TexText Configuration

Usually, TexText is configured automatically during setup or via selecting certian options in the GUI. In case of any problems or to address certain issues one may directly edit the TexText configuration file.

The TexText configuration file

The configuration file config.json can be found at the following locations:

• Linux: ~/.config/textext/config.json

• Winbdows: C:\Users\AppData\Roaming\TexText\config.json

• MacOS: ~/Library/Preferences/textext

The top level structure is:

{
  "preamble": "...",
  "scale": 1.0,
  "previous_tex_command": "...",
  "gui": {
    "toolkit": "...",
    "use_gtk_source": true,
    "confirm_close": true,
    "line_numbers": true,
    "auto_indent": true,
    "insert_spaces": true,
    "tab_width": 2,
    "new_node_content": "...",
    "close_shortcut": "..."
  }
}

Fields and Allowed Values (toplevel)

preamble (string, optional)

Path to a LaTeX preamble file (.tex) or typst preamble file (.typst) is included in the document. If this is not set the default files (default_packages.tex or default_preamble_typst.typ) from the TexText installation directory is used.

Example:

"preamble": "C:\\Users\\...\\default_packages.tex"

scale (number, optional)

Scaling factor for the rendered LaTeX object.

Default: 1.0

Example:

"scale": 0.8

previous_tex_command (string, optional)

Last used LaTeX engine. Determines which engine is preselected in the next session.

Allowed values: "pdflatex" (default), "lualatex", "xelatex", "typst"

Fields and Allowed Values (gui object)

toolkit (string, optional)

Specifies the GUI toolkit to be used.

Allowed values: "gtk" (recommended), "tk"

use_gtk_source (boolean, optional)

Enable GtkSourceView for syntax highlighting (only valid, if toolkit="gtk".

Values: true or false

confirm_close (boolean, optional)

Whether to show a confirmation prompt when closing the editor.

Values: true or false

line_numbers (boolean, optional)

Display line numbers in the editor.

Values: true or false

auto_indent (boolean, optional)

Enable automatic indentation of LaTeX code.

Values: true or false

insert_spaces (boolean, optional)

Insert spaces instead of tab characters when pressing Tab.

Values: true or false

tab_width (integer, optional)

Number of spaces per tab.

Example:

"tab_width": 2

new_node_content (string, optional)

Initial content used for new LaTeX nodes.

Allowed values: "Empty" (no content), "InlineMath" (e.g. $$) - default, "DisplayMath" (e.g. \[\])

close_shortcut (string, optional)

Keyboard shortcut to close the editor.

Allowed values: "Escape", "CtrlQ", "None" (no shortcut)

JSON schema for the configuration file

{
  "$schema": "http://json-schema.org/draft-07/schema#",
  "title": "TeXText Configuration Schema",
  "type": "object",
  "properties": {
    "preamble": {
      "type": "string",
      "description": "Path to a LaTeX preamble file (.tex)"
    },
    "scale": {
      "type": "number",
      "description": "Scale factor for the rendered LaTeX content",
      "minimum": 0
    },
    "previous_tex_command": {
      "type": "string",
      "description": "Previously used LaTeX engine",
      "enum": ["pdflatex", "lualatex", "xelatex", "typst"]
    },
    "gui": {
      "type": "object",
      "description": "Graphical user interface configuration",
      "properties": {
        "toolkit": {
          "type": "string",
          "enum": ["gtk", "tk"],
          "description": "GUI toolkit to be used"
        },
        "use_gtk_source": {
          "type": "boolean",
          "description": "Enable GtkSourceView (for syntax highlighting)"
        },
        "confirm_close": {
          "type": "boolean",
          "description": "Ask for confirmation when closing the editor"
        },
        "line_numbers": {
          "type": "boolean",
          "description": "Display line numbers in the code editor"
        },
        "auto_indent": {
          "type": "boolean",
          "description": "Enable automatic indentation"
        },
        "insert_spaces": {
          "type": "boolean",
          "description": "Insert spaces instead of tab characters"
        },
        "tab_width": {
          "type": "integer",
          "minimum": 1,
          "description": "Number of spaces per tab"
        },
        "new_node_content": {
          "type": "string",
          "enum": ["Empty", "InlineMath", "DisplayMath"],
          "description": "Default content for new LaTeX nodes"
        },
        "close_shortcut": {
          "type": "string",
          "enum": ["Escape", "CtrlQ", "None"],
          "description": "Keyboard shortcut for closing the editor"
        }
      },
      "additionalProperties": false
    }
  },
  "additionalProperties": false
}