Footer navigation bar for subsection in Metropolis theme

Question

I'm trying to create a subsection navigation bar in the footer. Effectively, I'd like the footer to show only the subsections for a given section.

Here's what I currently have:

\documentclass{beamer}
\usetheme[
sectionpage=progressbar,
progressbar=frametitle]{metropolis}
\usepackage{graphicx}
\definecolor{prettyBlue}{HTML}{2196F3}
\setbeamercolor{progress bar}{fg=prettyBlue, bg=gray}
\title{Proof of $C_4$ photosynthesis without Kranz anatomy in \textit{Bienertia cycloptera} (Chenopodiaceae)}
\subtitle{Methods}
%%% TEST
% see: https://tex.stackexchange.com/questions/364904/adding-section-indicator-to-metropolis-theme
\setbeamertemplate{mini frame}{}
\setbeamertemplate{mini frame in current section}{}
\setbeamertemplate{mini frame in current subsection}{}
\makeatletter
\setbeamertemplate{footline}{%
    \begin{beamercolorbox}[colsep=1.5pt]{upper separation line head}
    \end{beamercolorbox}
    \begin{beamercolorbox}{section in head/foot}
        \vskip2pt\insertsubsectionnavigation{\paperwidth}\vskip-2pt
    \end{beamercolorbox}%
    \begin{beamercolorbox}[colsep=1.5pt]{lower separation line head}
    \end{beamercolorbox}
}
\makeatother
\setbeamercolor{section in head/foot}{fg=normal text.bg, bg=structure.fg}
\setbeamercovered{}
%%% TEST END
\begin{document}
\maketitle
\begin{frame}{Aim}
To identify the 'class' of photosynthesis for 
\textit{Bienertia cycloptera}.
\end{frame}
%% See if we can get a flowchart at top to show 'sequence'
\section{Observing the structure through microscopy}
\subsection{Fixing the tissue}
\begin{frame}{Fixing the tissue}
\begin{itemize}[<+->]
    \item[] Before microscopy, tissues must first be preserved.\~\
    \item[] Here, \textit{paraformaldehyde} and \textit{glutaraldehyde} is used.
\end{itemize}
\end{frame}
\begin{frame}{Fixing the tissue}
\begin{itemize}[<+->]
    \item[] Before microscopy, tissues must first be preserved.\~\
    \item[] Here, \textit{paraformaldehyde} and \textit{glutaraldehyde} is used.
\end{itemize}
\end{frame}
\begin{frame}{Staining the tissue}
Blah blah blah
\end{frame}
\section{In situ immunolocalisation}% need italics
\section{Enzymatic analysis}
\section{Exposure of leaves to $^{14}CO_2$}
\end{document}

Notably, the subsection is there, but it's bleeding off the page.

But what I'd like is something closer to -

where the current subsection is highlighted and other subsections are slightly transparent.

How would I set up the navigation box so that it's working 'as intended'?

score 2 · Accepted Answer · answered Aug 16 '17 at 08:56

Two problems:

you need \insertsubsectionnavigationhorizontal and not \insertsubsectionnavigation otherwise the subsections will be stacked on top of each other and disappear below the page border
to set the colour of the subsection names, you need \setbeamercolor{subsection in head/foot} in addition to \setbeamercolor{section in head/foot} which sets the colour of the colorbox.

\documentclass{beamer}
\usetheme[
sectionpage=progressbar,
progressbar=frametitle]{metropolis}


\setbeamertemplate{mini frame}{}
\setbeamertemplate{mini frame in current section}{}
\setbeamertemplate{mini frame in current subsection}{}
\setbeamercolor{section in head/foot}{fg=normal text.bg, bg=structure.fg}
\setbeamercolor{subsection in head/foot}{fg=normal text.bg, bg=structure.fg}

\makeatletter
\setbeamertemplate{footline}{%
    \begin{beamercolorbox}[colsep=1.5pt]{upper separation line head}
    \end{beamercolorbox}
    \begin{beamercolorbox}{section in head/foot}
      \insertsubsectionnavigationhorizontal{\paperwidth}{}{\hskip0pt plus1filll}\vskip3pt%
    \end{beamercolorbox}%
    \begin{beamercolorbox}[colsep=1.5pt]{lower separation line head}
    \end{beamercolorbox}
}
\makeatother


\begin{document}

\section{sec}
\begin{frame}a\end{frame}

\subsection{sub1}
\begin{frame}a\end{frame}

\subsection{sub2}
\begin{frame}a\end{frame}

\subsection{sub3}
\begin{frame}a\end{frame}

\end{document}

Footer navigation bar for subsection in Metropolis theme

1 Answers1