Skip to main content

Latex

Press play to preview the animation
                                
                                  
                                    import
                                    
                                    ...
                                    
                                    

export default makeScene2D ( function * ( view ) {
const tex = createRef < Latex > ( ) ;
view . add ( < Latex ref = { tex } tex = " {{y=}}{{a}}{{x^2}} " fill = " white " /> ) ;

yield * waitFor ( 0.2 ) ;
yield * tex ( ) . tex ( '{{y=}}{{a}}{{x^2}} + {{bx}}' , 1 ) ;
yield * waitFor ( 0.2 ) ;
yield * tex ( ) . tex (
'{{y=}}{{\\left(}}{{a}}{{x^2}} + {{bx}}{{\\over 1}}{{\\right)}}' ,
1 ,
) ;
yield * waitFor ( 0.2 ) ;
yield * tex ( ) . tex ( '{{y=}}{{a}}{{x^2}}' , 1 ) ;
} ) ;

The Latex component is used to show mathematicalformulas and animate them.

Defining LaTex

You can specify the LaTex formula to show using the tex property. Similarly tothe Txt node, you can control the color and size ofthe text using the fill and fontSize properties respectively.

caution

Make sure to always set some fill color otherwise nothing will be shown!

Press play to preview the animation
                                
                                  
                                    import
                                    
                                    ...
                                    
                                    

export default makeScene2D ( function * ( view ) {
view . add (
< Latex
// Try editing the formula below:
tex = " a^2 + b^2 = c^2 "
fill = " white "
fontSize = { 32 }
/> ,
) ;
} ) ;

Animating LaTex

We can animate LaTex by tweening the tex property. To enable deletion,insertion and transformation animation you must split the formula into severalparts. You can do this by providing an array of strings:

                            
                              
                                <
                                Latex
                                
                                tex
                                =
                                {
                                [
                                'a^2'
                                ,
                                
                                '+'
                                ,
                                
                                'b^2'
                                ,
                                
                                '='
                                ,
                                
                                'c^2'
                                ]
                                }
                                
                                />
                                

Or by using the curly bracket ( {{}} ) syntax:

                            
                              
                                <
                                Latex
                                
                                tex
                                =
                                "
                                {{a^2}} + {{b^2}} = {{c^2}}
                                "
                                
                                />
                                
                                
// equivalent to
< Latex tex = { [ 'a^2' , '+' , 'b^2' , '=' , 'c^2' ] } />

You can also mix both:

                            
                              
                                <
                                Latex
                                
                                tex
                                =
                                {
                                [
                                '{{a}}^2'
                                ,
                                
                                '+'
                                ,
                                
                                '{{b}}^2'
                                ,
                                
                                '='
                                ,
                                
                                '{{c}}^2'
                                ]
                                }
                                
                                />
                                
                                
// equivalent to
< Latex tex = { [ 'a' , '^2' , '+' , 'b' , '^2' , '=' , 'c' , '^2' ] } />

A tex part that only exists in the source formula is considered deleted and getsfaded out. Analogically, a part that only exists in the target formula is fadedin. Tex parts that exist in both the source and destination formulas will betweened:

Press play to preview the animation
                                
                                  
                                    import
                                    
                                    ...
                                    
                                    

export default makeScene2D ( function * ( view ) {
const tex = createRef < Latex > ( ) ;
view . add ( < Latex ref = { tex } tex = " {{1}} + {{2}} " fill = " white " /> ) ;

yield * waitFor ( 0.5 ) ;
yield * tex ( ) . tex ( [ '2' , '+' , '3' , '+' , '4' ] , 1 ) ;
} ) ;

If a given tex part occurs multiple times in the source and target formula, butthe number of occurrences does not match, the part will duplicated or merged.You can see this in action in the example above. The formula starts with onlyone plus sign ( + ), but ends with two.

Common pitfalls

Escaping slashes

The backslash character ( \ ) is used as an escape character in JavaScript. Inorder to use it as part of a LaTex formula, you need to escape it by doublingit:

                            
                              
                                node
                                (
                                )
                                .
                                tex
                                (
                                '{{\\frac{1}{2}}}'
                                )
                                ;
                                

Note that this does not apply inside JSX string attributes:

                            
                              
                                // No escape needed:
                                
                                
< Latex tex = " {{\frac{1}{2}} " />
// Escape necessary:
< Latex tex = { '{{\frac{1}{2}}' } / >

Missing spaces

As of right now, tex parts are put together by joining them with no separator.This may break your formula if it depends on a space between two parts. Forexample, the following formula will break:

                            
                              
                                <
                                Latex
                                
                                tex
                                =
                                {
                                [
                                '\\Delta'
                                ,
                                
                                'y'
                                ]
                                }
                                
                                />
                                

The node will attempt to parse it as \\Deltay instead of the correct \\Delta y . To prevent it, you should wrap the y part in curly brackets:

                            
                              
                                <
                                Latex
                                
                                tex
                                =
                                {
                                [
                                '\\Delta'
                                ,
                                
                                '{y}'
                                ]
                                }
                                
                                />
                                

This will be parsed as \\Delta{y} which is correct.