Understanding Beamer and Handout Modes

Oct 13, 2025 by pinkandtrash.com 17 views

Introduction

When creating presentations using LaTeX and Beamer, it can be challenging to display tables and figures in a specific layout, especially when working with handouts. In this article, we will explore how to show the last version of a table and a figure in two columns in a handout.

Understanding Beamer and Handout Modes

Beamer is a popular LaTeX package for creating presentations. It provides a wide range of features and options for customizing the layout and design of your slides. Handout mode, on the other hand, is a feature in Beamer that allows you to create a single document that contains all the slides in your presentation, along with any additional information you want to include.

The Challenge

When working with tables and figures in Beamer, it can be difficult to display them in a specific layout, especially when working with handouts. In your case, you want to show a table on one slide that updates a subsequent second slide, and then add a figure on the right on a third slide. This works nicely in regular mode, but when creating a handout, the layout can become distorted.

Solution: Using Columns in Beamer

One way to solve this problem is to use the columns environment in Beamer. This environment allows you to create multiple columns on a single slide, which can be useful for displaying tables and figures side by side.

Here is an example of how you can use the columns environment to display a table and a figure in two columns:

\begin{frame}
  \frametitle{Table and Figure}
  \begin{columns}[T]
    \begin{column}{0.5\textwidth}
      \begin{table}
        \centering
        \begin{tabular}{|c|c|}
          \hline
          Column 1 & Column 2 \\
          \hline
          1 & 2 \\
          2 & 3 \\
          \hline
        \end{tabular}
      \end{table}
    \end{column}
    \begin{column}{0.5\textwidth}
      \begin{figure}
        \centering
        \includegraphics[width=0.8\textwidth]{figure.png}
      \end{figure}
    \end{column}
  \end{columns}
\end{frame}

In this example, we use the columns environment to create two columns on the slide. The first column contains the table, and the second column contains the figure.

Using Only Specifier

However, when creating a handout, you may want to display only the last version of the table and figure. To do this, you can use the only specifier in Beamer.

Here is an example of how you can use the only specifier to display only the last version of the table and figure:

\begin{frame}[only]
  \frametitle{Table and Figure}
  \begin{columns}[T]
    \begin{column}{0.5\textwidth}
      \begin{table}
        \centering
        \begin{tabular}{|c|c|}
          \hline
          Column 1 & Column 2 \\
          \hline
          1 & 2 \\
          2 & 3 \\
          \hline
        \end{tabular}
      \end{table}
    \end{column}
    \begin{column}{0.5\textwidth}
      \begin{figure}
        \centering
        \includegraphics[width=0.8\textwidth]{figure.png}
      \end{figure}
    \end{column}
  \end{columns}
\end{frame}

In this example, we use the only specifier to display only the last version of the table and figure.

Conclusion

In conclusion, displaying tables and figures in two columns in a handout can be challenging, but it is possible using the columns environment and the only specifier in Beamer. By using these features, you can create a handout that displays the last version of the table and figure in two columns.

Tips and Variations

Here are some tips and variations to keep in mind when using the columns environment and the only specifier:

You can adjust the width of the columns using the column environment.
You can use different types of columns, such as T for top-aligned columns or B for bottom-aligned columns.
You can use the only specifier to display only specific slides or frames in your presentation.
You can use the columns environment to create multiple columns on a single slide, which can be useful for displaying multiple tables or figures side by side.

Example Use Cases

Here are some example use cases for displaying tables and figures in two columns in a handout:

Creating a handout that displays a table of data and a figure that illustrates the data.
Displaying a table of results and a figure that shows the methodology used to obtain the results.
Creating a handout that displays a table of statistics and a figure that shows the trends in the data.

Common Issues and Solutions

Here are some common issues and solutions to keep in mind when using the columns environment and the only specifier:

Issue: The columns are not aligned properly.
Solution: Use the T or B specifier to align the columns.
Issue: The table or figure is not displayed correctly.
Solution: Check the formatting of the table or figure and adjust it as needed.
Issue: The only specifier is not working correctly.
Solution: Check the syntax of the only specifier and adjust it as needed.