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FAQ

Frequently asked questions.

General

What is MergDown2TeX?

MergDown2TeX is an Obsidian plugin that converts Obsidian notes to LaTeX documents. It merges everything — embeds, citations, Mermaid diagrams, equations, cross-references — into a single .tex file.

Is it free?

Yes! MergDown2TeX is free for personal, academic, and community use. Commercial use requires author authorization.

Does it work with Obsidian sync?

Yes! MergDown2TeX works with Obsidian sync. The generated .tex files are synced like any other file.

Installation

Do I need to install anything?

  • For conversion: No (WASM engine is embedded in main.js, runs in Obsidian)
  • For DOCX compilation: No (uses pandoc.wasm, auto-downloaded at first export)
  • For PDF compilation: No for the default Pandoc WASM + Typst pipeline (auto-downloaded, works on PC and mobile). Only the optional native LaTeX route needs Podman/Docker + TeX Live.

How do I install the plugin?

  1. Download main.js, manifest.json from Releases
  2. Copy to .obsidian/plugins/mergdowntotex/
  3. Enable in Settings → Community Plugins

Why 2 files only?

  • main.js - Plugin + embedded WASM converter engine (~3.7 MB, Base64)
  • manifest.json - Obsidian metadata

!!! tip "Auto-downloaded binaries" pandoc.wasm (~59 MB) and typst.wasm (~28 MB) are auto-downloaded into wasm/ at the first DOCX/PDF export (or via the manual button in settings). They are not part of the release.

Usage

How do I convert a note?

  1. Open any note
  2. Run command: MergDown2TeX: Convertir la note active en LaTeX (.tex)
  3. .tex file appears in same folder

How do I compile to PDF?

  1. Open any note
  2. Run command: MergDown2TeX: Convertir et compiler en PDF
  3. PDF file appears in same folder

How do I compile to DOCX?

  1. Open any note
  2. Run command: MergDown2TeX: Convertir et compiler en DOCX (Word)
  3. DOCX file appears in same folder

Features

Yes! [[Note]] is converted to \hyperref[...]{}.

Does it support embeds?

Yes! ![[Note]] is recursively expanded.

Does it support citations?

Yes! @citation is converted to \citep{} with bidirectional arrows.

Does it support Mermaid diagrams?

Yes! ```mermaid `` is rendered to PNG images.

Does it support equations?

Yes! $math$ and $$math$$ are converted to LaTeX equations.

Compilation

Do I need TeX Live?

Only for the optional native LaTeX PDF pipeline (pdflatex + Podman/Docker). The default Pandoc WASM + Typst pipeline requires nothing.

Do I need Pandoc?

No. DOCX compilation uses pandoc.wasm, auto-downloaded at first export.

How do I produce the PDF?

Two pipelines:

  • Pandoc WASM + Typst (default on mobile; enable PDF PC via Wasm+Typst on PC) — no install
  • pdflatex + Podman (PC, native LaTeX):
podman build -t vlatex-env -f Dockerfile.vlatex .

How long does compilation take?

  • Markdown → LaTeX: 0.24s
  • LaTeX → PDF (Typst): a few seconds
  • LaTeX → PDF (pdflatex + Podman): 30-60s
  • LaTeX → DOCX (Pandoc WASM): ~5s

Troubleshooting

Plugin not appearing?

  • Check the 2 files (main.js, manifest.json) are in the same folder (.obsidian/plugins/mergdowntotex/)
  • Verify folder name matches manifest.json
  • Restart Obsidian

WASM not loading?

  • Check main.js file size (~3.7 MB) — smaller = dev build without embedded engine
  • Re-download if corrupted
  • Check Obsidian console for errors

DOCX / PDF compilation failed?

  • Verify pandoc.wasm / typst.wasm are present in wasm/ (auto-downloaded at first export)
  • Check Podman/Docker is installed + container built (for the native LaTeX pipeline only)
  • Check timeout settings

Support

Where can I get help?

How do I report a bug?

  1. Go to GitHub Issues
  2. Click "New issue"
  3. Provide:
  4. Obsidian version
  5. MergDown2TeX version
  6. Error message
  7. Console logs
  8. Document content

Next steps