---
title: "flex-form data processor"
manual: "TypoScript Explained"
version: "main"
permalink: "https://docs.typo3.org/permalink/t3tsref:flexformprocessor@main"
source: "DataProcessing/FlexFormProcessor.rst"
rendered: "2026-09-19T06:55:14+00:00"
---

# `flex-form` data processor {#flexformprocessor}

TYPO3 offers [FlexForms](https://docs.typo3.org/m/typo3/reference-coreapi/main/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@main)
-   [Examples](https://docs.typo3.org/permalink/t3tsref:examples@main)

## Options {#flexformprocessor-options}

**fieldName**

-   **fieldName**

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

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

**references**

-   **references**

    -   *Type:* array
    -   *Required:* false

    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/main/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@main) to
    resolve the correct [FAL](https://docs.typo3.org/m/typo3/reference-coreapi/main/en-us/ApiOverview/Fal/Index.html#fal) resource.

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

**as**

-   **as**

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

    Name for the variable in the Fluid template.

## Examples {#flexformprocessor-examples}

### Example of a minimal TypoScript configuration {#flexformprocessor-example-minimal}

**EXT:my_extension/Configuration/Sets/Main/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 {#flexformprocessor-example-advanced}

**EXT:my_extension/Configuration/Sets/Main/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 {#flexformprocessor-example-sub-processor}

**EXT:my_extension/Configuration/Sets/Main/setup.typoscript**

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

```

### Example of resolving FAL references {#flexformprocessor-resolving-fal}

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/Sets/Main/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:my_sitepackage.backend: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:core.tca:sys_file_reference.imageoverlayPalette;imageoverlayPalette,--palette--;;filePalette
        </showitem>
      </numIndex>
      <numIndex index="1">
        <showitem>
          --palette--;LLL:core.tca: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:frontend.ttc:images.addFileReference
      </createNewRelationLinkTitle>
    </appearance>
    <behaviour>
      <localizationMode>select</localizationMode>
      <localizeChildrenAtParentLocalization>1</localizeChildrenAtParentLocalization>
    </behaviour>
    <overrideChildTca>
      <types type="array">
        <numIndex index="2">
          <showitem>
            --palette--;LLL:core.tca: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>

```