Towards Semantic Markup of Mathematical Documents via User Interaction

TL;DR

This paper proposes semi-automatic tools to facilitate semantic markup of mathematical formulas in LaTeX documents, enhancing clarity, interoperability, and accessibility through grammar generation and user-guided disambiguation.

Contribution

It introduces a method to generate grammars from sTeX macros and a GUI tool for disambiguating formula parsing, easing the transition to semantic markup.

Findings

Successfully generated grammars from sTeX macros

Demonstrated GUI-based disambiguation for lambda calculus formulas

Showcased potential for improved semantic markup in mathematical documents

Abstract

Mathematical documents written in LaTeX often contain ambiguities. We can resolve some of them via semantic markup using, e.g., sTeX, which also has other potential benefits, such as interoperability with computer algebra systems, proof systems, and increased accessibility. However, semantic markup is more involved than "regular" typesetting and presents a challenge for authors of mathematical documents. We aim to smooth out the transition from plain LaTeX to semantic markup by developing semi-automatic tools for authors. In this paper we present an approach to semantic markup of formulas by (semi-)automatically generating grammars from existing sTeX macro definitions and parsing mathematical formulas with them. We also present a GUI-based tool for the disambiguation of parse results and showcase its functionality and potential using a grammar for parsing untyped $\lambda$-terms.