Examples

Simple 1:n relation

This combines a table (for example companies) with a child table (for example employees).

EXT:styleguide/Configuration/TCA/tx_styleguide_inline_1n.php
[
    'columns' => [
        'inline_1' => [
            'exclude' => 1,
            'label' => 'inline_1 description',
            'description' => 'field description',
            'config' => [
                'type' => 'inline',
                'foreign_table' => 'tx_styleguide_inline_1n_child',
                'foreign_field' => 'parentid',
                'foreign_table_field' => 'parenttable',
                'appearance' => [
                    'showSynchronizationLink' => true,
                    'showAllLocalizationLink' => true,
                    'showPossibleLocalizationRecords' => true,
                ],
            ],
        ],
    ],
]
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File abstraction layer

Inline-type fields are massively used by the TYPO3 Core in the File Abstraction Layer (FAL).

FAL provides an API for registering an inline-type field with relations to the "sys_file_reference" table containing information related to existing media. Here an example from the extension styleguide:

EXT:styleguide/Configuration/TCA/tx_styleguide_inline_fal.php
[
    'columns' => [
        'inline_1' => [
            'exclude' => 1,
            'label' => 'inline_1 typical fal image',
            'config' => [
                'type' => 'inline',
                'foreign_table' => 'sys_file_reference',
                'foreign_field' => 'uid_foreign',
                'foreign_sortby' => 'sorting_foreign',
                'foreign_table_field' => 'tablenames',
                'foreign_match_fields' => [
                    'fieldname' => 'inline_1',
                ],
                'foreign_label' => 'uid_local',
                'foreign_selector' => 'uid_local',
                'overrideChildTca' => [
                    'columns' => [
                        'uid_local' => [
                            'config' => [
                                'appearance' => [
                                    'elementBrowserType' => 'file',
                                    'elementBrowserAllowed' => 'gif,jpg,jpeg,tif,tiff,bmp,pcx,tga,png,pdf,ai,svg',
                                ],
                            ],
                        ],
                        'crop' => [
                            'description' => 'field description',
                        ],
                    ],
                    'types' => [
                        2 => [
                            'showitem' => '
                                --palette--;;imageoverlayPalette,
                                --palette--;;filePalette',
                        ],
                    ],
                ],
                'filter' => [
                    [
                        'userFunc' => 'TYPO3\\CMS\\Core\\Resource\\Filter\\FileExtensionFilter->filterInlineChildren',
                        'parameters' => [
                            'allowedFileExtensions' => 'gif,jpg,jpeg,tif,tiff,bmp,pcx,tga,png,pdf,ai,svg',
                            'disallowedFileExtensions' => '',
                        ],
                    ],
                ],
                'appearance' => [
                    'useSortable' => true,
                    'headerThumbnail' => [
                        'field' => 'uid_local',
                        'height' => '45m',
                    ],
                    'enabledControls' => [
                        'info' => true,
                        'new' => false,
                        'dragdrop' => true,
                        'sort' => false,
                        'hide' => true,
                        'delete' => true,
                    ],
                    'createNewRelationLinkTitle' => 'LLL:EXT:frontend/Resources/Private/Language/locallang_ttc.xlf:images.addFileReference',
                ],
            ],
        ],
    ],
]
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The method to call is \TYPO3\CMS\Core\Utility\ExtensionManagementUtility::getFileFieldTCAConfig() which takes four parameters. The first one is the name of the field, the second one is an array of configuration options which will be merged with the default configuration. The third one is the list of allowed file types and the fourth one (not used above) the list of disallowed file types. The default field configuration into which the options (second call parameter) are merged looks like:

$fileFieldTCAConfig = [
   'type' => 'inline',
   'foreign_table' => 'sys_file_reference',
   'foreign_field' => 'uid_foreign',
   'foreign_sortby' => 'sorting_foreign',
   'foreign_table_field' => 'tablenames',
   'foreign_match_fields' => [
      'fieldname' => $fieldName
   ],
   'foreign_label' => 'uid_local',
   'foreign_selector' => 'uid_local',
   'overrideChildTca' => [
      'columns' => [
         'uid_local' => [
            'config' => [
               'appearance' => [
                  'elementBrowserType' => 'file',
                  'elementBrowserAllowed' => $allowedFileExtensions
               ],
            ],
         ],
      ],
   ],
   'filter' => [
      [
         'userFunc' => 'TYPO3\\CMS\\Core\\Resource\\Filter\\FileExtensionFilter->filterInlineChildren',
         'parameters' => [
            'allowedFileExtensions' => $allowedFileExtensions,
            'disallowedFileExtensions' => $disallowedFileExtensions
         ]
      ]
   ],
   'appearance' => [
      'useSortable' => true,
      'headerThumbnail' => [
         'field' => 'uid_local',
         'width' => '45',
         'height' => '45c',
      ],
      'showPossibleLocalizationRecords' => false,
      'showSynchronizationLink' => false,
      'showAllLocalizationLink' => false,

      'enabledControls' => [
         'info' => false,
         'new' => false,
         'dragdrop' => true,
         'sort' => false,
         'hide' => true,
         'delete' => true,
         'localize' => true,
      ],
   ],
];
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Using inline FAL relations in flexforms

It is also possible to use the inline FAL relations is a flexform. However there is no method which facilitates the generation of the code yet. So the configuration has to be written manually like this:

EXT:styleguide/Configuration/TCA/tx_styleguide_inline_fal.php
[
    'columns' => [
        'inline_flex_1' => [
            'exclude' => 1,
            'label' => 'flex_1',
            'config' => [
                'type' => 'flex',
                'ds' => [
                    'default' => '
                        <T3DataStructure>
                        <sheets>
                            <sInline>
                                <ROOT>
                                    <TCEforms>
                                        <sheetTitle>Inline</sheetTitle>
                                    </TCEforms>
                                    <type>array</type>
                                    <el>
                                        <fal>
                                            <TCEforms>
                                                <label>inline_flex_1</label>
                                                <config>
                                                    <type>inline</type>
                                                    <foreign_table>sys_file_reference</foreign_table>
                                                    <foreign_field>uid_foreign</foreign_field>
                                                    <foreign_sortby>sorting_foreign</foreign_sortby>
                                                    <foreign_table_field>tablenames</foreign_table_field>
                                                    <foreign_match_fields>
                                                        <fieldname>fal</fieldname>
                                                    </foreign_match_fields>
                                                    <foreign_label>uid_local</foreign_label>
                                                    <foreign_selector>uid_local</foreign_selector>
                                                    <filter>
                                                        <userFunc>TYPO3\\CMS\\Core\\Resource\\Filter\\FileExtensionFilter->filterInlineChildren</userFunc>
                                                        <parameters type="array">
                                                            <allowedFileExtensions>gif,jpg,jpeg,tif,tiff,bmp,pcx,tga,png,pdf,ai</allowedFileExtensions>
                                                            <disallowedFileExtensions>ai</disallowedFileExtensions>
                                                        </parameters>
                                                    </filter>
                                                    <appearance>
                                                        <useSortable>1</useSortable>
                                                        <headerThumbnail>
                                                            <field>uid_local</field>
                                                            <width>45</width>
                                                            <height>45c</height>
                                                        </headerThumbnail>
                                                        <showPossibleLocalizationRecords>0</showPossibleLocalizationRecords>
                                                        <showSynchronizationLink>0</showSynchronizationLink>
                                                        <showAllLocalizationLink>0</showAllLocalizationLink>
                                                        <enabledControls>
                                                            <info>1</info>
                                                            <new>0</new>
                                                            <dragdrop>1</dragdrop>
                                                            <sort>0</sort>
                                                            <hide>1</hide>
                                                            <delete>1</delete>
                                                            <localize>1</localize>
                                                        </enabledControls>
                                                        <createNewRelationLinkTitle>LLL:EXT:frontend/Resources/Private/Language/locallang_ttc.xlf:images.addFileReference</createNewRelationLinkTitle>
                                                    </appearance>
                                                    <overrideChildTca>
                                                        <types type="array">
                                                            <numIndex index="0">
                                                                <showitem>
                                                                    --palette--;;imageoverlayPalette,--palette--;;filePalette
                                                                </showitem>
                                                            </numIndex>
                                                            <numIndex index="1">
                                                                <showitem>
                                                                    --palette--;;imageoverlayPalette,--palette--;;filePalette
                                                                </showitem>
                                                            </numIndex>
                                                            <numIndex index="2">
                                                                <showitem>
                                                                    --palette--;;imageoverlayPalette,--palette--;;filePalette
                                                                </showitem>
                                                            </numIndex>
                                                            <numIndex index="3">
                                                                <showitem>
                                                                    --palette--;;imageoverlayPalette,--palette--;;filePalette
                                                                </showitem>
                                                            </numIndex>
                                                            <numIndex index="4">
                                                                <showitem>
                                                                    --palette--;;imageoverlayPalette,--palette--;;filePalette
                                                                </showitem>
                                                            </numIndex>
                                                            <numIndex index="5">
                                                                <showitem>
                                                                    --palette--;;imageoverlayPalette,--palette--;;filePalette
                                                                </showitem>
                                                            </numIndex>
                                                        </types>
                                                        <columns type="array">
                                                            <uid_local type="array">
                                                                <config type="array">
                                                                    <appearance type="array">
                                                                        <elementBrowserType>file</elementBrowserType>
                                                                        <elementBrowserAllowed>gif,jpg,jpeg,tif,tiff,bmp,pcx,tga,png,pdf,ai</elementBrowserAllowed>
                                                                    </appearance>
                                                                </config>
                                                            </uid_local>
                                                        </columns>
                                                    </overrideChildTca>
                                                </config>
                                            </TCEforms>
                                        </fal>
                                    </el>
                                </ROOT>
                            </sInline>
                        </sheets>
                        </T3DataStructure>
                    ',
                ],
            ],
        ],
    ],
]
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Attributes on anti-symmetric intermediate table

The record has two child records displayed inline.

This example combines records from a parent table tx_styleguide_inline_mn with records from the child table tx_styleguide_inline_mn_child using the intermediate table tx_styleguide_inline_mn_mm. It is also possible to add attributes to every relation – in this example a checkbox.

The parent table tx_styleguide_inline_mn contains the following column:

EXT:styleguide/Configuration/TCA/tx_styleguide_inline_mn.php
[
    'columns' => [
        'inline_1' => [
            'exclude' => 1,
            'label' => 'inline_1',
            'config' => [
                'type' => 'inline',
                'foreign_table' => 'tx_styleguide_inline_mn_mm',
                'foreign_field' => 'parentid',
                'foreign_sortby' => 'parentsort',
                'foreign_label' => 'childid',
                'appearance' => [
                    'showSynchronizationLink' => 1,
                    'showAllLocalizationLink' => 1,
                    'showPossibleLocalizationRecords' => 1,
                ],
            ],
        ],
    ],
]
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If the child table tx_styleguide_inline_mn_child wants to display its parents also it needs to define a column like in this example:

EXT:styleguide/Configuration/TCA/tx_styleguide_inline_mn_child.php
[
    'columns' => [
        'parents' => [
            'exclude' => 1,
            'label' => 'parents',
            'config' => [
                'type' => 'inline',
                'foreign_table' => 'tx_styleguide_inline_mn_mm',
                'foreign_field' => 'childid',
                'foreign_sortby' => 'childsort',
                'foreign_label' => 'parentid',
                'maxitems' => 10,
                'appearance' => [
                    'showSynchronizationLink' => 1,
                    'showAllLocalizationLink' => 1,
                    'showPossibleLocalizationRecords' => 1,
                ],
            ],
        ],
    ],
]
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The intermediate table tx_styleguide_inline_mn_mm defines the following fields:

EXT:styleguide/Configuration/TCA/tx_styleguide_inline_mn_mm.php
return [
   'columns' => [
      'parentid' => [
         'label' => 'parentid',
         'config' => [
            'type' => 'select',
            'renderType' => 'selectSingle',
            'foreign_table' => 'tx_styleguide_inline_mn',
            'foreign_table_where' => 'AND {#tx_styleguide_inline_mn}.{#pid}=###CURRENT_PID### AND {#tx_styleguide_inline_mn}.{#sys_language_uid}=\'###REC_FIELD_sys_language_uid###\'',
            'maxitems' => 1,
            'localizeReferences' => 1,
         ],
      ],
      'childid' => [
         'label' => 'childid',
         'config' => [
            'type' => 'select',
            'renderType' => 'selectSingle',
            'foreign_table' => 'tx_styleguide_inline_mn_child',
            'foreign_table_where' => 'AND {#tx_styleguide_inline_mn_child}.{#pid}=###CURRENT_PID### AND {#tx_styleguide_inline_mn_child}.{#sys_language_uid}=\'###REC_FIELD_sys_language_uid###\'',
            'maxitems' => 1,
            'localizeReferences' => 1,
         ],
      ],
      'parentsort' => [
         'config' => [
            'type' => 'passthrough',
         ],
      ],
      'childsort' => [
         'config' => [
            'type' => 'passthrough',
         ],
      ],
   ]
];
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Attributes on symmetric intermediate table

Record 1 is related to records 6 and 11 of the same table

This example combines records of the same table with each other. Image we want to store relationships between hotels. Symmetric relations combine records of one table with each other. If record A is related to record B then record B is also related to record A. However, the records are not stored in groups. If record A is related to B and C, B doesn't have to be related to C.

Record 11 is symmetrically related to record 1 but not to 6

The main table tx_styleguide_inline_mnsymmetric has a field storing the inline relation, here: branches.

EXT:styleguide/Configuration/TCA/tx_styleguide_inline_mnsymmetric.php
[
    'columns' => [
        'branches' => [
            'exclude' => 1,
            'label' => 'branches',
            'config' => [
                'type' => 'inline',
                'foreign_table' => 'tx_styleguide_inline_mnsymmetric_mm',
                'foreign_field' => 'hotelid',
                'foreign_sortby' => 'hotelsort',
                'foreign_label' => 'branchid',
                'symmetric_field' => 'branchid',
                'symmetric_sortby' => 'branchsort',
                'symmetric_label' => 'hotelid',
                'maxitems' => 10,
                'appearance' => [
                    'showSynchronizationLink' => 1,
                    'showAllLocalizationLink' => 1,
                    'showPossibleLocalizationRecords' => 1,
                ],
            ],
        ],
    ],
]
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Records of the main table can than have a symmetric relationship to each other using the intermediate table tx_styleguide_inline_mnsymmetric_mm.

The intermediate table stores the uids of both sides of the relation in hotelid and branchid. Furthermore custom sorting can be defined in both directions.

EXT:styleguide/Configuration/TCA/tx_styleguide_inline_mnsymmetric_mm.php
[
   'columns' => [
      'input_1' => [
         'exclude' => 1,
         'l10n_mode' => 'prefixLangTitle',
         'label' => 'input_1',
         'config' => [
            'type' => 'input',
            'size' => '30',
            'eval' => 'required',
         ],
      ],
      'branches' => [
         'exclude' => 1,
         'label' => 'branches',
         'config' => [
            'type' => 'inline',
            'foreign_table' => 'tx_styleguide_inline_mnsymmetric_mm',
            'foreign_field' => 'hotelid',
            'foreign_sortby' => 'hotelsort',
            'foreign_label' => 'branchid',
            'symmetric_field' => 'branchid',
            'symmetric_sortby' => 'branchsort',
            'symmetric_label' => 'hotelid',
            'maxitems' => 10,
            'appearance' => [
               'showSynchronizationLink' => 1,
               'showAllLocalizationLink' => 1,
               'showPossibleLocalizationRecords' => 1,
            ],
         ],
      ],
   ],
];
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With a combination box

The combination box shows available records. On clicking one entry it gets added to the parent record.

EXT:styleguide/Configuration/TCA/tx_styleguide_inline_usecombination.php
[
    'columns' => [
        'inline_1' => [
            'exclude' => 1,
            'label' => 'inline_1',
            'config' => [
                'type' => 'inline',
                'foreign_table' => 'tx_styleguide_inline_usecombination_mm',
                'foreign_field' => 'select_parent',
                'foreign_selector' => 'select_child',
                'foreign_unique' => 'select_child',
                'maxitems' => 9999,
                'autoSizeMax' => 10,
                'appearance' => [
                    'newRecordLinkAddTitle' => 1,
                    'useCombination' => true,
                    'collapseAll' => false,
                    'levelLinksPosition' => 'top',
                    'showSynchronizationLink' => 1,
                    'showPossibleLocalizationRecords' => 1,
                    'showAllLocalizationLink' => 1,
                ],
            ],
        ],
    ],
]
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Add a custom fieldInformation

We show a very minimal example which adds a custom fieldInformation for the inline type in tt_content. Adding a fieldWizard is done in a similar way.

As explained in the description, fieldInformation or fieldWizard must be configured within the ctrlfor the field type inline - as it is a container.

  1. Create a custom fieldInformation

    EXT:my_extension/Classes/FormEngine/FieldInformation/DemoFieldInformation
    <?php
    declare(strict_types=1);
    namespace Myvendor\Myexample\FormEngine\FieldInformation;
    
    use TYPO3\CMS\Backend\Form\AbstractNode;
    
    class DemoFieldInformation extends AbstractNode
    {
        public function render()
        {
            $fieldName = $this->data['fieldName'];
            $result = $this->initializeResultArray();
    
             // Add fieldInformation only for this field name
             //   this may be changed accordingly
             if ($fieldName !== 'my_new_field') {
                 return $result;
             }
    
             $text = $GLOBALS['LANG']->sL(
                     'LLL:EXT:my_example/Resources/Private/Language/'
                     . 'locallang_db.xlf:tt_content.fieldInformation.demo'
             );
    
             $result['html'] = $text;
             return $result;
        }
    }
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  2. Register this node type

    EXT:my_extension/ext_localconf.php
    <?php
    use Myvendor\Myexample\FormEngine\FieldInformation\DemoFieldInformation;
    
    // ...
    
    $GLOBALS['TYPO3_CONF_VARS']['SYS']['formEngine']['nodeRegistry'][1654355506] = [
        'nodeName' => 'demoFieldInformation',
        'priority' => 30,
        'class' => DemoFieldInformation::class,
    ];
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  3. Add the fieldInformation to the container for containerRenderType inline

    EXT:my_extension/Configuration/TCA/Overrides/tt_content.php
    $GLOBALS['TCA']['tt_content']['ctrl']['container']['inline']['fieldInformation'] = [
        'demoFieldInformation' => [
            'renderType' => 'demoFieldInformation',
        ],
    ];
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  4. A field my_new_field is created in the tt_content TCA:

    EXT:my_extension/Configuration/TCA/Overrides/tt_content.php
    'my_new_field2' => [
        'label' => 'inline field with field information',
        'config' => [
            'type' => 'inline',
            // further configuration can be found in the examples above
            // ....
        ],
    ],
    // ...
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