| # posterskill |
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| A [Claude Code](https://docs.anthropic.com/en/docs/claude-code) skill that generates print-ready conference posters from your paper. Point it at your Overleaf source and project website — it extracts the content, downloads figures, fetches logos, and builds an interactive poster you can edit in your browser. Single HTML file, no build step. |
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| The key idea: the poster is a **live editor**. Drag dividers to resize columns and rows, click cards to swap or move them, adjust font sizes — then feed your layout back to Claude for further refinement. Iterate between the browser and Claude until it's perfect. |
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| ## Quick start |
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| ```bash |
| git clone git@github.com:ethanweber/posterskill.git poster && cd poster |
| git clone https://git.overleaf.com/YOUR_PROJECT_ID overleaf # your paper |
| ``` |
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| Optionally add reference posters for style matching: |
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| ```bash |
| cp ~/some_poster.pdf references/ |
| ``` |
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| Then start Claude Code and run the skill: |
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| ```bash |
| claude |
| ``` |
|
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| ``` |
| /make-poster |
| ``` |
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| It reads your paper, fetches your project website, matches your reference style, and generates a `poster/` directory. Open `poster/index.html` in a browser to preview and edit. |
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| ## What you get |
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| The poster is a **self-contained HTML file** with a built-in visual editor: |
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| - **Drag column dividers** to resize columns |
| - **Drag row dividers** to resize cards within columns |
| - **Click-to-swap** cards (click one diamond handle, then another) |
| - **Move/insert** cards to any position (click a handle, then click a drop zone) |
| - **A-/A+** buttons to adjust font size globally |
| - **Preview** mode to see exactly how it will print |
| - **Save / Copy Config** to export your layout as JSON |
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| No npm, no build step, no server. Just open `index.html` in Chrome. |
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| ## Inputs |
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| | Input | Source | Required | |
| |-------|--------|----------| |
| | Paper | `overleaf/` directory | Yes | |
| | Project website | URL (asked at runtime) | Yes | |
| | Reference posters | `references/` directory | No | |
| | Author website | URL for brand/style matching | No | |
| | Formatting specs | Text or conference instructions URL | Asked if missing | |
| | Logos | Downloaded from your website to `poster/logos/` | Auto | |
| | Git repo | URL to push the poster to | Optional | |
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| ## Editing workflow |
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| 1. Claude generates the first draft and opens it in your browser |
| 2. Drag dividers, swap cards, adjust font size in the browser |
| 3. Click **Copy Config** in the toolbar |
| 4. Paste the JSON back to Claude — it updates the defaults |
| 5. Repeat until you're happy |
| 6. Click **Preview** to verify, then print to PDF (margins: none, background graphics: on) |
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| ## How it works under the hood |
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| The poster uses a React app (loaded via CDN) with: |
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| - **`CARD_REGISTRY`** — defines each card's content (title, color, JSX body) |
| - **`DEFAULT_LAYOUT`** — defines column structure and card ordering |
| - **`DEFAULT_LOGOS`** — institutional logos for the header |
| - **`window.posterAPI`** — programmatic API for automation |
| |
| Claude uses [Playwright](https://playwright.dev/) to: |
| - Measure image aspect ratios and assign them to matching columns |
| - Auto-optimize column widths to minimize whitespace |
| - Take screenshots and visually verify the layout |
| - Generate PDFs at full print resolution |
| |
| ## Programmatic API |
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| Available in the browser console or via Playwright: |
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| ```js |
| posterAPI.swapCards('method', 'results') // swap two cards |
| posterAPI.moveCard('quant', 'col1', 2) // move card to position |
| posterAPI.setColumnWidth('col1', 280) // resize column (mm) |
| posterAPI.setCardHeight('method', 150) // set card height (mm) |
| posterAPI.setFontScale(1.5) // adjust text size |
| posterAPI.getWaste() // measure whitespace |
| posterAPI.getLayout() // get current layout |
| posterAPI.getConfig() // get full config JSON |
| posterAPI.resetLayout() // restore defaults |
| ``` |
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| ## Example |
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| See the [Fillerbuster poster](http://ethanweber.me/fillerbuster-poster) ([repo](https://github.com/ethanweber/fillerbuster-poster)) for an example built with this skill. |
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