LaTeX rendering in the S&GR forum

In summary, it seems that there might be a problem with the server where the LaTeX is being generated. There is still no clear consensus on what the problem might be, but some people think that it might be related to fonts or some other aspect of the rendering.
  • #1
rbj
2,227
10
has anyone else noticed that LaTeX rendering seems to be working in the other forums but not this one? i might have thought that something was wrong with my browser (Firefox) or OS (Mac OSX), but the other forums seem to be able to render LaTeX math just fine.

anyone know what the deal is?
 
Physics news on Phys.org
  • #2
Testing...

[tex]E = m c^2[/tex]

Seems to work OK.
 
  • #3
Doc Al said:
Testing...

[tex]E = m c^2[/tex]

Seems to work OK.

hmmmm. yes it does (here).

doesn't seem to work for any posts in the photon mass thread. not for my posts or anyone else's.

if it's just my browser, i don't understand why just that thread.
 
  • #4
testing...

rbj said:
hmmmm. yes it does (here).

doesn't seem to work for any posts in the photon mass thread. not for my posts or anyone else's.

if it's just my browser, i don't understand why just that thread.
testing...

rbj said:
but, as long as we're being fair, i didn't say [itex]E=m_0c^2[/itex]. i said [itex]E=m c^2[/itex]and we can show that the above is true from

[tex] E = m c^2 [/tex]

[tex] m = \frac{m_0}{\sqrt{1 - \frac{v^2}{c^2}}} [/tex]

and

[tex] p = m v [/tex]is that relation wrong ([itex]p = mv[/itex] where [itex]m = \gamma m_0[/itex])? it comes from my human need to have to commit to memory the fewest fundamental equations as possible. all i have to add to the list is [itex]m = \gamma m_0[/itex].
wow. works here but not there.well, i tested new posts there and even edited a pos of mine that was less than a day old and the new edits show the LaTeX, but none of the previous posts, mine or others, show the LaTeX.
 
Last edited:
  • #5
Testing:

[tex]\rho_{crit} = \frac{3H_0^2}{8\pi G}[/tex]

EDIT That didn't work before on my browser since the change of server. It didn't work either when 'PMing'.
Garth
 
Last edited:
  • #6
I'm using IE6.0, and no matter what forum I'm in, LaTeX now appears on a white background. Normally, it would be black text with a grey background that blended in perfectly with the background of the rest of the post. Now LaTeX is appearing in white boxes.
 

Attachments

  • whitebackgroundlatex.JPG
    whitebackgroundlatex.JPG
    12.6 KB · Views: 455
  • #7
I got the same problem with Firefox 1.5.
 
  • #8
rbj said:
doesn't seem to work for any posts in the photon mass thread. not for my posts or anyone else's.
I just tried it in that thread. It worked for me.
 
  • #9
There appears to be something going on... I've noticed this problem in the thread on Kaku's QFT book in the QM forum too. And there is no background transparency in the PNGs as there used to be. The LaTeX generation also appears to be ever-so-slightly different.

Maybe they changed/updated the LaTeX generation software on the server recently?
 
  • #10
All LaTeX images created after the change work fine. Any LaTeX images before the change cannot be generated anymore and are no longer visible. I do not know what this change is though but I believe it occurred about 48 hours ago.
 
  • #11
Oxymoron said:
All LaTeX images created after the change work fine. Any LaTeX images before the change cannot be generated anymore and are no longer visible. I do not know what this change is though but I believe it occurred about 48 hours ago.

i'm relieved that someone else has noticed. and yes, the LaTeX equations generated now do have white background even if the other background is grey. but, the TeX equations in that "photon mass" thread on the first page, do not show at all on my Mac and there are messages saying "LaTeX graphic is being generated. Reload this page in a moment." and in some places where equations of other posts were quoted, there is a message in red letters: "LaTeX image generation failed. The LaTeX source for this image is invalid.". but clicking on that shows valid LaTeX code.
 
  • #12
The LaTeX system was down for a day or so when we recently moved to a new server. All posts made during that time will show the "LaTeX graphic is being generated" message, though, as you can tell, no LaTeX graphic is actually forthcoming.

Yes, in fact, all LaTeX images generated now have a white background. I'm not happy about this, but I'm having to scrounge around to find a solution. The back-end image software on the server was changed recently, causing some problems with the transparency. I will definitely be working on it.

- Warren
 
  • #13
I believe most of the aforementioned problems have been solved. It just appears that some posts that were made during this changeover aren't displayed. But that's a minor gripe, really.

However, does anyone else notice that the fonts for rendering the output are different? Or am I just going crazy...
 
  • #14
I got the same impression. Seems to be finer (and less readable on my old tft).
 
  • #16
Yes, the new antialiasing routine is, in fact, pretty annoying to me. It's not nearly as readable as it used to be. I will be working on improving it, as soon as I can find out what was done to ghostscript in the first place...

- Warren
 
  • #17
Here's a hack that might work for now... assuming that imagemagick is available:

convert -gamma 0.2 oldfile.png newfile.png
 
  • #18
robphy,

Hum, you mean the problem is just that the antialiased pixels are too light in intensity? I didn't realize it could be as simple as correcting the gamma. I don't need imagemagick to play with the gamma; the pnm tools will do it, also. I'll give it a try. Thanks!

- Warren
 
  • #19
Okay, adjusting the gamma does indeed make the font strokes appear darker, but at the expense of the antialiasing quality. It doesn't solve the fundamental issue. They still don't look quite right.

- Warren
 

What is LaTeX rendering and why is it useful?

LaTeX rendering is a typesetting system used for creating high-quality technical and scientific documents. It is useful because it allows for precise and consistent formatting of mathematical equations, symbols, and special characters.

How do I use LaTeX rendering in the S&GR forum?

To use LaTeX rendering in the S&GR forum, simply enclose your mathematical expressions or equations within dollar signs ($). For example, if you want to display the equation x^2 + y^2 = z^2, you would type $x^2 + y^2 = z^2$ in your post. The forum will automatically render it in the proper format.

Are there any specific formatting guidelines I should follow when using LaTeX rendering in the forum?

Yes, there are a few guidelines to keep in mind when using LaTeX rendering in the forum:

  • Make sure to use double dollar signs ($$) when displaying a standalone equation or expression that is not part of a sentence.
  • Use curly braces ({}) to group multiple symbols or characters together.
  • Use the backslash (\) to indicate a command or function.
  • Avoid using spaces within the dollar signs ($).

Can I use LaTeX rendering for non-mathematical content in the forum?

No, LaTeX rendering is primarily used for mathematical and scientific content. It is not recommended to use it for non-mathematical content as it may cause formatting issues and make your post difficult to read.

What should I do if I encounter an error while using LaTeX rendering in the forum?

If you encounter an error while using LaTeX rendering, double check your formatting and make sure you are following the guidelines mentioned earlier. If the error persists, you can seek help from other forum members or consult online resources for troubleshooting tips.

Similar threads

  • MATLAB, Maple, Mathematica, LaTeX
Replies
12
Views
782
  • MATLAB, Maple, Mathematica, LaTeX
Replies
3
Views
3K
  • MATLAB, Maple, Mathematica, LaTeX
Replies
16
Views
2K
  • MATLAB, Maple, Mathematica, LaTeX
Replies
4
Views
3K
  • MATLAB, Maple, Mathematica, LaTeX
Replies
32
Views
7K
  • MATLAB, Maple, Mathematica, LaTeX
Replies
4
Views
2K
  • MATLAB, Maple, Mathematica, LaTeX
Replies
20
Views
2K
  • MATLAB, Maple, Mathematica, LaTeX
Replies
1
Views
2K
  • MATLAB, Maple, Mathematica, LaTeX
Replies
3
Views
265
  • MATLAB, Maple, Mathematica, LaTeX
Replies
15
Views
3K
Back
Top