Core API

4.2.17. ['palettes'][key] section

"Palettes" represents a way to move less frequently used form fields out of sight. Palettes are groups of field which are associated with a field in the main form. When this field is activated the palette fields are displayed. They are also known as "secondary options" which is a more telling name I believe.

This configuration shows us that two palettes are defined (line 8 and 9) with key 1 and 2.

     1:     'types' => Array (

     2:         '0' => Array('showitem' => 'hidden;;1, type;;1, title, test_template'),

     3:         '1' => Array('showitem' => 'title, test_template;;1, hidden, type'),

     4:         '2' => Array('showitem' => 'type, title'),

     5:         '3' => Array('showitem' => 'type;;2'),

     6:     ),

     7:     'palettes' => Array (

     8:         '1' => Array('showitem' => 'starttime, endtime, fe_group'),

     9:         '2' => Array('showitem' => 'title'),

    10:     )

    11: );

Palette 1 is referred to from "types"-configuration "0" by the field name "hidden" and "type" and "types" configuration "1" by the field "test_template".

Palette 2 is referred to from "types"-configuration "3" by the field name "type".

The configuration means that next to the checkbox for the field "hidden" there is an icon which will activate the palette when clicked:

 

The palette fields appear in the top frame until another field in the main form is activated.

The other option is to enable "Show secondary options" (found in bottom of the form) which in some cases is more convenient way to access palette fields:

 

This results in the palette fields being included into the form, but arranged horizontally instead of vertically:

 

Notice: You should not show the same field on more than one palette! If you do, the images (required and changed) will not work in MSIE.

Key	Datatype	Description
showitem	string (list of fieldnames)	Required. Configuration of the displayed order of fields in the palette. Remember that a fieldname must not appear in more than one palette and not more than one time!. Eg. 'hidden,starttime,endtime'
canNotCollapse	boolean	If set, then this palette is not allowed to 'collapse' in the TCEforms-display. This basically means that if "Show secondary options" is not on, this palette is still displayed in the main form and not linked with an icon.