#TouchUI

[aktechworld]

Building a Mobile-First CRM: UX Considerations for Developers

As teams become increasingly mobile and remote, CRMs must function seamlessly on smartphones and tablets. A mobile-first CRM isn’t just a responsive design — it’s a rethinking of how users interact with features in real-time, on the go.

Here are key UX considerations developers should prioritize when building mobile-first CRM solutions:

1. Simplified Navigation

Use a bottom-tab or collapsible hamburger menu for easy one-hand use

Prioritize the most-used features on the home screen

Limit user interactions to 2–3 taps to access critical tasks

Avoid overloading the interface with too many options

2. Offline Access and Sync

Allow users to access records even without internet connectivity

Auto-sync changes once the device goes online

Use local caching for smooth experience during field operations

Maintain data accuracy across devices

3. Touch-Optimized Interactions

Design larger touch targets for forms, buttons, and menus

Use swipe gestures for actions like delete, archive, or assign

Minimize typing by offering dropdowns, toggles, and voice input

Focus on finger-friendly UI patterns over mouse-based ones

4. Performance and Speed

Optimize loading times with lazy loading and minimal animation

Compress images and minimize API payloads

Use skeleton loaders to improve perceived speed

Reduce background processes that drain battery

5. Context-Aware Functionality

Trigger location-based reminders or check-ins for sales reps

Show recently accessed contacts or tasks upon app launch

Personalize dashboards based on time of day or past activity

Custom CRM apps can dynamically adapt to user context

6. Data Entry Efficiency

Pre-fill forms with known user data

Add barcode/QR code scanning for quick product or ticket lookup

Use camera access for attachments and visual records

Minimize scrolling with accordion or segmented layouts

7. Notifications and Alerts

Send real-time push notifications for leads, meetings, and updates

Group notifications logically to avoid spamming users

Allow users to customize alert preferences within settings

Deliver actionable alerts with quick action buttons

8. Security on Mobile Devices

Require biometric or PIN login on app launch

Encrypt stored data and use secure authentication APIs

Set auto-logout for idle sessions

Mobile CRM security must match or exceed desktop-grade protection

[computingondemand]

The Best OctoPrint Plugins for 2021

New Article has been published on https://computingondemand.com/the-best-octoprint-plugins-for-2021/

The Best OctoPrint Plugins for 2021

OctoPrint is an excellent piece of software. Out of the box it provides users with a ton of functionality. However, due to its open source nature and its flexibility, many have extended its functionality by creating plugins. With that in mind, let’s cover some of the plugins that I feel are the best plugins for the platform.

This list is not in any order. Be sure to tell us your thoughts in the comments below.

Table of Contents

Bed Visualizer

Cost Estimation

Dashboard

DisplayLayerProgress

Filament Manager

FileManager

Floating Navbar

Navbar Temperature Plugin

OctoPrint-Widescreen

Octoprint-Display-ETA

Preheat Button

PrusaSlicer Thumbnails

Simple Emergency Stop

Themeify

TouchUI

Bed Visualizer

This plugin utilizes Plotly js library to render a 3D surface of the bed’s reported mesh on a tab within OctoPrint. It converts this

Cost Estimation

This OctoPrint plugin displays the estimated print cost for the loaded model. The print cost includes the price for the used filament the maintenance and operating cost for the printer as well as the depreciation of the printer.

Calculation based on the provided filament length

Customizable currency symbol

Hide cost if not logged in (optional)

Support for multiple extruders

Support for filament profiles with Filament Manager Plugin

Dashboard

This plugin adds a dashboard tab in Octoprint that displays the most relevant info regarding the state of the printer and any on-going print job.

Adds a new tab first in the list and becomes the default tab when opening OctoPrint

Widgets for current:RPi host CPU Load, CPU Temp, CPU frequency, Mem Utilization, Storage Utilization.

Printer profile, Connection status, Printer Status

Hotend temp(s), Bed Temp, Chamber Temp, Fan speed

Temperature/Humidity sensors.

Shell command output

Printed file, Job Progress, Layer Progress

Layer Duration Graph

Estimated total time, ETA, Time left, Time since print started

Current layer, Total layers

Current height, Total height

Average layer time

WebCam view

Settings to configure what widgets and info to include in the Dashboard

Supports multiple hotends as configured in the printer profile

Supports chamber temperature if configured in the printer profile

Configurable progress gauge type (Circle, Bar)

Fullscreen mode including job control buttons (Start, Cancel, Pause/Resume)

Full page mode by adding ?dashboard=full parameter at the end of the octoprint url

Uses Estimates from PrintTimeGenius when installed

Uses GCode analysis provided by DisplayLayerProgress to get more accurate layer and fan data

Theme friendly

DisplayLayerProgress

A OctoPrint-Plugin that sends the current Layer-Informations, the Progress and other data of a print via M117 command to the printer-display and also to the top navigation bar. A new feature is the “Desktop Printer-Display”, which shows all M117 messages in a Desktop PopUp.

It shows the progress, estimatedEndTime, printTimeLeft, currentLayer, totalLayerCount, last/average layerDuration, currentHeight, totalHeight, feedrate and fanspeed:

Printer Display: 50% L=60/120 H=23mm/47mm

NavBar: Layer: 60 / 120 Height: 23mm of 47mm

Browser TabTitle: 12% end: 19:32

Filament Manager

This OctoPrint plugin helps to manage your filament spools.

Replacing filament volume with weight in sidebar

Software odometer to measure used filament

Warn if print exceeds remaining filament on spool

Assign temperature offset to spools

Automatically pause print if filament runs out

Import & export of spool inventory

Support for PostgreSQL as database for multiple instances

FileManager

A simple file manager.

Floating Navbar

This plugin simply makes the navbar float/stick to the top of the page while scrolling.

Navbar Temperature Plugin

Display temperatures on navbar

OctoPrint-Widescreen

Plugin that adds a right sidebar panel and moves configured panels from left sidebar to the right sidebar.

Octoprint-Display-ETA

Display estimated time of finish for current print (Estimated Time of Arrival). Day of finish is displayed only when current print will not finish today.

Preheat Button

This plugin adds a preheat button to preheat the nozzle and bed to the printing temperature of the selected gcode file. This can be done manually but this plugin makes it more convenient. If the target temperature is not zero, the button will instead turn off nozzle heating (cooldown).

PrusaSlicer Thumbnails

This plugin will extract the embedded thumbnails from PrusaSlicer gcode files where the printer’s profile ini file has the thumbnail option configured. This is default behavior for the Prusa Mini printer profile.

The thumbnail image extracted will always be the last resolution provided in the thumbnail setting. So for example the Prusa Mini setting is thumbnails = 16×16,220×124 so the thumbnail that will be extracted will be 220×124 pixels as seen in the screenshots below. See the Configuration section below for additional details.

The preview thumbnail can be shown in OctoPrint from the files list by clicking the newly added image button.

Simple Emergency Stop

A simple plugin that adds an emergency stop button on NavBar.

Themeify

A small OctoPrint plugin to change the looks of OctoPrint! Features a beautiful Dark Theme inspired by Discord’s color palette, along with a handful of others thanks to the awesome contributors.

Also features customization of individual elements. With the advanced-customization scheme you can modify the appearance to your heart’s desire directly from the settings-dialog!

TouchUI

This plugin will transform the OctoPrint layout into a Mobile/TFT friendly layout. With larger buttons and a responsive layout down to the smallest resolution possible. It will mimic pointer events as touch, so you can hook up those touchscreens. It also supports a virtual keyboard.

All these settings are set client-side, so we won’t interfere with other clients. All settings are stored in your localstorage or as a delicious cookie. You can find the TouchUI settings in a dedicated modal. Remember they’re stored on your device, so if you login with your desktop computer you won’t get the touch interface.

[the3dsmith]

The new case for my Raspberry Pi with Display is ready and looks pretty cool 👍 I was also able to install Octodash instead of TouchUI, looks a lot cleaner 😊 Note: I think the case was designed for a slightly different display, so I’ll soon fix that and add a bracket to assemble directly on the printer frame. . #the3dsmith #3dprinting #raspberry #raspberrypi #octoprint #octopi #octodash #case #mod #mods #programming #weekendproject #saturday #saturdayproject (at Netherlands) https://www.instagram.com/p/CGdND8aDybi/?igshid=1gxmbsygbeekk

[allenhwkim]

This is my recent Javascript open-source work. I wish it helps other develpers in the world.

[aemworld-blog]

Dialog Conversion Tool for AEM 6 & later, fixes for proper installation.

The reason we use the Adobe’s dialog conversion tool is to convert the CQ5 (v5.6.1 ) dialog classic UI to the cq:dialog AEM 6.0 or 6.1 Touch UI compatible.

The following images show the Classic UI and the Touch UI dialog’s for the Column Configuration component.

Classic UI (v5.6.1)

Touch UI (from AEM 6.0 onwards)

Dialog Conversion Tool Installation for AEM 6.0 & 6.1

When installing Dialog Conversion Tool (available publicly at Adobe.com) in AEM6.0 instance, you may end up with errors like:

If you have any overlayed components under /apps/cq/content then this error (see below image) occurs due to the nt:folder property of the "tools” folder under: /apps/cq/core/content/nav/tools. 

This property wont allow the user to install the package under it. So our goal is to re-create a folder called “tools” with nt:unstructured property  and delete the earlier tools folder and move back the “acs-commons” folder under tools, if you have it.

 and then move its contents as earlier...

and goto the Package Manager and install the Dialog Conversion Tool from it. Now you should be able to see your folder structure as below, after a successful installation.

Finally to access the tool, go to 

http://localhost:<your-port>)/libs/cq/dialogconversion/content/console.html

Thanks.

[computertales]

The most important thing to realize about the future is that it's a choice. People choose which visions to pursue, people choose which research gets funded, people choose how they will spend their careers. Despite how it appears to the culture at large, technology doesn't just happen. It doesn't emerge spontaneously, like mold on cheese. Revolutionary technology comes out of long research, and research is performed and funded by inspired people.

An already classic text from Bret Victor - A Brief Rant on the Future of Interaction Design