Customization #

Besides parsing and evaluating expressions, the expression parser supports a number of features to customize processing and evaluation of expressions and outputting expressions.

On this page:

Function transforms #

It is possible to preprocess function arguments and post process a functions return value by writing a transform for the function. A transform is a function wrapping around a function to be transformed or completely replaces a function.

For example, the functions for math.js use zero-based matrix indices (as is common in programing languages), but the expression parser uses one-based indices. To enable this, all functions dealing with indices have a transform, which changes input from one-based to zero-based, and transforms output (and error message) from zero-based to one-based.

// using plain JavaScript, indices are zero-based:
const a = [[1, 2], [3, 4]]       // a 2x2 matrix
math.subset(a, math.index(0, 1)) // returns 2

// using the expression parser, indices are transformed to one-based:
const a = [[1, 2], [3, 4]] // a 2x2 matrix
let scope = {
  a: a
}
math.evaluate('subset(a, index(1, 2))', scope) // returns 2

To create a transform for a function, the transform function must be attached to the function as property transform:

import { create, all } from 'mathjs'
const math = create(all)

// create a function
function addIt(a, b) {
  return a + b
}

// attach a transform function to the function addIt
addIt.transform = function (a, b) {
  console.log('input: a=' + a + ', b=' + b)
  // we can manipulate input here before executing addIt

  const res = addIt(a, b)

  console.log('result: ' + res)
  // we can manipulate result here before returning

  return res
}

// import the function into math.js
math.import({
  addIt: addIt
})

// use the function via the expression parser
console.log('Using expression parser:')
console.log('2+4=' + math.evaluate('addIt(2, 4)'))
// This will output:
//
//     input: a=2, b=4
//     result: 6
//     2+4=6

// when used via plain JavaScript, the transform is not invoked
console.log('')
console.log('Using plain JavaScript:')
console.log('2+4=' + math.addIt(2, 4))
// This will output:
//
//     6

Functions with a transform must be imported in the math namespace, as they need to be processed at compile time. They are not supported when passed via a scope at evaluation time.

Custom argument parsing #

The expression parser of math.js has support for letting functions parse and evaluate arguments themselves, instead of calling them with evaluated arguments. This is useful for example when creating a function like plot(f(x), x) or integrate(f(x), x, start, end), where some of the arguments need to be processed in a special way. In these cases, the expression f(x) will be evaluated repeatedly by the function, and x is not evaluated but used to specify the variable looping over the function f(x).

Functions having a property rawArgs with value true are treated in a special way by the expression parser: they will be invoked with unevaluated arguments, allowing the function to process the arguments in a customized way. Raw functions are called as:

rawFunction(args: Node[], math: Object, scope: Map)

Where :

Raw functions must be imported in the math namespace, as they need to be processed at compile time. They are not supported when passed via a scope at evaluation time.

A simple example:

function myFunction(args, math, scope) {
  // get string representation of the arguments
  const str = args.map(function (arg) {
    return arg.toString()
  })

  // evaluate the arguments
  const res = args.map(function (arg) {
    return arg.compile().evaluate(scope)
  })

  return 'arguments: ' + str.join(',') + ', evaluated: ' + res.join(',')
}

// mark the function as "rawArgs", so it will be called with unevaluated arguments
myFunction.rawArgs = true

// import the new function in the math namespace
math.import({
  myFunction: myFunction
})

// use the function
math.evaluate('myFunction(2 + 3, sqrt(4))')
// returns 'arguments: 2 + 3, sqrt(4), evaluated: 5, 2'

Custom LaTeX handlers #

You can attach a toTex property to your custom functions before importing them to define their LaTeX output. This toTex property can be a handler in the format described in the next section ‘Custom LaTeX and String conversion’ or a template string similar to ES6 templates.

Template syntax #

Example #

const customFunctions = {
  plus: function (a, b) {
    return a + b
  },
  minus: function (a, b) {
    return a - b
  },
  binom: function (n, k) {
    return 1
  }
}

customFunctions.plus.toTex = '${args[0]}+${args[1]}' //template string
customFunctions.binom.toTex = '\\mathrm{${name}}\\left(${args}\\right)' //template string
customFunctions.minus.toTex = function (node, options) { //handler function
  return node.args[0].toTex(options) + node.name + node.args[1].toTex(options)
}

math.import(customFunctions)

math.parse('plus(1,2)').toTex()    // '1+2'
math.parse('binom(1,2)').toTex()   // '\\mathrm{binom}\\left(1,2\\right)'
math.parse('minus(1,2)').toTex()   // '1minus2'

Custom HTML, LaTeX and string output #

All expression nodes have a method toTex and toString to output an expression respectively in HTML or LaTex format or as regular text . The functions toHTML, toTex and toString accept an options argument to customise output. This object is of the following form:

{
  parenthesis: 'keep',    // parenthesis option
  handler: someHandler,   // handler to change the output
  implicit: 'hide'        // how to treat implicit multiplication
}

Parenthesis #

The parenthesis option changes the way parentheses are used in the output. There are three options available:

There’s two ways of passing callbacks:

  1. Pass an object that maps function names to callbacks. Those callbacks will be used for FunctionNodes with functions of that name.
  2. Pass a function to toTex. This function will then be used for every node.
const expression = math.parse('(1+1+1)')

expression.toString()                      // (1 + 1 + 1)
expression.toString({parenthesis: 'keep'}) // (1 + 1 + 1)
expression.toString({parenthesis: 'auto'}) // 1 + 1 + 1
expression.toString({parenthesis: 'all'})  // (1 + 1) + 1

Handler #

You can provide the toTex and toString functions of an expression with your own custom handlers that override the internal behaviour. This is especially useful to provide LaTeX/string output for your own custom functions. This can be done in two ways:

  1. Pass an object that maps function names to callbacks. Those callbacks will be used for FunctionNodes that contain functions with that name.
  2. Pass a callback directly. This callback will run for every node, so you can replace the output of anything you like.

A callback function has the following form:

function callback (node, options) {
  ...
}

Where options is the object passed to toHTML/toTex/toString. Don’t forget to pass this on to the child nodes, and node is a reference to the current node.

If a callback returns nothing, the standard output will be used. If your callback returns a string, this string will be used.

Although the following examples use toTex, it works for toString and toHTML in the same way

Examples for option 1 #

const customFunctions = {
  binomial: function (n, k) {
    //calculate n choose k
    // (do some stuff)
    return result
  }
}

const customLaTeX = {
  'binomial': function (node, options) { //provide toTex for your own custom function
    return '\\binom{' + node.args[0].toTex(options) + '}{' + node.args[1].toTex(options) + '}'
  },
  'factorial': function (node, options) { //override toTex for builtin functions
  	return 'factorial\\left(' + node.args[0] + '\\right)'
  }
}

You can simply use your custom toTex functions by passing them to toTex:

math.import(customFunctions)
const expression = math.parse('binomial(factorial(2),1)')
const latex = expression.toTex({handler: customLaTeX})
// latex now contains "\binom{factorial\\left(2\\right)}{1}"

Examples for option 2: #

function customLaTeX(node, options) {
  if ((node.type === 'OperatorNode') && (node.fn === 'add')) {
    //don't forget to pass the options to the toTex functions
    return node.args[0].toTex(options) + ' plus ' + node.args[1].toTex(options)
  }
  else if (node.type === 'ConstantNode') {
    if (node.value === 0) {
        return '\\mbox{zero}'
    }
    else if (node.value === 1) {
        return '\\mbox{one}'
    }
    else if (node.value === 2) {
        return '\\mbox{two}'
    }
    else {
        return node.value
    }
  }
}

const expression = math.parse('1+2')
const latex = expression.toTex({handler: customLaTeX})
// latex now contains '\mbox{one} plus \mbox{two}'

Another example in conjunction with custom functions:

const customFunctions = {
  binomial: function (n, k) {
    //calculate n choose k
    // (do some stuff)
    return result
  }
}

function customLaTeX(node, options) {
  if ((node.type === 'FunctionNode') && (node.name === 'binomial')) {
      return '\\binom{' + node.args[0].toTex(options) + '}{' + node.args[1].toTex(options) + '}'
  }
}

math.import(customFunctions)
const expression = math.parse('binomial(2,1)')
const latex = expression.toTex({handler: customLaTeX})
// latex now contains "\binom{2}{1}"

Implicit multiplication #

You can change the way that implicit multiplication is converted to a string or LaTeX. The two options are hide, to not show a multiplication operator for implicit multiplication and show to show it.

Example:

const node = math.parse('2a')

node.toString()                   // '2 a'
node.toString({implicit: 'hide'}) // '2 a'
node.toString({implicit: 'show'}) // '2 * a'

node.toTex()                      // '2~ a'
node.toTex({implicit: 'hide'})    // '2~ a'
node.toTex({implicit: 'show'})    // '2\\cdot a'

Customize supported characters #

It is possible to customize the characters allowed in symbols and digits. The parse function exposes the following test functions:

The exact signature and implementation of these functions can be looked up in the source code of the parser. The allowed alpha characters are described here: Constants and variables.

For example, the phone character is not supported by default. It can be enabled by replacing the isAlpha function:

const isAlphaOriginal = math.parse.isAlpha
math.parse.isAlpha = function (c, cPrev, cNext) {
  return isAlphaOriginal(c, cPrev, cNext) || (c === '\u260E')
}

// now we can use the \u260E (phone) character in expressions
const result = math.evaluate('\u260Efoo', {'\u260Efoo': 42}) // returns 42
console.log(result)
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