Questions related to the Mathematica front-end (graphical user interface).
92
votes
1answer
2k views
Implementing efficient multiple undo
The Mathematica Front End's built-in Undo command can only undo a single editing step.
Has anyone implemented or seen implemented an efficient and comfortable multiple undo?
I have in mind ideas ...
40
votes
2answers
778 views
Is it possible to improve Mathematica's auto-completion feature?
In this answer Brett Champion describes how one can intercept and modify the suggestions used for auto-completion.
Question: Is it possible to modify the suggestion for the automatic auto-completion ...
39
votes
2answers
933 views
Syntax highlighting for your own functions
Mathematica has a useful feature that for functions and special constructs getting passed local variables (for example Minimize or ...
35
votes
3answers
552 views
How can I set up a versioning system within a notebook?
Since the Frontend crashes a lot, for important work it would be nice to have the notebook automatically branch and save itself every so many minutes.
For instance, commands like ...
33
votes
3answers
1k views
Using the Mathematica front-end efficiently for editing notebooks
Background:
I have used Vim for 15+ years. There is a certain "one"-ness with the editor one achieves. Emacs users also experience this. Notepad users do not.
My current interaction with the ...
28
votes
3answers
471 views
Usage of \[InvisibleApplication] and other related invisible characters
From the front end, \[InvisibleApplication] can be entered as Esc @ Esc, and is an invisible operator for @!. By an unfortunate ...
27
votes
6answers
1k views
How to visualize/edit a big matrix as a table?
Is it possible to visualize/edit a big matrix as a table ? I often end up exporting/copying big tables to Excel for seeing them, but I would prefer to stay in Mathematica and have a similar view as in ...
25
votes
3answers
451 views
Is there a convenient way to copy/paste text-interspersed SE code snippets into Mathematica?
Is there a way to copy and paste code snippets from SE to Mathematica if these snippets are interspersed with text?
Like e.g. in Morphing Graphics, color and location in both the question and answer, ...
24
votes
5answers
1k views
Can the banner in the Home Edition be removed?
The Mathematica Home Edition shows a banner at the top of every notebook:
Is there a way to (permanently) get rid of it, without violating the EULA?
Edit
Yesterday, I sent this message to WRI ...
24
votes
2answers
407 views
Special Mathematica Cell to work with R code
I have enjoyed working with R inside Mathematica. But it would be nice If I could have a special R cell. For example, instead of typing
...
24
votes
3answers
553 views
Automatically check student answers in tests
I am a physics teacher and I am looking for a way to create homework assignments within Mathematica so that each problem has an input field that students can use to check their answers.
For example, ...
24
votes
2answers
500 views
Template completion
In version 8, if one evaluates
test::usage="test[x,y]";
then types test, then shift-cmd-k (or shift-ctrl-k), a template ...
23
votes
2answers
635 views
Is it possible to change the colors of the highlighted code in the Mathematica frontend?
With Format -> Edit Stylesheet... it is possible to adjust text-properties, text-colors, formatting of equations, etc of a notebook and to use this style-definitions again by installing it as ...
23
votes
2answers
671 views
Saving a notebook as PDF, preserving syntax highlighting
Currently, one may save notebooks as PDFs from the menu by Save As... and then selecting PDF (on a Mac, I imagine it is similar on other OSs). However, the ...
22
votes
2answers
472 views
How can I set an image to be the Notebook's background?
Is it possible to set a notebook's background to a nonscrolling image?
20
votes
2answers
473 views
How do I add new menuitems to menus?
What are some complete examples of what one would include in a FrontEnd init.m that would make use of FrontEnd`AddMenuCommands ...
20
votes
1answer
309 views
Open two copies of the same notebook
Is there a way to open one notebook in two (or more) different windows? This can be helpful when working with a long notebook and one wants to edit one part of it while looking at a different part. ...
20
votes
1answer
371 views
What is the most effective way to setup a Notebook with transparent background but solid contents?
I know there is a Notebook option WindowOpacity can be used to adjust the opacity of a whole notebook. But what I want is keeping the text and graphics and so on ...
19
votes
2answers
360 views
Programmatically copy code so that all output is commented out
UPDATE: The final palette has a new home here! Please test and provide feedback (usability, suggestions, bugs)
A note to the readers and voters: This is intended for community use, so please test the ...
19
votes
1answer
648 views
Customizing syntax highlighting for private cell styles
Is there any way to set up a cell style with a particular syntax highlighting?
For example, I'd like to have a CProgram cell to write in blue the C special words.
I have done it by setting ...
19
votes
2answers
490 views
What are the most common (usual) ways to make palettes with non-trivial functionality?
What are the best (most robust and most convenient) ways to create palettes that can be installed permanently (using Palettes -> Install Palette...) and are safe ...
18
votes
4answers
538 views
What is the complete list of valid Front End Tokens?
What is the complete list of valid Front End Tokens? Preferably, by version number.
18
votes
2answers
563 views
Is it possible to Print expressions in reverse order?
Let's say I'm debugging a program step by step and want to Print some expressions (using ShowIt, for example).
Is there a way to output the result of ...
18
votes
1answer
175 views
What's the internal command for entering a fraction?
I'm looking for the FrontEnd`Foo[...]-like command that's triggered when pressing Ctrl + /.
Are there any discoverability ...
17
votes
1answer
264 views
Do you really want to quit the kernel? Yes!
When I have entered some bad code and hit shift+enter before thinking about the perils of finite RAM my computer obviously starts suffering. I have found two options that usually lets me recover ...
17
votes
1answer
185 views
How can I easily eliminate the dependency of a stylesheet on a non-built-in stylesheet?
As per discussion here:
User A has a notebook that uses custom definitions from styles.nb. Now user A passes the notebook to user B. The styles do not show up for B because B does not have styles.nb. ...
17
votes
1answer
283 views
How do I find all the possible events that work with EventHandler?
The EventHandler documentation, More Information section, lists 5 mouse events:
...
16
votes
3answers
885 views
Antialiasing in 3D
Is it possible? Is it platform specific? Does it rely on the graphics hardware? Why does the antialiasing slider under Preferences > Appearance > Graphics do nothing? I remember seeing some ...
16
votes
3answers
250 views
Is there a way to require confirmation for execution of certain cells?
Often I have Notebooks where I generate several images and export them into files. Now when I want to change one image, I'd like to just re-evaluate the complete notebook, however I generally do not ...
16
votes
2answers
412 views
How do I extract the contents of a selected cell as plain text?
My aim is to extract the contents of an Input cells as plain text. Ideally I would like to be able to select one or more Input cells and press a button which would then extract the text from these ...
16
votes
2answers
461 views
Automating Esc [[ Esc formatting?
Is it possible to program the Front End to automatically format double square brackets without having to type Esc[[Esc each time? It's awful to have to type Esc ...
16
votes
2answers
281 views
Are later versions of the Front-End compatible with older Kernels?
At my graduate school, all of the clusters still use version-6, and I only have version-7 and version-8 installed on my computer. I would like to use those machines remotely. Are either of the ...
16
votes
1answer
219 views
Saving my code before cell evaluations: Insurance against front end hanging
I guess my programming working style is not unique. I develop programs one cell at a time, and when I have some confidence about what I did, I put all my mess together refining the code, building up ...
16
votes
0answers
291 views
Changing FrontEnd automatic scrolling in version 8
In Mathematica versions $\le$ 8, the FrontEnd has a very intelligent behavior:
On evaluation, it by default automatically scrolls down the Notebook window to the last printed Output cell but also ...
15
votes
2answers
239 views
Obtaining the number in CounterBox
Is there a way of obtaining the current number of a counterbox? Say for instance that in a new notebook you create 3 section cells. Then by evaluating the command:
...
15
votes
1answer
238 views
What is Sub Mathematica?
When looking at the locally available licenses, I see four entries: "Mathematica", "MathKernel", "Sub Mathematica" and "Sub Mathkernel". Now "Mathematica", "MathKernel" and "Sub Mathkernel" are clear, ...
15
votes
3answers
429 views
How to convert between various ItemSize/ImageSize units?
How can one convert between the implicit units used by Grid (ems and line height for horizontal and vertical dimensions) and printers points (in ...
15
votes
1answer
189 views
Running some code every time a new notebook is opened
Is it possible to automatically execute some code every time a new notebook is opened?
So for example I would like to print a message "New notebook" every time a new notebook is opened.
This ...
15
votes
1answer
230 views
Creating a cross referencing shortcut
I believe I have gather all the pieces of information I need to create what I want but yet I cannot make the connection. Let me start with the goal.
Simple Cross referencing
Let us start by creating ...
14
votes
3answers
357 views
Memory Leak in Frontend - anyone know a workaround?
When using Rasterize on a Graphics expression composed of many differently coloured Graphics objects memory is allocated in the frontend which is then not released or reused when a similar graphic ...
14
votes
1answer
455 views
Can the position of Tooltips be changed?
Is it possible to change the position of tool tips, which currently always appear to the lower right of the mouse position. In the screen grab below the mouse is over 10000000 and the tooltip appears ...
14
votes
2answers
300 views
Auto-completion doesn't work as my expectation in version 9.0
When I input the following line in version 8, and press Ctrl+K after Re, I can get a drop-down auto-completion list including ...
13
votes
1answer
394 views
Programmatically move the cursor to a desired location on the screen
Is it possible to set/move the mouse pointer's location directly from Mathematica without using external tools like Run["xdotool mousemove x y"]?
13
votes
2answers
365 views
Command Completion
Note: As of version 9, this functionality is available and works out of the box.
I've a few questions about Command Completion in Mathematica. I recently discovered this feature, and it's really ...
13
votes
1answer
507 views
Why are some function names red?
I need to evaluate
Needs["GraphUtilities`"]
before I can use functions such as GraphPath[]. When I do so, some functions get ...
13
votes
2answers
286 views
How to replace the style of the inline cell in a StyleSheet
I would like to change a StyleSheet in such a way that any text that is typed into the inline cell (the one created by Ctrl+9) is shown in a different font (e.g. the font of my choice). At present I ...
13
votes
2answers
446 views
Custom Mathematica Shortcut: Copy as $\LaTeX$
If you edit the
Wolfram Research\Mathematica\8.0\SystemFiles\FrontEnd\TextResources\Windows\MenuSetup.tr
file you can make Ctrl+Shift+C copy not plain but in ...
13
votes
1answer
277 views
How to work with characters from CJK Unified Ideographs Extension B correctly?
Background:
Recently I'm trying to deal with some Chinese characters which belongs to the CJK Unified Ideographs Extension B block. The motive comes from some further interest following a former ...
13
votes
1answer
208 views
Problems with images caused by which stylesheet is used
Update
This looks now like it was a bug in Mathematica version 8, because
everything works as expected - at least for this minimal example - in
version 9. (As an aside, I couldn't seem to find ...
13
votes
3answers
412 views
Opening a context menu (with the Menu key)
Is it by any chance possible to make the Menu key work as one would expect in Mathematica: opening a context menu?
The Menu key does nothing in version 7 or 8 on Windows.
