Mod Version: 0.4.1
Developer Last Online: Aug 2011
http://www.vbulletin.org/forum/showt...ghlight=vLaTeX
vLaTeX allows your users to include mathematical equations written in LaTeX into their posts, rendered in high quality graphic files (either png or gif). Such ability is instrumental in scientific or educational oriented forums. When I started in vb two years ago, there ware a number of solutions available, but none of them suited my needs completely, so I developed my own integration between (a modified version of) Benjamin Zeiss' LatexRender and vBulletin. With the new vbulletin 4.0, I decided to improve some of the features of this product, and to release it with the hope that it turns out to be useful to any of you.
What is LaTeX?
LaTeX is a set of macros for the TeX typesetting system. It is the defacto standard of communication within the scientific and mathematical community. It works pretty much like a programing language: you write a text source file, and the latex executable compiles it in a DeVice Independent file (DVI), which can be later converted to the desired format (postscript, pdf, etc.).
This mod (thanks to a modified version of the LatexRender class) does all this work in the background. It takes the formula code, inserts it in a source file, compiles it and converts the output in a high quality image file (png or gif, depends on your settings) to show in the post.
Requirements
This mod relies on your server having available the following external programs. They are pretty standard in most linux distributions, so hosts can install them easily (if they want to, some don't). Please, check your server meets this requirements (or ask your host to install the programs) before trying to use vLaTeX:
- latex: the LaTeX compiler. Check the TeXlive distribution (
http://www.tug.org/texlive/).
- dvips: converts the DVI file to PS. Usually included in all latex distributions.
- convert: as it name suggests, converts between a large number of graphic files. Belongs to the ImageMagick package. Needs ghostscript.
- identify: among other things, measures the size of image files. Also belongs to ImageMagick
- Ghostscript: PostScript and PDF language interpreter and previewer. Is called by convert in order to handle ps files.
Features
Creates a new BBcode, usually [TEX] (thought the tag name is configurable via the admin cp), which contents are processed thought LaTeX to generate image files. There are four calling modes:
- [TEX]E= mc^2[/TEX] in-line mode. The image is included in the middle of the text, without line breaks. It tries to adjust the baseline of the formula by adjusting the vertical-align CSS property; the results aren't always perfect, but it does its best.
- [TEX=null]E = m c^2[/TEX] displayed mode: The formula is displayed (usually centered) between two paragraphs.
- [TEX=*]E = m c^2[/TEX] auto-numbering mode: The formula is displayed (usually centered), and numbered.
NOTE: The auto-numbering depends on the CSS counter system, so some old browsers (most notably ie 7 and older) will show these equations untaged, like [TEX=null]. Don't blame me, blame non-standar compilant browsers.
- [TEX=tag]E = m c^2[/TEX] displayed with tag: The formula is displayed (usually centered) between two paragraphs, and tagged with the specific tag.
In the last two modes, the tags are displayed at the right (left if you use RTL) between brackets, in a (configurable) color.
This mod also introduces a second BBcode, [EQREF]tag[/EQREF], which outputs (tag), with the same style of the equation tags. It's useful to let users make reference their formulas.
A double click on the image of a generated image will open a pop-up displaying the LaTeX source code used to generate the formula.
Menu with Common used LaTeX commands can be shown below the advanced mode editor. The admin can customize the commands of the menu thought the admin control panel. [This feature is not vb4.1.4 compatible! A new version will be released in the next few days]
Admin features
Image files are cached, so every unique formula is only processed once.
Fully configurable via Style Variables and templates. It is also fully phrased.
It doesn't change any vb default template, so upgrading should be easy.
Includes a list of blacklisted latex commands for security (configurable in the admin cp).
The admin can customize the preamble of the latex file in the admin cp. This is useful to define new commands that your community uses often, or to include packages.
Error messages can be customized in the phrase system.
Installation / Upgrade
1.- Unzip the mod files.
2.- Upload the vLaTeX directory to your forum root. The generated folder structure should look like this:
vLaTeX/
vLaTeX/index.htm
vLaTeX/class_vlatex.php
vLaTeX/functions_vlatex.php
vLaTeX/vlatex.js
vLaTeX/pics/
vLaTeX/pics/index.htm
vLaTeX/temp/
vLaTeX/temp/index.htm
3.- Change the permissions of the pics and temp folders so the web server can write on them.
4.- Import the product XML in your admin control panel. If you're upgrading, set "Allow Overwrite" to yes.
5.- Go to Admin CP > Settings > Options > vLaTeX - Math Parsing
6.- Make sure the path to latex, dvips, convert and identify executables is correct. Those settings default to the most common values in most linux distributions, but every host is a different world.
If you have shell access, you can check the location of the executables with the following commands:
which latex
which dvips
which convert
which identify
7.- Make sure the path to the Images and Temporal directory are correct. You can change them if you don't like the default value, but the directories must exist and the server must have permissions to write on them.
For extra safety, you could move the temp folder out of the public accessible directory three, thought it should not be needed, since files are deleted in matter of milliseconds.
8.- Set the rest of options as you wish.
9.- Test the product in some posts.
10.- If you wish to add a button in the advanced editor tool-bar for this mod, you can add it using the admin cp section Custom BB Codes (write anything you want in Replacement, this mod will overwrite it). You can use the tex.gif file included in this post (but you can't modify it, sorry, It's not made by me).
Disclaimer
This mod is in beta phase, if you find bugs, please tell me how to reproduce them so I can improve it. It is distributed as is, with the hope that it is useful for someone, but without any warranty. Nor will I accept any responsibility or liability if it doesn't work as expected, or even if it breaks something.
This mod is mainly developed for personal usage. I will listen to good ideas, but I can't guaranty that I will be implemented requested features.
License
This mod is distributed under the LGPL.(
http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/lesser.html). As is, you can freely distribute it or any derivative work provided that: 1) you acknowledge the work of the previous coders (like myself and Zeiss), 2) you release it under the same license (or GPL).
The editor button tex.gif file is property of my moderator movsia, who gives you permission to use it for any purpose, but not to modify it.
Acknowledgments
This mod (in particular, the class_vlatex.php file) is strongly based on the LatexRender class by Benjamin Zeiss (
http://www.mayer.dial.pipex.com/tex.htm).
The baseline hack by the work of Maarten Sneep (
http://mactextoolbox.sourceforge.net.../baseline.html).
Compatibility
The last version of this mod (0.4) requires vb4.0.4 or higher.
If you want to use it in an older 4.0.x release, you can download version 0.3 (which is compatible with vb4.0.1 or higher). If you wish to use this mod with vb4.0.0, use version 0.2 of the mod. Take into account that old versions of this hack have less features and might have some issues fixed in later versions.
Support will be given only for the last version of this mod.
History
2009 / 12 / 19 - First (beta) release
2009 / 12 / 20 - version 0.2
Fixed baseline problem of in-line formulas in CMS articles.
Improved error handling.
Included Spanish translation
2010 / 1 / 24 - version 0.3 (requires vb4.0.1)
Fixed extra space after in-line equations.
Won't break down if vb's CSS is stored as files.
New pop-up showing the formula source code upon double-click.
2010 / 7 / 23 - version 0.4 (requires vb4.0.4)
Improved support for CSS stored as files.
Fixed bug of js file not being loaded on certain servers.
Menu with common LaTeX commands under vb's advanced editors.
Equations will no longer be break by preview in blogs or CMS articles.
2010 / 4 / 24 - version 0.4 (requires vb4.0.4)
Improved compatibility of the Common Commands quick-menu with IE browser.
скачать c НАРОД:
vLaTeX - Math parsing with LaTeX
vLaTeX - Math parsing with LaTeX
