---
title: "Feature: #109366 - Hide form fields with no selectable items"
manual: "TYPO3 Core Changelog"
version: "main"
permalink: "https://docs.typo3.org/permalink/changelog:feature-109366-1742900000"
source: "Changelog/14.2/Feature-109366-HideFormFieldsWithNoSelectableItems.rst"
typo3-version: "14.2"
typo3-major: 14
type: "feature"
issue: 109366
forge: "https://forge.typo3.org/issues/109366"
tags: ["Backend", "TCA"]
rendered: "2026-09-25T23:17:45+00:00"
---

# Feature: #109366 - Hide form fields with no selectable items {#feature-109366-1742900000}

See [forge#109366](https://forge.typo3.org/issues/109366)

## Description {#description}

Relational fields in the FormEngine, such as `type=select` with
`foreign_table`, `type=category`, and `type=select`, with
misconfigured empty items are now automatically handled when no selectable
items are available. Also, `type=language` fields are hidden if
only a single language is configured, since a dropdown with one choice serves
no purpose.

For regular users, the field is removed entirely. When backend debug mode is
enabled (`$GLOBALS['TYPO3_CONF_VARS']['BE']['debug'] = true`), the field
is kept as read-only with an info badge so admins can identify configuration
issues such as missing records or restrictive TSconfig.

Common scenarios where this applies:

-   A `categories` field is displayed but no `sys_category` records exist.
-   A select field references `fe_groups`, but no frontend user groups
    have been created.
-   All available items have been removed via TSconfig
    `removeItems` or `keepItems` configuration.
-   The backend user has no permissions for any of the available items.
-   A site has only one configured language.
-   A `type=select` field is misconfigured and has no items.

### Affected field types {#affected-field-types}

-   `type=select` (all render types including `selectTree`): hidden when no
    items are available. For fields with `foreign_table`, static items like
    "Hide at login" are not counted - they only make sense when actual foreign
    records exist.
-   `type=category`: hidden when no items are available
-   `type=language`: hidden when only one language is available (the special
    `-1` "All languages" item is not counted as a meaningful choice)

### Existing values {#existing-values}

Fields not rendered in the form are simply not submitted on save. The DataHandler
preserves the existing database value for non-submitted fields, so no data is
lost when a field is hidden by this feature.

### Opt-out {#opt-out}

The behavior can be disabled per field using the TCA configuration option
`showIfEmpty`:

**EXT:my_extension/Configuration/TCA/Overrides/tt_content.php**

```php
$GLOBALS['TCA']['tt_content']['columns']['categories']['config']['showIfEmpty'] = true;
```

## Impact {#impact}

Fields without selectable items are now hidden by default. In backend debug
mode, the fields are shown as read-only with an info badge.
Extensions that rely on empty fields always being shown should set
`showIfEmpty` to `true` in their TCA configuration.