Quick Insert

The Quick Insert form is the fastest way to create, quickly edit, and reuse mathematical equations. Located directly in the add-on sidebar, it provides a streamlined workflow with a live preview, access to your recent equations, and the ability to load an existing equation from your document, eliminating the need to open a separate window for minor changes.

Using the Quick Insert Form

To get started, open the add-on sidebar via Extensions > Text To Table Converter > Launch Sidebar. You’ll find the Quick Insert form within the “Equations (LaTeX)” section.

The Quick Insert user interface in the sidebar.

The form combines a text area with a set of powerful action buttons:

• LaTeX Input Area: This is where you type or paste your LaTeX code. The live preview below updates as you type.

• Live Preview: Renders your equation in real-time. This provides immediate visual feedback, helping you spot and correct syntax errors. If your code is invalid, this area will display an error message.

• Action Buttons:

  • Read from Selection (): This button loads an existing equation into the input area. Simply select a single equation in your document (either LaTeX text or an equation image) and click this button. The equation’s source code will appear, ready for you to make a quick modification.
  • History (): Click the history icon to reveal a dropdown list of the 5 most recently inserted equations. Clicking an item from the list will instantly populate the input area with that LaTeX code, allowing for quick reuse. This history is saved in your browser across sessions.
  • Insert: Click this button (or press Enter in the input area) to create a high-quality image of the current equation and insert it into your document.

Key Features and Behavior

• Flexible Input: Type from scratch, load from your history, or read an existing equation directly from your document to make a quick edit.

• Instant Feedback: The live preview ensures you know exactly what your equation looks like before you insert it.

• Automatic Type Inference: The feature intelligently determines whether your equation should be Block or Inline style.

  • If your code contains inline delimiters (e.g., \(x^2\)), it will be rendered as a smaller inline equation.
  • Otherwise, it will default to a larger block equation, ideal for standalone formulas.

• Always Renders as an Image: This feature is optimized for visual presentation and always outputs a high-quality PNG image. The source LaTeX is stored in the image’s “Alternative Text,” making it editable later with the full Equation Editor.

You can always undo!

Any equation inserted or modified can be immediately reversed using your application’s standard undo command (Edit > Undo or Ctrl+Z / Cmd+Z).

When to Use Quick Insert

This feature is the best choice when you need to:

• Create new equations from scratch quickly and efficiently.
• Make a quick modification to a single existing equation without opening the full editor.
• Reuse one of your recent equations from the history dropdown.

Choosing the Right Tool

• Use Quick Insert for creating new equations, making quick single edits, and reusing recent formulas.
• Use Convert Selection to turn multiple existing LaTeX text snippets into images all at once.
• Use the Equation Editor for complex edits, managing multiple equations simultaneously, or when you need to output as plain text code instead of an image.