Goal

• Convert a markdown slides file to Typst presentation format
• Preserve structure, content, and formatting
• Output clean, well-formatted markdown code suitable for conversion to Typst

Workflow

Read Input File

• Read the markdown slides file (e.g., lectures.md)

Apply Conversion Rules

• Systematically fix math, unicode, and formatting

Validate Output

• Verify no content loss and structure preserved

Output File

• Write converted markdown with same base name

Quality Checks

• All slide headers and hierarchy preserved
• No content deleted or truncated
• All math expressions wrapped ($...$)
• No unicode math characters remain
• Operators properly formatted with op()
• Code blocks and lists intact
• File is valid markdown

Conventions

LaTeX Custom Commands

• Replace presentation-specific commands with Typst equivalents:
  • $\EE$ -> $bb(E)$ (blackboard E)
  • $\VV$ -> $bb(V)$ (blackboard V)
  • $\Pr$ -> $Pr$ (remove backslash)

Variables and Math Expressions

• Wrap all variables, parameters, and math expressions in $...$:
  • Bad (unwrapped, renders as plain text): Randomly permute the values of x_j across all samples
  • Good (wrapped in math mode): Randomly permute the values of $x_j$ across all samples
  • Bad (unwrapped function notation): Compute f(x) and g(x)
  • Good (wrapped in math mode): Compute $f(x)$ and $g(x)$

Unicode to LaTeX

• Replace unicode math characters with LaTeX:
  • Ω -> $\Omega$
  • → -> $\to$
  • ≤ -> $\leq$
  • × -> $\times$

Subscripts and Superscripts

• Use math mode for all subscripts/superscripts:
  • Bad (unicode subscript or bare caret, invalid Typst math): P₀ or P^n
  • Good (math mode syntax): $P_0$ or $P^n$

Math Operators

• Use op() for named operators in Typst:
  • Bad (named operator unwrapped, Typst renders it as variables): $g^* = arg min_(g in G)$
  • Good (wrapped with op()): $g^* = op("arg min")_(g in G)$
  • Also: $max_i x_i$ -> $op("max")_i x_i$

Plain Numbers and Currency

• Do NOT wrap pure numbers in math mode:
  • Bad:

    The house costs $50k because it has 4 bedrooms ($+\$30$k)
    

  • Good:

    The house costs \$50k because it has 4 bedrooms (+\$30k)
    

Block Formulas

• Use Typst code blocks for complex multi-line formulas:

  $ Pr(X_1 , ... , X_n) = product_(i = 1)^n Pr(X_i | "Parents"(X_i)) $
  

Verification

• Make sure that the converted slides render correctly, e.g.,

  > gen_slides.py -i <FILE> --notes_to_pdf_args="--skip_action open_pdf"