Layout Overrides of Config Options

[Alex Chartier]

There does not seem to be an easy way to override the layout of fields that are part of the component configuration, i.e. the options for the component via com_config.

Stepping through the code when the layout is processed the FileLayout.php (J4) gets the layout paths but the paths are relative to com_config, not the component you are setting the options for. (I have not stepped through the code for J3 but I suspect the process is the same).

It is possible to override the layout for a particular field by setting the layout= in the config.xml (again for J4), but, these layout overrides must be in the root layouts directory and I have not found a way to have them installed into that directory during component installation via the manifest xml file.

It would be possible to do so using a pre/post flight scripts to move them there but I am not sure this is the best/correct way to do it.

My reason for doing this is to handle the differences between J3 & J4 so I can use the same installation. J3 uses type radio in layouts/joomla/form/field/radio while J4 uses layouts/joomla/form/field/radiobasic or layouts/joomla/form/field/radio/switcher. My thought was to use an override file that checked the JVersion and include the correct one. I have run into this issue though.

Anyone have any ideas?

[venomDev]

One option that might be useful is to create a custom field that detects the Joomla version number and defines the field type to extend based on v3 or v4.

Then you should also be able to do a layout over ride.

[Alex Chartier]

OK, so a custom field would not do it as what I really wanted was the full radio class just with a different layout. The answer ended up being to use the file type of the manifest file. The info I needed for this was in this joomla stackexchange posting: https://joomla.stackexchange.com/questions/24157/how-to-add-a-cli-file-to-the-cli-directory-as-part-of-a-component-install/28857#28857

In my package I created a new zip install for the layout files and set the target=layouts/mycomponent and then added the filename radio.php as a file in the fileset.

In radio.php I tested for the joomla version and then included (could not do include/require once as then the output would not be generated for subsequent options) the appropriate layout. I had to then set the layout in the config.xml file to mycomponent.radio

Tested on J3.9 and J4.0 Beta 7. Works as intended.