New content element wizard

Changed in version 13.0

Custom content element types are auto-registered for the New Content Element wizard. The listing can be configured using TCA.

Table of contents

The content element wizard opens when a new content element is created. It can be fully configured using ref:Page TSconfig <t3tsref:pagetsconfig>.

The wizard looks like this:

The title can be a string or, recommended, a language reference.
The description can be a string or, recommended, a language reference.
The group can be one of the existing group identifiers or a new one.
The icon can be one of the existing registered icon keys or a custom icon key registered in the icon API.

Any of these entries can be omitted. You should at least define a title.

New content elements are usually added in extensions in file EXT:my_extension/Configuration/Overrides/tt_content.php.

The following groups are available by default:

default: Changed in version 13.0 This group was renamed from group `common`.

Default group for commonly used content elements
forms: Content elements representing forms like a contact form or a login form

lists

menu: Menus that can be inserted as content elements like a sitemap or a menu of all subpages.
plugins: Plugins provided by extensions
special: Content elements that are used of special cases

All content element groups are listed in $GLOBALS['TCA']['tt_content']['columns']['CType']['config']['itemGroups'] you can debug them in the TYPO3 backend using the backend module System > Configuration if typo3/cms-lowlevel is installed and you are an administrator.

Some third party extensions like bk2k/bootstrap-package are altering the available groups.

Plain content elements or plugins

You can add a content element or plain plugin (no Extbase) using method ExtensionManagementUtility::addPlugin(): of class \TYPO3\CMS\Core\Utility\ExtensionManagementUtility .

EXT:my_extension/Configuration/Overrides/tt_content.php

<?php

declare(strict_types=1);

use TYPO3\CMS\Core\Utility\ExtensionManagementUtility;

defined('TYPO3') or die();

ExtensionManagementUtility::addPlugin(
    [
        'label' => 'LLL:EXT:my_extension/Resources/Private/Language/locallang.xlf:myextension_myplugin_title',
        'value' => 'myextension_myplugin',
        'icon' => 'content-text',
        'group' => 'plugin',
        'description' => 'LLL:EXT:my_extension/Resources/Private/Language/locallang.xlf:myextension_myplugin_description',
    ],
    'CType',
    'my_extension',
);

The key value in the parameter $itemArray is used as key of the newly added content element representing the plugin.

When you are using CType for parameter $type the content element is added to the select item list of column CType in table tt_content.

Deprecated since version 13.4

Using the default list_type for the parameter is deprecated. All content elements and plugins should be added with string CType for parameter $type.

This method supplies some default values:

group: Defaults to default
icon: Icon of the extension if defined

While it is still possible to use ExtensionManagementUtility::addTcaSelectItem() as is commonly seen in older extensions this method is not specific to content elements and therefore sets not default values for group and icon.

Plugins (Extbase) in the "New Content Element" wizard

To add an Extbase plugin you can use ExtensionManagementUtility::registerPlugin of class \TYPO3\CMS\Extbase\Utility\ExtensionManagementUtility.

This method is only available for Extbase plugins defined via ExtensionUtility::configurePlugin in file EXT:my_extension/ext_localconf.php

EXT:my_extension/Configuration/Overrides/tt_content.php

<?php

declare(strict_types=1);

use TYPO3\CMS\Extbase\Utility\ExtensionUtility;

defined('TYPO3') or die();

ExtensionUtility::registerPlugin(
    'my_extension',
    'MyPlugin',
    'LLL:EXT:my_extension/Resources/Private/Language/locallang.xlf:myextension_myplugin_title',
    'myextension_myplugin',
    'plugins',
    'LLL:EXT:my_extension/Resources/Private/Language/locallang.xlf:myextension_myplugin_description',
);

Override the wizard with page TSconfig

The TCA is always set globally for the complete TYPO3 installation. If you have a multi-site installation and want to alter the appearance of content elements in the wizard or remove certain content elements this can be done via page TSconfig. This is commonly done on a per site basis so you can use the Site set page TSconfig provider in your site package.

You can use the settings of newContentElement.wizardItems.

Remove items from the "New Content Element" wizard

Using [group].removeItems you can remove a content element type from the wizard.

EXT:my_sitepackage/Configuration/Sets/MySet/page.tsconfig

mod.wizards.newContentElement.wizardItems {
  special.removeItems := addToList(html)
}

This removes the content element "Plain HTML" from the group special.

Note

The affected content elements are only removed from the specified group and only in the wizard. Editors can still switch the CType selector to create such a content element. The content element might also appear in another tab.

Use User settings configuration to effectively ban usage for non-admin users.

You can also remove whole groups of content elements from the wizard:

EXT:my_sitepackage/Configuration/Sets/MySet/page.tsconfig

# This will remove the "menu" group
mod.wizards.newContentElement.wizardItems.removeItems := addToList(menu)

Change title, description, icon and default values in the wizard

You can use the following page tsconfig properties to change the display of the element in the wizard:

EXT:my_sitepackage/Configuration/Sets/MySet/page.tsconfig

mod.wizards.newContentElement.wizardItems {
  special.html {
    title = Plain HTML(use with care!!)
    description (
      Attention: This HTML is output unsanized! The editor is responsible
      to only use safe HTML content.
    )
    icon = mysitepackage_htmlattention
  }
}

Register a new group in the "New Content Element" wizard

New groups are added on the fly, however it is recommended to set a localized header:

EXT:my_extension/Configuration/Overrides/tt_content.php

<?php

declare(strict_types=1);

use TYPO3\CMS\Core\Utility\ExtensionManagementUtility;
use TYPO3\CMS\Extbase\Utility\ExtensionUtility;

defined('TYPO3') or die();

ExtensionManagementUtility::addTcaSelectItemGroup(
    'tt_content',
    'CType',
    'myextension_myplugingroup',
    'LLL:EXT:my_extension/Resources/Private/Language/locallang.xlf:myextension_myplugin.group',
);

ExtensionUtility::registerPlugin(
    'my_extension',
    'MyPlugin',
    'LLL:EXT:my_extension/Resources/Private/Language/locallang.xlf:myextension_myplugin_title',
    'myextension_myplugin',
    'myextension_myplugingroup',
    'LLL:EXT:my_extension/Resources/Private/Language/locallang.xlf:myextension_myplugin_description',
);

The headers can also be overrriden on a per site basis using page TSconfig.

EXT:my_sitepackage/Configuration/Sets/MySet/page.tsconfig

mod.wizards.newContentElement.wizardItems {
  mygroup.header = LLL:EXT:my_extension/Resources/Private/Language/locallang.xlf:mygroup.header
}

Content elements compatible with TYPO3 v12.4 and v13

If your extension supplies content elements or plugins and supports both TYPO3 v12.4 and v13 you can keep the Page TsConfig for the New Content Element Wizard while you additionally supply the TCA settings for TYPO3 v13.

You should use the same content element group for both definition ways or the content element will be displayed twice, once in each group. Group common is automatically migrated to default for TYPO3 v13.