Adding Images to the ViewTouch Interface

[GeneMosher]

The ViewTouch Interface has a new Button Type > 'Image' and, even more exciting, all Button Types can have Images attached to them !! We're starting out with PNG, including transparent PNG images. There is a new directory, /usr/viewtouch/imgs, where anyone can put images one wants available to add to the interface, either simply as images or to enhance Buttons, in which case text will accompany the image, either at the top or at the bottom of the Button. The idea is that any images you want to use are placed in this directory and will be available for your use.

ImageMagick is being added to the official ViewTouch boot image. This adds, of course, all of the ImageMagick commands to ViewTouch. The more immediately useful commands: magick, convert, and mogrify will give ViewTouch the ability to move images in virtually any format to any other format of one's choice. True to the longstanding ViewTouch tradition, there will be buttons and enhancements to the Editor functions that will make these commands available to everyone who does not want to learn how to use them from the command line interface, which will also be available, of course.

In Point of Sale mode there is already an important and useful new 'toggle' button available (in the bottom row, obviously). 'Show Button Images'. This gives individual users the ability to use ViewTouch without having to deal with images if they so choose as it also gives users the ability to make use of images according to their individual preference.

Editors will be especially happy with a new feature that allows them to move buttons, individually or in 'lasso' groups, immediately to new locations on a page, no longer having to deal with any slowness or lag. Editors who make use of the lasso can make their changes far more quickly than Editors who don't !!

I don't want to fail to mention that individual displays can now be set up for Self-Ordering Mode. This has been used for over a year now by a couple of ViewTouch customers, with the benefit that these customers have been able to dramatically lower the labor cost in their restaurants. This feature, combined with the new Image Buttons has the potential to put restaurant customers directly in touch with the Kitchen or Bar fulfillment staff. Any restaurant customer in a hurry will appreciate being to enter their food and/or beverage order to the attention of the restaurant's Prep Crew immediately upon arrival at the restaurant. Self Order displays allow restaurant customers to indicate whether they want their order packaged to take away (To Go, TakeOut) or whether they will be enjoying their meal on the premises !

It's our longstanding intent that ViewTouch is the all-around best restaurant point of sale solution ! Your suggestions are always welcome.