# Neither \boldsymbol{} nor \bm{} work in beamer class

I need to typeset some variables in math mode that are bold and slanted. I tried to use \boldsymbol (\usepackage{amsbsy}) and \bm (\usepackage{bm}). However, neither of them work.

MWE:

\documentclass{beamer}
\usepackage[utf8x]{inputenc}
\usepackage[english]{babel}

\usepackage{amsbsy}

\usepackage{bm}

\begin{document}

\frame{
\frametitle{Bold}

\begin{itemize}
\item $\boldsymbol{R}$ versus $R$
\item $\bm{R}$ versus $R$
\end{itemize}

}

\end{document}


The output is as following:

Any suggestions? What did I do wrong?

• Are you getting any missing font shape warnings? Maybe there is no slanted bold Jun 17, 2015 at 7:07
• @MaxNoe You're right. I get LaTeX Font Warning: Font shape OT1/cmss/bx/it' undefined (Font) using OT1/cmss/bx/n' instead on input line 20. This seems to be the problem. However, is there a work around?
– phx
Jun 17, 2015 at 7:09
• Which TeX distribution, and which version of beamer, do you use? (I have no problem with bold-italics under MikTeX2.9.)
– Mico
Jun 17, 2015 at 7:10
• Please update your packages. Both versions run for me, too. Jun 17, 2015 at 7:11
• You did nothing wrong; the problem is that you have an outdated TeX Live. You can work around the problem by adding \usepackage{lmodern}. Jun 17, 2015 at 7:52

I can reproduce the issue with TeX Live 2012, not with 2013.

Upgrading to a current TeX Live would be best. A workaround is available anyway:

\documentclass{beamer}
\usepackage[utf8x]{inputenc} % but utf8 would be better
\usepackage[english]{babel}

\usepackage{lmodern}
\usepackage{bm}

\begin{document}

\begin{frame}
\frametitle{Bold}

\begin{itemize}
\item $\boldsymbol{R}$ versus $R$
\item $\bm{R}$ versus $R$
\end{itemize}

\end{frame}

\end{document}


Loading amsbsy is useless, as bm clobbers the \boldsymbol command making it equivalent to \bm.

Avoid the \frame{...} syntax and favor

\begin{frame}
...
\end{frame}

• Splendid. This works well. Concerning the TeX live distribution, I definitively have the 2013 version installed: This is pdfTeX, Version 3.1415926-2.5-1.40.14 (TeX Live 2013/Debian).
– phx
Jun 17, 2015 at 8:03
• But maybe not all the fonts! TeX Live is scattered into multiple sub packages in the ubuntu repos. Just install the current TeX Live from tug: tug.org/texlive Jun 17, 2015 at 9:15