Feature: #107526 - Custom TCA types for scheduler tasks

Description

Scheduler tasks can now be created using custom TCA types instead of the legacy :AdditionalFieldProvider approach. This enhancement allows developers to define custom database fields for specific task types, providing full flexibility of FormEngine and DataHandler for editing and persistence.

The new approach replaces three major downsides of the traditional method:

Native database fields are now created automatically via TCA instead of being serialized into a JSON field.
Tasks are registered via TCA record types instead of custom registration methods.
Field handling is now done through standard TCA configuration, eliminating the need for AdditionalFieldProviders.

Benefits

Using custom TCA types for scheduler tasks provides several advantages:

FormEngine handles validation automatically, reducing the risk of XSS or SQL injection vulnerabilities in extension code.
Task configuration follows standard TYPO3 form patterns.
Developers can use familiar TCA configuration instead of implementing custom field providers.
Access to all TCA field types, validation, and rendering options.

Migration

Existing task types using custom TCA types automatically migrate existing data through the getTaskParameters() and setTaskParameters() methods:

During migration, getTaskParameters() is called to extract field values from the serialized task object.
For new TCA-based tasks, setTaskParameters() receives the full database record as an array instead of serialized data from the parameters field.
The task class name still matches the value of the tasktype field.

Implementation examples

File storage indexing task

TCA configuration in Configuration/TCA/Overrides/file_storage_indexing_task.php:

TCA configuration for the file storage indexing task

defined('TYPO3') or die();

use TYPO3\CMS\Core\Utility\ExtensionManagementUtility;
use TYPO3\CMS\Scheduler\Task\FileStorageIndexingTask;

ExtensionManagementUtility::addRecordType(
    [
        'label' => 'scheduler.messages:fileStorageIndexing.name',
        'description' => 'scheduler.messages:fileStorageIndexing.description',
        'value' => FileStorageIndexingTask::class,
        'icon' => 'mimetypes-x-tx_scheduler_task_group',
        'iconOverlay' => 'content-clock',
        'group' => 'scheduler',
    ],
    '
        --div--;core.form.tabs:general,
            tasktype,
            task_group,
            description,
            file_storage;scheduler.messages:label.fileStorageIndexing.storage,
        --div--;scheduler.messages:scheduler.form.palettes.timing,
            execution_details,
            nextexecution,
            --palette--;;lastexecution,
        --div--;core.form.tabs:access,
            disable,
        --div--;core.form.tabs:extended,',
    [],
    '',
    'tx_scheduler_task'
);

Task class with migration support:

FileStorageIndexingTask class

namespace TYPO3\CMS\Scheduler\Task;

class FileStorageIndexingTask extends AbstractTask
{
    public $storageUid = -1;

    public function execute()
    {
        // Task execution logic
        return true;
    }

    public function getTaskParameters(): array
    {
        return [
            'file_storage' => $this->storageUid,
        ];
    }

    public function setTaskParameters(array $parameters): void
    {
        $this->storageUid = $parameters['storageUid']
            ?? $parameters['file_storage']
            ?? 0;
    }
}

Recycler cleaner task with custom fields

TCA configuration with custom field overrides in Configuration/TCA/Overrides/scheduler_cleaner_task.php:

TCA configuration for the recycler cleaner task

defined('TYPO3') or die();

use TYPO3\CMS\Recycler\Task\CleanerTask;

if (isset($GLOBALS['TCA']['tx_scheduler_task'])) {
    \TYPO3\CMS\Core\Utility\ExtensionManagementUtility::addRecordType(
        [
            'label' => 'recycler.tasks:cleanerTaskTitle',
            'description' => 'recycler.tasks:cleanerTaskDescription',
            'value' => CleanerTask::class,
            'icon' => 'mimetypes-x-tx_scheduler_task_group',
            'iconOverlay' => 'content-clock',
            'group' => 'recycler',
        ],
        '
            --div--;core.form.tabs:general,
                tasktype,
                task_group,
                description,
                selected_tables;recycler.tasks:cleanerTaskTCA,
                number_of_days;recycler.tasks:cleanerTaskPeriod,
            --div--;scheduler.messages:scheduler.form.palettes.timing,
                execution_details,
                nextexecution,
                --palette--;;lastexecution,
            --div--;core.form.tabs:access,
                disable,
            --div--;core.form.tabs:extended,',
        [
            'columnsOverrides' => [
                'selected_tables' => [
                    'label' => 'recycler.tasks:cleanerTaskTCA',
                    'config' => [
                        'type' => 'select',
                        'renderType' => 'selectMultipleSideBySide',
                        'size' => 10,
                        'minitems' => 1,
                        'maxitems' => 100,
                        'itemsProcFunc' =>
                            CleanerTask::class. '->getAllTcaTables',
                        'items' => [],
                    ],
                ],
            ],
        ],
        '',
        'tx_scheduler_task'
    );
}

Task class with migration support:

CleanerTask class

namespace TYPO3\CMS\Recycler\Task;

use TYPO3\CMS\Core\Utility\GeneralUtility;
use TYPO3\CMS\Scheduler\Task\AbstractTask;

class CleanerTask extends AbstractTask
{
    protected int $period = 0;

    protected array $tcaTables = [];

    public function execute()
    {
        // Task execution logic
        return true;
    }

    public function getAdditionalInformation()
    {
        $message = sprintf(
            $this->getLanguageService()->sL(
                'recycler.tasks:cleanerTaskDescriptionTables'
            ),
            implode(', ', $this->tcaTables)
        );
        $message .= '; ';
        $message .= sprintf(
            $this->getLanguageService()->sL(
                'recycler.tasks:cleanerTaskDescriptionDays'
            ),
            $this->period
        );
        return $message;
    }

    public function getTaskParameters(): array
    {
        return [
            'selected_tables' => implode(',', $this->tcaTables),
            'number_of_days' => $this->period,
        ];
    }

    public function setTaskParameters(array $parameters): void
    {
        $tcaTables = $parameters['RecyclerCleanerTCA']
            ?? $parameters['selected_tables']
            ?? [];
        if (is_string($tcaTables)) {
            $tcaTables = GeneralUtility::trimExplode(',', $tcaTables, true);
        }
        $this->tcaTables = $tcaTables;
        $this->period = (int)(
            $parameters['RecyclerCleanerPeriod']
            ?? $parameters['number_of_days']
            ?? 180
        );
    }
}

Creating custom task types

To create a custom scheduler task with TCA configuration:

Create the task class extending AbstractTask. Implement the core logic in the execute() method.
Implement migration methods getTaskParameters() and setTaskParameters().
Optionally add getAdditionalInformation() for backend listing output.
Add TCA configuration in Configuration/TCA/Overrides/tx_scheduler_task_your_task.php.
Define custom fields in the TCA showitem configuration.
Register the task type using ExtensionManagementUtility::addRecordType().

Example custom task TCA registration in Configuration/TCA/Overrides/tx_scheduler_task_your_task.php:

Example custom task TCA registration

use TYPO3\CMS\Core\Utility\ExtensionManagementUtility;

ExtensionManagementUtility::addTCAcolumns(
    'tx_scheduler_task',
    [
        'custom_field' => [
            'label' => 'my_extension.tasks:custom_field',
            'config' => [
                'type' => 'input',
            ],
        ],
    ]
);

ExtensionManagementUtility::addRecordType(
    [
        'label' => 'My Custom Task',
        'description' => 'Description of what this task does',
        'value' => \MyVendor\MyExtension\Task\CustomTask::class,
        'icon' => 'my-custom-icon',
        'iconOverlay' => 'my-custom-icon-overlay',
        'group' => 'my_extension',
    ],
    '
        --div--;General,
            tasktype,
            task_group,
            description,
            custom_field,
            number_of_days;my_extension.tasks:myTaskPeriodLabel,
        --div--;Timing,
            execution_details,
            nextexecution,
            --palette--;;lastexecution,
        --div--;Access,
            disable,
    ',
    [
        'columnsOverrides' => [
            'number_of_days' => [
                'config' => [
                    'eval' => 'required',
                ],
            ],
        ],
    ],
    '',
    'tx_scheduler_task'
);

Tip

After migrating your tasks to native TCA types, run the Migrate the contents of the tx_scheduler_task database table into a more structured form upgrade wizard.

Impact

Extension developers can create more maintainable and secure scheduler tasks.
Custom task configuration benefits from full FormEngine capabilities.
Existing tasks are automatically migrated without data loss.
Development follows standard TYPO3 TCA patterns.
Improved validation and security through FormEngine and DataHandler.