Latex not working under preview

[PainterGuy]

Hi,

Is Latex compiling broken under preview? The code doesn't convert into Latex graphic when I try to preview. Not sure if it would work when I post this message. I have purposely used different combinations below.

I'm using Windows 11 and Opera browser.

x
x[\tex]<br /> $x$<br /> $$x$$<br /> <br /> The image below shows PREVIEW window.<br /> <br /> <script class="js-extraPhrases" type="application/json"> { "lightbox_close": "Close", "lightbox_next": "Next", "lightbox_previous": "Previous", "lightbox_error": "The requested content cannot be loaded. Please try again later.", "lightbox_start_slideshow": "Start slideshow", "lightbox_stop_slideshow": "Stop slideshow", "lightbox_full_screen": "Full screen", "lightbox_thumbnails": "Thumbnails", "lightbox_download": "Download", "lightbox_share": "Share", "lightbox_zoom": "Zoom", "lightbox_new_window": "New window", "lightbox_toggle_sidebar": "Toggle sidebar" } </script> <div class="bbImageWrapper js-lbImage" title="1646109391946.png" data-src="https://www.physicsforums.com/attachments/1646109391946-png.297725/" data-lb-sidebar-href="" data-lb-caption-extra-html="" data-single-image="1"> <img src="https://www.physicsforums.com/attachments/1646109391946-png.297725/" data-url="" class="bbImage" data-zoom-target="1" style="" alt="1646109391946.png" title="1646109391946.png" width="800" height="152" loading="lazy" decoding="async" /> </div><br /> <br /> PS: It works when I posted the message.<br /> <br /> EDIT: I checked it on Chrome and it&#039;s working there.

 

[PainterGuy]

There is definitely some problem with PREVIEW because even on Chrome it showed Latex correctly once when I previewed it but then it stopped working and the Latex code didn't even appear under PREVIEW.Original draft in Chrome

Under PREVIEW in Chrome - Latex code disappeared

 

[PainterGuy]

Also, is there any chance that PhysicsForums would start using $...$ syntax for inline Latex?

IMHO, $...$ is more standard for the inline Latex. I think PhysicsForums uses .... Or, perhaps PF could use both $...$ and ....

 

[mfb]

You can use ## for inline TeX.

The preview doesn't load MathJax unless it's already being called for a previous formula in the thread, that's a known bug. Checking the preview function in a thread that has formulas should be fine. If you want to start a thread with many formulas you could test it using the preview function in an existing thread with formulas.

 

[PainterGuy]

You can use ## for inline TeX.

Just wondering why $...$ syntax cannot used. Isn't it more standard? Thanks!

 

[DaveE]

I usually need to select preview and the reload the page the first time to get it to render (Chrome, Win10). It's not a big deal once I figured that out.

 

[Ibix]

Just wondering why $...$ syntax cannot used. Isn't it more standard? Thanks!

It's a very annoying syntax if you say something's normally $10 but you only paid $5 for it. You don't often mention cash in a technical paper, but it's much more common on a forum.

 

[erobz]

I'm assuming there has been no action on this bug from administration?

 

[Vanadium 50]

That;s right! They should hop to it! Why, with what we're paying them...

 

[erobz]

That;s right! They should hop to it! Why, with what we're paying them...

To be fair, I asked because it is an annoyance, and the thread was started over two months ago! I didn't say they had to go "we are fixing it right away sir!", but a simple acknowledgment of the feedback in the "feedback forums" is not a stupendous undertaking...I suppose I'm still all starry eyed from the whole "Gold member" perks speal, where I donated for something that I didn't have to pay for at all. I'd gladly donate that every year...If administration actually responded to reasonable criticisms in a timely manner. This is obviously a well-run forum, which is why the lack of a response is confusing.

 

[mfb]

It's difficult to fix, it's related to the way an external package works, and there is a useful workaround.
All that information has been in the thread within two hours of its creation.

 

[hutchphd]

Gold member" perks speal, where I donated for something that I didn't have to pay for at all.

This is why it is called a donation. Donations are given without return consideration.

/

 

[erobz]

I asked a simple question. The info about the bug being "difficult to fix" was not in the thread.

I got a snarky reply:

That;s right! They should hop to it! Why, with what we're paying them...

So I replied back with snark.

When I made a reply to defend a poster about someone else's snark I got a "warning" for being less than civil. Now you ( hutchphd) are being snarky, Vanadium was snarky. I get it, there is apparently a club and I'm not in it...

 

[hutchphd]

Yes that is why we (in the club) try to avoid initial snark... snarks proliferate.

 

[Nugatory]

And when snarked at…. Please don’t counter-snark, it nearly always turns something that we mentors could have handled with a few mouse clicks into a bigger problem. Better to report it if it’s outside the range of normal civil disagreement.

 

[mfb]

The info about the bug being "difficult to fix" was not in the thread.

I didn't write it explicitly, but as soon as you have external tools involved things get more complicated. Is it a bug on your side? On their side? Is it a bug in how the two work together? Most likely it's the last option.

If it were easy to fix then it would have been fixed long ago.

 

[erobz]

If it were easy to fix then it would have been fixed long ago.

I see that now. But I didn't see the long history of "Latex not working in preview" threads prior to posting it.

I'm new to these forums, and people are getting all bent out of shape about me even asking "what's the deal". I feel as though I've stepped on a hive of ground bees! Half of a dozen or more posts on this thread have been removed...attacks for asking a question "in the site feedback thread" are ridiculous.

But thank you for clarifying the issue.

 

[Ibix]

It's also worth noting that the current situation is partially in response to earlier issues, IIRC. MathJax used to be loaded on every page but it made loading slow. So it was switched to a lazy load that only loaded MathJax on pages with LaTeX. But that led to a bug where LaTeX would sometimes randomly render in your edit box because somebody posted something with LaTeX while you were typing, or you accidentally hovered over a thread link whose preview included LaTeX, and then your nicely formatted maths came out as a random collection of symbols. So now we have the current situation where it lazy loads not quite always when it's needed.

MathJax interoperability isn't high on the priority list of anyone in the forum software world outside here, I'm afraid.

 

[WWGD]

It's a very annoying syntax if you say something's normally $10 but you only paid $5 for it. You don't often mention cash in a technical paper, but it's much more common on a forum.

Isn't it possible to escape it; with an \ or otherwise?

 

[pbuk]

Isn't it possible to escape it; with an \ or otherwise?

Let's try: "something's normally \$10 but I only paid \$5 for it" renders as "something's normally \$10 but I only paid \$5 for it".

Looks good. Note that this has only become necessary since adoption of the MHB $\LaTeX$ delimiters.

 

[Wrichik Basu]

Note that this has only become necessary since adoption of the MHB $\LaTeX$ delimiters.

It hasn't become necessary as PF is running a different config for threads which have the MHB prefix. We can continue to use $10 and $5 without any backslash. In your post, the word $\LaTeX$ hasn't been rendered. Screenshot:

 

[pbuk]

I think you need to flush your browser cache (shift reload) - this is how your post renders to me.

 

[Wrichik Basu]

I think you need to flush your browser cache (shift reload) - this is how your post renders to me.

View attachment 312882

Did that, and it still renders fine for me.

 

[pbuk]

Did that, and it still renders fine for me.

Haha, it was ME that needed to do the cache flush! I didn't realize Greg had added the MHB thread test (and had even said so, but I misunderstood!)