[SOLVED] Indent regular latex instead of centering it?

[Klaas van Aarsen]

I don't like how regular latex is centered.
It makes the text jump up and down unpredictably, dependent on the resolution you're using.
As a consequence I (almost) never use regular latex, and use inline latex instead.
It is a bit of a hassle sometimes, since it forces me to add \displaystyle and/or \dfrac everywhere.
And it also forces me to [ INDENT ] equations to get them aligned properly.

Can regular latex get a single indent instead?

 

[Jameson]

Hi ILikeSerena,

I'm more of a visual person with this kind of thing. Can you post an example or give a link to a thread where I can see what you are referring to?

Jameson

 

[Klaas van Aarsen]

Hi ILikeSerena,

I'm more of a visual person with this kind of thing. Can you post an example or give a link to a thread where I can see what you are referring to?

Jameson

Sure!
I just made the following post.

[HR][/HR]
With regular latex it looks like:

So let's continue:
$$a_r = -\frac{8b^2h^2}{r^5}\cos^2\theta - \frac{4bh^2}{r^4}\sin\theta$$
$$a_r = -\frac{8b^2h^2}{r^5}(1 - \sin^2\theta) - \frac{4bh^2}{r^4}\sin\theta$$
$$a_r = -\frac{8b^2h^2}{r^5} + \frac{8b^2h^2}{r^5}\sin^2\theta - \frac{4bh^2}{r^4}\sin\theta$$

We can substitute $r = 2b \sin \theta$ (in reverse), getting:
$$a_r = \frac{8b^2h^2}{r^5} + \frac{2h^2}{r^5} \cdot r^2 -\frac{2h^2}{r^4} \cdot r$$
$$a_r = \frac{8b^2h^2}{r^5} \qquad \blacksquare$$

[HR][/HR]
With inline latex it looks like:

So let's continue:

$a_r = -\frac{8b^2h^2}{r^5}\cos^2\theta - \frac{4bh^2}{r^4}\sin\theta$

$a_r = -\frac{8b^2h^2}{r^5}(1 - \sin^2\theta) - \frac{4bh^2}{r^4}\sin\theta$

$a_r = -\frac{8b^2h^2}{r^5} + \frac{8b^2h^2}{r^5}\sin^2\theta - \frac{4bh^2}{r^4}\sin\theta$

We can substitute $r = 2b \sin \theta$ (in reverse), getting:

$a_r = \frac{8b^2h^2}{r^5} + \frac{2h^2}{r^5} \cdot r^2 -\frac{2h^2}{r^4} \cdot r$

$a_r = \frac{8b^2h^2}{r^5}$ $\qquad \blacksquare$

[HR][/HR]
And with [ INDENT ] inline latex with \displaystyle (not here this time) and \dfrac it looks like:

So let's continue:

$a_r = -\dfrac{8b^2h^2}{r^5}\cos^2\theta - \dfrac{4bh^2}{r^4}\sin\theta$

$a_r = -\dfrac{8b^2h^2}{r^5}(1 - \sin^2\theta) - \dfrac{4bh^2}{r^4}\sin\theta$

$a_r = -\dfrac{8b^2h^2}{r^5} + \dfrac{8b^2h^2}{r^5}\sin^2\theta - \dfrac{4bh^2}{r^4}\sin\theta$​

We can substitute $r = 2b \sin \theta$ (in reverse), getting:

$a_r = \dfrac{8b^2h^2}{r^5} + \dfrac{2h^2}{r^5} \cdot r^2 -\dfrac{2h^2}{r^4} \cdot r$

$a_r = \dfrac{8b^2h^2}{r^5}$ $\qquad \blacksquare$​

[HR][/HR]
Suffice to say that I prefer the last form.
I just wish that regular latex would do all that for me.

 

[Klaas van Aarsen]

I know it's possible, because it works that way on PF.
Btw, I don't dare edit my previous post anymore, because the editor keeps removing the empty line before the [ INDENT ]'s.

 

[Jameson]

I know it's possible, because it works that way on PF.
Btw, I don't dare edit my previous post anymore, because the editor keeps removing the empty line before the [ INDENT ]'s.

Hmm, well PF uses Mathjax just like we do so maybe I can ask Greg if he has any insight about this. I'll try to do some quick research first but if not I'll shoot him a message.

 

[Ackbach]

I like the indentation better than centering as well. It means the eye doesn't have to zig-zag so much between left-justified text and the equations.

 

[ZaidAlyafey]

Yeah , I also realized that , when I use the dollar signs the code becomes just smaller , I don't know why personally I keep writing tex all the time , that is too painful . It would be so great if we have a quick access button to wrap the code with tex automatically or the code between single dollar signs looks much better and a bit larger ...

 

[Ackbach]

Yeah , I also realized that , when I use the dollar signs the code becomes just smaller , I don't know why personally I keep writing tex all the time , that is too painful . It would be so great if we have a quick access button to wrap the code with tex automatically or the code between single dollar signs looks much better and a bit larger ...

You can use double-dollar signs to get centered displayed math.

 

[Klaas van Aarsen]

Yeah , I also realized that , when I use the dollar signs the code becomes just smaller , I don't know why personally I keep writing tex all the time , that is too painful . It would be so great if we have a quick access button to wrap the code with tex automatically or the code between single dollar signs looks much better and a bit larger ...

Using \dfrac instead of \frac also helps.

 

[ZaidAlyafey]

Using \dfrac instead of \frac also helps.

This will just help for fractions right! but for integrals and others $\int^1_0$ it looks really small ...

 

[ZaidAlyafey]

You can use double-dollar signs to get centered displayed math.

I only use double-dollar signs to show important formulas because they attract attention , but for a step-by-step solution I prefer it to be left-aligned ...

 

[Klaas van Aarsen]

This will just help for fractions right! but for integrals and others $\int^1_0$ it looks really small ...

Try it with the \displaystyle prefix.

Then you'll get $\displaystyle\int^1_0$, $\displaystyle\sum_{k=0}^\infty$ and $\displaystyle\lim_{n \to \infty}$ instead of $\int^1_0$ and $\sum_{k=0}^\infty$ and $\lim_{n \to \infty}$.

\displaystyle and \dfrac are intended to overrule the inline style of latex, showing (part of) the formula as regular latex instead.

 

[Chris L T521]

[snipet]
And with [ INDENT ] inline latex with \displaystyle (not here this time) and \dfrac it looks like:

So let's continue:

$a_r = -\dfrac{8b^2h^2}{r^5}\cos^2\theta - \dfrac{4bh^2}{r^4}\sin\theta$

$a_r = -\dfrac{8b^2h^2}{r^5}(1 - \sin^2\theta) - \dfrac{4bh^2}{r^4}\sin\theta$

$a_r = -\dfrac{8b^2h^2}{r^5} + \dfrac{8b^2h^2}{r^5}\sin^2\theta - \dfrac{4bh^2}{r^4}\sin\theta$​

We can substitute $r = 2b \sin \theta$ (in reverse), getting:

$a_r = \dfrac{8b^2h^2}{r^5} + \dfrac{2h^2}{r^5} \cdot r^2 -\dfrac{2h^2}{r^4} \cdot r$

$a_r = \dfrac{8b^2h^2}{r^5}$ $\qquad \blacksquare$​

[HR][/HR]
Suffice to say that I prefer the last form.
I just wish that regular latex would do all that for me.
[/snipet]

Well, you can do in a indirect way, I guess. You can use the aligned tags to align equations in inline mode and it (i) displaystyles the equation for you and (ii) won't automatically center. Also, you can specify how much of an indentation you want using the hspace command. For instance, if we want a half-inch indentation, you'd have the following form of the example you provided:

So let's continue:

$\hspace{.5in}\begin{aligned}a_r &= -\frac{8b^2h^2}{r^5}\cos^2\theta - \frac{4bh^2}{r^4}\sin\theta\\ a_r &= -\frac{8b^2h^2}{r^5}(1 - \sin^2\theta) - \frac{4bh^2}{r^4}\sin\theta\\ a_r &= -\frac{8b^2h^2}{r^5} + \frac{8b^2h^2}{r^5}\sin^2\theta - \frac{4bh^2}{r^4}\sin\theta\end{aligned}$

We can substitute $r = 2b \sin \theta$ (in reverse), getting:
$\hspace{.5in}\begin{aligned} a_r &= \frac{8b^2h^2}{r^5} + \frac{2h^2}{r^5} \cdot r^2 -\frac{2h^2}{r^4} \cdot r\\ a_r &= \frac{8b^2h^2}{r^5} \qquad \blacksquare\end{aligned}$

With the following source code:

$\hspace{.5in}\begin{aligned}a_r &= -\frac{8b^2h^2}{r^5}\cos^2\theta - \frac{4bh^2}{r^4}\sin\theta\\
a_r &= -\frac{8b^2h^2}{r^5}(1 - \sin^2\theta) - \frac{4bh^2}{r^4}\sin\theta\\
a_r &= -\frac{8b^2h^2}{r^5} + \frac{8b^2h^2}{r^5}\sin^2\theta - \frac{4bh^2}{r^4}\sin\theta\end{aligned}$

We can substitute $r = 2b \sin \theta$ (in reverse), getting:
$\hspace{.5in}\begin{aligned} a_r &= \frac{8b^2h^2}{r^5} + \frac{2h^2}{r^5} \cdot r^2 -\frac{2h^2}{r^4} \cdot r\\
a_r &= \frac{8b^2h^2}{r^5} \qquad \blacksquare\end{aligned}$

Which I think is a pretty interesting solution for it.

 

[Jameson]

I'm not entirely sure of where this problem stands, but I think by adding a Latex button (or two maybe) in the editor this issue can be addressed. There are two special BB Code tags on MHB that both do the same thing [math][/math] and [tex][/tex]. We have both options available because many members are used to one or the other. Anyway, both of these simply wrap the code in a single dollar sign and add \displaystyle at the beginning.

I can set up a third BB Code tag to do the same as those two but also indent everything. If that happened automatically would the formatting be what you are looking for?

 

[Klaas van Aarsen]

I'm not entirely sure of where this problem stands, but I think by adding a Latex button (or two maybe) in the editor this issue can be addressed. There are two special BB Code tags on MHB that both do the same thing [math][/math] and [tex][/tex]. We have both options available because many members are used to one or the other. Anyway, both of these simply wrap the code in a single dollar sign and add \displaystyle at the beginning.

I can set up a third BB Code tag to do the same as those two but also indent everything. If that happened automatically would the formatting be what you are looking for?

I'm looking for something that is displaystyle automatically and that is left indented.
This may be what you are offering, but I can't tell yet for sure from what you write.

 

[Jameson]

I'm looking for something that is displaystyle automatically and that is left indented.
This may be what you are offering, but I can't tell yet for sure from what you write.

I didn't explain it well. I can make a new custom tag, let's call it [ILS]. When this tag is used it can work like this:

Input - [ILS]\int_{1}^{\infty} \frac{1}{x^2}dx[/ILS]

Output - [INDENT] \$ \displaystyle \int_{1}^{\infty} \frac{1}{x^2}dx \$ [/INDENT]

Of course we should choose a different title for this custom code but is the replacement correct in modeling what you want to happen?

 

[ZaidAlyafey]

I didn't explain it well. I can make a new custom tag, let's call it [ILS]. When this tag is used it can work like this:

Input - [ILS]\int_{1}^{\infty} \frac{1}{x^2}dx[/ILS]

Output - [INDENT] \$ \displaystyle \int_{1}^{\infty} \frac{1}{x^2}dx \$ [/INDENT]

Of course we should choose a different title for this custom code but is the replacement correct in modeling what you want to happen?

That is great, and it will be fantastic if you add a button for it ...

 

[Jameson]

There is one small thing to figure out before I can add these new buttons - what icons to use. The image needs to be 16x16 pixels, which is very small. I want to add two buttons that both involve Latex. The first one will add \displaystyle and the second one will add [INDENT] \displaystyle. Unfortunately they will be located next to each other until I figure out how to rearrange the toolbar so these two icons need to be noticeably different.

Any ideas?

 

[dwsmith]

Try it with the \displaystyle prefix.

Then you'll get $\displaystyle\int^1_0$, $\displaystyle\sum_{k=0}^\infty$ and $\displaystyle\lim_{n \to \infty}$ instead of $\int^1_0$ and $\sum_{k=0}^\infty$ and $\lim_{n \to \infty}$.

\displaystyle and \dfrac are intended to overrule the inline style of latex, showing (part of) the formula as regular latex instead.

If you are compiling a pdf (summation and limit only apply here), you can do \sum\limits_{k=1}^n and \lim\limits_{n\to\infty} which give the smaller inline but have the bounds in the center aligned spots.

 

[ZaidAlyafey]

There is one small thing to figure out before I can add these new buttons - what icons to use. The image needs to be 16x16 pixels, which is very small. I want to add two buttons that both involve Latex. The first one will add \displaystyle and the second one will add [INDENT] \displaystyle. Unfortunately they will be located next to each other until I figure out how to rearrange the toolbar so these two icons need to be noticeably different.

Any ideas?

I think it is better to just put just one button. If some one wants the other format he/she shall write it manually. Creating two buttons may cause confusion .

 

[MarkFL]

How about something like:





These are 16X16 .png images.

 

[Jameson]

Great concept. Those two images look pixelated in my browser, but it might also be due to the background. Is it pretty clear on your screen? I say use those two designs for sure. It's really hard to make small changes that are noticeable enough to easily distinguish between two choices, but here it works great.

 

[MarkFL]

They look reasonable on my screen (to these older eyes ), however I'm sure they are pixelated. What I did was use the post preview here with the codes:

\int and \to\int

then captured the screen and pasted it into MS Paint, found that I could capture them as 20X20 images, and used the re-size function to shrink them to 16X16.

I really only intended to show the general idea within the size requirement. Perhaps someone with more sophisticated graphics software could produce higher quality images.

 

[Jameson]

I forgot about another really important detail - naming the new BB code tag that will have an indention built into it. Right now we have [math] and [tex] which are the same. They both just wrap the text between a dollar sign and \displaystyle, so I'll use one of those as the action for one button. For the other we must first choose the tag.

Once we pick a tag, we really don't want to change it or a lot of equations could break so let's make sure we like it. I suppose being short isn't that important since I'll be adding a button for it in the toolbar but shorter is probably a good thing. I was thinking of trying to combine "Latex" and "indent" somehow, maybe [LIND]?

 

[MarkFL]

That would work great...[LIND] is short, and easily indicates its function.