LaTeX to Plain Text Converter

This innovative web application is designed to transform LaTeX documents into plain text, providing users with a more accessible reading experience and the ability to listen to the content through audio playback. Developed with Flask, the application boasts a sleek and intuitive interface that enables users to easily upload files via drag-and-drop or by pasting text directly into the interface. Additionally, it features browser-based text-to-speech functionality, allowing for seamless audio generation.

The primary aim of this project is to establish a comprehensive dictionary that translates LaTeX into plain text. This will facilitate the creation of high-quality audio renditions of scientific papers, making complex academic content more approachable and available to a wider audience.

Features

• File Upload: Drag and drop or click to upload .tex files
• Paste Support: Directly paste LaTeX code for conversion
• Audio Output: Browser-based text-to-speech with adjustable speed
• Copy/Download: Easy copying and downloading of converted text
• Comprehensive LaTeX Support: Handles mathematical expressions, Greek letters, sections, and more

LaTeX Commands Supported

• Sections: \section{}, \section*{}, \subsection{}, \subsection*{}
• Greek Letters: \alpha, \beta, \gamma, etc. and capital versions like \Omega → "capital omega"
• Mathematical Symbols: \infty, \leq, \geq, \subset, \in, etc.
• Equations: \tag{} → "equation ..."
• Document Structure: Ignores \maketitle, \begin{}, \end{}, etc.
• And many more - see latex_dict.json for the complete list

Installation

1. Clone the repository:

   git clone https://github.com/yourusername/latex-to-plain-text.git
   cd latex-to-plain-text

2. Install dependencies:

   pip install -r requirements.txt

3. Run the application:

   export FLASK_APP=app.py
   flask run --reload

4. Open your browser and go to http://localhost:5000

Usage

1. Upload a .tex file: Drag and drop or click to upload
2. Or paste LaTeX code: Use the text area to paste LaTeX directly
3. View the output: Plain text appears in the output box
4. Listen to audio: Click "Read Aloud" with adjustable speed
5. Copy or download: Use the buttons to save the converted text

Project Structure

latex-to-plain-text/
├── app.py                 # Main Flask application
├── latex_dict.json        # LaTeX command dictionary
├── latex_dictionary.py    # Dictionary management script
├── requirements.txt       # Python dependencies
├── templates/
│   └── index.html        # Main web interface
└── README.md             # This file

Dependencies

• Flask - Web framework
• pyttsx3 - Text-to-speech (for backend)
• re - Regular expressions for LaTeX parsing
• json - JSON handling for command dictionary

Deployment

Local Development

export FLASK_APP=app.py
flask run --reload

Production Deployment

For production deployment, consider using:

• Heroku: Add Procfile and configure environment variables
• PythonAnywhere: Upload files and configure WSGI
• VPS: Use Gunicorn with Nginx
• Docker: Create a Dockerfile for containerization

Contributing

1. Fork the repository
2. Create a feature branch (git checkout -b feature/amazing-feature)
3. Commit your changes (git commit -m 'Add amazing feature')
4. Push to the branch (git push origin feature/amazing-feature)
5. Open a Pull Request

License

This project is licensed under the MIT License - see the LICENSE file for details.

Acknowledgments

• Bootstrap for the modern UI components
• Web Speech API for browser-based text-to-speech
• LaTeX community for mathematical notation standards