wammies / slack_latex

A Latex-rendering app for Slack.

slack_latex

A Latex-rendering app for Slack.

Features

• Send Slack messages with rendered latex code using a slash command
• Preview your messages before making them public
• Edit your messages

Installation

slack_latex is a Slack app, and needs a server to run on. It can be run easily on your machine using a tool like ngrok, or on a PaaS such as Heroku.

Running locally with ngrok

1. Download the source, navigate into the parent slack_latex directory and run

pip install .

2. Download and install ngrok and run

ngrok http 4390

3. Make note of the forwarding url ngrok gives you - you will need it when you're adding the app to Slack.
4. Complete the steps in the section below to add the app to Slack.
5. Once you have added the app to Slack, export the token and verification token you received from Slack as environment variables:

export $SLACK_TOKEN=[token]
export $VERIFICATION_TOKEN=[verification token]

6. Run the app with

python slack_latex/run.py

Note: the files Procfile and runtime.txt are only needed for running on Heroku. If you are not using Heroku, you do not need these files.

Running on Heroku

1. Set up a (free) Heroku account, and install the Heroku cli. Follow the instructions to login to your Heroku account from the cli.
2. Navigate into the parent slack_latex directory, and run

heroku create
git push heroku master

3. Make a note of the url Heroku gives you - you will need it when you're adding the app to Slack. You can find the url by running

heroku open

4. Complete the steps in the section below to add the app to Slack.
5. Once you have added the app to Slack, you'll need to configure Heroku with the token and verification token you received from Slack:

heroku config:set SLACK_TOKEN=[token]
heroku config:set VERIFICATION_TOKEN=[verification token]

Adding to Slack

1. From your Slack team, navigate to the Apps and Integrations page -> Build -> Your Apps.
2. Create a new app, and fill out the relevant information. Under Basic Information, you will find the verification token for your app. This is the token you should use for the $VERIFICATION_TOKEN variable.
3. Visit the Interactive Messages section, and under Request URL enter [your url]/button, where [your url] is the url you were given by ngrok or Heroku.
4. Visit the Slash Commands section, and add two new commands. Name the first /latex, and under Request URL enter [your url]/latex. Name the other /latexedit, and under Request URL enter [your url]/latexedit.
5. Visit the Slack legacy token page, and obtain a token. This is the token you should use for the $SLACK_TOKEN variable.

Usage

To post a Latex message, use the command /latex [latex code]. The Latex code need not contain $ ... $ or \( ... \). You will then be shown a preview of your message; from there you can either make the message public or edit the message. To edit the message, press the edit button and then use the command /latexedit [latex code].