DeTeXify

DeTeXify removes LaTeX and TeX tags from an input string and returns a computer-evaluatable string.

Configuration

In order to call the main detex.pl file from locations other than the root directory of this repository, you may need to update the use lib statements in detex.pl and clean_parens.pl, as well as the detexify_path variable in PerlAPI.pm.

Usage

./detex.pl [--debug | -d] [--match=<f | t> | -m <f | t>]

--debug | -d activates debugging output.

--match=<f | t> | -m <f | t> activates the "match" option (described below).

Command Line

Execute detex.pl in the detexify folder, then input your LaTeX or TeX string on the command line. Press enter and watch for your detexified string.

> ./detex.pl
\frac{1}{2}
1/2
>

You can also supply a "match" option (either "t" or "f", symbolizing "true" or "false" respectively) after your input with a -m or --match option. This is currently only used for DeTeXifying square root commands. A "match" option of false is the default behavior for detex.pl.

> ./detex.pl
\sqrt{2}
2^(1/2)
>
> ./detex.pl --match=f
\sqrt{2}
2^(1/2)
> 
> ./detex.pl -m t
\sqrt{2}
sqrt(2)
>

Piping from Other Programs

You can open detex.pl as a pipe from another program, regardless of what language the calling program is written in. You just need to write your LaTeX or TeX string to detex.pl once a pipe is open, and then read the result string from detex.pl before closing the pipe.

Example Conversions:

\frac{1}{2} => 1/2
\sqrt{2} => 2^(1/2)
\frac{x+y}{3} => (x+y)/3

DeTeXify currently handles the following LaTeX and TeX tags with infinite recursion (conversion):

\frac{a}{b} => a/b
\sqrt{a} => a^(1/2)
\sqrt[a]{b} => b^(1/a)
a^-b => a^(-b)
\ln(a), \log(b) => ln(a), log(b)
trigonometric functions (regular, inverse, and hyperbolic) e.g. \sin(a) => sin(a)
\abs(a) => abs(a)
\lbrack, \rbrack => [, ]
\pi => pi
\infty => inf
\emptyset => null
\exp(a) => e^a
\% => %
\[, \] => $$
\{, \} => (, )
a**b => a^b

DeTeXify currently handles the following LaTeX and TeX tags (removal):

\break
\displaystyle
\left, \right
\circ
\operatorname
\immediate
\write18
\write
\$
leading and trailing spaces

wikenator / detexify

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