Documentation
Timestamp in public file uri

Timestamp in public file uri 

Classification

reint_file_timestamp

Version

release

Language

en

Description

Adds a parameter with timestamp to all public file uri to prevent browser from caching the file after update.

Keywords

FAL,file,download,timestamp,caching,parameter,filelist,browser,filecache,Hook,signal,Slot

Copyright

2016-2026

Author

Ephraim Härer

Email

ephraim.haerer@renolit.com

License

This document is published under the Open Content License available from http://www.opencontent.org/opl.shtml

Rendered

Mon, 27 Jul 2026 14:20:36 +0000

The content of this document is related to TYPO3, a GNU/GPL CMS/Framework available from www.typo3.org.

Table of Contents

Introduction 

What does it do? 

A TYPO3 extension which adds a timestamp parameter to public file urls - in frontend and backend - of TYPO3.

This extension was created to prevent browsers from caching files which have been updated by the editor but opened before.

Example: https://mydomain.tld/myfile.pdf will be changed to https://mydomain.tld/myfile.pdf?v=timestampoffile

It is useful for content publisher in TYPO3 because some browsers cache the files extremely and after updating the file in TYPO3 the changes can't bee seen.

Useful for editors e.g. in Intranet systems or Corporate websites.

Because most of the time it's not useful to change the public url of all files, the default configuration will only change public url of docx, doc, pdf, xls, xlsx, odt, ods, ppt and pptx documents in frontend.

The changed public url is done in backend for all files in the filelist module.

Example of a usecase with problems:
  • Editor opens pdf-file in frontend in Internet Explorer -> browser is caching this file
  • Editor replaces the file in TYPO3 backend with a new file with the replace function in filelist module
  • Editor reopens the pdf-file in frontend in Internet Explorer -> browser is loading the cached file and not the new file

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Examples of converted URLs:

<img src="/fileadmin/myfolder/images/mylogo.png" width="224" height="224" alt="" />
Copied!

will be converted to

<img src="/fileadmin/myfolder/images/mylogo.png?v=1385557716" width="224" height="224" alt="" />
Copied! 
<a href="/fileadmin/myfolder/documents/document.pdf" target="_blank">Download document</a>
Copied!

will be converted to

<a href="/fileadmin/myfolder/documents/document.pdf?v=1385557716" target="_blank">Download document</a>
Copied!

\

If there are problems with this extension or better solutions for this problem, don't hesitate to contact me via email ephraim.haerer@renolit.com, via Twitter, via my profile on Github or in the Slack channel of TYPO3.

For problems my preferred contact channel is to create an issue on Github.

It will NOT:
  • modify the file itself, it only modifies the public URL of the file when the URL will be created in TYPO3 frontend or backend
  • modify the public URL if a file is processed through the image processor via TYPO3. A timestamp for processed URLs isn't needed because if the file was changed, a new processed file will be created

Administrator Manual 

Target group: Administrators

This extension should be installed via "composer require renolit/reint-file-timestamp". There are no dependencies to other extension, only to TYPO3 core. The package could be activated via extension manager or via TYPO3 console plugin.

Installation 

To install the extension, perform the following steps:

  1. Add package on command line via "composer require renolit/reint-file-timestamp"
  2. Install the extension via extension manager or use the TYPO3 console plugin to activate it

Configuration 

  1. Configure the extension via "Admin tools->Settings->Extension configuration->reint_file_timestamp"
Extension configuration

Extension configuration

Extension configuration in admin tools

FAQ 

What to do if I have problems with this extension? 

Please write a bug report on Github and report the problem via Github to me.

Configuration Reference 

Just install the extension and check your file downloads and the filelist in backend to see if it all works fine.

Go to "Admin tools->Settings->Extension configuration->reint_file_timestamp" to configure the following options:
  • Completely disable adding of timestamp to files in TYPO3 frontend
  • Define some file extensions comma separated for adding of timestamp in TYPO3 frontend
  • Completely disable adding of timestamp to files in TYPO3 backend
  • Define some file extensions comma separated for adding of timestamp in TYPO3 backend

If you disable adding of timestamps to files in frontend or backend the setting of special file extensions will have no effect.

Developer Corner 

Target group: Developers

At the moment there are no signal slots or hooks available. Please contact me if there is a need for it.

This extension uses the signal slot "PreGeneratePublicUrl" in TYPO3CMSCoreResourceResourceStorage to overwrite the public uri of a file.

Known Problems 

At the momement there are no known problems. Please use the bugtracker system on Github and report every bug you will find. I will fix the problems as soon as possible (asap) ;-).

To-Do list 

If there are milestones visit Github, if you want to add something, write a pull request or a mail to me.

ChangeLog 

  • 27.07.2026 -> 5.0.0

    • new version for TYPO3 14.3
    • updated documentation

  • 27.07.2026 -> 4.0.1

    • new version for compatibility with TYPO3 13.4
    • updated documentation

  • 03.05.2024 -> 4.0.0

    • new version for TYPO3 12.4
    • updated documentation

  • 01.06.2022 -> 3.0.1

    • added PHP 8 compatibility, thanks to jp1987
    • updated documentation

  • 10.01.2022 -> 3.0.0

    • full update to use with TYPO3 11.5
    • completely switched from signal hooks to PSR-14 event listener

  • 25.06.2020 -> 2.0.1

    • cleaned up coding
    • added check if public url still contains a parameter in uri

  • 24.06.2020 -> 2.0.0

    • new version for TYPO3 9.5 and 10.4

  • 13.09.2017 -> 1.1.4

    • fixed composer.json and added TYPO3 8 compatibility

  • 12.09.2017 -> 1.1.3

    • fixed composer.json

  • 12.09.2017 -> 1.1.2

    • added composer.json and updated dependencies

  • 02.12.2016 -> 1.1.1

    • added check for public storage, only change public uri if file is public available

  • 13.07.2016 -> 1.1.0

    • added configuration options in extension manager

  • 19.01.2016 -> 1.0.3, 1.0.4

    • small documentation update

  • 18.01.2016 -> 1.0.2

    • small documentation update

  • 15.01.2016 -> 1.0.1

    • bugfix: fixed bug in setting and decoding public uris, please update!

  • 12.01.2016 -> 1.0.0

    • first release of this extension on GitHub and TER