# Paper2Poster: Academic Poster Generation

## Overview

Paper2Poster automatically generates professional academic posters from research papers. The system extracts key content, designs visually appealing layouts, and creates print-ready posters suitable for conferences, symposiums, and academic presentations.

## Core Capabilities

### 1. Content Extraction
- Identifies key findings and contributions
- Extracts important figures and tables
- Summarizes methodology
- Highlights results and conclusions
- Preserves citations and references

### 2. Layout Design
- Creates balanced, professional layouts
- Optimizes content density and white space
- Establishes clear visual hierarchy
- Supports multiple poster sizes
- Adapts to different content types

### 3. Visual Design
- Applies color schemes and branding
- Optimizes typography for readability
- Ensures figure quality and sizing
- Creates cohesive visual identity
- Maintains academic presentation standards

## Usage

### Basic Poster Generation

```bash
python pipeline_all.py \
  --input-dir "path/to/papers" \
  --output-dir "path/to/output" \
  --model-choice 1 \
  --generate-poster
```

### Custom Poster Dimensions

```bash
python pipeline_all.py \
  --input-dir "path/to/papers" \
  --output-dir "path/to/output" \
  --model-choice 2 \
  --generate-poster \
  --poster-width-inches 60 \
  --poster-height-inches 40
```

### Parameters

**Basic Configuration:**
- `--input-dir`: Directory containing paper files
- `--output-dir`: Directory for generated posters
- `--model-choice`: LLM model selection (1=GPT-4, 2=GPT-4.1)
- `--generate-poster`: Enable poster generation

**Poster Dimensions:**
- `--poster-width-inches`: Width in inches (default: 48)
- `--poster-height-inches`: Height in inches (default: 36)
- `--poster-orientation`: Portrait or landscape (default: landscape)
- `--poster-dpi`: Resolution in DPI (default: 300)

**Design Options:**
- `--poster-template`: Template style (default: modern)
- `--color-scheme`: Color palette selection
- `--institution-branding`: Include institution colors and logos
- `--font-family`: Typography selection

## Standard Poster Sizes

### Conference Standard Sizes
- **4' × 3'** (48" × 36"): Most common conference poster
- **5' × 4'** (60" × 48"): Large format for major conferences
- **3' × 4'** (36" × 48"): Portrait orientation for narrow spaces
- **A0** (841mm × 1189mm): International standard
- **A1** (594mm × 841mm): Compact conference poster

### Custom Sizes
The system supports any custom dimensions. Specify using:
```bash
--poster-width-inches [width] --poster-height-inches [height]
```

## Input Requirements

### Supported Input Formats
1. **LaTeX source** (preferred)
   - Main `.tex` file with complete paper
   - All figures and tables referenced
   - Compiled successfully

2. **PDF**
   - High-quality PDF with embedded fonts
   - Selectable text (not scanned)
   - High-resolution figures

### Required Content Elements
- Title and authors
- Abstract or summary
- Methodology description
- Key results
- Conclusions
- References (optional but recommended)

### Recommended Assets
- High-resolution figures (300 DPI minimum)
- Vector graphics (PDF, SVG, EPS)
- Institution logo
- Author photos (optional)
- QR codes for website/repo links

## Output Structure

```
output/paper_name/poster/
├── poster_final.pdf          # Print-ready poster
├── poster_final.png          # High-res PNG version
├── poster_preview.pdf        # Low-res preview
├── poster_source/            # Source files
│   ├── layout.pptx          # Editable PowerPoint
│   ├── layout.svg           # Vector graphics
│   └── layout.json          # Layout specification
├── assets/                   # Extracted assets
│   ├── figures/             # Poster figures
│   ├── logos/               # Institution logos
│   └── qrcodes/             # Generated QR codes
└── metadata/
    ├── design_spec.json     # Design specifications
    └── content_map.json     # Content organization
```

## Poster Layout Sections

### Standard Sections
1. **Header**
   - Title (large, prominent)
   - Authors and affiliations
   - Institution logos
   - Conference information

2. **Introduction/Background**
   - Problem statement
   - Research motivation
   - Brief literature context

3. **Methods**
   - Experimental design
   - Key procedures
   - Important parameters
   - Visual workflow diagram

4. **Results**
   - Key findings (largest section)
   - Primary figures and tables
   - Statistical summaries
   - Visual data representations

5. **Conclusions**
   - Main takeaways
   - Implications
   - Future work

6. **References & Contact**
   - Selected key references
   - Author contact information
   - QR codes for paper/website
   - Acknowledgments

## Design Templates

### Modern Template (Default)
- Clean, minimalist design
- Bold colors for headers
- Ample white space
- Modern typography
- Focus on visual hierarchy

### Academic Template
- Traditional academic styling
- Conservative color palette
- Dense information layout
- Classic serif typography
- Standard section organization

### Visual Template
- Image-focused layout
- Large figure displays
- Minimal text density
- Infographic elements
- Story-driven flow

### Technical Template
- Equation-friendly layout
- Code snippet support
- Detailed methodology sections
- Technical figure emphasis
- Engineering/CS aesthetic

## Color Schemes

### Predefined Schemes
- **Institutional**: Uses institution branding colors
- **Professional**: Navy blue and gray palette
- **Vibrant**: Bold, eye-catching colors
- **Nature**: Green and earth tones
- **Tech**: Modern blue and cyan
- **Warm**: Orange and red accents
- **Cool**: Blue and purple tones

### Custom Color Schemes
Specify custom colors in configuration:
```json
{
  "primary": "#1E3A8A",
  "secondary": "#3B82F6",
  "accent": "#F59E0B",
  "background": "#FFFFFF",
  "text": "#1F2937"
}
```

## Typography Options

### Font Families
- **Sans-serif** (default): Clean, modern, highly readable
- **Serif**: Traditional academic appearance
- **Mixed**: Serif for body, sans-serif for headers
- **Monospace**: For code and technical content

### Size Hierarchy
- **Title**: 72-96pt
- **Section headers**: 48-60pt
- **Subsection headers**: 36-48pt
- **Body text**: 24-32pt
- **Captions**: 18-24pt
- **References**: 16-20pt

## Quality Assurance

### Automated Checks
- **Text readability**: Minimum font size verification
- **Color contrast**: Accessibility compliance
- **Figure quality**: Resolution and clarity checks
- **Layout balance**: Content distribution analysis
- **Branding consistency**: Logo and color verification

### Manual Review Checklist
1. ☐ All figures are high resolution and clear
2. ☐ Text is readable from 3-6 feet away
3. ☐ Color scheme is professional and consistent
4. ☐ No text overlaps or layout issues
5. ☐ Institution logos are correct and high quality
6. ☐ QR codes work and link to correct URLs
7. ☐ Author information is accurate
8. ☐ Key findings are prominently displayed
9. ☐ References are properly formatted
10. ☐ File is correct size and resolution for printing

## Print Preparation

### File Specifications
- **Format**: PDF/X-1a or PDF/X-4 for professional printing
- **Resolution**: 300 DPI minimum, 600 DPI for fine details
- **Color mode**: CMYK for print (system auto-converts from RGB)
- **Bleed**: 0.125" bleed on all sides (automatically added)
- **Fonts**: All fonts embedded in PDF

### Printing Recommendations
1. **Print shop**: Use professional poster printing service
2. **Paper type**: Matte or satin finish for academic posters
3. **Backing**: Foam core or rigid backing for stability
4. **Protection**: Lamination optional but recommended
5. **Test print**: Print A4/Letter size preview first

### Budget Options
- **Standard**: $50-100 for 4'×3' poster at professional shop
- **Economy**: $20-40 for print-only (no mounting)
- **Premium**: $150-300 for high-end materials and mounting
- **DIY**: <$10 for multiple pages tiled and assembled

## Advanced Features

### QR Code Generation
Automatically generates QR codes for:
- Paper PDF or DOI
- Project website
- GitHub repository
- Data repository
- Author profiles (ORCID, Google Scholar)

### Institution Branding
When enabled:
- Extracts institution from author affiliations
- Searches for official logos (requires Google Search API)
- Applies institution color schemes
- Matches brand guidelines

### Interactive Elements (Digital Posters)
For digital display or virtual conferences:
- Clickable links and references
- Embedded videos in figures
- Interactive data visualizations
- Animated transitions

## Best Practices

### Content Optimization
1. **Focus on key findings**: Poster should tell story at a glance
2. **Limit text**: Use bullet points, avoid paragraphs
3. **Prioritize visuals**: Figures should dominate the space
4. **Clear flow**: Guide viewer through logical progression
5. **Highlight contributions**: Make novelty obvious

### Design Optimization
1. **Use contrast**: Ensure text is easily readable
2. **Maintain hierarchy**: Size indicates importance
3. **Balance content**: Avoid crowding any section
4. **Consistent styling**: Same fonts, colors throughout
5. **White space**: Don't fill every inch

### Figure Optimization
1. **Large enough**: Minimum 6" width for main figures
2. **High resolution**: 300 DPI minimum
3. **Clear labels**: Axis labels, legends readable
4. **Remove clutter**: Simplify for poster format
5. **Use captions**: Brief, informative descriptions

## Limitations

- Complex equations may need manual adjustment for readability
- Very long papers may require content prioritization
- Custom branding requires manual specification or API access
- Multi-language support limited to common languages
- 3D visualizations may lose quality in 2D poster format

## Integration with Other Components

Combine Paper2Poster with:
- **Paper2Web**: Use matching visual design and color scheme
- **Paper2Video**: Create poster walk-through video
- **AutoPR**: Generate social media graphics from poster