title: Render equation to .png file using Python
body: <p>I want to render equations to PNG files and embed them in the HTML documentation of my library. I am already using pylab (matplotlib) in other projects.</p>
  
  <p>I have not found any clues in <a href="http://matplotlib.sourceforge.net/users/usetex.html" rel="nofollow">http://matplotlib.sourceforge.net/users/usetex.html</a> and <a href="http://matplotlib.sourceforge.net/users/mathtext.html" rel="nofollow">http://matplotlib.sourceforge.net/users/mathtext.html</a></p>
  
  <p>When I do</p>
  
  <pre><code>plt.title(r'$\alpha &gt; \beta$')
  plt.show()
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>I get a titled empty figure with axes.</p>
  
  <p><strong>Update:</strong></p>
  
  <p>After doing some research I found, that the easiest way of rendering LaTeX to png is using mathext ( <a href="http://code.google.com/p/mathtex/" rel="nofollow">http://code.google.com/p/mathtex/</a> ).</p>
  
  <p>Suprisingly, I had all requiered libraries to build it from source.</p>
  
  <p>Anyway, thanks to everyone for replies.</p>
  
  <p><strong>Update 2:</strong></p>
  
  <p>I did some testing of mathtex and found it does not support matrices (\begin{pmatrix}) and some other things I need.
  So, I'm going to install LaTex (MikTeX).</p>
  
  <p><strong>Update 3:</strong></p>
  
  <p>I installed proTeXt. It's huge, but easy-to-use and fast. IMHO, for now it's the only way of rendering equations.</p>