Compiling to docx when there is latex preamble

[affans]

Description

In my markdown document, I have the following preamble that declares a new operator in latex

format:
  docx:
    toc: false
    highlight-style: github
  pdf:
    include-in-header:
      - text: |
          \usepackage{amsmath}
          \DeclareMathOperator*{\argmin}{\arg\!\min}

And used in the document as

$$
\theta^* = \argmin_\theta w_{\mathcal{F}} L_{\mathcal{F}}(\theta) + w_d L_{\text{d}}(\theta) 
$$

However, compiling to docx or typst fails since argmin does not seem to be a valid command in either. Is there a way to have this convert to docx?

[affans]

I found this solution but it did not seem to work for me

[cderv]

Can you share your full document ?

I understand you are using \argmin somewhere inside the .qmd body as a LaTeX command ?
Any LaTeX code won't be used by other format.

As it seems to be an issue, I am guessing you are using this only in Equation.

It is just a guess based on pieces on information as you did no share a full reproducible document. This would really help us help you.

Thank you

Regaring equation:

• HTML will use mathjax by default so you need to make the command available to Mathjax is not already (or load the right Mathajx libary)
• Typst will have its own math support, and possibly \argmin won't be supported. Not sure.
• For Docx, I don't think there is a way to add some math command 🤔

Again the full document would help. Thanks

[affans]

You are right, as I am using that new command in a latex block. Here is the full reproducible document

---
title: "Test Doc"
format:
  docx:
    toc: false
    highlight-style: github
  pdf:
    include-in-header:
      - text: |
          \usepackage{amsmath}
          \DeclareMathOperator*{\argmin}{\arg\!\min}
---
I want to convert this equation to docx 
$$
\theta^* = \argmin_\theta w_{\mathcal{F}} L_{\mathcal{F}}(\theta) + w_d L_{\text{d}}(\theta) 
$$

using version 1.5.57

[cderv]

Thanks.

To make this works, you need to use a weird Pandoc trick which is called LaTeX Macros (https://pandoc.org/MANUAL.html#extension-latex_macros) which make this possible to work in all format

\newcommand{\tuple}[1]{\langle #1 \rangle}

$\tuple{a, b, c}$

Only problem is with LaTeX output for Macros that should only inserted into preamble. In that case, it should only be inserted for non PDF output.

Applied to you case, this would work

---
title: "Test Doc"
format:
  docx:
    toc: false
    highlight-style: github
  html: default
  pdf: default
---
I want to convert this equation to docx 

::: {.content-hidden when-format="latex"}
\DeclareMathOperator*{\argmin}{\arg\!\min}
:::

$$
\theta^* = \argmin_\theta w_{\mathcal{F}} L_{\mathcal{F}}(\theta) + w_d L_{\text{d}}(\theta) 
$$

• ::: {.content-hidden when-format="latex"} this is a Quarto feature to avoid the block being inserted in LaTeX PDF output.
• \DeclareMathOperator*{\argmin}{\arg\!\min} is catched by LaTeX Macros feature for the replacement to happen. DeclareMathOperator is known by Pandoc parser.

I would have expected the first trick (content-hidden) to not be necessary, but it seems LaTeX Macros and LaTeX output does not play well.

This is same trick described in the SO post you found: https://stackoverflow.com/questions/76398554/how-to-define-latex-macros-globally-for-a-quarto-book

So other trick described there should work (only include macros in non latex format).

Hope this helps

[affans]

Thanks! That worked quite nicely. Could I ask some clarifying questions? My understanding is that the block ::: {.content-hidden when-format="latex"} only runs when it's compiling to latex and therefore, the \argmin command is correctly defined. However, when compiling to .docx, that block is never run, and thus the argmin operator is never defined. How is it then the Word document sees the argmin correctly?

[cderv]

My understanding is that the block ::: {.content-hidden when-format="latex"} only runs when it's compiling to latex

See https://quarto.org/docs/authoring/conditional.html

• .content-hidden means that the output content won't be included into the output. The content will be run (like computation code) or parsed by Pandoc. But it's content won't be written in the output
• when-format="latex" means that the content will be hidden only when format output is latex or pdf.

and therefore, the \argmin command is correctly defined.

For LaTeX output, amsmath is loaded by default in the LaTeX template. \usepackage{amsmath,amssymb} is used.

However, when compiling to .docx, that block is never run, and thus the argmin operator is never defined. How is it then the Word document sees the argmin correctly?

This is a "weird" trick as I said. This is a Pandoc feature that applies to all output formats because it is done when Pandoc is reading the markdown, or more precisely parsing. At this step, it will do some LaTeX Macros detection, and so some in place replacement in the doc. This is the Pandoc manual part I linked: https://pandoc.org/MANUAL.html#extension-latex_macros

This applies to all formats, however for LaTeX, you need to remove the raw LaTeX from output (maybe a Pandoc bug or config I don't know about) hence the .content-hidden string. For other format like docx or html, raw LaTeX won't be included anyway.

Hope this clarifies.