User functions

The external import extension can call user functions for any field where external data is imported. Some sample functions are provided in Classes/Transformation/DateTimeTransformation.php and Classes/Transformation/ImageTransformation.php.

Basically, the function receives three parameters:

Name	Type	Description
$record	array	The complete record being handled. This makes it possible to refer to other fields of the same record during the transformation, if needed.
$index	string	The key of the field to transform. Modifying other fields in the record is not possible since the record is passed by value and not by reference. Only the field corresponding to this key should be transformed and returned.
$parameters	array	Additional parameters passed to the function. This will be very specific to each function and can even be completely omitted. External import will pass an empty array to the user function if the “parameters” property is not defined.

The function is expected to return only the value of the transformed field.

Warning

The record received as input into the user function has already gone through the renaming the fields. That means the names of the fields are not those of the external data, but those of the TYPO3 CMS fields.

If unsure, use the Preview mode to look at the results of the Handle Data step.

The class containing the user function may implement the \Cobweb\ExternalImport\ImporterAwareInterface (using the \Cobweb\ExternalImport\ImporterAwareTrait or not). In such a case, it will have access to the Importer instance simply by using $this->getImporter(). In particular, this makes it possible for user functions to check if the current run is operating in preview mode or in debug mode.

The function may throw the special exception \Cobweb\ExternalImport\Exception\CriticalFailureException. This will cause the “Transform Data” step to abort. More details in the chapter about critical exceptions.