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Creating Professional Presentations with Beamer

Create stunning, professional presentations using LaTeX with the Beamer class. This comprehensive guide covers everything from basic slides to advanced animations, custom themes, and conference-ready presentations.
Quick start: LaTeX Cloud Studio includes Beamer presentation templates. Select “Presentation” when creating a new project to start with a ready-to-use template.Prerequisites: Basic LaTeX knowledge. See Creating Your First Document for LaTeX basics.

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Why Use Beamer for Presentations?

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Advantages of LaTeX Presentations

Consistent Design

Professional themes with automatic formatting and consistent typography

Mathematical Excellence

Perfect rendering of equations, formulas, and scientific notation

Version Control

Plain text format works seamlessly with Git and collaboration tools

Cross-Platform

PDF output works everywhere, no compatibility issues

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When to Use Beamer

✅ Perfect for:
  • Academic conferences and seminars
  • Technical presentations with equations
  • Reproducible research presentations
  • Presentations requiring precise formatting
  • Multi-author collaborative presentations
❌ Consider alternatives for:
  • Quick informal presentations
  • Heavily design-focused slideshows
  • Presentations requiring live editing
  • Non-technical audiences expecting flashy animations

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Getting Started with Beamer

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Basic Presentation Structure

\documentclass{beamer}

% Theme selection
\usetheme{Madrid}
\usecolortheme{default}

% Packages
\usepackage[utf8]{inputenc}
\usepackage{graphicx}
\usepackage{amsmath}
\usepackage{hyperref}

% Presentation metadata
\title{Your Presentation Title}
\subtitle{Optional Subtitle}
\author{Your Name}
\institute{Your Institution}
\date{\today}

% Logo (optional)
\logo{\includegraphics[height=1cm]{logo.png}}

\begin{document}

% Title slide
\frame{\titlepage}

% Table of contents
\begin{frame}
\frametitle{Outline}
\tableofcontents
\end{frame}

% Section 1
\section{Introduction}
\begin{frame}
\frametitle{Introduction}
\begin{itemize}
    \item First point
    \item Second point
    \item Third point
\end{itemize}
\end{frame}

% Section 2
\section{Main Content}
\begin{frame}
\frametitle{Key Concepts}
\begin{block}{Definition}
    A block environment for definitions
\end{block}
\begin{alertblock}{Important}
    An alert block for warnings
\end{alertblock}
\begin{exampleblock}{Example}
    An example block
\end{exampleblock}
\end{frame}

\end{document}

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Understanding Frame Structure

Each slide in Beamer is called a “frame”: 
\begin{frame}[options]
\frametitle{Slide Title}
\framesubtitle{Optional Subtitle}
% Slide content goes here
\end{frame}
Common frame options:
  • [fragile] - Required for verbatim content or code
  • [allowframebreaks] - Allows automatic slide splitting
  • [plain] - No header/footer (useful for images)
  • [noframenumbering] - Excludes from slide count
  • [c] - Center content vertically
  • [t] - Top-align content (default)

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Beamer Themes and Customization

% Professional themes
\usetheme{Berlin}     % Sections in header
\usetheme{Madrid}     % Clean and professional
\usetheme{AnnArbor}   % Section navigation
\usetheme{CambridgeUS} % Red accent
\usetheme{Warsaw}     % Blue with navigation

% Minimalist themes
\usetheme{default}    % Basic, clean
\usetheme{Bergen}     % Simple sidebar
\usetheme{Boadilla}   % Minimal decoration

% Conference themes
\usetheme{Pittsburgh} % Very minimal
\usetheme{Rochester}  % Simple top bar

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Custom Theme Configuration

% Define custom colors
\definecolor{customblue}{RGB}{0, 102, 204}
\definecolor{customgray}{RGB}{102, 102, 102}
\definecolor{customorange}{RGB}{255, 102, 0}

% Apply custom colors
\setbeamercolor{title}{fg=white, bg=customblue}
\setbeamercolor{frametitle}{fg=white, bg=customblue}
\setbeamercolor{structure}{fg=customblue}
\setbeamercolor{normal text}{fg=black, bg=white}
\setbeamercolor{alerted text}{fg=customorange}
\setbeamercolor{example text}{fg=customgray}

% Custom fonts
\setbeamerfont{title}{series=\bfseries, size=\Large}
\setbeamerfont{frametitle}{series=\bfseries}
\setbeamerfont{footnote}{size=\tiny}

% Remove navigation symbols
\setbeamertemplate{navigation symbols}{}

% Custom footer
\setbeamertemplate{footline}{
    \leavevmode
    \hbox{
        \begin{beamercolorbox}[wd=.333333\paperwidth,ht=2.25ex,dp=1ex,center]{author in head/foot}
            \usebeamerfont{author in head/foot}\insertshortauthor
        \end{beamercolorbox}
        \begin{beamercolorbox}[wd=.333333\paperwidth,ht=2.25ex,dp=1ex,center]{title in head/foot}
            \usebeamerfont{title in head/foot}\insertshorttitle
        \end{beamercolorbox}
        \begin{beamercolorbox}[wd=.333333\paperwidth,ht=2.25ex,dp=1ex,right]{date in head/foot}
            \usebeamerfont{date in head/foot}\insertshortdate{}\hspace*{2em}
            \insertframenumber{} / \inserttotalframenumber\hspace*{2ex}
        \end{beamercolorbox}
    }
    \vskip0pt
}

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Content Elements and Formatting

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Lists and Enumerations

\begin{frame}
\frametitle{Types of Lists}

% Bullet points
\begin{itemize}
    \item First level item
    \begin{itemize}
        \item Second level item
        \begin{itemize}
            \item Third level item
        \end{itemize}
    \end{itemize}
    \item<2-> Appears on second click
    \item<3-> Appears on third click
\end{itemize}

% Numbered lists
\begin{enumerate}
    \item First numbered item
    \item Second numbered item
    \begin{enumerate}
        \item Nested enumeration
        \item Another nested item
    \end{enumerate}
\end{enumerate}

% Description lists
\begin{description}
    \item[Term 1] Description of first term
    \item[Term 2] Description of second term
\end{description}
\end{frame}

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Blocks and Highlighting

\begin{frame}
\frametitle{Block Environments}

% Standard block
\begin{block}{Standard Block Title}
    Used for definitions, theorems, or general content that needs emphasis.
\end{block}

% Alert block
\begin{alertblock}{Warning or Important Information}
    Use this for critical information, warnings, or important notes.
\end{alertblock}

% Example block
\begin{exampleblock}{Example or Case Study}
    Perfect for examples, case studies, or practical applications.
\end{exampleblock}

% Custom theorem environment
\begin{theorem}[Pythagorean Theorem]
    For a right triangle: $a^2 + b^2 = c^2$
\end{theorem}

% Highlighted text
\alert{This text is highlighted}
\structure{This text uses structure color}
\end{frame}

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Columns and Layout

\begin{frame}
\frametitle{Two-Column Layout}

\begin{columns}[T] % [T] for top alignment
\begin{column}{0.5\textwidth}
    \textbf{Left Column}
    \begin{itemize}
        \item Point 1
        \item Point 2
        \item Point 3
    \end{itemize}
\end{column}

\begin{column}{0.5\textwidth}
    \textbf{Right Column}
    \begin{center}
        \includegraphics[width=0.8\textwidth]{image.png}
    \end{center}
\end{column}
\end{columns}

\vspace{1em}

% Three columns
\begin{columns}
\begin{column}{0.3\textwidth}
    \centering
    \textbf{Column 1}
\end{column}
\begin{column}{0.3\textwidth}
    \centering
    \textbf{Column 2}
\end{column}
\begin{column}{0.3\textwidth}
    \centering
    \textbf{Column 3}
\end{column}
\end{columns}
\end{frame}

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Animations and Overlays

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Basic Overlay Specifications

\begin{frame}
\frametitle{Overlay Basics}

% Simple overlays
\begin{itemize}
    \item<1-> Visible from slide 1 onward
    \item<2-> Visible from slide 2 onward
    \item<3-> Visible from slide 3 onward
    \item<2-3> Visible only on slides 2 and 3
    \item<4> Visible only on slide 4
\end{itemize}

% Using \only, \uncover, \visible
\only<1>{This text appears only on slide 1}
\uncover<2->{This text is uncovered from slide 2}
\visible<3->{This text is visible from slide 3}

% Alert on specific slides
\alert<2>{This text is highlighted on slide 2}

% Dynamic content
\only<1>{\includegraphics[width=5cm]{img1.png}}
\only<2>{\includegraphics[width=5cm]{img2.png}}
\only<3>{\includegraphics[width=5cm]{img3.png}}
\end{frame}

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Advanced Animation Techniques

\begin{frame}
\frametitle{Progressive Reveal}

% Incremental reveals
\begin{itemize}[<+->]
    \item First item (appears on click 1)
    \item Second item (appears on click 2)
    \item Third item (appears on click 3)
\end{itemize}

% Replacing content
\only<1>{
    \begin{block}{Step 1}
        Initial state of the system
    \end{block}
}
\only<2>{
    \begin{block}{Step 2}
        Intermediate transformation
    \end{block}
}
\only<3>{
    \begin{block}{Step 3}
        Final result
    \end{block}
}

% Highlighting changes
\begin{equation}
    f(x) = \alert<2>{a}x^2 + \alert<3>{b}x + \alert<4>{c}
\end{equation}

\begin{itemize}
    \item<2> \alert<2>{$a$} controls the curvature
    \item<3> \alert<3>{$b$} affects the slope
    \item<4> \alert<4>{$c$} sets the y-intercept
\end{itemize}
\end{frame}

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Transition Effects

% Frame transitions
\begin{frame}[t]
\frametitle{Transition Types}
\transdissolve<2> % Dissolve transition
\transblindshorizontal<3> % Horizontal blinds
\transblindsvertical<4> % Vertical blinds
\transboxin<5> % Box in
\transboxout<6> % Box out
\transdissolve<7> % Return to dissolve

\begin{itemize}
    \item<2-> Dissolve effect
    \item<3-> Horizontal blinds
    \item<4-> Vertical blinds
    \item<5-> Box in effect
    \item<6-> Box out effect
    \item<7-> Back to dissolve
\end{itemize}
\end{frame}

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Graphics and Multimedia

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Including Images

% Full-frame image
\begin{frame}[plain]
\begin{center}
    \includegraphics[height=\paperheight]{full-image.jpg}
\end{center}
\end{frame}

% Image with caption
\begin{frame}
\frametitle{Figure Example}
\begin{figure}
    \centering
    \includegraphics[width=0.7\textwidth]{diagram.png}
    \caption{System architecture diagram}
\end{figure}
\end{frame}

% Side-by-side images
\begin{frame}
\frametitle{Comparison}
\begin{columns}
\begin{column}{0.5\textwidth}
    \begin{figure}
        \centering
        \includegraphics[width=\textwidth]{before.png}
        \caption{Before}
    \end{figure}
\end{column}
\begin{column}{0.5\textwidth}
    \begin{figure}
        \centering
        \includegraphics[width=\textwidth]{after.png}
        \caption{After}
    \end{figure}
\end{column}
\end{columns}
\end{frame}

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TikZ Diagrams in Presentations

\usepackage{tikz}
\usetikzlibrary{shapes.geometric, arrows}

\begin{frame}
\frametitle{Process Flow Diagram}
\begin{center}
\begin{tikzpicture}[node distance=2cm]
\tikzstyle{process} = [rectangle, rounded corners, 
    minimum width=3cm, minimum height=1cm,
    text centered, draw=black, fill=orange!30]
\tikzstyle{arrow} = [thick,->,>=stealth]

% Nodes
\node (input) [process] {Input};
\node (process) [process, below of=input] {Process};
\node (output) [process, below of=process] {Output};

% Arrows with overlays
\draw<2-> [arrow] (input) -- (process);
\draw<3-> [arrow] (process) -- (output);

% Annotations
\node<4-> [right of=process, xshift=2cm] 
    {\alert{Critical Step}};
\end{tikzpicture}
\end{center}
\end{frame}

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Tables and Data

\begin{frame}
\frametitle{Experimental Results}

\begin{table}
\centering
\begin{tabular}{l|rrr}
\hline
\textbf{Method} & \textbf{Accuracy} & \textbf{Speed} & \textbf{Memory} \\
\hline
Baseline & 82.3\% & 1.0x & 100 MB \\
\alert<2>{Our Method} & \alert<2>{91.7\%} & \alert<2>{0.8x} & \alert<2>{95 MB} \\
State-of-art & 90.1\% & 0.5x & 150 MB \\
\hline
\end{tabular}
\caption{Performance comparison}
\end{table}

\only<2>{
\begin{alertblock}{Key Achievement}
Our method achieves better accuracy with lower memory usage!
\end{alertblock}
}
\end{frame}

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Mathematical Content

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Equations and Formulas

\begin{frame}
\frametitle{Mathematical Equations}

% Simple equation
\begin{equation}
    E = mc^2
\end{equation}

% Aligned equations with overlays
\begin{align}
    f(x) &= ax^2 + bx + c \\
    \uncover<2->{f'(x) &= 2ax + b} \\
    \uncover<3->{f''(x) &= 2a}
\end{align}

% Highlighting parts
\begin{equation}
    \sum_{i=1}^{n} \alert<2>{x_i^2} = 
    \uncover<3->{\frac{n(n+1)(2n+1)}{6}}
\end{equation}

% Theorem with proof
\begin{theorem}[Fundamental Theorem of Calculus]
    If $f$ is continuous on $[a,b]$, then
    \[\int_a^b f(x)\,dx = F(b) - F(a)\]
    where $F'(x) = f(x)$.
\end{theorem}

\begin{proof}<2->
    By the mean value theorem...
\end{proof}
\end{frame}

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Matrix Animations

\begin{frame}
\frametitle{Matrix Operations}

% Progressive matrix reveal
\[
\begin{pmatrix}
    a_{11} & \uncover<2->{a_{12}} & \uncover<3->{a_{13}} \\
    \uncover<2->{a_{21}} & \uncover<2->{a_{22}} & \uncover<3->{a_{23}} \\
    \uncover<3->{a_{31}} & \uncover<3->{a_{32}} & \uncover<3->{a_{33}}
\end{pmatrix}
\]

% Matrix multiplication steps
\only<4>{
    \[
    \begin{pmatrix}
        \alert{1} & \alert{2} \\
        3 & 4
    \end{pmatrix}
    \begin{pmatrix}
        \alert{5} \\
        \alert{6}
    \end{pmatrix}
    =
    \begin{pmatrix}
        \alert{17} \\
        39
    \end{pmatrix}
    \]
    Calculating first element: $1 \times 5 + 2 \times 6 = 17$
}
\end{frame}

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Advanced Features

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Handout Mode and Notes

% In preamble for handout mode
\documentclass[handout]{beamer}
% This removes all overlays and animations

% Speaker notes
\begin{frame}
\frametitle{Main Slide Content}
\begin{itemize}
    \item Point 1
    \item Point 2
    \item Point 3
\end{itemize}

\note{
    % These notes appear in presenter mode
    \begin{itemize}
        \item Expand on point 1
        \item Remember to mention example
        \item Time check: 5 minutes
    \end{itemize}
}
\end{frame}

% Notes on separate slide
\begin{frame}
\frametitle{Complex Topic}
Content for audience...
\end{frame}

\note{
\begin{itemize}
    \item Detailed explanation for speaker
    \item Key points to emphasize
    \item Possible questions from audience
\end{itemize}
}

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Creating Handouts

% Multiple slides per page
\usepackage{pgfpages}

% 2 slides per page
\pgfpagesuselayout{2 on 1}[a4paper,border shrink=5mm]

% 4 slides per page
\pgfpagesuselayout{4 on 1}[a4paper,border shrink=5mm,landscape]

% With notes on the side
\setbeameroption{show notes on second screen=right}

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Bibliography and Citations

% In preamble
\usepackage[backend=biber,style=authoryear]{biblatex}
\addbibresource{references.bib}

\begin{frame}
\frametitle{Literature Review}

Key findings from \textcite{smith2023} show that...

\begin{itemize}
    \item Result 1 \parencite{jones2022}
    \item Result 2 \parencite{brown2023}
\end{itemize}

\vfill
\tiny
\printbibliography[heading=none]
\end{frame}

% Or traditional approach
\begin{frame}[allowframebreaks]
\frametitle{References}
\bibliographystyle{apalike}
\bibliography{references}
\end{frame}

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Multimedia Integration

% Including videos (requires multimedia package)
\usepackage{multimedia}

\begin{frame}
\frametitle{Video Demonstration}

\movie[width=8cm,height=6cm,poster,showcontrols]{
    \includegraphics[width=8cm]{video-poster.png}
}{video.mp4}

% Alternative: hyperlink to video
\href{run:./videos/demo.mp4}{
    \includegraphics[width=0.8\textwidth]{video-thumbnail.png}
}
\end{frame}

% Sound effects
\sound[automute,inlinesound]{
    \includegraphics[width=2cm]{speaker-icon.png}
}{sound.wav}

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Best Practices and Tips

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Presentation Design Guidelines

Common Pitfalls to Avoid:
  • Too much text on slides (use notes instead)
  • Overusing animations (keep it professional)
  • Inconsistent formatting between slides
  • Small fonts (minimum 20pt for body text)
  • Complex diagrams without buildup

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Effective Slide Design

The 6×6 Rule:
  • Maximum 6 bullet points per slide
  • Maximum 6 words per bullet point
  • Use speaker notes for details
Visual Hierarchy:
  1. Title: 28-32pt
  2. Main text: 20-24pt
  3. Footnotes: 14-16pt
  4. Captions: 16-18pt

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Performance Optimization

% Compile faster during development
\includeonlyframes{current} % Tag frames with label={current}

% Reduce file size
\pdfcompresslevel=9
\pdfobjcompresslevel=3

% Optimize images
% Convert images to PDF beforehand
% Use appropriate resolution (150-300 dpi for projection)

% Disable navigation symbols for cleaner look
\setbeamertemplate{navigation symbols}{}

% Preload frequently used images
\pgfdeclareimage[height=1cm]{logo}{university-logo}
\logo{\pgfuseimage{logo}}

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Accessibility Considerations

Making Presentations Accessible:
  • Use high contrast themes
  • Provide alternative text for images
  • Ensure logical reading order
  • Include slide numbers
  • Distribute handouts with full content
  • Use clear, simple language

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Troubleshooting Common Issues

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Compilation Errors

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Platform-Specific Issues

Adobe Reader:
  • Best compatibility with animations
  • Supports multimedia content
  • Full-screen mode: Ctrl+L
Other Viewers:
  • Preview (Mac): Limited animation support
  • Evince (Linux): Good basic support
  • Browser PDFs: May not show transitions

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Conference Presentation Template

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Complete Academic Conference Template

\documentclass[aspectratio=169]{beamer}
% Use aspectratio=43 for 4:3 displays

% Packages
\usepackage[utf8]{inputenc}
\usepackage[T1]{fontenc}
\usepackage{lmodern}
\usepackage{amsmath,amssymb,amsthm}
\usepackage{graphicx}
\usepackage{tikz}
\usepackage{booktabs}
\usepackage[backend=biber,style=authoryear-comp]{biblatex}
\addbibresource{references.bib}

% Theme
\usetheme{Madrid}
\usecolortheme{seahorse}
\usefonttheme{professionalfonts}

% Custom colors
\definecolor{myblue}{RGB}{0,102,204}
\definecolor{myred}{RGB}{204,0,0}
\definecolor{mygreen}{RGB}{0,153,0}

% Settings
\setbeamertemplate{navigation symbols}{}
\setbeamertemplate{footline}[frame number]
\setbeamersize{text margin left=1em,text margin right=1em}

% Metadata
\title[Short Title]{Full Conference Presentation Title}
\subtitle{Conference Name 2024}
\author[A. Author]{Alice Author\inst{1} \and Bob Coauthor\inst{2}}
\institute[Inst.]{
    \inst{1}Department of Computer Science\\
    University Name
    \and
    \inst{2}Research Institute\\
    Another University
}
\date{\today}

\AtBeginSection[]{
    \begin{frame}
    \vfill
    \centering
    \begin{beamercolorbox}[sep=8pt,center,shadow=true,rounded=true]{title}
        \usebeamerfont{title}\insertsectionhead\par
    \end{beamercolorbox}
    \vfill
    \end{frame}
}

\begin{document}

% Title page
\frame{\titlepage}

% Outline
\begin{frame}
\frametitle{Outline}
\tableofcontents
\end{frame}

% Section 1: Introduction
\section{Introduction}

\begin{frame}
\frametitle{Motivation}
\begin{columns}
\begin{column}{0.6\textwidth}
    \begin{itemize}
        \item<1-> Current challenges in the field
        \item<2-> Limitations of existing approaches
        \item<3-> Our novel contribution
    \end{itemize}
    
    \vspace{1em}
    \uncover<4->{
    \begin{block}{Research Question}
        How can we improve performance while maintaining efficiency?
    \end{block}
    }
\end{column}
\begin{column}{0.4\textwidth}
    \begin{center}
        \includegraphics[width=\textwidth]{problem-diagram.png}
    \end{center}
\end{column}
\end{columns}
\end{frame}

% Continue with more sections...

\end{document}

​
Advanced Presentation Techniques

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Working with Overlays in Complex Scenarios

\begin{frame}
\frametitle{Advanced Overlay Techniques}

% Conditional content based on slide number
\alt<2>{%
    \textcolor{red}{This appears in red on slide 2}%
}{%
    \textcolor{blue}{This appears in blue on other slides}%
}

% Temporal specifications
\temporal<3>{Before}{On slide 3}{After}

% Complex overlay with multiple conditions
\begin{itemize}
    \item<1-> Always visible
    \item<2-4> Visible on slides 2-4
    \item<3,5> Visible on slides 3 and 5 only
    \item<-3,5-> Visible on slides 1-3 and from 5 onward
\end{itemize}

% Overlay-aware environments
\begin{onlyenv}<2-4>
    \begin{block}{Temporary Block}
        This entire block only exists on slides 2-4
    \end{block}
\end{onlyenv}
\end{frame}

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Creating Poster Presentations

Beamer also supports academic poster creation with special themes: 
\documentclass[final,hyperref={pdfpagelabels=false}]{beamer}
\usepackage[orientation=portrait,size=a0,scale=1.4]{beamerposter}

\usetheme{confposter}
\setbeamercolor{block title}{fg=white,bg=blue!70!black}
\setbeamercolor{block body}{fg=black,bg=white}
\setbeamercolor{block alerted title}{fg=white,bg=orange!70!black}
\setbeamercolor{block alerted body}{fg=black,bg=orange!10}

\begin{document}
\begin{frame}[t]
\begin{columns}[t]

% Left column
\begin{column}{.32\linewidth}
\begin{block}{Introduction}
    Content for introduction section...
\end{block}

\begin{block}{Methods}
    Methodology description...
\end{block}
\end{column}

% Middle column
\begin{column}{.32\linewidth}
\begin{block}{Results}
    \begin{figure}
        \includegraphics[width=\linewidth]{results.png}
        \caption{Main findings}
    \end{figure}
\end{block}

\begin{alertblock}{Key Finding}
    Highlight your most important result
\end{alertblock}
\end{column}

% Right column
\begin{column}{.32\linewidth}
\begin{block}{Discussion}
    Interpretation of results...
\end{block}

\begin{block}{References}
    \tiny
    \bibliographystyle{abbrv}
    \bibliography{poster}
\end{block}
\end{column}

\end{columns}
\end{frame}
\end{document}

​
Integration with External Tools

​
Using Matplotlib Figures

import matplotlib.pyplot as plt
import numpy as np

# Set LaTeX-compatible settings
plt.rcParams['text.usetex'] = True
plt.rcParams['font.family'] = 'serif'
plt.rcParams['font.size'] = 12

# Create figure
fig, ax = plt.subplots(figsize=(6, 4))
x = np.linspace(0, 2*np.pi, 100)
y = np.sin(x)

ax.plot(x, y, 'b-', linewidth=2)
ax.set_xlabel(r'$x$')
ax.set_ylabel(r'$\sin(x)$')
ax.set_title(r'Sine Wave: $y = \sin(x)$')
ax.grid(True, alpha=0.3)

# Save for Beamer
fig.savefig('sine_wave.pdf', bbox_inches='tight', dpi=300)

​
Integrating Videos and GIFs

% Method 1: Using media9 package (modern approach)
\usepackage{media9}

\begin{frame}
\frametitle{Video Demonstration}
\includemedia[
  width=0.8\linewidth,
  height=0.6\linewidth,
  activate=pageopen,
  flashvars={
    source=demo.mp4
    &autoPlay=true
  }
]{\includegraphics[width=0.8\linewidth]{video-poster.png}}{VPlayer.swf}
\end{frame}

% Method 2: External viewer launch
\href{run:./videos/demo.mp4}{
  \includegraphics[width=0.8\linewidth]{video-preview.png}
}

% Method 3: Animated GIF alternative
\animategraphics[loop,controls,width=\linewidth]{12}{animation-}{0}{23}

​
Resources and Further Learning

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Essential Packages for Presentations

beamer

Core presentation class with themes and layouts

pgfpages

Create handouts with multiple slides per page

multimedia

Include videos and sound in presentations

animate

Create animations from image sequences

tikz

Create professional diagrams and animations

pdfpc

PDF presenter console with notes and timer

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Quick Reference Commands

CommandPurposeExample
\pauseSimple pause between contentText \pause more text
\only<n>{content}Show content only on slide n\only<2>{Slide 2 only}
\uncover<n->{content}Reveal content from slide n\uncover<3->{From slide 3}
\alert<n>{text}Highlight text on slide n\alert<2>{Important!}
\item<n->Reveal list item from slide n\item<2-> Second point

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Presentation Workflow

  1. Planning Phase
    • Outline your talk structure
    • Allocate time per section
    • Plan visual elements
  2. Design Phase
    • Choose appropriate theme
    • Create consistent style
    • Design animations purposefully
  3. Content Creation
    • Write concise bullet points
    • Create supporting graphics
    • Add speaker notes
  4. Practice Phase
    • Test all animations
    • Check timing
    • Verify on target equipment
  5. Delivery
    • Have backup formats ready
    • Test equipment beforehand
    • Keep handouts available

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Converting Between Formats

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From PowerPoint to Beamer

While there’s no perfect conversion tool, here’s a workflow:
  1. Export content: Save PowerPoint as RTF or plain text
  2. Extract images: Save all images separately as PNG/PDF
  3. Rebuild in Beamer: Use the content and images in Beamer structure
  4. Recreate animations: Map PowerPoint animations to Beamer overlays

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From Beamer to Other Formats

# Convert to PowerPoint (via LibreOffice)
pdf2odp presentation.pdf presentation.odp
libreoffice --convert-to pptx presentation.odp

# Extract slides as images
convert -density 300 presentation.pdf slide-%03d.png

# Create handout version
pdfnup --nup 2x3 --frame true presentation.pdf -o handout.pdf

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Accessibility Best Practices

% Provide alternative text
\pdfcompresslevel=9
\usepackage{accsupp}

\newcommand{\AltText}[2]{%
  \BeginAccSupp{Alt={#2}}#1\EndAccSupp{}%
}

% Use in presentation
\begin{frame}
\frametitle{Data Visualization}
\AltText{
  \includegraphics[width=0.8\textwidth]{chart.png}
}{Bar chart showing 40% increase in performance from 2022 to 2023}
\end{frame}

% Ensure reading order
\setbeamertemplate{navigation symbols}{}
\usepackage{bookmark}
\bookmarksetup{open,numbered}

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Performance Tips for Large Presentations

  1. Optimize images before including: 
    # Reduce PDF size
gs -sDEVICE=pdfwrite -dCompatibilityLevel=1.4 -dPDFSETTINGS=/ebook \
   -dNOPAUSE -dQUIET -dBATCH -sOutputFile=compressed.pdf input.pdf
  2. Use external figures: 
    \pgfdeclareimage[width=5cm]{myimage}{figure.pdf}
\pgfuseimage{myimage}
  3. Compile sections separately during development: 
    \includeonly{section2} % Only compile section 2

Article Writing

Learn to write research papers in LaTeX

Graphics & Figures

Master image handling in LaTeX

TikZ Graphics

Create professional diagrams

Templates

Ready-to-use presentation templates
Pro tip: Start with a simple theme and gradually add complexity. Focus on content first, then enhance with animations and graphics. Remember: the best presentations support your talk, not overshadow it.
Ready to create your presentation? Check out our presentation templates or start with the basic template above!