[texhax] Slide Advice

[Tom Schneider]

Thomas:

> If I wish to create .pdf slide shows and will use basic drawing
> diagrams (boxes, arrows, etc.) what is the best way to proceed in
> terms of packages/classes?

I've been pretty happy the the recently developed powerdot in
combination with the cool pstricks.  Generally I displace down the page and then
can place objects anywhere I want using:

% atat % section start
\begin{wideslide}{Advanced Molecular Information Theory}
\vspace{8.6cm}\hspace{0cm}% start at lower left point
% \psgrid(0,0)(-20,-20)(20,20)%
%
\rput[tl]{0}(1.65,8.0){% across down, inches
\parbox[t][3.0cm][t]{3.0cm}{% \parbox[c][\height][t]{\width}%
{\rotatebox{90}{\scalebox{0.6}{\includegraphics*{slidesfigs/ecorI.eps}}}}
}%
}%
%
\rput[tl]{0}(2.0,8.5){% across down, inches
\parbox[t][3.0cm][t]{10.0cm}{% \parbox[c][\height][t]{\width}%
{\par
\vspace{11pt}\hspace{4.5cm}
{\large\textbf{Information \emph{versus} Energy}
}%
}%
}%
}%
\end{wideslide}

So the vspace sets us to the lower left corner.  The coordinate system
can be seen by unearthing psgrid.  Then the two rputs place objects
where I want on the grid.  Text goes inside parboxes (or in this case
also a graphic).

In powerdot one can pause or set parts to appear at different times. 
Also, hyperlinks work.

My slides done this way from my talk at the recent meeting
Perspectives in High Dimensions are at:

http://www.case.edu/artsci/math/mwmeckes/perspectivesInHighDimensions/slides.htm
http://www.case.edu/artsci/math/mwmeckes/perspectivesInHighDimensions/schneider.pdf

The example above is slide 15.

> Do I need to identify what drawing tools I will use before choosing
> a presentation method?

Probably not.

Tom

  Thomas D. Schneider, Ph.D.
  National Institutes of Health
  Gene Regulation and Chromosome Biology Laboratory
  schneidt at mail.nih.gov
  toms at alum.mit.edu (permanent)
  http://alum.mit.edu/www/toms (permanent)