Numerical conditional within tikz keys?

Question

I would like to set up a presentation in which different parts of the same tikz picture appear, depending on the value of one, perhaps more, integer variables. I tried at first using a fixed picture, with changing the visibility of the different path elements of it, depending on the slide number, but this did not scale. There are about 150 slides in a single frame.

Then, I tried an alternative in which the entire picture is defined as a macro, which is invoked once per slide, with different portions showing based on global conditions. However, I failed in including conditionals within the keys.

Here is a not so minimal and certainly not working example demonstrating my failures. Any help would be appreciated:

\documentclass{beamer}
\usepackage{tikz}
\usetikzlibrary{chains}

        \tikzset{%
            invisible/.style={opacity=0},
        }

\newcounter{count}


\newcommand\myPicture{
\begin{tikzpicture}
  \begin{scope}[start chain = going right]
      \node[draw, circle, on chain] {
      \ifnum \value{count} > 1
      {Count is greater than s}
      \fi};
  \node[draw, circle, on chain,opacity=0] {B};
  \node[draw, circle, on chain,  \ifnum \value{count} > 1\relax invisible\fi] {C};
    \node[draw, circle, on chain] {D};
  \end{scope}
\end{tikzpicture}
}

\begin{document}


\begin{frame}
\setcounter{count}{2}
\ifnum \value{count} > 1
{Count is greater than 1}
\fi
\ifnum \value{count} > 2
{Count is greater than s}
\fi



\only{
\setcounter{count}{2}
\myPicture
}

\only{
\setcounter{count}{1}
\myPicture
}
\only{
\setcounter{count}{2}
\myPicture
}
\end{frame}
\end{document}

Here is a minimal example giving an idea of the expected result, but of course, without achieving it:

\documentclass{beamer}
\usepackage{tikz}
\usetikzlibrary{chains}
\newcounter{count}
\newcommand\myPicture{
\begin{tikzpicture}
  \begin{scope}[start chain = going below]
      \node[draw, rectangle, on chain] {display only when counter is between 1 and 3};
  \node[draw, rectangle, on chain] {display only when counter is negative}; %
  \node[draw, rectangle, on chain] {display only if counter is between 100 and 200};
  \node[draw, circle, on chain] {only when counter is in the range 3 to 20};
  \end{scope}
\end{tikzpicture}
}

\begin{document}
\begin{frame}
\only{\setcounter{count}{-3}\myPicture}
\only{\setcounter{count}{105}\myPicture}
\only{\setcounter{count}{39}\myPicture}
\only{\setcounter{count}{2}\myPicture}
\end{frame}
\end{document}

Answer 1

I am definitely unfamiliar with both beamer and tikz (do not quite get what the \only are supposed to do) but perhaps this could go in the direction you want:

\documentclass{beamer}
\usepackage{tikz}
\usetikzlibrary{chains}
\newcounter{count}

% helper macro:
\long\def\GobToSemiColon #1;{}

\newcommand\myPicture{
\begin{tikzpicture}
  \begin{scope}[start chain = going below]
  \ifnum\value{count}<1 \expandafter\GobToSemiColon\fi
  \ifnum\value{count}>3 \expandafter\GobToSemiColon\fi
  \node[draw, rectangle, on chain] {display only when counter is between
    1 and 3};

  \ifnum\value{count}>-1 \expandafter\GobToSemiColon\fi
  \node[draw, rectangle, on chain] {display only when counter is
    negative}; 

  \ifnum\value{count}<100 \expandafter\GobToSemiColon\fi
  \ifnum\value{count}>200 \expandafter\GobToSemiColon\fi  
  \node[draw, rectangle, on chain] {display only if counter is between
    100 and 200};

  \ifnum\value{count}<3 \expandafter\GobToSemiColon\fi
  \ifnum\value{count}>20 \expandafter\GobToSemiColon\fi
  \node[draw, circle, on chain] {only when counter is in the range 3 to 20};
  \end{scope}
\end{tikzpicture}
}

\begin{document}
\begin{frame}
\only{\setcounter{count}{-3}\myPicture}
\only{\setcounter{count}{105}\myPicture}
\only{\setcounter{count}{39}\myPicture}
\only{\setcounter{count}{2}\myPicture}
\only{\setcounter{count}{5}\myPicture}
\end{frame}
\end{document}

Answer 2

I tried to modify your minimal example by introducing a changing tikzpicture depending on the value of an integer. To make the drawing stable on all the slides, I included a \clip action.

I couldn't quite figure out what your problem was and I imagine that the lapse of time between your question and my answer is not helping. Let me know if you are still looking for something else.

\documentclass{beamer}

\usepackage{xcolor}
\usepackage{tikz}
\usetikzlibrary{chains}

\newcounter{count}
\newcommand{\myPicture}[1]{%
  \begin{tikzpicture}
    \clip (-5, -3.3) rectangle (5, 3.3);
    \begin{scope}[start chain = going below]
      \ifnum#1<4
      \node[draw, rectangle, on chain, fill=yellow]
      {display only when counter is between 1 and 3};
      \node[on chain, red!50!black, fill=blue!50!black!10,
      inner sep=2ex, rounded corners, scale=1.25, rotate={(#1-1)*10}]
      {counter=#1};
      \else
      \ifnum#1<6
      \node[draw, rectangle, on chain, rounded corners]
      {display only when counter is 4 or 5};
      \else
      \ifnum#1=6
      \node[draw, rectangle, on chain]
      {display only when counter is 6 or 7};
      \else
      \ifnum#1=7
      \node[draw, rectangle, on chain,
      label={[fill=orange]-35:not so identical}]
      {display only when counter is 6 or 7};      
      \else
      \node[draw, very thick, blue, circle, on chain]
      {only when counter is 8, or \ldots};
      \fi\fi\fi\fi
  \end{scope}
\end{tikzpicture}
}

\begin{document}

\begin{frame}{Introduction}
  Some information on the first frame and an example with multiple slides based on a TikZ picture on the second one.
\end{frame}


\begin{frame}{A changing image on this frame}
  The inspiring test: (on slide \thepage\ -- total counting)

  \bigskip
  
  \only<1> {\myPicture{1}}
  \only<2> {\myPicture{2}}
  \only<3> {\myPicture{3}}
  \only<4-5> {\myPicture{4}}
  \only<6> {\myPicture{6}}
  \only<7> {\myPicture{7}}
  \only<8> {\myPicture{8}}
\end{frame}
\end{document}