How to set an different input type in a content element from Typo3?

Question

Im setting up a content element in Typo3 where I have an icon next to my text.

And because the most colums in the tt_content table remains empty I want to use the subheader column for the input of my icon. This gives a text input type but i want to change that to a select box (with all my defined icons).

I use this in my tca/overrides/tt_content.php

$GLOBALS['TCA']['tt_content']['types']['ext_icon']['showitem'] = 
'--palette--;LLL:EXT:cms/locallang_ttc.xlf:palette.general;general,
header; Title;,
bodytext; Text;;richtext[*]:rte_transform[],
subheader; Icon;,
header_link;Button link;';

I want to change this subheader part to an select.

I did use this way:

$GLOBALS['TCA']['tt_content']['columns']['subheader'] = array(
    "exclude" => 1,
    "label" => "test",
    "config" => array(
        'type' => 'select',
        'items' => array(
            array('Warning', 'warning'),
            array('Alert', 'alert'),
            array('Sign', 'sign'),
        )
    )
)

That works, but then on every place I have this select type for my subheader.

How can i only set it op for this element and let the other places use the default input type?

Btw I use Typo 6.2.x

Answer 1

You should use a dedicated field for that purpose instead of "abusing" the subheader that way. When you install ie the THEMES package of extensions, a field like that will be made available for fontawesome icons.

Answer 2

https://docs.typo3.org/typo3cms/TSconfigReference/PageTsconfig/TCEform/Index.html

you can define a 'case' where you will use filed type X when type Y is selected:

TCEFORM.[table name].[field].types.[type] - configures the field in TCEFORM in case the 'type'-value of the field matches type.

BUT, this is not recommended for your situation.

re-using fields is ok, but only when the field also matches the 'semantics' of that field. Storing icon names in a subheader field just doesn't feel right.

I would recommend to create a new field where you can store your icon names and not to interfere with the subheader field. This way you can easily re-use this new field for other cType's