---
title: "Breaking: #77156 - TSconfig and TStemplate soft references functionality removed"
manual: "TYPO3 Core Changelog"
version: "main"
permalink: "https://docs.typo3.org/permalink/changelog:breaking-77156"
source: "Changelog/8.3/Breaking-77156-TSconfigAndTStemplateSoftReferencesFunctionalityRemoved.rst"
typo3-version: "8.3"
typo3-major: 8
type: "breaking"
issue: 77156
forge: "https://forge.typo3.org/issues/77156"
tags: ["TCA", "PHP-API"]
rendered: "2026-09-20T18:31:11+00:00"
---

# Breaking: #77156 - TSconfig and TStemplate soft references functionality removed {#breaking-77156}

See [forge#77156](https://forge.typo3.org/issues/77156)

## Description {#description}

Soft references based on TSconfig, TStemplate and images within `fileadmin/` have been removed.

The soft reference keys `TSconfig` and `TStemplate` that could previously be set via
`$GLOBALS[TCA][$table][columns][$column][config][softref]` are not evaluated anymore.

The soft reference keys `images`, `typolink` and `typolink_tag` are not evaluating files within `fileadmin/`
anymore that are not based on the File Abstraction Layer.

The public PHP property `SoftReferenceIndex::$fileAdminDir` has been removed.

The following PHP methods has been removed without substitution:

-   `SoftReferenceIndex::findRef_TStemplate()`
-   `SoftReferenceIndex::findRef_TSconfig()`
-   `SoftReferenceIndex::fileadminReferences()`

## Impact {#impact}

Setting the softref properties `TSconfig` and `TStemplate` within TCA will not be evaluated anymore and will
throw a deprecation message.

Calling any of the PHP methods above will throw a fatal PHP error.

The soft reference index will not be updated with the TSconfig and TStemplate properties anymore, as well
as files directly linked or referenced with the `fileadmin/` directory.

## Affected Installations {#affected-installations}

If the soft reference index is evaluated in a third-party extension, this might result in unexpected behaviour.

All TYPO3 instances using extensions setting TSconfig or TStemplate soft references in TCA are also affected.

## Migration {#migration}

Remove the softref keys `TStemplate` and `TSconfig` from the TCA definition of the third party extensions.