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TCEFORM

Allows detailed configuration of how editing forms are rendered for a page tree branch and for individual tables if you like. You can enable and disable options, blind options in selector boxes etc.

See the core API document section FormEngine for more details on how records are rendered in the backend.

The properties listed below apply to various contexts which are explained per property. The full property path thus depends on the property and where it should apply. In general, a more specific property path overrides a less specific one:

Some properties apply to single fields, those can be usually set per table or per table and record type. This leads to the property paths TCEFORM.[tableName].[fieldName].[propertyName] to configure the field for all types and TCEFORM.[tableName].[fieldName].types.[typeName] to configure a field for a specific type, see the TCA type section for details on types.

Other properties also apply to flex form fields, in this case the full property path including the data structure key has to be set: TCEFORM.[tableName].[fieldName].[dataStructureKey].[flexSheet].[flexFieldName].[propertyName]. The [dataStructureKey] represents the key of a FlexForm in $GLOBALS['TCA'][<tableName>]['columns'][<field>]['config']['ds']. This key will be split into up to two parts. By default the first part will be used as identifier of the FlexForm in TSconfig. The second part will override the identifier if it is not empty, list or *. For example the identifier of the key my_ext_pi1,list will be my_ext_pi1 and of the key *,my_CType it will be my_CType. See section Pointing to a data structure of the TCA reference for details.

Some properties apply to whole FlexForm sheets, their property path is TCEFORM.[tableName].[fieldName].[dataStructureKey].[flexSheet].[propertyName].

While all that property path munging looks messy at first, it should become more clear if reading through the single properties below and looking at the examples.

addItems

Datatype

localized string

Description

Change the list of items in TCA type=select fields. Using this property, items can be added to the list. Note that the added elements might be removed if the selector represents records: If the select box is a relation to another table. In that case only existing records will be preserved.

The subkey icon will allow to add your own icons to new values.

This property is available for various levels:

table level, example:

TCEFORM.tt_content.header_layout.addItems

table and record type level, example:

TCEFORM.tt_content.header_layout.types.textpic.addItems

Flex form field level, example:

TCEFORM.tt_content.pi_flexform.my_ext_pi1.sDEF.myField.addItems

Where sDEF is the sheet name.

Warning

Do not add page types this way (using TCEFORM.pages.doktype.addItems), instead the proper PHP API should be used to do this, see Core APIs for details.

Example
TCEFORM.tt_content.header_layout {
   # Add another header_layout option:
   addItems.1525215969 = Another header layout
   # Add another one with localized label and icon
   addItems.1525216023 = LLL:EXT:my_ext/Resources/Private/Language/locallang.xlf:header_layout
   addItems.1525216023.icon = EXT:my_ext/icon.png
}

Instead of adding files by path, icon identifiers should be used.

altLabels

Datatype

localized string

Description

This property applies to TCA type=select, TCA type=check and TCA type=radio.

This property allows you to enter alternative labels for the items in the list. For a single checkbox or radio button, use default, for multiple checkboxes and radiobuttons, use an integer for their position starting at 0.

This property is available for various levels:

table level:

TCEFORM.[tableName].[fieldName].altLabels

table and record type level:

TCEFORM.[tableName].[fieldName].types.[typeName].altLabels

Flex form field level, example:

TCEFORM.tt_content.pi_flexform.my_ext_pi1.sDEF.myField.altLabels

Where sDEF is the sheet name.

Example
TCEFORM.pages.doktype {
    # Set a different item label
    altLabels.1 = STANDARD Page Type
    altLabels.254 = Folder (for various elements)
    # Sets the default label for Recycler via "locallang":
    altLabels.255 = LLL:EXT:my_ext/Resources/Private/Language/locallang_tca.xlf:recycler
}
The Page types with modified labels

The Page types with modified labels

Note

If the item has an empty value, the syntax is slightly different and an additional dot must be provided, like on this example:

TCEFORM.tt_content.space_before_class.altLabels.. = foo

Note the double dot after altLabels.

PAGE_TSCONFIG_ID

Datatype

integer

Description

This option allows to provide a value for dynamic SQL-WHERE parameters. The value is defined for a specific field of a table. For usage with flexform fields, the entire path to a sub-field must be provided.

Note

This value can be used for the TCA property foreign_table_where and for the addWhere part of the suggest wizard.

Example
TCEFORM.tt_content.pi_flexform.my_ext_pi1.sDEF.myField.PAGE_TSCONFIG_ID = 22

In this example, the value will substitute the marker in a plugin FlexForm.

TCEFORM.tx_myext_table.myfield.PAGE_TSCONFIG_ID = 22

This example might be used for a record in an extension. It refers to a table called tx_myext_table and the field myfield. Here the marker will be substituted by the value 22.

PAGE_TSCONFIG_IDLIST

Datatype

list of integers

Description

See above.

Example
TCEFORM.tt_content.pi_flexform.my_ext_pi1.sDEF.myField.PAGE_TSCONFIG_IDLIST = 20,21,22

In this example, the value will substitute the marker in a plugin FlexForm.

TCEFORM.tx_myext_table.myfield.PAGE_TSCONFIG_IDLIST = 20,21,22

This example might be used for a record in an extension. It refers to a table called tx_myext_table and the field myfield. Here the marker will be substituted by the list of integers.

PAGE_TSCONFIG_STR

Datatype

string

Description

See above.

Example
TCEFORM.tt_content.pi_flexform.my_ext_pi1.sDEF.myField.PAGE_TSCONFIG_STR = %hello%

In this example, the value will substitute the marker in a plugin FlexForm.

TCEFORM.tx_myext_table.myfield.PAGE_TSCONFIG_STR = %hello%

This example might be used for a record in an extension. It refers to a table called tx_myext_table and the field myfield. Here the marker will be substituted by the given value.

config

Datatype

string / array

Description

This setting allows to override TCA field configuration. This will influence configuration settings in $GLOBALS['TCA'][<tableName>]['columns'][<fieldName>]['config'][<key>], see TCA reference for details.

Not all configuration options can be overriden, the properties are restricted and depend on the field type. The array typo3/sysext/backend/Classes/Form/Utility/FormEngineUtility.php->$allowOverrideMatrix within FormEngine code defines details:

'input' => ['size', 'max', 'readOnly'],
'text' => ['cols', 'rows', 'wrap', 'max', 'readOnly'],
'check' => ['cols', 'readOnly'],
'select' => ['size', 'autoSizeMax', 'maxitems', 'minitems', 'readOnly', 'treeConfig'],
'group' => ['size', 'autoSizeMax', 'max_size', 'maxitems', 'minitems', 'readOnly'],
'inline' => ['appearance', 'behaviour', 'foreign_label', 'foreign_selector', 'foreign_unique', 'maxitems', 'minitems', 'size', 'autoSizeMax', 'symmetric_label', 'readOnly'],
'imageManipulation' => ['ratios', 'cropVariants']

This property is available for various levels:

table level, example:

TCEFORM.tt_content.header.config.max

table and record type level, example:

TCEFORM.tt_content.header.types.textpic.config.max

Flex form field level, example:

TCEFORM.tt_content.pi_flexform.my_ext_pi1.sDEF.myField.config.max

Where sDEF is the sheet name.

config.treeConfig

Datatype

int

Description

The treeConfig sub properties of TCEFORM.config are dedicated to the TCA config type select with renderType=selectTree. A couple of treeConfig properties can be overriden on page TSconfig level, see their detailed description in the TCA reference:

config.treeConfig.rootUid
config.treeConfig.appearance.expandAll
config.treeConfig.appearance.maxLevels
config.treeConfig.appearance.nonSelectableLevels

This property is available for various levels:

table level, example:

TCEFORM.tt_content.myField.config.treeConfig.rootUid

table and record type level, example:

TCEFORM.tt_content.header.types.config.treeConfig.rootUid

Flex form field level, example:

TCEFORM.tt_content.pi_flexform.my_ext_pi1.sDEF.myField.config.treeConfig.rootUid

Where sDEF is the sheet name.

disabled

Datatype

boolean

Description

If set, the field is not displayed in the backend form of the record. However, the field can still be set by other means. For example if this property is set: TCEFORM.tt_content.colPos.disabled = 1 the Column field will not be displayed in the content elements form. The content element can still be moved to another column which internally also sets the field colPos. Fields with the TSconfig property TCEFORM.<table>.<field>.disable therefore show the same behaviour as fields of the TCA type passthrough.

table level, example:

TCEFORM.tt_content.header.disabled

table and record type level, example:

TCEFORM.tt_content.header.types.textpic.disabled

Flex form sheet level. If set, the entire tab is not rendered, example:

TCEFORM.tt_content.pi_flexform.my_ext_pi1.sDEF.disabled

Where sDEF is the sheet name.

Flex form field level, example:

TCEFORM.tt_content.pi_flexform.my_ext_pi1.sDEF.myField.disabled

Where sDEF is the sheet name.

Example
TCEFORM.pages.title {
    # The title field of the pages table is not editable
    disabled = 1
}

disableNoMatchingValueElement

Datatype

boolean

Description

This property applies only to items in TCA type=select fields. If a selector box value is not available among the options in the box, the default behavior of TYPO3 is to preserve the value and to show a label which warns about this special state:

A missing selector box value is indicated by a warning message

A missing selector box value is indicated by a warning message

If disableNoMatchingValueElement is set, the element "INVALID VALUE" will not be added to the list.

This property is available for various levels:

table level, example:

TCEFORM.tt_content.header_layout.disableNoMatchingValueElement

table and record type level, example:

TCEFORM.tt_content.header_layout.types.textpic.disableNoMatchingValueElement

Flex form field level, example:

TCEFORM.tt_content.pi_flexform.my_ext_pi1.sDEF.myField.disableNoMatchingValueElement

Where sDEF is the sheet name.

Example
TCEFORM.pages.doktype {
    # "INVALID VALUE ..." label will never show up
    disableNoMatchingValueElement = 1
}

Now the selector box will default to the first element in the selector box:

Instead of show a warning message the system choose the first element in the selector box

Instead of show a warning message the system choose the first element in the selector box

itemsProcFunc

Datatype

custom

Description

This property applies only to items in TCA type=select fields. The properties of this key is passed on to the itemsProcFunc in the parameter array by the key "TSconfig".

This property is available for various levels:

table level:

TCEFORM.[tableName].[fieldName].itemsProcFunc

table and record type level:

TCEFORM.[tableName].[fieldName].types.[typeName].itemsProcFunc

Flex form field level, example:

TCEFORM.tt_content.pi_flexform.my_ext_pi1.sDEF.myField.itemsProcFunc

Where sDEF is the sheet name.

keepItems

Datatype

list of values

Description

Change the list of items in TCA type=select fields. Using this property, all items except those defined here are removed.

This property is available for various levels:

table level, example:

TCEFORM.tt_content.header_layout.keepItems

table and record type level, example:

TCEFORM.tt_content.header_layout.types.textpic.keepItems

Flex form field level, example:

TCEFORM.tt_content.pi_flexform.my_ext_pi1.sDEF.myField.keepItems

Where sDEF is the sheet name.

Example
TCEFORM.pages.doktype {
    # Show only standard and "Spacer" page types
    keepItems = 1, 199
}

label

Datatype

localized string

Description

This allows you to enter alternative labels for any field. The value can be a LLL: reference to a localization file, the system will then look up the selected backend user language and tries to fetch the localized string if available. However, it is also possible to override these by appending the language key and hard setting a value, for example label.de = Neuer Feldname.

This property is available for various levels:

table level, example:

TCEFORM.[tableName].[fieldName].label

table and record type level, example:

TCEFORM.[tableName].[fieldName].types.[typeName].label

Flex form field level, example:

TCEFORM.tt_content.pi_flexform.my_ext_pi1.sDEF.myField.label

Where sDEF is the sheet name.

Example
TCEFORM.pages.title {
    label = LLL:EXT:my_ext/Resources/Private/Language/locallang.xlf:table.column
    label.default = New Label
    label.de = Neuer Feldname
}

noMatchingValue_label

Datatype

localized string

Description

This property applies only to items in TCA type=select fields, it allows defining a different label of the noMatchingValue element.

It is possible to use the placeholder %s to insert the value. If the property is set to empty, the label will be blank.

This property is available for various levels:

table level, example:

TCEFORM.tt_content.header_layout.noMatchingValue_label

table and record type level, example:

TCEFORM.tt_content.header_layout.types.textpic.noMatchingValue_label

Flex form field level, example:

TCEFORM.tt_content.pi_flexform.my_ext_pi1.sDEF.myField.noMatchingValue_label

Where sDEF is the sheet name.

Example
TCEFORM.pages.doktype {
    # Different "INVALID VALUE ..." label:
    noMatchingValue_label = VALUE "%s" was not available!
}
An invalid selector box value is indicated by a warning message

An invalid selector box value is indicated by a warning message

removeItems

Datatype

list of values

Description

Change the list of items in TCA type=select fields. Using this property, single items can be removed, leaving all others.

This property is available for various levels:

table level, example:

TCEFORM.tt_content.header_layout.removeItems

table and record type level, example:

TCEFORM.tt_content.header_layout.types.textpic.removeItems

Flex form field level, example:

TCEFORM.tt_content.pi_flexform.my_ext_pi1.sDEF.myField.removeItems

Where sDEF is the sheet name.

Example
TCEFORM.pages.doktype {
    # Remove "Recycler" and "Spacer" page types
    removeItems = 199, 255
}

sheetDescription

Datatype

localized string

Description

Specifies a description for the sheet shown in the FlexForm.

This property is only available on flex form sheet level, example:

TCEFORM.tt_content.pi_flexform.my_ext_pi1.sDEF.sheetDescription

Where sDEF is the sheet name.

sheetShortDescr

Datatype

localized string

Description

Specifies a short description of the sheet used as link title in the tab-menu.

This property is only available on flex form sheet level, example:

TCEFORM.tt_content.pi_flexform.my_ext_pi1.sDEF.sheetShortDescription

Where sDEF is the sheet name.

sheetTitle

Datatype

localized string

Description

Set the title of the sheet / tab in a FlexForm configuration.

This property is only available on flex form sheet level, example:

TCEFORM.tt_content.pi_flexform.my_ext_pi1.sDEF.sheetTitle

Where sDEF is the sheet name.

Example
TCEFORM.tt_content.pi_flexform.my_ext_pi1.sDEF {
    # Rename the first tab of the FlexForm plug-in configuration
    sheetTitle = LLL:my_ext/Resource/Private/Language/locallang.xlf:tt_content.pi_flexform.my_ext_pi1.sDEF
}

suggest

Configuration of the suggest wizard that is available and often enabled for TCA type=group fields.

A configured suggest wizard

A configured suggest wizard

The properties listed below are available on various levels. A more specific setting overrides a less specific one:

Configuration of all suggest wizards in all tables for all target query tables:

TCEFORM.suggest.default

Configuration of all suggest wizards in all tables looking up records from a specific target table:

TCEFORM.suggest.[queryTable]

Configuration of one suggest wizard field in one table for all target query tables:

TCEFORM.[tableName].[fieldName].suggest.default

Configuration of one suggest wizard field in one table for a specific target query table:

TCEFORM.[tableName].[fieldName].suggest.[queryTable]

Configuration of one suggest wizard field in a flex form field of one table for all target query tables:

TCEFORM.[tableName].[fieldName].[dataStructureKey].[sheetName].[flexFieldName].suggest.default

Configuration of one suggest wizard field in a flex form field of one table for a specific target query table:

TCEFORM.[tableName].[fieldName].[dataStructureKey].[sheetName].[flexFieldName].suggest.[queryTable]

additionalSearchFields

Datatype

string

Description

Comma-separated list of fields the suggest wizard should also search in. By default the wizard looks only in the fields listed in the label and label_alt of TCA ctrl properties.

addWhere

Datatype

string

Description

Additional WHERE clause (with AND at the beginning).

Markers possible for replacement:

Example
TCEFORM.pages.storage_pid.suggest.default {
    addWhere = AND pages.pid=###PAGE_TSCONFIG_ID###
}

cssClass

Datatype

string

Description

Add a CSS class to every list item of the result list.

Example
TCEFORM.suggest.pages {
    # Configure all suggest wizards which list records from table "pages"
    # to add the CSS class "pages" to every list item of the result list.
    cssClass = pages
}

hide

Datatype

boolean

Description

Hide the suggest field. Works only for single fields.

Example
TCEFORM.pages.storage_pid.suggest.default {
    hide = 1
}

maxPathTitleLength

Datatype

positive integer

Description

Maximum number of characters to display when a path element is too long.

Example
TCEFORM.suggest.default {
    maxPathTitleLength = 30
}

minimumCharacters

Datatype

positive integer

Description

Minimum number of characters needed to start the search. Works only for single fields.

Default

2

Example
TCEFORM.pages.storage_pid.suggest.default {
    minimumCharacters = 3
}

pidDepth

Datatype

positive integer

Description

Expand pidList by this number of levels. Only has an effect, if pidList has a value.

Example
TCEFORM.suggest.default {
    pidList = 6,7
    pidDepth = 4
}

pidList

Datatype

list of values

Description

Limit the search to certain pages (and their subpages). When pidList is empty all pages will be included in the search as long as the backend user is allowed to see them.

Example
TCEFORM.suggest.default {
    # sets the pidList for a suggest fields in all tables
    pidList = 1,2,3,45
}

receiverClass

Datatype

PHP class name

Description

PHP class alternative receiver class - the file that holds the class should be derived from \TYPO3\CMS\Backend\Form\Element\SuggestDefaultReceiver.

Default

\TYPO3\CMS\Backend\Form\Element\SuggestDefaultReceiver

renderFunc

Datatype

string

Description

User function to manipulate the displayed records in the result.

searchCondition

Datatype

string

Description

Additional WHERE clause (no AND needed to prepend).

Example
TCEFORM.pages.storage_pid.suggest.default {
    # Configure the suggest wizard for the field "storage_pid" in table "pages"
    # to search only for pages with doktype=1
    searchCondition = doktype=1
}

searchWholePhrase

Datatype

boolean

Description

Whether to do a LIKE=%mystring% (searchWholePhrase = 1) or a LIKE=mystring% (to do a real find as you type).

Default

0

Example
TCEFORM.pages.storage_pid.suggest.default {
    # Configure the suggest wizard for the field "storage_pid" in table "pages" to search only for whole phrases
   searchWholePhrase = 1
}