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With AucTeX, one can insert many LaTeX commands using shortcuts.

For example in a math environment (e.g., between $ $), the shortcut `g insert \gamma. Normally right after \gamma if I would like to type a letter I should make a space, for example $\gamma a=1$, but if I would like to type a number, a symbol or another latex command, it is not necessary, for example $\gamma\alpha=1$ or $\gamma*1=\gamma$ or $\gamma1=\gamma$, or $\gamma^1=\gamma$.

Is there a way in AucTeX to insert a space right after a latex command (inserted by an AucTeX shortcut, e.g. `g) if the next keystroke is a letter?

I think this can significantly increase the speed of typing, because the space should be inserted anyway.

I have added the requirement inserted by an AucTeX shortcut to avoid the complicated situations like \leq and \leqslant.

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  • Here is a rough idea for a solution: Put a function on post-self-insert-hook. The function should examine last-command, and if it is whatever auctex uses to expand shortcuts, it should examine the character just inserted and optionally insert a space in front of it.
    – Harald Hanche-Olsen
    Commented Oct 30, 2016 at 11:42

1 Answer 1

Reset to default
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  (defun my-insert-space-if-alnum (orig-func &rest args)
    "Insert an extra space if the char read is alphabetical or a number."
    (let ((c (read-char)))
      (when (memq (get-char-code-property c 'general-category) '(Ll Lu Nd))
        (insert ?\ ))
      (insert c)))
  (dolist (f '(
               LaTeX-math-alpha
               LaTeX-math-beta
               LaTeX-math-delta
               LaTeX-math-Delta
               LaTeX-math-epsilon
               LaTeX-math-phi
               LaTeX-math-Phi
               LaTeX-math-gamma
               LaTeX-math-Gamma
               LaTeX-math-eta
               LaTeX-math-theta
               LaTeX-math-Theta
               LaTeX-math-kappa
               LaTeX-math-lambda
               LaTeX-math-Lambda
               LaTeX-math-mu
               LaTeX-math-nu
               LaTeX-math-nabla
               LaTeX-math-pi
               LaTeX-math-Pi
               LaTeX-math-chi
               LaTeX-math-rho
               LaTeX-math-sigma
               LaTeX-math-Sigma
               LaTeX-math-tau
               LaTeX-math-upsilon
               LaTeX-math-Upsilon
               LaTeX-math-omega
               LaTeX-math-Omega
               LaTeX-math-xi
               LaTeX-math-Xi
               LaTeX-math-psi
               LaTeX-math-Psi
               LaTeX-math-zeta
               ))
  (advice-add f :after #'my-insert-space-if-alnum))
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  • This works well for the commands in the list, would be nice if it would be possible to detect the command manually in order to not miss something like like \rightarrow. But this is a very good step toward a complete solution.
    – Name
    Commented Nov 4, 2016 at 16:51

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