Add math language to chat

débie

Hi !

Would it be possible to add a functionality allowing to write in mathematical language? We could then write expressions like on Libreoffice, that is to say that sqrt would give a square root for example, or else {a} over {b} would have the form of a fraction, with a in the numerator and b in the denominator. As well as other functions, as long as we have the possibility of knowing their textual forms. See attached file for another, more complex example, available at libreoffice. We could then share this kind of formula via Discord :)

 

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Comments

3 comments

Date Votes
  • Adam

    Same I want this

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  • osterhoutan

    Yes this would be great!


    It could be done easily using markdown syntax using mathjax, katex, or even github's math rendering system, all of which use simplified varieties of LaTeX's/TeX's math notation syntax.

    Side notes and known caveats w/ each:

    GitHub's math rendering system,

    only outputs images rather than mathml, html, or (best option for accessibility) mathml & html, like the other two options, preventing easy copying and limiting reasonable support given discords current multimedia.  As it just inputs the info from the parameter in the requesting URL into a template of the LaTeX standalone class and outputs to png.


    MathJax

     For overall support, ease of use, customizability (for compatibility and use), would be a great pick but unfortunately it is the slowest of all the options. 
      It also allows limited macro definitions in both LaTeX and TeX styles, which are usually global to the instance of the MathJax system being used, so you would either need to sanities the input for non math mode things, or be careful in how you set things up.  It would likely not be difficult to make these customizations server and/or channel specific so that admins can set up custom macros.

    KaTeX

      Not as customizable as MathJax, but it is noticeably lighter weight, and simpler to implement (though more restrictive and manual of a process).
      However, it currently has some significant rendering and consistency errors/bugs.  Between modifying the syntax, names, and functionality of std LaTeX lib items, as well as some commonly used packages, as well as, having (currently as of 2021/04/06) issues with sizing and rendering of sub scripts and superscripts, and many other things that resize and move elements around.  It can be said that the package is just not as mature as the other two.

     

    Anyway, I really hope to see this implemented one day, as using things like the math bot are just not as good of solutions, for discussion, as implementing some system like the ones mentioned above that are commonly used for rendering math from markdown syntax (even json segmented markdown like discord has, see ipnb files for the jupyter systems).

     

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  • w0keAf

    This is two years old, will they ever add math language to discord?

    Discord has code blocks which is really nice, but they have never shown that support for math language.

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