Breaking: #105728 - Extbase backend modules not in page context rely on global TypoScript only

Description

Configuration of extbase based backend modules can be done using frontend TypoScript.

The standard prefix in TypoScript to do this is module.tx_myextension, extbase backend module controllers can typically retrieve their configuration using a call like $configuration = $this->configurationManager->getConfiguration(ConfigurationManagerInterface::CONFIGURATION_TYPE_SETTINGS, 'myextension');.

TypoScript itself is always bound to a page: In the frontend, there must be either some rootline page with a sys_template record, or a page that has a site set. The frontend rendering will otherwise bail out with an error message.

Extbase based backend modules are sometimes bound to pages as well: They can have a rendered page tree configured by their module configuration, and then receive the selected page uid within the request as GET parameter id.

Other extbase based backend modules however are not within page scope and do not render the page tree. Examples of such modules within the core are the backend modules delivered by the form and beuser extension.

Such extbase based backend without page tree modules had a hard time to calculate their relevant frontend TypoScript based configuration: Since TypoScript is bound to pages, they looked for "the first" valid page in the page tree, and the first valid sys_template record to calculate their TypoScript configuration. This dependency and guesswork made final configuration of extbase backend module configuration not in page context brittle, intransparent and clumsy.

TYPO3 v14 puts an end to this: Extbase backend modules without page context compile their TypoScript configuration from "global" TypoScript only and stop calculating TypoScript from guessing "the first valid" page.

The key call to register such "global" TypoScript is ExtensionManagementUtility::addTypoScriptSetup() in ext_localconf.php files.

Impact

Configuration of extbase based backend modules may change if their configuration is defined by the first given valid page in the page tree. Configuration of such backend modules can no longer be changed by including TypoScript on the "first valid" page.

Affected installations

Instances with extbase based backend modules without page tree may be affected.

Migration

Configuration of extbase based backend modules without page tree must be supplied programmatically and "made global" by extending $GLOBALS['TYPO3_CONF_VARS']['FE']['defaultTypoScript_setup'] using ExtensionManagementUtility::addTypoScriptSetup() within extensions ext_localconf.php files. The backend module of the form extension is a good example. Additional locations of extensions that deliver form yaml definitions are defined like this:

ExtensionManagementUtility::addTypoScriptSetup('
    module.tx_form {
        settings {
            yamlConfigurations {
                1732884807 = EXT:my_extension/Configuration/Yaml/FormSetup.yaml
            }
        }
    }
');

Note it is also possible to use ExtensionManagementUtility::addTypoScriptConstants() to declare "global" TypoScrip constants, and to use them in above TypoScript.