Question

Text editor

It would be nice to be able to use bold, script and underline...

A rich text editor would be awesome, but just a basic one would be good enough

Answer 1

I think there is an app for that... I know you can color and shadow.

Answer 2

\(\textbf{Bold Font}\); \(\underline{\text{underlined}}\) like that?

Answer 3

how did you do that?!?!?!

Answer 4

i want to do that!, tell me how @amistre

Answer 5

Clue 1: the text amistre formatted is in a serif font
Clue 2: the text generated by the equation editor is in a serif font.

Answer 6

i don't understand

Answer 7

\[\underline{\textbf{use the latex commands for bold and underline in the equation editor}}\]

Answer 8

underline: \underline{text}
bold: \textbf{text}

Answer 9

a text editor would be easier... wouldn't it?

Answer 10

Ah, there is so much to do, and so few of us.

We all agree that a text editor would be really nice to have, and we definitely see the need for it. However, it is one of more than a hundred nice-to-haves, and we are constantly prioritizing which features would affect the largest majority of our userbase.

Your thread definitely bumps up the priority, this is the kind of feedback we want from this group. Thank you! We'll move it from the big sloppy bucket of "things to do" to the slightly smaller bucket of "things to do soon".

Answer 11

yey... thanks...

Answer 12

I have a feeling that it would be abused.

Answer 13

if its simple, i mean only bold, underline and script, i don't see how... i don't think you should be able to change color or text size...

Answer 14

For now, you can use the generally-accepted online approach of emphasizing things by *surrounding them with these* or _surrounding them with these_, too ;)

Answer 15

Is there a way to include mathematical type script in the main body of the text so that one can talk about certain quantities, without using a separate equation that goes to a new line. For example if I am talking about the angle theta such as "you can then solve for theta" and include the greek letter symbol instead of the word. I have tried using the $\theta$ that would work in Latex, but it doesnt recognise that. This would be a useful feature in explaining certain topics in physics, where symbols have physical meaning (such as lambda for wavelength for example). i would like to say things like "the equation for a photons energy is \[E=\frac{hc}{\lambda}\], where lambda is the wavelength of the photon". Some may not know that the symbol is called lambda for example, which could also become more confusing if there is an equation with multiple symbols in it.

Answer 16

the dollar marks are odd to me, but I think they kick it to a new line. If you want an inline version you use backslash openparanthesis backslash theta backslash closeparanethesis like this: \(\theta\).

Answer 17

Excellent, that's exactly what i was looking for. As far as I am aware the $ sign notation in Latex tells it to enter math mode in a paragraph of normal text, as outlined in chapter 3.2 in "The Not So Short Introduction to LaTeX 2e" which can be viewed here http://tobi.oetiker.ch/lshort/lshort.pdf.

Answer 18

Default LaTeX supports $ and \ (. In fact, \ ( is the `LaTeX way', but it's such a pain compared to $ that few people use it. However, in freeform text like the web here, we don't activate $ as a delimiter because it's not uncommon to have it in the body text, and we don't want equations accidentally being parsed that are actually just text between two real dollar signs.

Double dollar signs, however, should be interchangeable with \ [, which is the delimiter for display mode text.

Answer 19

Thanks so much for that. The dollar signs are very handy for inline text, but I understand the issue, particularly for most who have never used latex and wouldn't know what the hell is going on if they start using dollar signs in regular text. Out of curiosity, perhaps in time, a help file may prove useful for other users for editing and drafting their questions and answers. For example, in the equation editor box, it doesnt give you an option for fractions, which would make things clearer for people.. A help file detailing how this is "coded" could be useful. And perhaps even an "off-board area" where people could practice their editing skills? Just suggestions mind you, which may or may not be feasible. The site works as it is, and if it isnt broke, no need to fix it.

Thanks again.

Answer 20

Yeah, the lack of fractions is a bit of a plague. It's my wish to make it easier to do fractions than the default LaTeX way of doing it (namely, using the / sign), but at the moment what's on the roadmap is adding an entry to the toolbar for fractions. I can't say when it'll happen for sure, though, as we're pretty buried in stuff we want to do :)

Answer 21

As for practice -- I consider that one of the boons of the live preview. You can practice at will without posting :)