---
title: "flex-form data processor"
manual: "TypoScript Explained"
version: "13.4"
permalink: "https://docs.typo3.org/permalink/t3tsref:flexformprocessor@13.4"
source: "DataProcessing/FlexFormProcessor.rst"
modified: "2026-09-15T19:26:31+00:00"
---

# `flex-form` data processor

TYPO3 offers [FlexForms](https://docs.typo3.org/m/typo3/reference-coreapi/13.4/en-us/ApiOverview/FlexForms/Index.html#flexforms) which can be used to store
data within an XML structure inside a single database column. The data processor
`\TYPO3\CMS\Frontend\DataProcessing\FlexFormProcessor`,
alias `flex-form`, converts the
FlexForm data of a given field into a Fluid-readable array.

**Table of contents**

-   [Options](https://docs.typo3.org/permalink/t3tsref:options@13.4)
-   [Examples](https://docs.typo3.org/permalink/t3tsref:examples@13.4)

## Options

**fieldName**

-   **fieldName**

    -   *Type:* [string](https://docs.typo3.org/permalink/t3tsref:data-type-string@13.4)
    -   *Required:* false
    -   *Default:* 'pi_flexform'

    Field name of the column the FlexForm data is stored in.

**references**

-   **references**

    > [!NOTE]
    > **New in version 13.0**

    -   *Required:* false
    -   *type:* array

    Associative array of FlexForm fields (key) and the according database field
    (value).

    Each FlexForm field, which should be resolved, needs a reference definition
    to the [foreign_match_fields](https://docs.typo3.org/m/typo3/reference-tca/13.4/en-us/ColumnsConfig/Type/Inline/Index.html#columns-inline-properties-foreign-match-fields).
    This reference is used in the [FilesProcessor](https://docs.typo3.org/permalink/t3tsref:filesprocessor@13.4) to
    resolve the correct [FAL](https://docs.typo3.org/m/typo3/reference-coreapi/13.4/en-us/ApiOverview/Fal/Index.html#fal) resource.

    See [Example of resolving FAL references](https://docs.typo3.org/permalink/t3tsref:flexformprocessor-resolving-fal@13.4).

**as**

-   **as**

    -   *Type:* [string](https://docs.typo3.org/permalink/t3tsref:data-type-string@13.4)
    -   *Required:* false
    -   *Default:* 'flexFormData'

    Name for the variable in the Fluid template.

## Examples

### Example of a minimal TypoScript configuration

**EXT:my_extension/Configuration/TypoScript/setup.typoscript**

```typoscript
10 = flex-form
```

The converted array can be accessed within the Fluid template with the
`{flexFormData}` variable.

### Example of an advanced TypoScript configuration

**EXT:my_extension/Configuration/TypoScript/setup.typoscript**

```typoscript
10 = flex-form
10 {
    fieldName = my_flexform_field
    as = myOutputVariable
}
```

The converted array can be accessed within the Fluid template with the
`{myOutputVariable}` variable.

### Example with a custom sub-processor

**EXT:my_extension/Configuration/TypoScript/setup.typoscript**

```typoscript
10 = flex-form
10 {
    fieldName = my_flexform_field
    as = myOutputVariable
    dataProcessing {
        10 = Vendor\MyExtension\DataProcessing\CustomFlexFormProcessor
    }
}
```

### Example of resolving FAL references

> [!NOTE]
> **New in version 13.0**

Example of an advanced TypoScript configuration, which processes the field
`my_flexform_field`, resolves its FAL references and assigns the array to
the `myOutputVariable` variable:

**EXT:my_extension/Configuration/TypoScript/setup.typoscript**

```typoscript
10 = flex-form
10 {
  fieldName = my_flexform_field
  references {
    my_flex_form_group.my_flex_form_field = my_field_reference
  }
  as = myOutputVariable
}
```

The according FlexForm configuration:

**Excerpt of a FlexForm configuration**

```xml
<my_flex_form_group.my_flex_form_field>
    <label>LLL:EXT:sitepackage/Resources/Private/Language/locallang_be.xlf:my_flex_form_field</label>
    <config>
        <type>file</type>
        <maxitems>9</maxitems>
        <foreign_selector_fieldTcaOverride>
            <config>
                <appearance>
                    <elementBrowserType>file</elementBrowserType>
                    <elementBrowserAllowed>gif,jpg,jpeg,png,svg</elementBrowserAllowed>
                </appearance>
            </config>
        </foreign_selector_fieldTcaOverride>
        <foreign_types type="array">
            <numIndex index="0">
                <showitem>
                    --palette--;LLL:EXT:lang/locallang_tca.xlf:sys_file_reference.imageoverlayPalette;imageoverlayPalette,--palette--;;filePalette
                </showitem>
            </numIndex>
            <numIndex index="1">
                <showitem>
                    --palette--;LLL:EXT:lang/locallang_tca.xlf:sys_file_reference.imageoverlayPalette;imageoverlayPalette,--palette--;;filePalette
                </showitem>
            </numIndex>
        </foreign_types>
        <appearance type="array">
            <headerThumbnail>
                <height>64</height>
                <width>64</width>
            </headerThumbnail>
            <enabledControls>
                <info>1</info>
                <dragdrop>0</dragdrop>
                <sort>1</sort>
                <hide>0</hide>
                <delete>1</delete>
                <localize>1</localize>
            </enabledControls>
            <createNewRelationLinkTitle>
                LLL:EXT:frontend/Resources/Private/Language/locallang_ttc.xlf:images.addFileReference
            </createNewRelationLinkTitle>
        </appearance>
        <behaviour>
            <localizationMode>select</localizationMode>
            <localizeChildrenAtParentLocalization>1</localizeChildrenAtParentLocalization>
        </behaviour>
        <overrideChildTca>
            <types type="array">
                <numIndex index="2">
                    <showitem>
                        --palette--;LLL:EXT:lang/locallang_tca.xlf:sys_file_reference.imageoverlayPalette;imageoverlayPalette,--palette--;;filePalette
                    </showitem>
                </numIndex>
            </types>
        </overrideChildTca>
        <allowed>jpg,png,svg,jpeg,gif</allowed>
    </config>
</my_flex_form_group.my_flex_form_field>

```