24
$\begingroup$

So right now, to write up a question for Math.StackExchange, I use Firefox to come here, say I'm going to ask a question, and start typing in the box (like I am now). The only way I have to test whether my MathJax markup is correct is to type it here, and see what I get in the preview box. If I'm writing a long question, I have to copy back and forth between here and Notepad, in case I get interrupted.

This seems really klutzy. It's 2012; I should have a better way to test my MathJax input, like a desktop program that interprets MathJax, or a Google Docs application. Can anyone suggest a better approach? Yes, I'm a Windows user, by the way.

Thanks for any help.

$\endgroup$
3
  • 1
    $\begingroup$ Somewhat related question on main: Online MathJaX editor. $\endgroup$ Commented Nov 28, 2019 at 14:50
  • $\begingroup$ The best way I've found is not writing one. $\endgroup$ Commented Dec 27, 2019 at 0:57
  • $\begingroup$ VerbTeX LaTeX compiler ? $\endgroup$ Commented Dec 28, 2019 at 18:52

4 Answers 4

Reset to default
25
$\begingroup$

Some ideas:

  • You can install ipython notebook which has built-in MarkDown / MathJax support
  • There are by now (2018!!) lots of MathJax capable MarkDown editors. Personally I use Joplin, I've also tried Abricotine. If you use the Atom editor, the MarkDown Preview Plus package is useful. (Note: some of these may use KaTeX as the rendering backend instead of MathJax.)
  • For an online solution notepag.es could work, though for inline math it uses the strange choice of using %% as delimiters.

For Mac users, I have heard good things about Marked.

$\endgroup$
5
  • $\begingroup$ Thanks for your suggestions. I'll check them out. $\endgroup$ Commented Jul 25, 2012 at 16:02
  • 5
    $\begingroup$ I went with Qute. notepag.es too mysterious, kramdown and ipython notebook not as easy to install as Qute. $\endgroup$ Commented Jul 25, 2012 at 17:07
  • $\begingroup$ Minor annoyance with Qute: I would rather use _…_ for italic, but it forces me to use *…* $\endgroup$ Commented Jan 18, 2017 at 23:47
  • $\begingroup$ Qute and kramdown links are dead now. $\endgroup$ Commented Jun 6, 2018 at 7:55
  • 1
    $\begingroup$ @Ruslan: I edited to put in links to some alive editors. Thanks for pointing it out. $\endgroup$ Commented Jun 6, 2018 at 12:23
14
$\begingroup$

I use stackedit now: https://stackedit.io/

You can sync your files with google drive and dropbox. And there is even real time collaboration support. Quite a decent app.

$\endgroup$
9
$\begingroup$

On the Mac, I use BBEdit with the following stationery:

<html> <head> <title>MathJax</title> <script type="text/x-mathjax-config"> MathJax.Hub.Config({"HTML-CSS": { preferredFont: "TeX", availableFonts: ["STIX","TeX"] }, tex2jax: { inlineMath: [ ["$", "$"], ["\\\\(","\\\\)"] ], displayMath: [ ["$$","$$"], ["\\[", "\\]"] ], processEscapes: true, ignoreClass: "tex2jax_ignore|dno" }, TeX: { noUndefined: { attributes: { mathcolor: "red", mathbackground: "#FFEEEE", mathsize: "90%" } } }, messageStyle: "none" }); </script> <script type="text/javascript" src="http://cdn.mathjax.org/mathjax/latest/MathJax.js?config=TeX-AMS_HTML"></script> </head> <body> <!-- put your test text here --> </body> </html>`

Then I fill in the body with my answer/question, save the file with an extension of ".html", and choose "Markup > Preview in BBEdit".

This doesn't pick up the markdown supplied by stackexchange.com, but it renders the $\LaTeX$.

$\endgroup$
2
  • $\begingroup$ Hmm, I always thought Macs were for artists and writers. (Joke!) I'll consider an iPad next time I'm in the market. $\endgroup$ Commented Jul 25, 2012 at 16:04
  • $\begingroup$ @MikeC: Unfortunately, BBEdit is not available on the iPad; it requires Mac OS X 10.6 or later. $\endgroup$ Commented Jul 25, 2012 at 16:42
1
$\begingroup$

On the mac I use Macdown:

https://macdown.uranusjr.com/

The only problem I have is that it sometimes hangs with a spinning beachball. It will continue after 10 or more seconds - I just have to wait it out.

$\endgroup$

You must log in to answer this question.

Start asking to get answers

Find the answer to your question by asking.

Ask question

Explore related questions

See similar questions with these tags.