?
No. I just wanted to point out that the update function on WP has a very negative impact on the corresponding thread on PF. A dummy thread is ok. You just shouldn't use an existing one.
 
  • #40
A latex preview update is shipping soon. Need to walk the dogs first :)
 
  • #41
Dang this is weird. It's working great on CivicsWatch, but here, it auto renders in the editor outside of preview.
 
  • #42
Greg Bernhardt said:
Dang this is weird. It's working great on CivicsWatch, but here, it auto renders in the editor outside of preview.
Is it already live, since as of now, it does not work on CW for me?
 
  • #43
fresh_42 said:
Is it already live, since as of now, it does not work on CW for me?
Yeah it's live on CW and works for me. Clear your cache.
 
  • #44
Greg Bernhardt said:
Yeah it's live on CW and works for me. Clear your cache.
Well, yes and no.

Code:
##
\begin{pmatrix}a&b\end{pmatrix}
##

[itex]
\begin{pmatrix}c&d\end{pmatrix}
[/itex]

$$
\begin{pmatrix}e&f\end{pmatrix}
$$

[tex]
\begin{pmatrix}g&h\end{pmatrix}
[/tex]
worked. But using the hashtags or double dollars in the same line did not work, and an error made once remains in the cache without showing the wrong code ever again in the editor. If I type

Code:
##  \begin{pmatrix}a&b\end{pmatrix} ...
(ab)
in one line, then it immediately turns it into a preview without a request and the possibility to correct it.

Same on both platforms.

Correction: PF still has the <br> repair stuff.
 
  • #45
Try now, I've been tinkering this entire time and maybe I got it. Clear cache and reload.
 
  • #46
##\begin{pmatrix}a&amp;b\end{pmatrix}## is a vector.

\begin{pmatrix}c&amp;amp;d\end{pmatrix} is a vector.

$$\begin{pmatrix}e&amp;f\end{pmatrix}$$ is a vector.

\begin{pmatrix}g&amp;amp;h\end{pmatrix} is a vector.

CW: No preview anymore at all.
PF: Inserting "amp;" stuff at the ampersand.

Hint @all: The {align*} statement has now to be put into double dollars. The previous version recognized them automatically as math.
 
Last edited:
  • #47
fresh_42 said:
CW: No preview anymore at all.
I removed that as all dev is on here now
fresh_42 said:
PF: Inserting "amp;" stuff at the ampersand.
can you elaborate on this in simple terms
fresh_42 said:
Hint @all: The {align*} statement has now to be put into double dollars. The previous version recognized them automatically as math.
are you suggesting some config has changed?
 
  • #48
Greg Bernhardt said:
can you elaborate on this in simple terms
Works now.

Test:
Code:
##\begin{pmatrix}1&0\\0&1\end{pmatrix}##
[itex]\begin{pmatrix}1&0\\0&1\end{pmatrix}[/itex]
$$\begin{pmatrix}1&0\\0&1\end{pmatrix}$$
[tex]\begin{pmatrix}1&0\\0&1\end{pmatrix}[/tex]

##\begin{pmatrix}1&0\\0&1\end{pmatrix}##
\begin{pmatrix}1&amp;0\\0&amp;1\end{pmatrix}
$$\begin{pmatrix}1&0\\0&1\end{pmatrix}$$
\begin{pmatrix}1&amp;0\\0&amp;1\end{pmatrix}
Only copying this code directly from post #44 on the screen by Ctrl+C inserted some <br> and amp; and the preview ignores the carriage returns within the following code tags.

Code:
##<br>\begin{pmatrix}a&amp;b\end{pmatrix}<br>##<br><br>[itex]<br>\begin{pmatrix}c&amp;d\end{pmatrix}<br>[/itex]<br><br>$$<br>\begin{pmatrix}e&amp;f\end{pmatrix}<br>$$<br><br>[tex]<br>\begin{pmatrix}g&amp;h\end{pmatrix}<br>[/tex]

Greg Bernhardt said:
are you suggesting some config has changed?
Not anymore. I had tested
Code:
\begin{align*}
1&=-1\\[16pt]
0&\neq 1
\end{align*}

\begin{align*}
1&=-1\\[16pt]
0&\neq 1
\end{align*}
and it wasn't recognized automatically as math code, but now that I tested it again, it does (as in the previous version).
 
  • #49
Well done!
 
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  • #50
fresh_42 said:
Works now.

Test:
Code:
##\begin{pmatrix}1&0\\0&1\end{pmatrix}##
[itex]\begin{pmatrix}1&0\\0&1\end{pmatrix}[/itex]
$$\begin{pmatrix}1&0\\0&1\end{pmatrix}$$
[tex]\begin{pmatrix}1&0\\0&1\end{pmatrix}[/tex]

##\begin{pmatrix}1&0\\0&1\end{pmatrix}##
\begin{pmatrix}1&amp;0\\0&amp;1\end{pmatrix}
$$\begin{pmatrix}1&0\\0&1\end{pmatrix}$$
\begin{pmatrix}1&amp;0\\0&amp;1\end{pmatrix}
This was directly after I posted it correct, but now it looks broken. Strange.

Second try:

##\begin{pmatrix}1&0\\0&1\end{pmatrix}##
\begin{pmatrix}1&amp;0\\0&amp;1\end{pmatrix}
$$\begin{pmatrix}1&0\\0&1\end{pmatrix}$$
\begin{pmatrix}1&amp;0\\0&amp;1\end{pmatrix}

Looks fine in the preview, but my screen shows

1754760198876.webp
 

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