+% add tikz and a bunch of tikz foo
+\usepackage{tikz}
+\usetikzlibrary{shapes,shapes.misc,backgrounds,fit,positioning}
+\tikzstyle{every picture}+=[remember picture]
+
+% add functions to circle parts of slides (e.g., in tables)
+\newcommand\marktopleft[1]{%
+ \tikz[overlay,remember picture]
+ \node (marker-#1-a) at (0,1.5ex) {};%
+}
+\newcommand\markbottomright[1]{%
+ \tikz[overlay,remember picture]
+ \node (marker-#1-b) at (0,0) {};%
+ \tikz[overlay,remember picture,dashed,inner sep=3pt]
+ \node[violet!75,ultra thick,draw,rounded rectangle,fit=(marker-#1-a.center) (marker-#1-b.center)] {};%
+}
+
+% DEPRECATED function to build a huge centered dropshadow
+\newcommand\dropshadow[3]{%
+ \node[black!30!white] at (#1+0.1,#2-0.1) {
+ \scalebox{2}{\Huge \textbf{#3}}
+ };
+ \node at (#1,#2) {
+ \scalebox{2}{\Huge \e{#3}}
+ };
+}
+
+% more flexible non-tikz alternative with no dropshadow
+\newcommand\centertext[2]{%
+ \newlength{\centertxtlen}
+ \makeatletter
+ \setlength{\centertxtlen}{#1}%
+ \setlength{\centertxtlen}{0.35\centertxtlen}%
+ {\centering
+ \fontsize{#1}{2\centertxtlen}\selectfont
+ \e{#2}
+
+}
+% \end{center}
+}
+
+
+% add function to stop numbering appendix slides
+\newcommand{\backupbegin}{
+ \newcounter{framenumberappendix}
+ \setcounter{framenumberappendix}{\value{framenumber}}
+}
+\newcommand{\backupend}{
+ \addtocounter{framenumberappendix}{-\value{framenumber}}
+ \addtocounter{framenumber}{\value{framenumberappendix}}
+}
+