Fix Math

A simple Obsidian plugin with a button and command to fix LaTeX math delimiters in your notes. It converts \[…\] → $$…$$ and \(…\) → $…$, while intelligently detecting and converting plain parentheses and brackets that contain mathematical expressions. Code blocks are always preserved.

Why This Plugin?

When you copy content with mathematical formulas from ChatGPT, OpenWebUI, or other AI assistants into Obsidian, the math often comes in LaTeX format using \(…\) for inline math and \[…\] for display math. However, Obsidian uses $…$ and $$…$$ delimiters.

Instead of manually finding and replacing each formula, just click one button and all math delimiters in your note will be fixed automatically! 🪄

Why another LaTeX converter?

While there are other plugins for converting LaTeX delimiters, this one focuses on:

• Simplicity – a single command that only touches what is obviously maths.
• Intelligence – detects mathematical expressions in plain parentheses like (x=y) and (0/0).
• Transparency – a small, readable TypeScript codebase.
• Safety – leaves code blocks, existing $…$ and non-math text alone.
• Statistics – shows you exactly how many formulas were converted.

Features

• Ribbon button on the sidebar for quick access.
• Command palette integration: "Fix math (current file)".
• Real-time statistics: Shows count of converted inline and block formulas.
• Status bar updates: Displays conversion results and automatically resets.
• Works only on the currently open file.
• Does not touch existing $…$ and $$…$$ delimiters.
• Preserves all content inside fenced code blocks (```…``` and ~~~…~~~).
• Detects maths in plain parentheses, including typical cases like:
  • (x=y) – simple variable equations
  • (x\to 1) – LaTeX expressions
  • (0/0) – fractions
  • (3x^{2} - 3 = 0) – polynomials
  • (3x^{2} - 3)' – derivatives with trailing primes
  • (p) – single-letter variables
  • (345{,}678{,}123) – LaTeX formatted large numbers
• NEW: Detects single-line bracket math from AI assistants like Windows Copilot:
  • [ \frac{a}{b}(c + d) = \frac{ac}{b} + \frac{ad}{b} ] → converts to display math
• Supports quoted block math in blockquotes:
  • > \[...\] (quoted backslash blocks)
  • > [...] (quoted bracket blocks) – handles multi-line quoted brackets from AI assistants

Supported conversions

Installation

From release (recommended)

1. Go to the Releases section of this repository.
2. Download the latest versions of:
   • manifest.json
   • main.js
3. In your Obsidian vault, navigate to:
   .obsidian/plugins/fix-math/
4. Place both files in that folder.
5. Restart Obsidian.
6. Go to Settings → Community plugins and enable Fix Math for Obsidian.

From source (for developers)

1. Clone this repository.
2. Run:

npm install
npm run build

• This will produce main.js next to main.ts.
• Copy manifest.json and the built main.js into your vault's plugin folder:
  .obsidian/plugins/fix-math/.

How to Use

1. Open the Markdown file you want to fix in Obsidian
2. Either:
   • Click the wand icon (🪄) in the left ribbon, or
   • Open Command Palette (Ctrl/Cmd+P) and run "Fix math (current file)"
3. You'll see a notification with conversion statistics:
   • "Converted 5 formulas (3 inline, 2 block)" if changes were made
   • "No changes required" if nothing needed fixing
   • "Error: failed to process file" if something went wrong
4. The status bar at the bottom will briefly display the result, then reset to "Ready"

Selection mode

If you select some text before running the command, only the selected text will be converted — the rest of the file is left untouched. This is useful when you want to convert a single paragraph or a freshly pasted block without affecting already-processed content.

Keyboard shortcut

The plugin does not set a default hotkey, but you can add one yourself:

1. Open Settings → Hotkeys.
2. Search for "Fix math (current file)".
3. Assign any shortcut you like, for example Ctrl+Shift+M.

This makes it very convenient to fix maths in the current note with a single key press.

Tips for copying from AI assistants

Recommended Obsidian setting

For best results with AI-generated math content, go to Settings → Editor and disable the option "Convert HTML content to Markdown on paste".

With this setting off, pasted content keeps its original structure — bracket math blocks [...], matrix row separators \\, and equation signs = are all preserved as exported. The plugin then handles all known ChatGPT export artefacts automatically.

If you prefer to keep the setting enabled, the plugin also handles the different artefacts produced by that mode.

Copying with math delimiters preserved

When copying content from ChatGPT, Claude, OpenWebUI, or similar AI assistants:

• Always use the "Copy" button located at the bottom-left of the generated response (usually appears on hover)
• This ensures math expressions are copied with their LaTeX delimiters \( ... \) and \[ ... \]
• Once pasted into Obsidian, simply run this plugin to convert them to $ ... $ and $$ ... $$

If you already pasted text without delimiters

If you've already pasted text and the math expressions don't have any delimiters (just plain LaTeX commands like \frac{a}{b} or \sum_{i=1}^n):

1. Select the math expression with your mouse or keyboard
2. Press Shift + $$ to wrap it in block math delimiters ($$ ... $$)
   • For inline math, use Shift + $ to wrap in inline delimiters ($ ... $)

This is Obsidian's built-in feature for wrapping selected text in math delimiters.

Example:

• Select: \frac{a}{b} = \frac{c}{d}
• Press: Shift + $$
• Result: $$\frac{a}{b} = \frac{c}{d}$$

Examples

Example 1: Basic LaTeX conversion

Before:

This is inline math \(x^2 + y^2 = z^2\) in text.

Display math:  
\[  
\int_0^\infty e^{-x^2} dx = \frac{\sqrt{\pi}}{2}  
\]

After:

This is inline math $x^2 + y^2 = z^2$ in text.

Display math:

$$  
\int_0^\infty e^{-x^2} dx = \frac{\sqrt{\pi}}{2}  
$$

Example 2: Smart parentheses detection

Before:

And a mixed example:  
(0/0) is an indeterminate form, and (3x^{2}-3)' = 6x.

Simple equations like (x=y) are also converted.

After:

And a mixed example:  
$0/0$ is an indeterminate form, and $(3x^{2}-3)' = 6x$.

Simple equations like $x=y$ are also converted.

Example 3: Quoted block math (backslash format)

Before:

> Here's an important formula:
> \[
> E = mc^2
> \]

After:

> Here's an important formula:
> $$ E = mc^2 $$

Example 4: Quoted bracket blocks (from AI assistants in blockquotes)

Before:

> You can use the expression
> [
> \cos(\angle DEF) = \frac{-92.99}{163.48}
> ]
> to find the angle.

After:

> You can use the expression
> $$
\cos(\angle DEF) = \frac{-92.99}{163.48}
$$
> to find the angle.

Example 5: Single-line brackets from AI assistants (Windows Copilot, ChatGPT)

Before:

The student correctly applied the distributive property:
[ \frac{a}{b}(c + d) = \frac{a(c + d)}{b} = \frac{ac + ad}{b} = \frac{ac}{b} + \frac{ad}{b} ]

This shows understanding of algebraic fractions.

After:

The student correctly applied the distributive property:

$$
\frac{a}{b}(c + d) = \frac{a(c + d)}{b} = \frac{ac + ad}{b} = \frac{ac}{b} + \frac{ad}{b}
$$

This shows understanding of algebraic fractions.

Example 6: LaTeX formatted numbers

Before:

The population is approximately (7{,}900{,}000{,}000) people.

Scientific notation uses (6{.}022 \times 10^{23}) for Avogadro's number.

After:

The population is approximately $7{,}900{,}000{,}000$ people.

Scientific notation uses $6{.}022 \times 10^{23}$ for Avogadro's number.

What gets converted?

The plugin intelligently detects mathematical expressions based on:

• LaTeX commands: \to, \sin, \cos, \text{...}, etc.
• LaTeX number formatting: 123{,}456 (thousands), 1{.}234 (decimals)
• Math operators: +, -, *, /, =, <, >
• Mathematical symbols: _, ^ (subscript/superscript), →, ∞, ±, ≥, ≤
• Numbers with operators: 3 + 5, x^2
• Pure numbers: 0, -1, 3.14
• Single-letter variables: p, v, x'
• Variable equations: x=y, a<b, f>g

What stays unchanged?

• Natural language: (about this topic) – contains full words
• Code blocks: ```math content``` – never touched
• Existing delimiters: $formula$ and $$formula$$ – already correct
• Non-math text: (hello world) – no mathematical indicators
• Markdown links: [text](url) and [text]: url – recognised as links, not math
• Wikilinks: [[page name]] – Obsidian internal links
• Footnotes: [^ref] – footnote references

Customisation

By default, block maths is wrapped as:

$$
... 
$$

If you prefer display formulae without extra blank lines around $$, you can tweak the convertMath() implementation in main.ts (or the compiled main.js) to change how block maths is wrapped.

Technical Details

How it works

1. Parse document: Split into code blocks and text segments
2. Protect code: Never modify content inside ``` or ~~~ fences
3. Convert LaTeX: Transform \[...\] and \(...\) delimiters
4. Detect math: Use heuristics to identify mathematical expressions in plain parentheses
5. Track statistics: Count inline and block conversions
6. Update UI: Show results in notification and status bar

Safety guarantees

• ✅ Code blocks are always preserved
• ✅ Existing $...$ delimiters are never modified
• ✅ Natural language in parentheses is ignored
• ✅ No changes are made unless confident it's mathematics

Licence

MIT