Why Use rd_comments? 

• Ideal for blogs, magazines, or news portals using EXT:news
• Fully integrated with TYPO3’s backend for easy comment management
• Flexible templating for frontend display
• Designed with clean code structure and best practices for TYPO3 extension development

Key Features 

• Seamless integration with EXT:news
• Support for nested (infinite-depth) replies
• Frontend form for submitting comments
• Backend module for reviewing and deleting comments
• Built with Extbase and Fluid templates
• Developer-friendly and easy to extend

Update the database schema 

Open your TYPO3 backend with system-maintainer permissions.

In the module menu to the left, navigate to Admin Tools > Maintenance, then click on Analyze database and apply all suggested changes.

Clear all caches 

In the same module Admin Tools > Maintenance, you can also conveniently clear all caches by clicking the button Flush cache.

Adding TypoScript setup 

To enable the default behavior and frontend output of the rd_comments extension, you need to include its TypoScript configuration.

In the TYPO3 backend, go to the Web > Template module and select your root page. Make sure a TypoScript template record exists.

Switch the view to Info/Modify and click Edit the whole template record to open the template editor.

Go to the Includes tab and add the following static template from the list:

• RD Comments (rd_comments)

This step loads all required TypoScript settings to display the comment form and comment threads in the frontend automatically.

If needed, you can override the default configuration using TypoScript constants or by modifying the templates.

Recommended page structure 

To enable comments for news articles using rd_comments, use the following minimal structure:

• Home – Root page with TypoScript template included
• News List – Page that displays a list of news articles
• News Detail & RD Comments plugin page – Renders both the news article and the comment section
• Storage – Folder to store both news and comment records

Example page tree:

Home
├── News List
├── News Detail & RD Comments plugin page
└── Storage
    └── News & Comment Storage

Create news records 

You must first create some news articles using the EXT:news extension.

1. Go to the Web > List module
2. Select the News & Comment Storage folder
3. Click Create new record and choose News
4. Fill in required fields such as Title, Teaser, and Content
5. Click Save

Configure News Detail View 

To display the full article on the detail page, configure the News plugin for Detail view.

1. On the News Detail page, add a new content element: News Plugin
2. In the plugin settings, choose Detail view as the What to display option

Now assign the storage folder:

1. Under the Plugin tab: - Set the Starting Point / Storage Page to your News & Comment Storage folder - Click Save

Add the RD Comments plugin 

Add the RD Comments plugin to show the comment thread and form.

1. On the same News Detail page, add another content element: RD Comments > Comments

1. In the plugin settings: - Set the Record Storage Page to the News & Comment Storage

Check the frontend 

When visiting the News List page in the frontend, you should see:

• A list of news articles
• Each article links to its corresponding detail view
• The detail page shows the article and a threaded comment section below

For layout and styling customization, see the Frontend rendering of comments section.

What appears on the frontend 

After everything is set up, visiting a news detail page will show:

• A comment form allowing users to post new comments or reply to existing ones
• A threaded comment display showing all comments related to the news article, including replies (if any exist)

No additional configuration is required for this output to appear. The extension automatically connects each comment to the currently displayed news article.

Accessing the module 

To open the RD Comments module:

1. Log into the TYPO3 backend.
2. In the left-hand sidebar, locate and click on News Comments.
3. The module will open a dedicated interface listing all the comments stored in the system.

Initial state (no comments) 

When there are no comments associated with any news records, the module will display No news items found with comments. It confirms that the module is working but no data has been submitted yet.

This is how the module will render if no comments are available for any news records.

Commented state (with data) 

When comments exist, the module displays a structured list of news records that contain comments. Each news record section can be expanded to view associated comments.

• News records are listed in the left sidebar or collapsible sections.
• Comments are shown in a threaded structure under each news record.

Each news block represents a news item that has at least one comment. These blocks are ordered by the most recently commented news first, meaning the news record with the latest user interaction appears at the top.

The title of each block displays:

• The news title, so editors can easily identify the article.
• The corresponding UID of the news record, helping to cross-reference it with other backend modules.

Each individual comment entry includes:

• The commenter's name and email (if available)
• The comment content
• The reply button
• The delete button
• The timestamp on the right-hand side showing when the comment was posted

⚙️ The date and time format displayed here is based on the following TypoScript constants:

You can modify these formats in your constants.typoscript or via the Constant Editor to suit your preferred regional or display format but it will render only in frontend not in backend module.

Database Storage 

All comments managed in this module are stored in the tx_rdcomments_domain_model_comment table. Threaded relationships are managed via:

• parent: points to the UID of the parent comment (for replies)
• pid: indicates the storage folder used

Next Steps 

• Learn how comment threads are displayed and managed: Comment threading and nesting
• Understand how action buttons work: Reply & Delete buttons

Overview 

Each comment is displayed under the news item it belongs to. If a comment is a reply to another, it is shown directly below its parent. While the backend doesn't use visual indentation for nesting, it clearly indicates the reply chain through labeling.

Threading supports infinite depth, and parent-child relationships are preserved even in a flat layout.

Rendering Structure 

Unlike traditional threaded views, the RD Comments module uses a flat structure. Replies appear beneath their parent comment with slight variation based on the reply level:

Each comment block includes: - Commenter's name and email - Replied by: label (for replies beyond the first level), showing the name of the user who replied - Message content - Action buttons (Delete, Show Replies, Hide Replies)

Visual Hierarchy Example 

UID: 123 — News Title: "TYPO3 12 Released"

  • John Doe (john@example.com)
    "This update is fantastic!"

  • Lisa Smith (lisa@example.com)
    "I agree! Especially the new admin panel."

  • Lisa Smith Replied by: Mark Lee (mark@example.com)
    "Same here. Although I had some upgrade issues."

  • Mark Lee Replied by: Admin (admin@typo3.org)
    "Hi Mark, please refer to the migration guide."

  • John Doe Replied by: Tom Ray (tom@example.com)
    "The UX improvements are really helpful."

UID: 124 — News Title: "TYPO3 Migration Tips"

  • Alice Grey (alice@example.com)
    "Will this be compatible with all existing extensions?"

  • Alice Grey Replied by: Dev Team (devs@typo3.org)
    "Most of them, yes. A compatibility list is available."

Visual Threading Example 

Below is a real screenshot of how threaded comments are displayed inside the backend module:

This visual shows: - Flat rendering of root comments and their replies - The Replied by: label that clearly connects child to parent comment - Grouping under each news title and UID for better context

Key UI Behavior 

• Comments are grouped under their respective news records.
• Only nested replies beyond the first level display the Replied by: label (from parent to replier).
• The layout remains flat — there is no indentation for child comments.
• Replies can be toggled using Show/Hide Replies buttons.
• Comments are sorted chronologically within their thread (newest first).
• The Delete button allows moderators to remove any comment, including replies.

Next Steps 

• For detailed behavior of action buttons, see: Show, Hide & Delete buttons

Available Actions 

Each comment block in the backend includes a set of intuitive action buttons that allow moderators and editors to manage discussion threads.

Behavior Details 

• Show Replies toggles the visibility of all replies under a comment without reloading the page.
• Hide Replies collapses visible replies for better focus.
• When a comment is deleted: - A flash message appears at the top: “Comment deleted successfully.” - The comment is immediately removed from the backend, along with all of its nested replies. - In the database: - The deleted field in the tx_rdcomments_domain_model_comment table is set to 1 - This applies recursively to all nested replies of the deleted comment. - There is no "Deleted" label or placeholder — the entire thread is removed from view.

Visual Example 

In this example: - The Show Replies button reveals replies to the comment. - The Hide Replies button collapses them again. - The Delete button removes the entire comment thread from the interface.

Flash Message Notification 

After a comment (and its replies) are deleted, the RD Comments module displays a confirmation message at the top of the screen.

• This message confirms the deletion action with the text: “Comment deleted successfully.”
• It appears only once per delete operation and automatically disappears after reloading the page.

Best Practices 

• Use Show/Hide Replies to manage complex threads during moderation.
• Be cautious with Delete, as it removes the entire comment thread, including replies.

Next Steps 

• Return to: RD Comments module overview
• Review how comment threads are displayed: Comment Threading and Nesting

Overview 

In addition to the custom RD Comments backend module, all submitted comments are stored as TYPO3 records and are accessible in the List module. This module provides a direct way to review, hide, or unhide comments in a traditional list view, especially for bulk actions or auditing.

Accessing the List Module 

To view RD Comments in the List module:

1. Log into the TYPO3 backend.
2. From the left navigation pane, select the List module.
3. Navigate to and click on the storage folder where your RD Comments records are stored.
4. You will see a list of all comment records associated with the news items.

Moderation via Visibility 

Unlike the RD Comments module, the List module does not provide threaded interaction. However, it has a powerful feature for moderation: the visibility toggle.

• Each comment record has a "Visibility" (hidden) toggle field.
• You can hide a comment instead of deleting it.
• Hidden comments are not rendered on the frontend and do not appear in the RD Comments module view.
• The comment remains in the database and can be restored by simply unchecking the "hidden" box.

This is especially helpful when: - You want to temporarily remove inappropriate or spam content without losing conversation context. - You need a reversible moderation option. - Editors want to review or revise content before making it public again.

Displayed Fields 

The List module view shows key details of each comment:

• Author name and email
• Comment content
• term acceptance status
• Parameter link to the related comment (for threaded discussions)
• If the comment is a root comment (not a reply), it will also list its replies in read-only format beneath it.

Replies Rendering in Read-Only View 

When a root comment (i.e., not a reply) is selected in the List module, the system also displays its associated nested replies in a grouped, read-only format.

This gives administrators a complete view of the discussion thread without requiring navigation to the RD Comments module.

This feature is helpful for:

• Viewing full conversation threads at a glance.
• Making moderation decisions based on reply context.
• Auditing comment activity from a single entry point.

Use Cases 

• Moderate without delete: Hide a comment for review without erasing it permanently.
• Restore hidden content easily by unchecking the hidden box.
• Audit comment chains using parent-child references in the parent field.

Best Practices 

• Prefer hiding over deleting when moderation is temporary.
• Always double-check the storage folder path for consistency.
• Set permissions appropriately so only trusted users can modify visibility in this view.

Next Steps 

• Return to: RD Comments module
• Review available moderation tools: Show, Hide & Delete buttons
• Understand comment relationships: Comment Threading and Nesting

Configuration Overview 

Best Practices 

• Always set the storagePid to a page where news and comments are stored .
• Enable termsRequired to comply with legal policies (like GDPR).
• Choose a dateFormat and timeFormat that match your site’s language and regional preferences.

Next Steps 

• Return to the main extension overview
• Or continue to the User Manual to learn how comment threads and moderation work.

Before You Begin 

To ensure the extension functions correctly, please review the following requirements and preparations:

• ✅ Storage Page: Set the plugin.tx_rdcomments_rdcomment.persistence.storagePid constant. Without this, comments will not be stored or displayed.
• ✅ Include jQuery (if needed): If your site doesn't already include jQuery, make sure it's available globally before the comment script loads. RD Comments does not auto-include jQuery anymore.
• ✅ Terms & Conditions (optional): If termsRequired is enabled, configure termsTypolinkParameter to avoid broken links on the frontend.
• ✅ Frontend Plugin: Place the RD Comments Plugin on the desired detail pages (e.g., news or blog detail). Otherwise, the comment form and threads won't appear.

What You Can Customize 

The extension supports full frontend customization using Fluid templates. You can override these paths in your SitePackage:

Fluid View Inheritance 

If you override only specific templates, be sure to copy the necessary partials or layouts that your custom template depends on. For example:

• If you override Comment/List.html, make sure Comment/Item.html and any related partials still exist or are overridden as needed.

Template Tips 

• The default templates use Bootstrap 5 classes and Font Awesome.
• The comment thread is recursively rendered via a partial loop in frontend .
• Font Awesome icons are only included if you configure it yourself (the extension doesn't load them automatically anymore).

Styling and Script Integration 

The RD Comments extension relies on specific CSS and JavaScript logic to render and handle the comment interface. If you're planning to customize or override the frontend design, keep the following in mind:

⚠️ Do not remove the JS/CSS configurations blindly — doing so will break the functionality (e.g., the comment box will not appear or reply toggles will not work).

### What You Should Do

• ✅ Customize with care:

  You can override the visual design of the comment system, but be extremely cautious not to disrupt required structural elements.

• ✅ Keep all functional class names unchanged:

  Do not remove or rename classes from the original HTML structure. These classes are used by JavaScript to toggle replies, render nested forms, animate scroll behavior, and control button states.

### Summary

If you're modifying the design of the comments section:

• Don't strip or rename HTML classes, as they are tied to JavaScript functionality
• Avoid removing JS/CSS unless you've completely reimplemented all required behavior
• Make sure reply toggling, nested form rendering, and scroll behaviors work as expected
• Always test your changes across devices and languages to maintain full frontend compatibility

Best Practices 

• Use TypoScript constants to override paths — don’t modify core extension files.

📬 GitHub Repository 

You can report bugs, request features, or contribute to the codebase via GitHub:

🔗 https://github.com/remote-devs/rd_comments

Please check the existing issues before opening a new one.

💬 TYPO3 Slack 

Join the TYPO3 Slack workspace and post your questions in: