# How to use Mathematica StackExchange?

I have no idea how to enter formatted code (with clear indentation as in my notebook), or to copy a plot or table from my notebook to the group postings. I can't find where there are any detailed instructions on this.

Must I first Export a graphic to some graphic format and then import it to the group posting? What about formatted tables or Grid displays?

If I want formatted, indented code must I type it all in by hand?

Perhaps experienced group members have figured out fast and convenient methods to do these things?

I don't even know if there is any way I can ask this question?

• In the meantime you may read the faq mathematica.stackexchange.com/faq – Dr. belisarius Oct 3 '12 at 16:52
• You are still an unregistered user, first it is a good idea to register your account, then when you will be able to do more on this site. – Artes Oct 3 '12 at 16:58
• Here is the editing help page and markdown for properly formatting posts: mathematica.stackexchange.com/editing-help – rm -rf Oct 3 '12 at 17:01
• Welcome David! For posting images we have a very convenient Mathematica palette, located here. – Sjoerd C. de Vries Oct 3 '12 at 17:20
• For formatting you could look into Leonid's code here. – Sjoerd C. de Vries Oct 3 '12 at 18:06
• If the code is meant for anything other than display, e.g. for others to actually use, then convert it to InputForm (Cell > Convert To > InputForm) and copy/paste that into your note. If you do anything that renders it non-cut/pastable then you decrease the odds that people will try it or answer questions that require trying it or altering it. – Daniel Lichtblau Oct 3 '12 at 18:27
• Unfortunately none of these suggestions have helped me. I could not find the palette to post images. After converting an Input cell to Input format I could still not make a proper paste into the stackexchange posting. – David Park Oct 3 '12 at 19:10
• David, click on this to download the palette @Sjoerd was referring to. As for your second question, could you be more specific with "I could still not make a proper paste into the stackexchange posting"? What, precisely, is not working? – J. M.'s technical difficulties Oct 3 '12 at 19:19
• I clicked this and all I got was a page that said this file contains potentially unsafe content. I copied the content of an Input cell, used Ctrl-K to get a place to insert code in the posting, pasted the code and only the first line of it turned into code. – David Park Oct 3 '12 at 19:38

mathematica.stackexchange.com (but not this Meta site) also has LaTeX support. This allows you to use "Copy as LaTex" to include many tables and expressions from Mathematica in posts. LaTeX must be wrapped in single $ symbols for inline expressions and double $$ for centered blocks. You can for example select the output of Array[Binomial, {5, 5}] // Grid, right-click, and select Copy as LaTeX to get this: \begin{array}{ccccc} 1 & 0 & 0 & 0 & 0 \\ 2 & 1 & 0 & 0 & 0 \\ 3 & 3 & 1 & 0 & 0 \\ 4 & 6 & 4 & 1 & 0 \\ 5 & 10 & 10 & 5 & 1 \end{array}  When that code is pasted between $$$\$ on the main site it will format as a matrix.