# Feature Request: Better full-text search capabilities within Tex markup.

The site has pretty good latex support (thanks for that!), which works pretty well when writing and viewing answers.

What is lacking is the ability to search previous answers for mathematical formulae etc.

For instance searching for tex markup like 1^x brings up quite irrelevant results.

Since this is probably a hard problem, as a starting point, I suggest we allow people to specifically search within latex markup as part of the query, by using some special delimiters ($ seems most natural). For instance, we could have search strings like Fermat$x^n +y^n = z^n\$, which will cause the search engine to look for Fermat in the "normal" body, but look for x^n + y^n = z^n within tex markup.

Feel free to suggest other proposals as answers.

• Now this should be possible - according to this post. – Martin Sleziak Jan 27 '13 at 13:29

Try (uni)qation (http://uniquation.com/en), which allows searching math.SE and other sites by TeX formula. (The math.SE-specific page seems to be gone, though.)

• Interesting! It brings up math.se results too. – Aryabhata Dec 18 '10 at 17:42

See my side-project, it is developing its indices currently.

http://approach0.xyz

I will publish its first release when the entire math StackExchange is indexed.

Also, I am hoping someone interested can join and form a community to push this project forward, this is the reason I am posting here, even if this project is not fully ready for public using.

EDIT:

If you are interested in this project or have any amazing idea to help it improve, please follow this twitter account: https://twitter.com/approach0 , mention #approach0 to send feedbacks/questions. Approach0 will post updates on twitter too.