talkpal

# talkpal: A LaTeX-based package for talk presentation

Created by Palash B. Pal
First released: July 2026

The package talkpal is a LaTeX-based style file which allows you to create pdf files which can be used for presentation.

Using a multi-media projector, you can project your talk on the screen in different slides. The slides can be divided into different segments which can appear one at a time, at the push of one key on the keyboard or one click of the mouse.

## The files in the distribution

These are the names of the files in the package, along with an upper limit of their sizes given in parentheses:

- talkpal.sty (3 kb)
- talkpal-doc.pdf (211 kb)
- talkpal-doc.tex (28 kb)
- parabola.png (16 kb)
- vertseg.png (62 kb)

Only the first file is indispensable. The pdf file is necessary for learning the commands. The other files are inessential, as explained below. Read more about these files to decide which ones you want to download.

### The pdf file

I suggest that you first download the file talkpal-doc.pdf, open it and go through it. Choose any pdf viewer. I will assume that you know how to navigate through the file with the viewer of your choice.

Go to the full-screen view now. You may use some special features of this mode. For example, in the ACROBAT, you can set up in a way that new slides appear in the DISSOLVE mode, or in some other mode that you like. These, of course, have to be set before you enter the full-screen view mode.

You cannot fail to notice that this file is a manual for talkpal. It is also an example created with talkpal. If you are satisfied with the example and want to use talkpal for your presentations, continue.

### The style file

As already said, the file talkpal.sty is the main file which performs all the tricks for you. You need to install it.

- Log in as the superuser (root), and move the file talkpal.sty to any place on your computer under the `\texmf` directory, preferably to some subdirectory where other style files are kept, or in a new subdirectory created for your personal use.

  Run the command

  texhash

  so that the LaTeX compiler knows about talkpal. Believe it or not, that's all you need to do for the installation.
- If you don't have superuser access, you can put the file talkpal.sty within any directory, but then it will work only within that directory.

### The inessential files

The file talkpal-doc.tex is the source file from which talkpal-doc.pdf has been produced. You may want to look into the source file to get some idea of how to write a talkpal file. But, if you are sufficiently familiar with LaTeX, you need not look into this file at all.

It is advisable that you use this file as it is, only as a guide if you need. If you try to rebuild the file talkpal-doc.pdf by running pdflatex on this file, be careful not to lose the pdf file downloaded from this source. The two png files included in this distribution are used as inputs in this tex file.

## How to use talkpal

All instructions regarding the use of talkpal have been given in the sample file talkpal-doc.pdf mentioned earlier. In case of any problem, send a message to the creator of talkpal.

## CTAN availability

The entire talkpal package can be obtained from the CTAN archive as well, in the directory

/macros/latex/contrib/talkpal

## License

talkpal is protected by the GNU General Public License (GPL). To know more about GPL, go to the GPL home page.

This page is created and maintained by Palash B. Pal
Click on the name to send a message if you find some bug or have any other comment.