.. include:: /Includes.rst.txt .. _concepts-configuration: Configuration ============= .. _concepts-configuration-whysomuchconfiguration: A lot of configuration. Why? ---------------------------- The requirements for building forms in a declarative and programmatic way are complex. What we have learned so far is that the program code must be kept as generic as possible to handle the dynamics of forms, but a generic program code means a lot of configurative overhead. Initially, the configuration may overwhelm you, but it also has some great advantages. Many aspects of EXT:form can be manipulated in a purely configurative manner without involving a developer. Furthermore, we wanted to avoid the configuration being done at places whose context actually suggests something different. This pedantry, however, leads to the situation in which certain settings have to be defined multiple times at multiple places. This may seem nonsensical, but it avoids unpredictable behaviour. Within the form framework, nothing happens magically. It is all about configuration. .. _concepts-configuration-whyyaml: Why YAML? --------- Former versions of EXT:form used a subset of TypoScript to describe the definition of a specific form and the behaviour of the included form elements. This led to a lot of confusion from integrators because the implemented definition language looked like TypoScript but did not behave like TypoScript. Since the definition of forms and form elements must be declarative, the EXT:form team decided to use YAML. Just through the visual appearance of YAML, it should be clear to everyone that neither magic nor TypoScript stdWrap functionality are possible. .. _concepts-configuration-yamlregistration: YAML registration ----------------- At the moment, configuration via YAML is not natively integrated into the core of TYPO3. You have to make a short detour by using TypoScript in order to register your YAML configuration. Furthermore, there is a "speciality" regarding the integration of your YAML configuration for the backend module. .. hint:: We recommend using a `site package `_. This will make your life easier if you want to customize EXT:form heavily in order to suit the customer's needs. .. tip:: For debugging purposes or for getting an overview about the available configuration use the :guilabel:`SYSTEM > Configuration` module. Select in the menu the :guilabel:`Form: YAML Configuration` item to display the parsed YAML form setup. If the module is not available install the lowlevel system extension. .. _concepts-configuration-yamlregistration-frontend: YAML registration for the frontend ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ For the frontend the whole YAML configuration is loaded via the following TypoScript (see ``EXT:form/Configuration/TypoScript/setup.typoscript``): .. code-block:: typoscript plugin.tx_form { settings { yamlConfigurations { 10 = EXT:form/Configuration/Yaml/FormSetup.yaml } } } Since the key ``10`` is already taken, we recommend registering your own configuration beginning with the key ``100``. .. code-block:: typoscript plugin.tx_form { settings { yamlConfigurations { 100 = EXT:my_site_package/Configuration/Form/CustomFormSetup.yaml } } } .. _concepts-configuration-yamlregistration-backend: .. _concepts-configuration-yamlregistration-backend-addtyposcriptsetup: YAML registration for the backend ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ For the backend the whole YAML configuration is loaded via the following TypoScript in :file:`EXT:form/ext_localconf.php`. .. code-block:: php :caption: EXT:form/ext_localconf.php ExtensionManagementUtility::addTypoScriptSetup(' module.tx_form { settings { yamlConfigurations { 10 = EXT:form/Configuration/Yaml/FormSetup.yaml } } } '); Since the key ``10`` is already taken, we recommend registering your own configuration beginning with a unique number (for instance current timestamp) in a :file:`EXT:my_extension/ext_localconf.php` file: .. code-block:: php :caption: EXT:my_extension/ext_localconf.php `' for handling YAML in TYPO3 based on the Symfony YAML package. This YAML loader is able to resolve environment variables. In addition, EXT:form comes with an own YAML loader which has some limitations/ restrictions, especially when it comes to resolve environment variables. Those limitations are necessary security-wise. EXT:form differentiates between :ref:`form configuration and form definition`. In addition, a form definition can be :ref:`stored` in the file system (FAL) or can be shipped with a custom extension. Depending on those parameters different YAML loaders are used and thus, different features are available. .. t3-field-list-table:: :header-rows: 1 - :a: YAML file :b: YAML loader - :a: YAML configuration :b: TYPO3 core - :a: YAML definition stored in file system (default when using the ``form editor``) :b: TYPO3 Form Framework - :a: YAML definition stored in custom extension :b: TYPO3 core .. _concepts-configuration-configurationaspects: Configuration aspects --------------------- In EXT:form, four aspects can be configured: - the behaviour of the frontend rendering, - the behaviour of the ``form editor``, - the behaviour of the ``form manager``, and - the behaviour of the ``form plugin``. Those aspects are defined in separate files which are only loaded in the frontend/ backend when needed. This approach has two advantages: - increased clarity, - increased performance, e.g. the ``form editor`` configuration is not needed in the frontend and therefore not loaded. It is up to you if you want to follow this guideline or if you want to put the whole configuration into one large file. There are some configurational aspects which cannot explicitly be assigned to either the frontend or the backend. Instead, the configuration is valid for both areas. For example, within the backend, the whole frontend configuration is required in order to allow the form preview to work properly. In addition, as soon as the form is rendered via the ``form plugin``, the ``FormEngine`` configuration is needed to interpret the overridden finisher configuration correctly. .. _concepts-configuration-inheritances: Inheritances ------------ The final YAML configuration is not based on one huge file. Instead, it is a compilation of a sequential process: - First of all, all registered configuration files are parsed as YAML and are overlaid according to their order. - After that, the ``__inheritances`` operator is applied. It is a unique operator introduced by the form framework. - Finally, all configuration entries with a value of ``null`` are deleted. Additionally, the frontend configuration can be extended/ overridden by TypoScript: .. code-block:: typoscript plugin.tx_form { settings { yamlSettingsOverrides { ... } } } .. note:: Your TypoScript overrides are not interpreted by the ``form editor``, i.e. those settings are ignored. .. note:: The described process is quite handy for you. As soon as you are working with your :ref:`own configuration files `, you only have to define the differences compared to the previously loaded configuration files. For example, if you want to override the fluid templates and you therefore register an additional configuration file via .. code-block:: typoscript plugin.tx_form { settings { yamlConfigurations { # register your own additional configuration # choose a number higher than 30 (below is reserved) 100 = EXT:my_site_package/Configuration/Form/CustomFormSetup.yaml } } } ... you only have to define the following YAML setup in ``EXT:my_site_package/Configuration/Form/CustomFormSetup.yaml``: .. code-block:: yaml prototypes: standard: formElementsDefinition: Form: renderingOptions: templateRootPaths: 20: 'EXT:my_site_package/Resources/Private/Templates/Form/Frontend/' partialRootPaths: 20: 'EXT:my_site_package/Resources/Private/Partials/Form/Frontend/' layoutRootPaths: 20: 'EXT:my_site_package/Resources/Private/Layouts/Form/Frontend/' The values of your own configuration file will overrule the corresponding values of the basic configuration file (:file:`EXT:form/Configuration/Yaml/FormSetup.yaml`). .. _concepts-configuration-inheritances-operator: __inheritances operator ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ The ``__inheritances`` operator is an extremely useful instrument. Using it helps to significantly reduce the configuration effort. It behaves similar to the ``<`` operator in TypoScript. That is, the definition of the source object is copied to the target object. The configuration can be inherited from several parent objects and can be overridden afterwards. Two simple examples will show you the usage and behaviour of the ``__inheritances`` operator. .. code-block:: yaml Form: part01: key01: value key02: key03: value part02: __inheritances: 10: Form.part01 The configuration above results in: .. code-block:: yaml Form: part01: key01: value key02: key03: value part02: key01: value key02: key03: value As you can see, ``part02`` inherited all of ``part01``'s properties. .. code-block:: yaml Form: part01: key: value part02: __inheritances: 10: Form.part01 key: 'value override' The configuration above results in: .. code-block:: yaml Form: part01: key: value part02: key: 'value override' EXT:form heavily uses the ``__inheritances`` operator, in particular, for the definition of form elements. The following example shows you how to use the operator to define a new form element which behaves like the parent element but also has its own properties. .. code-block:: yaml prototypes: standard: formElementsDefinition: GenderSelect: __inheritances: 10: 'prototypes.standard.formElementsDefinition.RadioButton' renderingOptions: templateName: 'RadioButton' properties: options: f: 'Female' m: 'Male' u: 'Unicorn' a: 'Alien' The YAML configuration defines a new form element called ``GenderSelect``. This element inherits its definition from the ``RadioButton`` element but additionally ships four predefined options. Without any problems, the new element can be used and overridden within the ``form definition``. It will probably take some time to fully understand the awesomeness of this operator. If you are eager to learn more about this great instrument, check out the unit tests defined in ``EXT:form/Tests/Unit/Mvc/Configuration/InheritancesResolverServiceTest.php``. .. _concepts-configuration-prototypes: Prototypes ---------- Most of the configurational aspects of the form framework are defined in so-called ``prototypes``. By default, EXT:form defines a prototype named ``standard``. The definition of form elements - including their rendering in the frontend, ``form editor`` and ``form plugin`` - reside within those prototypes. As soon as you create a new form, the specific form definition references such a prototype. This allows you to do a lot of nifty stuff. Let your imagination run free. For example: - based on the referenced prototype, the same form can load - ...varying templates - ...varying ``form editor`` configurations - ...varying ``form plugin`` finisher overrides - within the ``form manager``, depending on the selected prototype - ...varying ``form editor`` configurations can be loaded - ...varying pre-configured form templates (boilerplates) can be chosen - different prototypes can define different/ extended form elements and display them in the frontend/ ``form editor`` accordingly Check out the following use case to fully understand the concept behind prototypes. Imagine that there are two defined prototypes: "noob" and "poweruser". .. t3-field-list-table:: :header-rows: 1 - :a: :b: Prototype "noob" :c: Prototype "poweruser" - :a: **Available form elements within the ``form editor``** :b: Text, Textarea :c: No changes. Default behaviour. - :a: **Available finisher within the ``form editor``** :b: Only the email finisher is available. It offers a field for setting the subject of the mail. All remaining fields are hidden and filled with default values. :c: No changes. Default behaviour. - :a: **Finisher overrides within the ``form plugin``** :b: It is not possible to override the finisher configuration. :c: No changes. Default behaviour.