Talk:VisualEditor/Beta Features/Formulae

This is a page for discussion about the Formula editing plug-in for VisualEditor, released as part of the Beta Features programme.

What do you like about the current formulae editing tool?

Instant update as-you-type

I think this makes it really clear exactly how the formula will show when saved, without having to do slow trial-and-error page previews. Jdforrester (WMF) (talk) 06:34, 31 October 2013 (UTC)

I really like this feature, too. --Daniele Pugliesi (talk) 07:09, 9 November 2013 (UTC)

More!

Your comments here.

What would you change about the current formulae editing tool?

Label

Fixed

I don't think "LaTeX" is a great label for this - perhaps "Formula" instead? Jdforrester (WMF) (talk) 06:33, 31 October 2013 (UTC)

hehe. thank you User:Jdforrester (WMF), for supporting my ticket bugzilla:53251 :D TheDJ (talk) 18:00, 26 November 2013 (UTC)

@TheDJ: Now re-labelled as "Formula"; new version will come here tomorrow, and to Wikipedias in a week's time. Jdforrester (WMF) (talk) 23:24, 11 December 2013 (UTC)

Proper visual editor

In time, I'd really like us to provide a proper visual editor for formulae, rather than requiring users to know LaTeX - possibly a drag-and-drop box of MathJax icons? Jdforrester (WMF) (talk) 06:33, 31 October 2013 (UTC)

I was just coming here to suggest something like this. MathJax iconography FTW. Sj (talk) 00:18, 5 November 2013 (UTC)

I agree. As alternative to the drag-and-drop box of MathJax icons it could be good to have a collection of LaTeX syntax in the bottom of the box. It could be great if we can have both tools, so the users that don't know LaTeX simply use the drag-and-drop icons, instead the people that know LaTeX can use the LaTeX syntax "links". --Daniele Pugliesi (talk) 07:07, 9 November 2013 (UTC)

Yup, maybe even a proper editor that looks like an online version of MathsType. Dimension10 (talk) 04:15, 7 December 2013 (UTC)

Although I would love it if you kept the dialogbox on as feature in the VE, since especially with more complex formulas and rare symbols being able to script is so much faster and more comfortable than this whole drag'n'drop stuff. I shudder whenever I think of having to create a complex formula in Open Office or Word or so. The live review is really invaluable - so wish I had it in my Wikibooks! --Siliurp (talk) 22:56, 11 December 2013 (UTC)

I worked with LaTeX in an online course, so I know a little of it's syntax, but what about users that don't know LaTeX syntax or even didn't heard about it. A short introductory into LaTeX syntax will be great, when user opens formulae panel. Cornel Punga (talk) 18:32, 29 January 2014 (UTC)

Make dialogue movable and resizeable

Tracked in Phabricator
Task T59437

The popup dialogue box is too small for some equations. It needs to be resizable so you can read the full source of a large equation. It also needs to be movable so it does not hide the formula you are editing.--Salix alba (talk) 08:57, 8 November 2013 (UTC)

It is really to small. Helder 14:27, 8 November 2013 (UTC)

+1 --Siliurp (talk) 22:56, 11 December 2013 (UTC)

Keyboard-shortcut to open and close/start and end the formula editing Writing lots of text and switching to LaTex quite often whenever necessary, it's quite annoying having to always switch to the mouse to select the formula function from the menu, and then closing it again via mouse click. Is there any shorter way, in which both my hands can just stay on the keyboard? --Siliurp (talk) 18:21, 8 January 2014 (UTC)

@Siliurp: It's easy to add a keyboard shortcut, but to do so we'd need to pick a shortcut that is:

• Easily available on most keyboards (e.g. "[" is hard to type on some keyboards)
• Not used by an existing part of VisualEditor (obviously)
• Not used by a major operating system (because it will take them before VE can)
• Not used by a major browser (because it will take them before VE can)
• Not used for a different function normally (because it will confuse users)

Do any shortcuts come to mind? Jdforrester (WMF) (talk) 23:42, 8 January 2014 (UTC)

More!

Your suggestions here.

Bugs & compatibility issues

Uncaught TypeError: Cannot call method 'update' of null

When I start to type \frac{1}{2} in the tool on the Sandbox, the error above appears in the console. Helder 14:27, 8 November 2013 (UTC)

Yes, we should avoid round-tripping \ when that's the only input. Jdforrester (WMF) (talk) 00:58, 9 November 2013 (UTC)

Creating new formulae not working

Fixed

Trying to test thefeature on it.wiki, personal sandbox page User:Baruneju/sandbox2: there is no editor showing up after clicking the menu item. How to reproduce the problem: modify the page using visualeditor, create an empty line, select "Latex" on the "Altro" (Other) menu. Nothing happens, the item in the menu remains selected.

Chrome console logged this error: Uncaught TypeError: Cannot read property '$element' of null load.php?debug=false&lang=it&modules=ext.visualEditor.core%2Cdata%2Cicons-vector%2Cmwmath%7Cext.vis…:506. Thanks, --Baruneju (talk) 15:32, 22 November 2013 (UTC)

Same problem with firefox, firebug says

TypeError: this.node is null https://bits.wikimedia.org/it.wikipedia.org/load.php?debug=false&lang=it&modules=ext.visualEditor.core%2Cdata%2Cicons-vector%2Cmwmath%7Cext.visualEditor.viewPageTarget.icons-vector%7Cext.wikimediaEvents.ve%7Coojs-ui.icons-vector%7Crangy&skin=monobook&version=20131122T025909Z&* Line 506.

Skin is MonoBook on both cases. Re-tested on chrome with vector:

Uncaught TypeError: Cannot read property '$element' of null load.php?debug=false&lang=it&modules=ext.visualEditor.core%2Cdata%2Cicons-vector%2Cmwmath%7Cext.vis…:506

Jdforrester (WMF), I hope this helps isolating the issue. Tahnks! --Baruneju (talk) 16:44, 22 November 2013 (UTC)

@Baruneju: Hi, sorry about this; we've have fixed it but it is not yet deployed. Hope to get this out soon. Jdforrester (WMF) (talk) 17:27, 22 November 2013 (UTC)

Your issue

Give details of your issues here.