Using the getText data type

There's one particular data type which might leave you wondering, because it may seem to behave rather like a function. This is getText.

The data property of stdWrap has this particular data type. It makes it possible retrieve values from a large number of sources, including:

  • global TYPO3 CMS arrays
  • GET/POST vars
  • database
  • localized strings
  • page rootline

Here are some examples:

10 = TEXT
10.data = field:abstract
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Creates a text object that contains the value of the "abstract" field from the current page:

10 = TEXT
10.data = leveltitle:0
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Creates a text object that contains the title of the page on level 0 of the current branch, i.e. the website root for that branch:

10 = TEXT
10.data = LLL:EXT:myext/Resources/Private/Language/locallang.xlf:siteTitle
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Creates a text object that contains the value of the "siteTitle" string in the given localization, appropriately translated for the current language.

As you can see, the base syntax is a keyword, then a colon (:) and then some values that makes with regards to the chosen keyword. Although such a tool may appear to be a function, it is not considered one as it is entirely defined on the right side of the assignment and is thus not a property of any given TypoScript object.

This is just a very quick overview. As usual, the TypoScript Reference is your friend.