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Beamer

Beamer #

Warning: This post hasn't been updated for over a year. The information may be out of date.

Bugs & quirks #

\newenvironment<> #

Does not make environment incremental-overlay-aware, aka, cannot use [<+->].

<0> frames #

\begin{frame}<0>
Hides a frame in presentation (default) mode (not handout mode), and does not count the frame in total pages
\begin{frame}<mode/all:0>
Hides a frame in given mode/all modes, but counts the frame in total pages.

Natbib colouring problem #

This solution only colours the closing bracket, but the link scope stays the same (without closing bracket). (Ref: 1, 2, seems to be fixed but not really)

\let\oldcite=\cite
\renewcommand{\cite}[1]{\textcolor{NordGreen}{\oldcite{#1}}}

! Illegal parameter number in definition of \iterate. #

Ref: tikz pgf - Error: Illegal Parameter number in definition of \iterate - TeX - LaTeX Stack Exchange

Whenever there is # in a Beamer frame, must write \# (tested, URL will work) or #### (not tested), or mark the frame as fragile (\begin{frame}[fragile]).

Buttons #

Ref: A Tutorial for Beginners (Part 3)—Blocks, Code, Hyperlinks and Buttons - Overleaf, Online LaTeX Editor

\begin{frame}
  \frametitle{Summary}\label{summary}
  \hyperlink{details}{\beamergotobutton{Details}}
\end{frame}

\begin{frame}
  \frametitle{Details}\label{details}
  \hyperlink{summary}{\beamerreturnbutton{Return}}
\end{frame}

Formatting text #

Highlight #

highlighting - Highlight/color a part of text in block in beamer - TeX - LaTeX Stack Exchange

Note page #

Show note pages #

Ref: 1, 2

%\setbeameroption{hide notes} % Only slides
%\setbeameroption{show only notes} % Only notes
\setbeameroption{show notes on second screen=right} % Both

Write notes #

Inside frames: (default outcome: 1 enumerate list per frame)

\begin{frame}
  \frametitle{Blah}
  \note[item]{Notes...}
  \note[item]{...blah.}
\end{frame}

Outside frames: (default outcome: 1 itemize list per frame)

\begin{frame}
  \frametitle{Blah blah}
\end{frame}

\note[itemize]{
  \item Notes...
  \item ...blah blah.
}

Overlay-aware notes #

In incremental overlay:

\begin{frame}
  \frametitle{Blah}

  \begin{itemize}[<+->]
    \item<.-> 1st slide \& stay
    \note[item]<.>{1st slide only}
    \note[item]<+>{2nd slide only}
    \item 3rd slide \& stay
    ...
  \end{itemize}

\end{frame}

Plain template but change line height #

In Intel Macs, Beamer internal styles are stored at path /usr/local/texlive/2022/texmf-dist/tex/latex/beamer/. Commands used in note page are stored in file beamerbasenotes.sty, and templates for note page are stored in file beamerbaseauxtemplates.sty.

After close inspections, I found these lines to be relevant: (Ref)

\makeatletter
% For outside frame notes, beamerbasenotes.sty L64-69
% First three lines seems redundant because outside notes always use itemize
\define@key{beamernotes}{enumerate}[true]{%
  \def\beamer@noteenvstart{\begin{enumerate}\itemsep=0pt\parskip=8pt}%
    \def\beamer@noteenvend{\end{enumerate}}}
\define@key{beamernotes}{itemize}[true]{%
  \def\beamer@noteenvstart{\begin{itemize}\itemsep=0pt\parskip=8pt}%
    \def\beamer@noteenvend{\end{itemize}}}

% For inside frame notes, beamerbasenotes.sty L178-195
\def\beamer@setupnote{%
  \gdef\beamer@notesactions{%
    \beamer@outsideframenote{%
      \beamer@atbeginnote%
      \beamer@notes%
      \ifx\beamer@noteitems\@empty\else
      \begin{enumerate}\itemsep=0pt\parskip=8pt%
        \beamer@noteitems%
      \end{enumerate}%
      \fi%
      \beamer@atendnote%
    }%
    \gdef\beamer@notesactions{}%
  }
}
\makeatother

Changing the values of \itemsep and \parskip in all three instances will give different line height results.

Use itemize for both inside and outside slides #

Just change the inside notes above from enumerate to itemize. (Ref)

\makeatletter
\def\beamer@setupnote{%
  \gdef\beamer@notesactions{%
    \beamer@outsideframenote{%
      \beamer@atbeginnote%
      \beamer@notes%
      \ifx\beamer@noteitems\@empty\else
      \begin{itemize}\itemsep=0pt\parskip=8pt%
        \beamer@noteitems%
      \end{itemize}%
      \fi%
      \beamer@atendnote%
    }%
    \gdef\beamer@notesactions{}%
  }
}
\makeatother

Insert vertical space above notes #

After inspecting L781-L812 of beamerbaseauxtemplates.sty:

\makeatletter
\defbeamertemplate{note page}{plainer}
{%
  \vskip4em
  \insertnote
}
\makeatother

\setbeamertemplate{note page}[plainer]

Further customisation #

beamer - Note page showing the next frame - TeX - LaTeX Stack Exchange

Page number #

Reset page number at appendix #

\usepackage{appendixnumberbeamer}

\begin{document}
% Frames.

  \appendix

% Less important Frames.
\end{document}

Presentation software #

Refs:

2023-07-14