How can I access meta information from python cells?

[FelixBenning]

Description

In R cells, one can apparently access meta information like knitr::is_html_output(). This appears not to exist for Julia (#5074) Is there a way to access such information in python? Is this documented anywhere?

I need this to prevent the inclusion of \newcommand macros in every file in #12838, that is, for tex output the code should not run. The attribute {.content-hidden} only removes the output from the .tex files but still runs the code in a .quarto_ipynb causing Warnings about the redefinition of the commands

[cderv]

In R cells, one can apparently access meta information like knitr::is_html_output(). This appears not not exist for Julia (#5074) Is there a way to access such information in python? Is this documented anywhere?

This is still an enhancement we need to make

• communicate format output to all engines  #2216

Definitely something we need to provide.

The attribute {.content-hidden} only removes the output from the .tex files but still runs the code in a .quarto_ipynb causing Warnings about the redefinition of the commands

Do you know what throws the warning? Is it Quarto? or Pandoc? Can you share a quick example so that I can examine this problem again?

[FelixBenning]

I am currently evaluating whether quarto can be used to write math scripts, so my repository is essentially the quarto book template with some additions: https://github.com/FelixBenning/quarto-template/tree/a84cdd3cc7aba5ae2934ab557d10e092cb46960f

[1/4] index.qmd
[2/4] intro.qmd

Starting python3 kernel...Done

Executing 'intro.quarto_ipynb'
  Cell 1/1: ''...Done


Starting python3 kernel...Done

Executing 'intro.quarto_ipynb'
  Cell 1/1: ''...Done

[3/4] summary.qmd

Starting python3 kernel...Done

Executing 'summary.quarto_ipynb'
  Cell 1/1: ''...Done


Starting python3 kernel...Done

Executing 'summary.quarto_ipynb'
  Cell 1/1: ''...Done

[4/4] references.qmd

[WARNING] Macro '\real' already defined, ignoring at line 68 column 1
[WARNING] Macro '\complex' already defined, ignoring at line 69 column 1
[WARNING] Macro '\integer' already defined, ignoring at line 70 column 1
[WARNING] Macro '\Var' already defined, ignoring at line 72 column 1
pandoc 
  to: latex
  output-file: index.tex
  standalone: true
  toc: true
  number-sections: true
  top-level-division: chapter
  pdf-engine: xelatex
  variables:
    graphics: true
    tables: true
  default-image-extension: pdf
  
metadata
  crossref:
    chapters: true
  documentclass: book
  papersize: letter
  block-headings: true
  bibliography:
    - references.bib
  editor:
    render-on-save: true
  comments:
    hypothesis: true
  title: Quarto math-book
  author: Felix Benning
  date: 5/21/2025
  
[WARNING] Macro '\real' already defined, ignoring at line 68 column 1
[WARNING] Macro '\complex' already defined, ignoring at line 69 column 1
[WARNING] Macro '\integer' already defined, ignoring at line 70 column 1
[WARNING] Macro '\Var' already defined, ignoring at line 72 column 1

Interestingly the references.qmd does not even include the macros.

[cderv]

Thanks. I'll have a look at the repo.

The warning is from Pandoc. I guess the Macro is applying at Reader time, and indeed .content-hidden won't help with that. Only using computation and raw output to exclude with some condition can be helpful.

Thanks for sharing

[FelixBenning]

Only using computation and raw output to exclude with some condition can be helpful.

Do you mean accessing the meta information would be helpful but there is no way to do that yet in reference to the discussion, or is that a concrete suggestion I do not understand yet?

[cderv]

Sorry for the misunderstanding. I meant the former.

there is no way to do that yet in reference to #2216
format information is not yet passed easily to engines.

The only workaround I can think off right now to overcome the limitation is using Parameters and duplicate the format information

quarto render --to html -P target:html

The parameter could then be used in a Python cell within an if condition to avoid writing output from the computation when not needed.

Really not great at all.

We'll solve this. Thanks for your patience