Touchscreen Holograms: Clickable Holograms in Minecraft

Touchscreen Holograms in Minecraft: Interactive Command Execution

Minecraft servers constantly push the boundaries of what is possible within the blocky universe, and one of the most immersive ways to engage players is through interactive holograms. Imagine walking up to a floating text display, tapping it, and instantly teleporting to a different world, receiving a special item, or being whisked away to another server on a BungeeCord network. This is exactly what the Touchscreen Holograms plugin delivers, acting as a lightweight bridge between Holographic Displays and powerful command execution. While the plugin is no longer actively maintained, its straightforward design means it can still function reliably on many setups, making it a hidden gem for server owners who want to add clickable, dynamic elements without complex scripting.

What Is Touchscreen Holograms?

Touchscreen Holograms is an addon for the popular Holographic Displays plugin. By itself, Holographic Displays lets you create floating lines of text in the world, but they are purely visual. This addon transforms those static lines into interactive buttons. When a player clicks on a hologram, the plugin fires off one or more commands you have configured. It supports a variety of command execution contexts, from running a command as the player to executing it as the console or even as a temporary operator. BungeeCord server owners will appreciate the ability to send players to another server with a single click, making lobby hubs and network navigation seamless.

Key Features at a Glance

• Lightweight and easy to configure with simple in-game commands.
• Multiple command options, including console, operator, and player-level execution.
• BungeeCord support for sending players to different servers.
• Built-in placeholders for dynamic values like player name, world, and online count.
• Tell mode for sending formatted messages without using the command system.
• Only one permission node required: touchscreenholograms.admin.

Getting Started and Configuration

To begin, you need a working installation of Holographic Displays on your Spigot, Paper, or compatible server. After placing the Touchscreen Holograms JAR file into your plugins folder and restarting the server, all management is done through the /touchscreenholograms command (aliases /touch and /th). The plugin creates a simple data file to store command associations, so there is no database to worry about. If you are running a modded client alongside your server, keeping everything organized can become tricky. For those who prefer a more streamlined approach, the foxygame.net launcher allows you to easily install mods and plugins directly from its menu, making it a convenient, flexible, and modern Minecraft launcher that keeps your entire setup coherent.

Essential Commands

All configuration revolves around a few intuitive commands. Here is a breakdown of the most important ones:

• /touch add <hologram> <command> – Binds a command to an existing hologram. The hologram name must match exactly what you created in Holographic Displays.
• /touch remove <hologram> <commandIndex> – Deletes a specific command from the hologram’s list. Use /touch details to see indexes.
• /touch details <hologram> – Shows all commands linked to a hologram along with their index numbers.
• /touch clearall <hologram> – Removes every command from the hologram in one sweep.
• /touch list [page] – Displays a paginated list of all holograms that have at least one command attached.
• /touch help – Provides a quick reference of available subcommands.

Command Types and Execution Modes

One of the plugin’s strongest design choices is the ability to prefix a command with a special tag that changes how it runs. By default, any command you add will be executed by the player who clicks the hologram. However, you can alter this behavior dramatically:

• console: <command> – The command runs from the server console, bypassing player permissions entirely. Ideal for giving items, changing game rules, or triggering administrative functions safely.
• op: <command> – Temporarily grants operator privileges for that single command execution, then removes them. Perfect for letting players use commands they normally could not, without permanently opping them.
• server: <server> – Sends the clicking player to a named server on your BungeeCord network. For example, /touch add hubHologram server: survival instantly transports players to the survival world.
• tell: <message> – Sends a private message directly to the player, supporting color codes. This is not a command at all; it simply displays text, which is great for informational holograms.

Dynamic Placeholders for Personalization

Static commands are useful, but placeholders breathe life into your holograms. The plugin replaces these variables with real-time data when a player clicks:

• {player} – The name of the player who clicked.
• {world} – The name of the world the player is currently in.
• {online} – The current number of players on the server.
• {max_players} – The server’s maximum player slots.

You can combine placeholders with command types. For instance, /touch add welcome tell: &aWelcome back, {player}! There are {online} players online. creates a personalized greeting that updates automatically.

Practical Use Cases

Server hubs benefit enormously from this plugin. A hologram labeled “Survival” can run server: survival, while another labeled “Creative” does the same for the creative server. Information boards can use the tell mode to display rules or news. Minigame lobbies might use console commands to add players to a queue or give them a kit. Even simple teleportation pads become more magical when a floating hologram says “Click to teleport to spawn” and executes console: tp {player} spawn.

Important Considerations for an Unmaintained Plugin

Because the plugin is no longer under active development, you should test it thoroughly on your server version before deploying it to a live environment. While it is lightweight and unlikely to break with minor Minecraft updates, there is no guarantee it will remain compatible with future releases. Always back up your configuration files, and keep an eye on server logs for any errors after an update. If you encounter issues, the plugin’s simplicity often makes it easy to find community forks or alternative solutions that replicate the same functionality.

Conclusion

Touchscreen Holograms fills a specific but powerful niche: turning decorative holograms into functional, interactive elements without bloated dependencies or complex scripting. Its support for multiple command execution modes, BungeeCord integration, and dynamic placeholders makes it a versatile tool for server administrators who want to enhance player navigation and engagement. Even though it is unmaintained, its straightforward design means it can still serve as a reliable component in your server’s toolbox. By combining it with a well-organized hologram layout and a touch of creativity, you can craft a truly immersive Minecraft experience that feels modern and responsive.