Program or platform for figures and diagrams

[Moara]

When using latex for writing problems in physics, I find it difficult to make diagrams or figures (such as circuits, atwood machines, lenses, ...) so I wonder if anyone has some recommendations of programs or platforms that can make this "drawings" easy, possibly without the necessity of coding in latex.

 

[Wrichik Basu]

TeX -LaTeX Stack Exchange lists some sites to generate $\LaTeX$ code from diagrams:

https://tex.stackexchange.com/q/84890/200495

 

[Moara]

When using latex for writing problems in physics, I find it difficult to make diagrams or figures (such as circuits, atwood machines, lenses, ...) so I wonder if anyone has some recommendations of programs or platforms that can make this "drawings" easy, possibly without the necessity of coding in latex.

If anyone can recommend platforms or programs for doing these type of figures and diagrams, even if it doesn't have anything related to latex, I would be gratefull to

 

[sysprog]

https://www.geogebra.org/?lang=en is available online or for download to run locally $-$ the name 'geogebra' is a portmanteau derived from 'geometry' and 'algebra'.

 

[sysprog]

Also, geogebra supports $\LaTeX -$ https://wiki.geogebra.org/en/LaTeX

 

[Dr Transport]

I like tikz, I found a couple of front ends for it Qtikz and Ktikz depending on your Linux flavor.

 

[crashcat]

I usually use Inkscape and export to PNG to include in LaTeX.

 

[robphy]

I like (and use) https://www.geogebra.org/ ( a dynamic geometry platform ) [as @sysprog suggested]
because the constructions are created mathematically and programmatically, rather than relying on my art skills.

I use the Desktop version for development,
and I export and upload to geogebra.org to share it with others [without them having to install an application].

I take a PNG screenshot of simulation / visualization, then use \includegraphics in \LaTeX.
I don't use the other export options
https://wiki.geogebra.org/en/Export_to_LaTeX_(PGF,_PSTricks)_and_Asymptote

Folks have created files like
https://www.geogebra.org/m/JbAKa82Y (circuits)
https://www.geogebra.org/m/vUK7gGkN (mechanics)
for drawing custom diagrams.
Unfortunately, these above examples are just for visual appearance, not simulation like below
https://www.geogebra.org/m/jfhMWxak (wave superposition)
https://www.geogebra.org/m/M3CjvAms (lenses)

(Examples posted online can be downloaded and modified.)
Here's one of mine: https://www.geogebra.org/m/sjzxecxm (spherical coordinates)

 

[sysprog]

@robphy, and @crashcat $-$ You might be interested in https://ctan.org/pkg/svg?lang=en:

svg – Include and extract SVG pictures in LATEX documents

This bundle contains the two packages svg and svg-extract.

The svg package is intended for the automated integration of SVG graphics into LATEX documents. Therefore the capabilities provided by Inkscape — or more precisely its command line tool — are used to export the text within an SVG graphic to a separate file, which is then rendered by LATEX. For this purpose the two commands \includesvg and \includeinkscape are provided which are very similar to the \includegraphics command of the graphicx package.

 

[sysprog]

Here's a little trick that I've found useful (it's maybe a little off-topic):

When you encounter a math formula in wikipedia that's rendered as an image (i.e. right-click doesn't offer a MathML or LaTeX option), you can (usually):

Get the Latex by editing the section (be careful to avoid accidentally saving the edit).

Get the svg by: right-click > Open image in new tab > click on the new tab > right-click > View page source (the page source is the svg text $-$ the title field therein will have the LaTeX expression).​

 

[robphy]

@sysprog You might be interested in https://mathpix.com/ (too bad it's not browser based)

 

[sysprog]

@sysprog You might be interested in https://mathpix.com/ (too bad it's not browser based)

Thanks for the tip, @robphy $\dots$

I don't like the 'software as a service/subscription' billing model, with unlimited snips for $4.95 per month, so I would probably not use it beyond the 50 free snips per month offered to non-student registrants.

At a glance, I really like the product feature set, and it does have what they call a "web editor".