Chemists do make use of 
but they have different typesetting conventions from mathematicians. For example the chemical 
is quite different from the mathematical 
. Martin Hensel’s mhchem package allows the easy typing of chemical symbols. Here are some examples taken from mhchem’s documentation. Needless to say, not being a chemist, they don’t mean much to me 🙂
Hover over, or click on a formula, to see the underlying latex code.
![\cf{Fe`{III}[Fe`{III}Fe`{II}(CN)6]3}](/steve/wordpress/latexrender/pictures/6f5b5ab1be4ddca52258d82d0e97c93d.gif "\cf{Fe`{III}[Fe`{III}Fe`{II}(CN)6]3}")
![\cf{[Cd\{SC(NH2)2\}2].[Cr(SCN)4(NH3)2]2}](/steve/wordpress/latexrender/pictures/5525bf8020f81309956eb098dca3daa8.gif "\cf{[Cd\{SC(NH2)2\}2].[Cr(SCN)4(NH3)2]2}")
![\ce{Zn^2+
<=>[\ce{+ 2OH-}][\ce{+ 2H+}]
{\underset{\text{amphoteres Hydroxid}}{\ce{Zn(OH)2 v}}} %group!
<=>[\ce{+ 2OH-}][\ce{+ 2H+}]
{\underset{\text{Hydroxozikat}}{\cf{[Zn(OH)4]^2-}}}% group!
}](/steve/wordpress/latexrender/pictures/3258fb81487d8bbde0c867a0c8884a38.gif "\ce{Zn^2+
<=>[\ce{+ 2OH-}][\ce{+ 2H+}]
{\underset{\text{amphoteres Hydroxid}}{\ce{Zn(OH)2 v}}} %group!
<=>[\ce{+ 2OH-}][\ce{+ 2H+}]
{\underset{\text{Hydroxozikat}}{\cf{[Zn(OH)4]^2-}}}% group!
}")
![\ce{{{x\,}} Na(NH4)HPO4 ->[\Delta]
(NaPO3)_{{x}} + {{x\,}} NH3 ^ + {{x\,}} H2O}](/steve/wordpress/latexrender/pictures/45fcb99646cb2f1be84b2e9c718e2f73.gif "\ce{{{x\,}} Na(NH4)HPO4 ->[\Delta]
(NaPO3)_{{x}} + {{x\,}} NH3 ^ + {{x\,}} H2O}")
Benjamin Schwartz has adapted class.latexrender.php to improve the quality of the output. He has used “the PNG format’s support for true alpha blending to make those jagged edges (on non-white background) disappear”. The text colour for both PNG and GIF are customizable as is the background colour for GIFs. The original settings are still available.
You can download the file here and view its effect at Digital Diary of Ben Schwartz. The enhancement works best on dark backgrounds so, if you are using Firefox or Opera then try switching the stylesheet to ‘Dark Fire’ on that page.
Some things to be aware of:
If you can’t get LatexRender to work then comment out the 6 unlink lines in class.latexrender.php with // so that they look like this:
// unlink($this->_tmp_dir."/".$this->_tmp_filename.".tex");
// unlink($this->_tmp_dir."/".$this->_tmp_filename.".aux");
// unlink($this->_tmp_dir."/".$this->_tmp_filename.".log");
// unlink($this->_tmp_dir."/".$this->_tmp_filename.".dvi");
// unlink($this->_tmp_dir."/".$this->_tmp_filename.".ps");
// unlink($this->_tmp_dir."/".$this->_tmp_filename.".".$this->_image_format);
Then look in the /tmp folder you have created and see what files have been created. If there’s a .ps file but no .gif or .png file then it may be because ImageMagick can’t find Ghostscript as detailed in Latexrender for WordPress under Mac OS X.
This is because in Linux, Imagemagick expects to find the gs file (Ghostscript’s binary) in /usr/bin. In fact, it may be in /usr/local/bin or somewhere else. You can either
1. reinstall Ghostscript into /usr/bin
or
2. change the path in Imagemagick’s file to tell it where to look. The file you want is delegates.mgk and might be found in /usr/share/ImageMagick, though this can vary. In this text file just alter /usr/bin/gs to the correct path – there may be 8 of these to change.
or
3. This is probably the simplest method. Make a symbolic link from /usr/bin/gs to /usr/local/bin/gs or wherever gs resides. How do I create a symbolic link?
or
4. See Marcin Gomulka’s comment below. This is great if you don’t have access to the server
Please let me know if this works for your installation.
Alex Gittens has released IllustRender to aid in drawing illustrations in WordPress
“IllustRender is a plugin for WordPress, heavily based on LatexRender, which replaces illustration code in your posts with the actual illustration.”
The LATEX Graphics Companion is the reference book to consult for such graphics. A couple of examples, rendered by IllustRender, are:
| [illust]draw (0, 50)..(0,0)..(60,40)..(60,10)..cycle;[/illust] |
[illust]picture p; path q; p := thelabel(btex \Large \begin{minipage}{4in} \begin{gather} \iint\limits_A f(x,y)\,dx\,dy\qquad \iiint\limits_A f(x,y,z)\,dx\,dy\,dz\ \iiiint\limits_A f(w,x,y,z)\,dw\,dx\,dy\,dz \qquad\idotsint\limits_A f(x_1,\dots,x_k) \end{gather} \end{minipage} etex,(0,0)); q := fullcircle scaled 2.5in; fill q withcolor black; clip p to q; draw p rotated (90) withcolor white;[/illust] |
GraphicsThese graphics were taken from LaTeX Graphics
Triangle with circumscribed, inscribed, adjacent and Feuerbach circles
{166.18}
\pscircle[linecolor=yellow](250, 197){75.42}
% Adjacent circles
\pscircle[linestyle=dashed, linecolor=green](476, 135){157.68}
\pscircle[linestyle=dashed, linecolor=green](-32, -22){266.53}
\pscircle[linestyle=dashed, linecolor=green](132, 579){315.92}
% triangle
\psset{linewidth=1pt}
\pspolygon(43, 253)(361, 283)(287, 77)
% nine-points circle (Feuerbach)
\pscircle[linestyle=dotted, linecolor=red](242, 195){83.09}
\end{pspicture}](/steve/wordpress/latexrender/pictures/e025fb66adc45d6e2154d7c6d94da956.gif "\psset{unit=.25pt}
\begin{pspicture}*(420, 420)
\psset{linewidth=.4pt}
% Frame
\pspolygon(0, 0)(420, 0)(420, 420)(0, 420)
% Circumscribed circle and inscribed circle
\pscircle[linecolor=blue](206, 222){166.18}
\pscircle[linecolor=yellow](250, 197){75.42}
% Adjacent circles
\pscircle[linestyle=dashed, linecolor=green](476, 135){157.68}
\pscircle[linestyle=dashed, linecolor=green](-32, -22){266.53}
\pscircle[linestyle=dashed, linecolor=green](132, 579){315.92}
% triangle
\psset{linewidth=1pt}
\pspolygon(43, 253)(361, 283)(287, 77)
% nine-points circle (Feuerbach)
\pscircle[linestyle=dotted, linecolor=red](242, 195){83.09}
\end{pspicture}")
Installation of LatexRender using the Mac OS X can be a little tricky. Fortunately, lieven le bruyn has written instructions on how to install it at Latexrender for WordPress under Mac OS X
Thanks to S.O.S. Mathematics CyberBoard for alerting me to the delights of the cancel package
You can ensure LatexRender is XHTML-compliant if you make the small changes here (thanks to d)
I have now managed to make LatexRender as a plugin (download files here) which means that it won’t be necessary to edit WordPress files. Before you get too excited this assumes
If not, you can still use the method in 5th August’s post. Also you will need to put some information about where to find files in the latexrender files.
1. You need to have 
and ImageMagick installed on your server. If this is not possible, then try mimeTeX (see page 2)
2. latexrender-plugin.php
Ensure that
include_once('/home/path_to/wordpress/latexrender/latex.php');
contains the correct path to where you have put latex.php
3. latex.php
Ensure that
$latexrender_path = "/home/domain_name/public_html/path_to/latexrender";
and
$latexrender_path_http = "/path_to/latexrender";
contain the correct path to where your latexrender files are to go
4. class.latexrender.php
Ensure that
var $_latex_path = "/usr/bin/latex";
var $_dvips_path = "/usr/bin/dvips";
var $_convert_path = "/usr/bin/convert";
var $_identify_path = "/usr/bin/identify";
point to the right places.
For Windows the paths in class.latexrender.php must use \ or / not just a single \
For example
var $_latex_path = "C:\texmf\miktex\bin\latex.exe";
or
var $_latex_path = "C:/texmf/miktex/bin/latex.exe";
5. Create a new latexrender folder in your WordPress folder, with sub folders tmp and pictures. These 2 folders must be chmod to 777. Upload latex.php and class.latexrender.php to the latexrender folder
6. If you are happy to let commenters use LaTeX (but beware spammers) then in latexrender-plugin.php remove // from the line:
// add_filter(‘comment_text’, ‘addlatex’);
7. Upload latexrender-plugin.php to WordPress’s plug-in folder (/wp-content/plugins) and activate it in the Plugins menu
should now be enabled! Use [tex ] and [/tex ] (without the space) to surround your maths. There’s a tex button to do this for you.
Now that the backslash eating problem is being resolved, I am hoping to produce a plugin which avoids editing WordPress files. Watch this space 
This is how you can use LatexRender in WordPress. Assuming you have and Imagemagick setup on your server and have downloaded latexrender.zip then:
1. In the download folder, otherPHP/latexrender you just need the 2 files
latex.php and class.latexrender.php
a) in latex.php ensure that
$latexrender_path = "/home/domain_name/public_html/path_to/latexrender";
contains the correct path to where your latexrender files are to go
Change
$latexrender_path_http = "/latexrender";
so it says
$latexrender_path_http = "/path_to/latexrender";
![\bfig
\square/>>`>`>` >->/[A`B`C`D;e`f`g`m]
\morphism(500,500)|m|/.>/<-500,-500>[B`C;h]
\efig](/steve/wordpress/latexrender/pictures/f122b30e3dbe06eb273ed86f98a3cae3.gif "\bfig
\square/>>`>`>` >->/[A`B`C`D;e`f`g`m]
\morphism(500,500)|m|/.>/<-500,-500>[B`C;h]
\efig")
![\bfig
\Vtrianglepair[A`B`C`D;f`g`h`k`l]
\efig](/steve/wordpress/latexrender/pictures/9da0bf15214a3e91d475b3719d670b50.gif "\bfig
\Vtrianglepair[A`B`C`D;f`g`h`k`l]
\efig")
![\bfig
\place(0,0)[\twoar(1,0)]
\place(200,0)[\twoar(0,1)]
\place(400,0)[\twoar(1,1)]
\place(600,0)[\twoar(0,-1)]
\place(800,0)[\twoar(1,2)]
\place(1000,0)[\twoar(1,3)]
\place(1200,0)[\twoar(1,-3)]
\place(1400,0)[\twoar(-3,1)]
\place(1600,0)[\twoar(-1,-3)]
\place(1800,0)[\twoar(255,77)]
\efig](/steve/wordpress/latexrender/pictures/3706c6db142b5b344709bda477c05ff6.gif "\bfig
\place(0,0)[\twoar(1,0)]
\place(200,0)[\twoar(0,1)]
\place(400,0)[\twoar(1,1)]
\place(600,0)[\twoar(0,-1)]
\place(800,0)[\twoar(1,2)]
\place(1000,0)[\twoar(1,3)]
\place(1200,0)[\twoar(1,-3)]
\place(1400,0)[\twoar(-3,1)]
\place(1600,0)[\twoar(-1,-3)]
\place(1800,0)[\twoar(255,77)]
\efig")
![\bfig
\cube|arlb|/ >->` >->`>`>/<1000,1000>[A`B`C`D;f`g`h`k]%
(400,400)|arlb|/>`>`>`>/<900,900>[A^{\prime}`B^{\prime}`C^{\prime}`D^{\prime};f^{\prime}`g^{\prime}`h^{\prime}`k^{\prime}]%
|rrrr|/<-`<-`<-`<-/[\alpha`\beta`\gamma`\delta]
\efig](/steve/wordpress/latexrender/pictures/49fa5a8a95ca8a3f80c8d87b40a54830.gif "\bfig
\cube|arlb|/ >->` >->`>`>/<1000,1000>[A`B`C`D;f`g`h`k]%
(400,400)|arlb|/>`>`>`>/<900,900>[A^{\prime}`B^{\prime}`C^{\prime}`D^{\prime};f^{\prime}`g^{\prime}`h^{\prime}`k^{\prime}]%
|rrrr|/<-`<-`<-`<-/[\alpha`\beta`\gamma`\delta]
\efig")
(4,8)
\psline[linewidth=1pt]{->}(-4,0)(+4,0)
\psline[linewidth=1pt]{->}(0,-0.5)(0,8)
\psplot[plotstyle=curve,linewidth=0.5pt]{-4}{0.9}{10 x exp}% postscript function
\rput[l](1,7.5){$10^x$}
\psplot[plotstyle=curve,linecolor=red,linewidth=0.5pt]{-4}{3}{2 x exp}% postscript function
\rput[l](2.2,7.5){\color{blue}$e^x$}
\psplot[plotstyle=curve,linecolor=blue,linewidth=0.5pt]{-4}{2.05}{2.7183 x exp}% postscript function
\rput[l](3.2,7.5){\color{red}$2^x$}
\rput(4,8.5){\color{white}change\normalcolor}
\rput(-4,-1){\color{white}bounding box\normalcolor}
\end{pspicture}](/steve/wordpress/latexrender/pictures/2b39fedf33217c52d95726162f3cf0fe.gif "\psset{unit=0.5cm}
\begin{pspicture}(-4,-0.5)(4,8)
\psgrid[subgriddiv=0,griddots=5,gridlabels=7pt](-4,-0.5)(4,8)
\psline[linewidth=1pt]{->}(-4,0)(+4,0)
\psline[linewidth=1pt]{->}(0,-0.5)(0,8)
\psplot[plotstyle=curve,linewidth=0.5pt]{-4}{0.9}{10 x exp}% postscript function
\rput[l](1,7.5){$10^x$}
\psplot[plotstyle=curve,linecolor=red,linewidth=0.5pt]{-4}{3}{2 x exp}% postscript function
\rput[l](2.2,7.5){\color{blue}$e^x$}
\psplot[plotstyle=curve,linecolor=blue,linewidth=0.5pt]{-4}{2.05}{2.7183 x exp}% postscript function
\rput[l](3.2,7.5){\color{red}$2^x$}
\rput(4,8.5){\color{white}change\normalcolor}
\rput(-4,-1){\color{white}bounding box\normalcolor}
\end{pspicture}")
![\displaystyle \pi = \sum _{k=0} ^{\infty} \dfrac{1}{16^k} \left[\dfrac{4}{8k+1}-\dfrac{2}{8k+4}-\dfrac{1}{8k+5}-\dfrac{1}{8k+6}\right]](/steve/wordpress/latexrender/pictures/a4391bf2245df0643d5600cfaa09cc4b.gif "\displaystyle \pi = \sum _{k=0} ^{\infty} \dfrac{1}{16^k} \left[\dfrac{4}{8k+1}-\dfrac{2}{8k+4}-\dfrac{1}{8k+5}-\dfrac{1}{8k+6}\right]")
