Core API

4.1.2. Extending the $TCA array

This is done by extensions and typically the information added to the table is stored in extension files named "ext_tables.php". Please see the Extension API description for details about this.

An example could look like this (from the extension "mininews", file "ext_tables.php"):

     1: // Defining a new column for the mininews extension (goes into the tt_content table)

     2: $tempColumns = Array (

     3:     "tx_mininews_frontpage_list" => Array (        

     4:         "exclude" => 1,        

     5:         "label" => "LLL:EXT:mininews/locallang_db.php:tt_content.tx_mininews_frontpage_list",

     6:         "config" => Array (

     7:             "type" => "select",

     8:             "items" => Array (

     9:                 Array("LLL:EXT:mininews/locallang_db.php:tt_content.tx_mininews_frontpage_list.I.0", "0"),

    10:                 Array("LLL:EXT:mininews/locallang_db.php:tt_content.tx_mininews_frontpage_list.I.1", "1"),

    11:             ),

    12:         )

    13:     ),

    14: );

    15: 

    16: // Make sure to load all of "tt_content":

    17: t3lib_div::loadTCA("tt_content");

    18: 

    19: // ... then add the column for mininews which was defined above:

    20: t3lib_extMgm::addTCAcolumns("tt_content",$tempColumns,1);

    21: 

    22: // ... and finally add the new column definition to the list of fields shown for the mininews plugin:

    23: // (This also removes the presence of the normally shown fields, "layout" and "select_key")

    24: $TCA["tt_content"]["types"]["list"]["subtypes_excludelist"][$_EXTKEY."_pi1"]="layout,select_key";

    25: $TCA["tt_content"]["types"]["list"]["subtypes_addlist"][$_EXTKEY."_pi1"]="tx_mininews_frontpage_list;;;;1-1-1";

    26: 

    27: // Now, define a new table for the extension. Name: "tx_mininews_news"

    28: // Only the "ctrl" section is defined since the rest of the config is in the "tca.php" file, loaded dynamically when needed.

    29: $TCA["tx_mininews_news"] = Array (

    30:     "ctrl" => Array (

    31:         "title" => "LLL:EXT:mininews/locallang_db.php:tx_mininews_news",

    32:         "label" => "title",    

    33:         "tstamp" => "tstamp",

    34:         "crdate" => "crdate",

    35:         "cruser_id" => "cruser_id",

    36:         "default_sortby" => "ORDER BY datetime DESC",    

    37:         "delete" => "deleted",    

    38:         "enablecolumns" => Array (        

    39:             "disabled" => "hidden",    

    40:             "starttime" => "starttime",    

    41:             "endtime" => "endtime",    

    42:             "fe_group" => "fe_group",

    43:         ),

    44:         "dynamicConfigFile" => t3lib_extMgm::extPath($_EXTKEY)."tca.php",

    45:         "iconfile" => t3lib_extMgm::extRelPath($_EXTKEY)."icon_tx_mininews_news.gif",

    46:     ),

    47:     "feInterface" => Array (

    48:         "fe_admin_fieldList" => "hidden, starttime, endtime, fe_group, datetime, title, teaser, full_text, front_page",

    49:     )

    50: );

    51: 

    52: // Then, make sure records from this table is allowed on regular pages:

    53: t3lib_extMgm::allowTableOnStandardPages("tx_mininews_news");

    54: // ... and allowed to be added in the "Insert Record" content element type:

    55: t3lib_extMgm::addToInsertRecords("tx_mininews_news");

Here line 1-25 is about adding a column to the table "tt_content" which was in fact added by the extension "cms"

Then line 27-55 shows how a totally new table is added for the extension "mininews".