How to preserve formatting and formulas in LaTeX translation

Key points of this article

When translating LaTeX, you need to upload the entire source code package. If you only upload the PDF, the editable typesetting structure will be lost.
Formulas, tables, pictures and chapter structures are retained along with the source code, and the translation usually does not require manual rearrangement
Bilingual comparison is suitable for review and proofreading, and only the translation is suitable for the finished version before submission or release.
After getting the results, recompile and check whether the formulas, numbers and cross-references are normal.
The professional terms and sentence meanings of machine translation need to be manually checked, especially the theorem conditions, which need to be confirmed one by one.

Many people have a paper, technical report or handout formatted in LaTeX, and they need to understand the foreign language content, or they need to translate it into Chinese and submit it to their tutors and colleagues for review. The difficulty is not in the text itself, but in the fact that the layout of LaTeX is determined by commands, environment and formulas. If you only use the PDF for text replacement during translation, or upload the source code in pieces, the common results will be misplaced formulas, confusing numbers, invalid references, and in serious cases, a direct error will be reported during compilation.

The following explains how to translate a LaTeX document into Chinese while retaining the original layout, formulas and cross-references, and knowing where to check after getting the results. Methods are applicable to academic papers, course notes, and technical documents.

How to preserve formatting and formulas in LaTeX translation? One sentence conclusion

One sentence conclusion: Package and upload the entire LaTeX source code directory, let the translator process the text at the source code level, and retain the formulas, tables and pictures with the source code; whether the output is bilingual comparison or just the translation, it depends on what you use it for.

your situation	Recommended practices	reason
Only compiled PDF, no source code	Get the source code from the author or journal first; if you can’t find it, translate the PDF directly.	Only the layout results are left in the PDF. The formatting commands in the source code have been lost. It is difficult for the translation to return to the LaTeX structure.
There is a complete source code directory (.tex, .bib, pictures)	Pack the entire directory into a compressed package and upload it	Chapters, formulas, references and picture dependencies are all in the source code. If a file is missing, compilation may fail.
To be reviewed by a mentor or collaborator	Choose bilingual comparison	The original text and the translated text are placed side by side to facilitate comparison of the original meaning paragraph by paragraph.
To publish or submit a finished product in Chinese	Select translation only and recompile locally for verification	The final format is subject to the compilation result, only the translation is closer to the finished product
Scan or image PDF	Upload the translation directly and then focus on checking the formulas and tables	No source code is available, the degree of restoration of formulas and complex layouts depends on the file itself

Before you start: Confirm these points first

Is the source code complete? LaTeX compilation relies on style files (.sty), reference databases (.bib), images and subfiles. Without any one of them, the translation may fail to compile, so compile the original text locally before packaging to confirm that the PDF can be generated normally.
Which one is the main file. The main file is usually the .tex containing \documentclass. In a multi-file project, each chapter file should be placed in the same directory as the main file. Do not upload just one chapter, otherwise the references between chapters will be broken.
There are no custom macros. For documents that use commands such as \newcommand extensively, macro definitions are generally written in the introductory area. These definitions should be kept in the main file and should not be deleted for convenience, otherwise the macro call in the text will report an error.
What is the output used for. It is easier to check using bilingual comparison for review, and it is cleaner to use only translation for the finished product. Thinking it through in advance can reduce rework.
Can you afford the verification cost? Machine translation will make mistakes in professional terms, theorem conditions and symbol meanings, and someone needs to confirm each item. This step cannot be omitted.

Steps to translate LaTeX source code package in OmniDoc

Organize the source code directory. Put the main .tex file, other chapter files, .bib, image and style files into the same folder, and confirm that the PDF can be compiled locally.
Package. Compress the entire folder into a compressed package, do not just package the .tex file, otherwise pictures and references will be missing.
Upload. Open omnidoc.top, select document translation, and upload the compressed package. You can also download the desktop client from download.omnidoc.top first and complete the same operation in the client.
Select the output method. Select bilingual comparison or translation only according to purpose.
Select a document style. Select the corresponding style according to papers, technical documents or other types to help unify professional terminology.
Submit and wait for completion. Download the result file after translation is completed.
Extract and find the main file. If you downloaded the LaTeX source package, decompress it and find the main .tex file, and recompile it locally or in a commonly used compilation environment. If you downloaded a PDF, go directly to the next section for verification.
Check each item against the original text. If there is a problem, go back to the source code and modify it. Compile again after modification. Do not just modify the PDF.

Check each item after completion

Check items	How to see	What should you do if there's a problem?
Whether the compilation was successful	Can PDF be generated? Are there errors in the compilation log?	Common causes of error lines based on log positioning are missing macro definitions or incomplete environments; return to source code to correct them
Formula	Check whether the inline and interline formulas are complete, and whether the subscripts, fractions, and matrices are misaligned	Compare each item with the original PDF; the symbols and numbers in the formula should not be altered, only the surrounding text and descriptions should be checked
Numbering and cross-reference	Chapter number, chart number, formula number, and whether citations in the main text match the original	Check if the tag has been mistakenly modified, then recompile twice to refresh the reference number
References	Check whether the author and year shown in the citations are correct, and whether the list of references is complete	Make sure the .bib file has been uploaded with the package, and check whether the compilation process includes reference handling steps
Tables and images	Check whether column width, line breaks, and image positions match the original text	Missing images are mostly due to incorrect paths or file names; make sure case matches accurately
Technical terms and sentence meanings	Whether the same term is consistent before and after, and whether there are errors in theorems and conditions	First, organize the glossary, then replace it uniformly; The hypothetical conditions of the theorem should be cross-referenced with the original text one by one

❓ Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

1. Can only PDF retain LaTeX's format?

It can be translated, but PDF only retains the layout results and does not retain the source code structure. To restore the layout as accurately as possible, first request the source code from the author or journal; If you cannot obtain it, refer to the translated PDF and carefully check the formulas and tables.

2. How do you choose between bilingual or translation-only options?

Use bilingual comparison when reviewing and comparing the original meaning; When delivering finished Chinese products, only translations are used. Both outputs retain formulas and layouts; the only difference is whether the original text is displayed side by side.

3. Can scanned PDFs be directly translated?

Scanned PDF versions can be directly uploaded for translation, but they lack source code, so the accuracy of formulas and complex layouts is limited. It is recommended to compare key pages and formulas with the original page by page.

4. Can translated papers be submitted directly?

Direct submission is not recommended. Machine translation terms and sentence meanings need to be checked manually for each item. Before submission, it is recommended that those familiar with the field read through the paper again and check the format according to journal requirements.

📝 Summary

To complete LaTeX translation online while preserving the format, the key is to prepare the complete source code package first, then choose the output method according to the purpose of the review or finished product. After receiving the results, recompile them, check formulas, numbers, and citations item by item, and leave technical terms to manual confirmation, ensuring both layout and content are solid.

Open OmniDoc, upload the document, and start translating