Inserting subscripts and superscripts

[SharonKartika]

Currently superscripts can be inserted either using LaTeX blocks, or by manually inserting <sub> and <sup> HTML elements. Are there any alternative (easier) methods by which I can achieve this?
For instance, Typora uses x^2^ for superscripts and x~2~ for subscripts in markdown files. How would I have these dispaly as superscripts and subscripts in generated webpages?
Thanks.

[tlienart]

Hello @SharonKartika

Yes you're right and no there are no alternative methods. The way I'd do it currently is one of the following:

• inserting raw html as you said
• creating a \sub and \sup command which insert raw html (e.g. \newcommand{\sup}[1]{~~~<sup>~~~#1~~~</sup>~~~})
• writing the subscript within a KateX block (e.g. $\text{foo}^\text{bar}$ or if it's just maths $x^2$ or x$^2$ if you don't want a different font)

It is possible to extend the parser but in that case I would prefer the LaTeX style abc^{def}. Though in LaTeX they allow this only in math mode which would amount to doing x$^2$. Allowing this in non math mode is a little tricky because the natural symbol for subscript is _ but there's ambiguity between that and emphasis i.e. x_2_3 at the moment will be x<em>2</em>3 and would be ambiguous with x<sub>2<sub>3</sub></sub>.

Lastly, could you give me a couple of examples of what you'd like? one thing is that if you're always doing this for maths, then doing it within a $..$ is probably better; or if you're always using the same combination like name<sup>TM</sup> then it's probably easier to just create a command for that like \tm. Anyway if you can think of a common use case where this would be helpful for you there may be other ways that might work nicely and wouldn't require a change to the parser 😄

[SharonKartika]

Thanks.
I think I'll use \sub and \sup commands as you mentioned.
My most common use case is for writing chemical compounds and chemical reactions. In the editor I use (Typora) I can write, O~2~ for a subscripted 2. I could use $O_2$, but that would change the font of O, and O$_2$ similarly.