math2img -- Converting math formula to image offline

Introduction

This utility converts math formula (in LaTeX) to image of any format that imagemagick supports. The implementation is based on TeX to image over command line. The above image is a sample output.

Dependencies

• texlive-full
• imagemagick
• ghostscript
• perl (v5.30 or above)

Installation of dependencies (Debian/Ubuntu):

sudo apt update
sudo apt install texlive-full imagemagick ghostscript

Installation

cd "$DIRECTORY_TO_INSTALL"
git clone https://github.com/kkew3/math2img.git
export PATH="$DIRECTORY_TO_INSTALL/math2img:$PATH"

Support for Windows

Might work in Windows 10 WSL but never tested.

Usage

Copied from math2img.pl -h

Usage: ./math2img.pl [OPTIONS]... OUTFILE

This utility converts LaTeX formula to image by calling `xelatex' and
`convert' (ImageMagick).  The LaTeX formula may use any commands from
packages `amsmath' and `amssymb'.

Options:

    -f MATHFILE   a file where the math formula is presented; if MATHFILE is
                  specified as "-", then it will be read from /dev/stdin; if
                  the option is not specified, the text editor specified by
                  variable EDITOR will be opened for the user to type the math
                  equation; if EDITOR is not set, it's default to `vi'
    -h            display this help and exit

Argument:

    OUTFILE       to which to write the image

Return code:
    0             success
    1             command line option parsing error
    2             error raised when compiling PDF from LaTeX
    4             error raised when converting PDF to image file
    8             error raised when opening EDITOR

Examples:

    # save formula image to "image.png"
    echo 'f(x)' | math2img.pl -f- image.png

    # open $EDITOR and write the image to "my image.gif"
    math2img.pl "my image.gif"

Known issue

ImageMagick may prevent user from reading PDF file. See detailed explanation of this issue and corresponding solution in this post.

See also

• nwtgck/math2img