multiple overlays and a handout (was: overfull boxes; was: Re: [OS X TeX] Suggestion for TeXShop)

[Luis Sequeira]

> 3. In a beamer presentation, I have a sequence of \only<5>{...}, ...
> \only<7>{...}, i.e., multiple *alternative* overlays, which take  
> the space
> of each other on successive pages. They show finely on the  
> presentation,
> but not on its handout version where, all alternatively overlaid parts
> get stacked on a single page, i.e. in an overfull vbox, which  
> stretches
> down out of the page. I had such a case, which (for now) I resolved by
> force:
>
> I've put the overlay blocks inside {\tiny ...}. I dislike such a
> forceful solution, esp. because in a next round of lecturing on this
> topic, I will certainly update it, and would easily forget
> about this {\tiny ...} extra in the handout version: The only  
> difference
> between handout and presentation modes should be the two lines:
>
> \documentclass[handout]{beamer}
> %\documentclass{beamer}
>
> If someone knows a better solution, I would appreciate it very much.
>
> Roussanka
>


I don't use beamer, but I use powerdot for the same thing (and use  
the same trick of having two alternative \documentclass lines).

I think a better solution is to use some form of conditional  
compilation - so that you decide, in advance, how the material should  
appear onscreen and on the handout; and don't have to do any further
changes later.

For powerdot, I use something like

\pdifsetup{present}{<stuff for screen>}{<stuff for handout>}

where
      <stuff for screen> may, for example, use several \onslide*{n} 
{\includegraphics{file-n}} to display several steps of a construction;
  and <stuff for handout> may just display the final, or arrange them  
in a tabular environment, say - or whatever.

You could do the same, either using some beamer primitive (if there  
is one) or by using the package ifthen and defining and adequate  
boolean.

Luis Sequeira



------------------------- Helpful Info -------------------------
Mac-TeX Website: http://www.esm.psu.edu/mac-tex/
TeX FAQ: http://www.tex.ac.uk/faq
List Archive: http://tug.org/pipermail/macostex-archives/
List Reminders & Etiquette: http://www.esm.psu.edu/mac-tex/list/