Customization Examples¶

Many extracts can be found throughout the manual, but this section provides more complete examples.

Example 1: Extending the fe_users Table¶

The “examples” extension adds two fields to the “fe_users” table. Here’s the complete code, taken from file Configuration/TCA/Overrides/fe_users.php:

<?php
defined('TYPO3_MODE') or die();

// Add some fields to FE Users table to show TCA fields definitions
// USAGE: TCA Reference > $GLOBALS['TCA'] array reference > ['columns'][fieldname]['config'] / TYPE: "select"
$temporaryColumns = array (
        'tx_examples_options' => array (
                'exclude' => 0,
                'label' => 'LLL:EXT:examples/Resources/Private/Language/locallang_db.xlf:fe_users.tx_examples_options',
                'config' => array (
                        'type' => 'select',
                        'items' => array (
                                array('LLL:EXT:examples/Resources/Private/Language/locallang_db.xlf:fe_users.tx_examples_options.I.0', '1'),
                                array('LLL:EXT:examples/Resources/Private/Language/locallang_db.xlf:fe_users.tx_examples_options.I.1', '2'),
                                array('LLL:EXT:examples/Resources/Private/Language/locallang_db.xlf:fe_users.tx_examples_options.I.2', '--div--'),
                                array('LLL:EXT:examples/Resources/Private/Language/locallang_db.xlf:fe_users.tx_examples_options.I.3', '3'),
                        ),
                        'size' => 1,
                        'maxitems' => 1,
                )
        ),
        'tx_examples_special' => array (
                'exclude' => 0,
                'label' => 'LLL:EXT:examples/Resources/Private/Language/locallang_db.xlf:fe_users.tx_examples_special',
                'config' => array (
                        'type' => 'user',
                        'size' => '30',
                        'userFunc' => 'Documentation\\Examples\\Userfuncs\\Tca->specialField',
                        'parameters' => array(
                                'color' => 'blue'
                        )
                )
        ),
);

\TYPO3\CMS\Core\Utility\ExtensionManagementUtility::addTCAcolumns(
        'fe_users',
        $temporaryColumns
);
\TYPO3\CMS\Core\Utility\ExtensionManagementUtility::addToAllTCAtypes(
        'fe_users',
        'tx_examples_options, tx_examples_special'
);

First of all, the fields that we want to add are detailed according to the $GLOBALS['TCA'] syntax for columns. This configuration is stored in the $temporaryColumns array.

Then two essential steps are performed:

first the columns are actually added to the table by using \TYPO3\CMS\Core\Utility\ExtensionManagementUtility::addTCAcolumns().
then the fields are added to the “types” definition of the “fe_users” table by using \TYPO3\CMS\Core\Utility\ExtensionManagementUtility::addToAllTCAtypes(). It is possible to be more fine-grained.

This does not create the corresponding fields in the database. The new fields must also be defined in the ext_tables.sql file of the extension:

CREATE TABLE fe_users (
        tx_examples_options int(11) DEFAULT '0' NOT NULL,
        tx_examples_special varchar(255) DEFAULT '' NOT NULL
);

Warning

The above statement uses the SQL CREATE TABLE statement. This is the way TYPO3 expects it to be. The Extension Manager will automatically transform this into a ALTER TABLE statement when it detects that the table already exists.

By default new fields are added at the bottom of the form when editing a record from that table. If the table uses tabs, new fields are added at the bottom of the “Extended” tab (this tab is created if it does not exist). The following screenshot shows the placement of the two new fields when editing a “fe_users” record:

$New fields for fe\_users table$

The new fields added at the bottom of the “Extended” tab

The next example shows how to place a field more precisely.

Example 2: Extending the tt_content Table¶

In this second example, we will add a “No print” field to all content element types. First of all, we add its SQL definition in ext_tables.sql:

CREATE TABLE tt_content (
        tx_examples_noprint tinyint(4) DEFAULT '0' NOT NULL
);

Then we add it to the $GLOBALS['TCA'] in Configuration/TCA/Overrides/tt_content.php:

$temporaryColumn = array(
        'tx_examples_noprint' => array (
                'exclude' => 0,
                'label' => 'LLL:EXT:examples/Resources/Private/Language/locallang_db.xlf:tt_content.tx_examples_noprint',
                'config' => array (
                        'type' => 'check',
                )
        )
);
\TYPO3\CMS\Core\Utility\ExtensionManagementUtility::addTCAcolumns(
        'tt_content',
        $temporaryColumn
);
\TYPO3\CMS\Core\Utility\ExtensionManagementUtility::addFieldsToPalette(
        'tt_content',
        'appearanceLinks',
        'tx_examples_noprint',
        'after:linkToTop'
);

The code is mostly the same as in the first example, but the last line is very different and requires an explanation. The “pages” and “tt_content” use palettes extensively for all fields and not just for secondary options, for increased flexibility. So in this case we use addFieldsToPalette() instead of addToAllTCAtypes(). We need to specify the palette’s key as the second argument (appearanceLinks). Precise placement of the new field is achieved with the fourth parameter (after:linkToTop). This will place the “no print” field right after the “link to top” field, instead of putting it in the “Extended” tab.

The result is the following:

$New fields for tt\_content table$

The new field added next to an existing one

Note

Obviously this new field will now magically exclude a content element from being printed. For it to have any effect, it must be used during the rendering by modifying the TypoScript used to render the “tt_content” table. Although this is outside the scope of this manual, here is an example of what you could do, for the sake of showing a complete process.

Assuming you are using “css_styled_content” (which is installed by default), you could add the following TypoScript to your template:

tt_content.stdWrap.outerWrap = <div class="noprint">|</div>
tt_content.stdWrap.outerWrap.if.isTrue.field = tx_examples_noprint

This will wrap a “div” tag with a “noprint” class around any content element that has its “No print” checkbox checked. The final step would be to declare the appropriate selector in the print-media CSS file so that “noprint” elements don’t get displayed.

This is just an example of how the effect of the “No print” checkbox can be ultimately implemented. It is meant to show that just adding the field to the $GLOBALS['TCA'] is not enough.