how to add unicode characters in vscode latex (input)

Question

In vscode, I would like to type something like \scrK to get . There is a Unicode Latex plugin but it takes several extra keystrokes. What would be the easiest way to accomplish this?

Thanks!

(I'm using the LaTeX workshop plugin)

So you want to define a command \scrK that outputs a Unicode char? Or do you want to define a keystroke, that put a Unicode character into your tex file? Should it be exactly the Unicode char (0x1D4A6) or would something like \mathcal{K} or \mathscr{K} (with \usepackage{mathrsfs}) be possible? Should it run with LaTeX or would XeLaTeX also be an option? — dexteritas, Feb 11 '23 at 19:04
Yes, just \scrK to output a Unicode character (and likewise for other characters). I use lualatex with unicode-math. Sorry that wasn't clear. — JPi, Feb 12 '23 at 20:22
@UlrikeFischer That seems to be the correct answer. The char can also be found in unicode-math: List of symbols defined by the package by searching for "1D4A6" (hex code of the char). — dexteritas, Feb 13 '23 at 09:37
So this might also be a duplicate of the famous question How to look up a symbol or identify a letter from a math alphabet or other character?, as this approach can be found under point 3 in the answer. — dexteritas, Feb 13 '23 at 09:44
@UlrikeFischer thanks. It didn't in Latex workshop but it turned out that it did in plaintext. This helped me identify the way to get it to work: add latex to the list of Unicode-latex extensions. Intriguing that's not turned on by default given the name of the package. Without it, one has to use an additional key combination. — JPi, Feb 13 '23 at 14:29

score 3 · Accepted Answer · answered Feb 17 '23 at 05:31

3

One way is to use snippets.

Press Command + Shift + P and enter snippets

Choose latex

"calligraphic K": {
    "prefix": "\\scrK",
    "body": "",
    "description": "insert unicode character U1D4A6"
},

Afterward, the file should look like this

I am on mac, but that shouldn't matter.

answered Feb 17 '23 at 05:31

Symbol 1

36,855

1

Thanks! I'll accept that. – JPi Feb 17 '23 at 21:59

JPi · Answer 2 · 2023-02-13T15:26:44.880

1

If latex is not listed under the Unicode-latex:Extensions then the unicode command functionality that the unicode-latex extension offers does not work in the LaTeX Workshop extension without extra keystrokes. So all I had to do was to add the line latex under the extensions.

With thanks to @UlrikeFischer and @dexteritas for their comments.

edited Feb 13 '23 at 15:26

answered Feb 13 '23 at 15:20

JPi

13,595

how to add unicode characters in vscode latex (input)

2 Answers2