[OS X TeX] Putting a banner in beamer

[Matthew Leingang]

On May 9, 2008, at 9:08 AM, Jason Davies wrote:

> dear list,
>
>  I am ready just rejoined after we were all asked to do so, so  
> thanks for having me back. I continue to be an almost complete  
> newbie,  and, as ever, plead your indulgence.
>
>  I have just started trying to use beamer,  but in my university,  
> we are expected (for the kind of talks I will be giving) to have  
> the college banner across the top, at least of the title page.
>   you can see the effect at <www.ucl.ac.uk>.  they give us lots of  
> PowerPoint templates, but of course no TeX ones.  I have tried to  
> create the effect in beamer  without success (I first tried to use  
> the logo, but cannot position it correctly and then I tried to work  
> with the headline, to no avail).
>
>   If there is a simple way to do this, or even a complicated one, I  
> would be grateful to any tips. So far I can position the logo  
> almost anywhere except where I wanted by messing around with  
> the .sty file and so on. I would be surprised if no one else had  
> faced this problem and apologise if the solution is well-known and  
> simple, and I have overlooked it accidentally.
>
>   Thanks for your time.


Dear Jason,

Here's a quick-and-dirty solution.  First, use a graphics program to  
create a 128mm x 96mm image.  Make the main color your desired  
background, and put the banner across the top.  Or you could try and  
grab that inkblot (or whatever it is) on the homepage, with the  
banner included.

Then for the title page do

\mode<all>{\bgroup
\setbeamertemplate{background}{%
\includegraphics[width=128mm]{background_with_banner}}
}% end title page local declarations
\begin{frame}[label=titlepage]
\maketitle
\end{frame}
\mode<all>{\egroup}

This won't effect the style in the other pages.

For something more sophisticated, you'd have to dig into the  
templates.  Templates are extremely powerful but not well  
documented...look at one you like and read the source. :-{

HTH,
Matt

--
Matthew Leingang
Preceptor in Mathematics
Harvard University

http://www.math.harvard.edu/~leingang/vCard.vcf