TypoScript Syntax

1.3.4. Parsing, Storing and Executing TypoScript

Parsing TypoScript

This means that the TypoScript text content is transformed into a PHP array structure by following the rules of the TypoScript syntax. But still the meaning of the parsed content is not evaluated.

During parsing, syntax errors may occur when the input TypoScript text content does not follow the rules of the TypoScript syntax. The parser is however very forgiving in that case and it only registers an error internally while it will continue to parse the TypoScript code. Syntax errors can therefore  be seen only with a tool that analyzes the syntax - like the syntax highlighter does.

The class "t3lib_tsparser" is used to parse TypoScript content. Please see another chapter in this document for details.

Storing parsed TypoScript

When TypoScript has been parsed it is stored in a PHP array (which is often serialized and cached in the database afterward). If you take the TypoScript from the introduction examples and parses it you will get a result like below:

First, the TypoScript:

  asdf = qwerty

  asdf {

    zxcvbnm = uiop

    backgroundColor = blue

    backgroundColor.transparency = 95%

  }

Then after parsing it with the function "parse()" in the t3lib_tsparser class the internal variable $this->setup in that class will contain a PHP array which looks like this (with the print_r() PHP function):

  Array

  (

      [asdf] => qwerty

      [asdf.] => Array

          (

              [zxcvbnm] => uiop

              [backgroundColor] => blue

              [backgroundColor.] => Array

                  (

                      [transparency] => 95%

                  )

          )

  )

 

You can also print the array by an API function in TYPO3, namely t3lib_div::view_array() or just debug(). Then it looks like this:

 

 

As you see the value ("blue") of the property "backgroundColor" can be fetched by this PHP code:

  $this->setup['asdf.']['backgroundColor']

 

So you can say that TypoScript offers a textbased interface for getting values into a multidimensional PHP array from a simple text field or file. This can be very useful if you need to take that kind of input from users without giving them direct access to PHP code - hence the reason why TypoScript came into existence.

"Executing" TypoScript

Since TypoScript itself contains only information (!) you cannot "execute" it. The closest you come to "executing" TypoScript is when you take the PHP array with the parsed TypoScript structure and passes it to a PHP function which then  performs whatever actions according to the values found in the array. This is the syntax/semantics debate again.