Onces finish, it will look like this:

Step 0: We’ll start with creating a simple news record:

We’re also going to need a background image for the final gifbuilder image, so we add that too.

Save the news record once your done.

Our news list will contain nothing more than just the image, since the title and subheader will be printed in there*. This means the tt_news template will look like this:

<!-- ###TEMPLATE_LIST### begin -->
  <div class="news-latest-container">
    <!-- ###CONTENT### begin -->
      <!-- ###NEWS### begin -->
        <div class="news-latest-item">
          ###NEWS_IMAGE###
        </div>
      <!-- ###NEWS### end-->
    <!-- ###CONTENT###  end -->
  </div>
<!-- ###TEMPLATE_LIST### end -->

We now have a basic news list view with nothing more than the tt_news image:

So how to transform this image into a dynamic image with title and subtitle?

Step 1: Creating a TypoScript template

Create a TypoScript template at the same page your news-list is located. We tell TYPO3 to clear all current configuration regarding the news-list image:

plugin.tt_news {
  displayList {
    # Remove all configuration
    image >
  }
}

We just removed all earlier configuration, which means we can start from the beginning.

Step 2: Import the tt_news image

Import the image we want to use as a background, from the tt_news record by inserting the following TypoScript

plugin.tt_news {
  displayList {
    # Remove all configuration  
    image >

    # Create a new image
    image {
      stdWrap.cObject = IMAGE
      stdWrap.cObject.file = GIFBUILDER
      stdWrap.cObject.file {
        # Width and height of the image
        XY = 517,177

        # First object: Our background image
        10 = IMAGE
        10 {
          offset = 0,0
          file {
            # Import the image from the tt_news record
            import = uploads/pics/
            import.data = field:image
            import.listNum = 0
            import.override.field = image

            # Determine the width and height (crop)
            width = 517c
            height = 177c

            # Set the quality of the image
            ext = jpg
            quality = 100
          }
        }
      }
    } 
  }       
}

Save the TypoScript template, and have a look at the frontend. You now have:

Step 3: Add the transparent box in which the title should be displayed

We need to create another object within our TypoScript setup, to display the transparent box:

plugin.tt_news {
  displayList {
    # Remove all configuration
    image >

    # Create a new image
    image {
      stdWrap.cObject = IMAGE
      stdWrap.cObject.file = GIFBUILDER
      stdWrap.cObject.file {
        # Width and height of the image
        XY = 517,177

        10 = IMAGE
        [.........]

        20 = BOX
        20 {
          # Offset left, Offset bottom, Width, Height
          dimensions = 10,-10,280,70
          # Start at left bottom
          align = l,b
          # Color of the box
	  color = white
          # Opacity of the box
	  opacity = 75
        }
      }
    }
  }
}

Again, save the template. You now have:

Step 4: Insert the tt_news title

Create yet another object in your TypoScript setup, and get the title from the tt_news record:

plugin.tt_news {
  displayList {
    # Remove all configuration
    image >

    # Create a new image
    image {
      stdWrap.cObject = IMAGE
      stdWrap.cObject.file = GIFBUILDER
      stdWrap.cObject.file {
        # Width and height of the image
        XY = 517,177

        # First object: Our background image
        10 = IMAGE
        10 {
          offset = 0,0
          file {
            # Import the image from the tt_news record
            import = uploads/pics/
            import.data = field:image
            import.listNum = 0
            import.override.field = image

            # Determine the width and height (crop)
            width = 517c
            height = 177c

            # Set the quality of the image
            ext = jpg
            quality = 100
          }
        }
        20 = BOX
        20 {
          # Offset left, Offset bottom, Width, Height
          dimensions = 10,-10,280,70
          # Start at left bottom
          align = l,b
          # Color of the box
	  color = white
          # Opacity of the box
	  opacity = 75
        }
        30 = TEXT
        30 {
          text.data = field:title
          align = left
	  offset = 15,120
	  fontSize = 20
	  color = black
	}
      }
    }
  }
}

We’re finished:

If all went well, you should now be able to insert a subheader or any other tt_news field into the image as well. Hope you liked this tutorial, if you did please leave a comment.

First: Import the extension through the TYPO3 Extension Manager:

You might need to install two additional extensions: xajax (for ajax support) and the default TYPO3 loginbox which is already available but not active.

We now have all necessary extensions.

Insert a loginbox into a page, by selecting the regular default login content element. If this is your first loginbox, please create a usergroup and a user first, preferably in a System Folder. In the login content element, point the startingpoint to this System Folder.

If you’re familiar with the default TYPO3 login box, you’ll notice nothing has actually changed in the frontend. To make the ajax-magic work, you should make some (small) template adjustments. The extension (ods_ajaxfelogin) provides a ready-to-use template, which is basically the same default template but with those small adjustments.

To make use of this template, we need to tell TYPO3 to use this template, instead of the default one. Create a TypoScript template and put the following inside the ‘setup’ area:

# Custom template for the TYPO3 loginbox
plugin.tx_felogin_pi1 {
	templateFile = EXT:ods_ajaxfelogin/felogin.html
}

In the code above I use the template provided by ods_ajaxfelogin, but you might way to copy the contents of this file and create your own file. This way you can make adjustments according to your design needs.

After you applied the code above, you should have an AJAX-powered loginbox in the frontend.

To everyone who has published one of more useful extensions: Keep up the good work!

Read more for the solution!

How to set the click and enlarge option for the RTE in tt_news:

Step 1:
Include the static template: Clickenlarge Rendering (rtehtmlarea)

Now the click and enlarge rendering should work for normal content elements, but still no result for tt_news.

Step 2:
Add the following TypoScript to your setup:

# Rendering RTE tt_news. Use the normal RTE parseFunc
# configuration for tt_news rte content
plugin.tt_news {
        general_stdWrap {
   	      parseFunc < tt_content.text.20.parseFunc
        }
}

Your Done

It turns out tt_news uses another way of rendering the RTE, so this should be reversed.

Update: It seems this snippet is actually part of the tt_news static template but out-commented... makes me wonder why?

Note: This is not an official preview but a trunk download from
the subversion repository. Features a subject to change!

Click to enlarge!

When installed, tt_news tells you to update to version 3.0 using a dedicated update screen. There seems to be no more option to disable the tabbed flexform interface, yet there are more options regarding the caching of newsitems.

Click to enlarge!

There are several database updates needed to be done. Each one can be easily applied using the update wizzard.

Click to enlarge!

With tt_news 3.0 comes a News Admin module! Within this module there are no unknown features yet, but it’s gives you a nice overview of your tt_news records. You can edit news items and categories from within the module.

Click to enlarge!

The updated flexform reveals some new changes: There are more options to display, and more alternative template parts. With the option dropdown box there is no posibility anymore to choose LIST and SINGLE within the same record. Also notice there is no selector for the starting point.

Click to enlarge!

There are a few more options than before. Image width and height are now in the flexform too.

Click to enlarge!

The startingpoint has moved from the first tab to the last tab…

Download  tt_news 3.0 and see for yourself:

WARNING: This extension is still under development and
should NOT be used in production environments!

Download tt_news 3.0 (Right-click save as, Trunk version 05-11-2009)

1) A better pagebrowser

By default, the tt_news pagebrowser is not very nice. Nor can it be easily styled. Inside tt_news there’s a ‘hidden’ pagebrowser which is better, and much more flexible. To activate this better pagebrowser put the following into your template Setup section:

#-----------------------------------
# A better tt_news pagebrowser
#-----------------------------------

plugin.tt_news {
  usePiBasePagebrowser = 1     # This activates the better pagebrowser
  pageBrowser {                # Here you can configure the better pagebrowser
    maxPages = 7                  # Maximum browserpage links
    showResultCount = 1           # Display the sentence: ** till ** out of ** messages
    showRange = 1                 # Will look like "Items: 1-5 6-10" instead of "Page 1 2 3 4"
    showPBrowserText = 0          # Prepends "1 2 3" like "page 1 page 2 page 3", only when showRange = 0
    dontLinkActivePage = 1        # No need to link the active page
    showFirstLast = 0             # Show a first / last link, 0 since there already is a previous / next link.
  }
}

#-----------------------------------
# Locallang for the tt_news pagebrowser
#-----------------------------------

plugin.tt_news {
  _LOCAL_LANG.default {
    pi_list_browseresults_displays = Newsitem ###FROM### till ###TO### out of ###OUT_OF### newsitems.
    pi_list_browseresults_first = First page
    pi_list_browseresults_last = Last page
    pi_list_browseresults_page = Page
    pi_list_browseresults_prev = < Previous
    pi_list_browseresults_next = Next >
  }
}

2) Do not display duplicate items

If you have more than one tt_news plugin on your page, this can be nice. For example: The first plugin only shows the last newsitem, the second plugin the 5 most recent newsitems. The most recent newsitem is now shown by both the plugins. You can tell tt_news to only show newsitems once. This only works for List mode plugins. Put the following lines into your template Setup section:

#-----------------------------------
# Only show newsitems once per page.
#-----------------------------------

plugin.tt_news {
  excludeAlreadyDisplayedNews = 1
}

If “excludeAlreadyDisplayedNews” is enabled “excludeLatestFromList” and “listStartId” will be ignored. This is no problem, since both these fields are deprecated. Be aware this might break your archive links.

3) Generate a tt_news image automatically when no image is available

If your template design forces you to upload a photo with every newsitem, this can be helpful. The following code will generate a “No image” image using GIFBUILDER. Put this code in your template Setup section:

#-----------------------------------
# Generate a tt_news image automatically when no image is available.
# In this snippet: Latest mode
#-----------------------------------

plugin.tt_news.displayLatest.image.noImage_stdWrap {
  cObject = IMAGE
  cObject {
    # Wrap the image with a div tag
    wrap = <div>|</div>
    # Use GIFBUILDER to create an image
    file = GIFBUILDER
    file {
      # Define the width and height of the image.
      XY = 125,125
      # Define the background color of the image.
      backColor = #FFFFFF

      # First object in the image: TEXT
      10 = TEXT
      10 {
        # The actual text which is displayed in the image
        text = No image available
        # The fontsize
        fontSize = 16
        # niceText to make the text more natural. This can be good or bad depending on your server configuration.
        niceText = 1
        # Color of the text
        fontColor = #000000
        # Coordinates where your text should appear in the image. Width / Height
        offset = 125/2-32,125/2+4
      }
    }
  }
}

4) Load tt_news without cache; for example random news.

If you want to display newsrecords random, set the viewmode to LIST or LATEST and set the ’order by’ field to ‘randomise order’. The tricky part here is that your plugin shouldn’t be cached, since that would destroy the whole random idea. Ofcourse you can set the whole page to ‘no cache’ but this would kill your performance. Better is to just tell tt_news to use no cache. It will still cost you some performance but, it’s better than not caching the whole page. To setup tt_news without cache put the following code  into your template Setup section:

#-----------------------------------
# Run tt_news without cache, remember to unset in deeper levels!
#-----------------------------------

plugin.tt_news = USER_INT

This will load the tt_news plugin as a USER_INT object and render it without cache, outside of the main pagerendering. This way your page will be called from cache but the plugin will be non-cached. Just be sure to un-set this rendering on a deeper pagelevel since TypoScript is inherited from levels above.

5) Perfectly square tt_news images.

By default tt_news allows you to set the maximum width and height for an image in LIST or LATEST mode. Width and height are adjusted automatically when one exceeds the other. But what if you want a perfectly square image no matter what photo is being uploaded? CSS seems to be the only way to do this but there’s a solution which is better..

Ever noticed TYPO3 is able to crop images as soon as resizing isn’t posible anymore? An example: we have an image of 400 x 300 pixels, we want a picture of 30 x 30. What it does is it resizes the image to 40 x 30 pixels and than crops the width to 30 pixels. But that’s TYPO3.. not tt_news.

To enable this for tt_news you need to put the following code into your tempate Setup section:

#-----------------------------------
# Generate a perfectly square tt_news image.
# In this snippet: Latest mode
#-----------------------------------

plugin.tt_news {
    # This only affects the LATEST mode, to use LIST mode change to 'displayList'
    displayLatest {
        # Unset the default tt_news maximum width and height parameter
        image.file.maxW >
        image.file.maxH >
        # Call the TYPO3 way to render images, setting it to 90 pixels; cropping mode (c)
        image.file.width  = 90c
        image.file.height = 90c
        # Make the images SEO, using the caption as Alt tag.
        image.altText.field = imagecaption
    }
}

Now, the image will be resized untill the given width or height is reached and than be cropped. Width and height are always in pixels so there is no need to append ‘px’. The ‘c’ tells TYPO3 to crop the image.

Basic no. 1: A clean source code.

A clean source code makes it easier for search engines to crawl your website. For that, you need to clean up the default HTML output done by TYPO3. Use this line of TypoScript a put it in your template Setup section:

# Clean up prefixes in source code
config.disablePrefixComment = 1

This will clean up the prefixes made with every content-element. This should be a relief! For a more complete cleanup please go to this post.

Basic no. 2: Make you headers better.

By default, every content-element header is a <h1> header in TYPO3. For your SEO it’s better to just have one <h1> tag per page. To convert all these <h1> tags into <h2> tags you need to put the following line in your template Constants section:

# Convert default H1 tags into H2 tags
content.defaultHeaderType = 2

You can now add a <h1> tag manually to the page, or generate one dynamically using TypoScript.

Basic no. 3: Images.

By default, images which are scaled, croped or in any other way modified by TYPO3 are given a random name. For example:

/typo3temp/pics/b3e43c4bb3.jpg.

By installing the extension: fl_realurl_image, your images will get a nicer name. Install the extension and you’re done. Images will now be named like:

/typo3temp/fl_realurl_image/your_image.jpg

Basic no. 4: Page title.

The pagetitle is important for your SEO ranking. This title needs to summerize the pagecontent as close as posible. I suggest you manually edit these to your needs. Someone (can’t rememer the name, sorry) once told me: Use an inverted breadcrumb path as a pagetitle. The theory behind this: People think about their page names, the lower in the pagetree the more specific. If you invert this you have a pretty close to content path and also the main keywords which people interested in this subject will search for.

Basic no. 5: URL’s.

The default URL’s of TYPO3 are not readable, the solution to this problem is RealURL. Since this extension is really popular I’m not going to explain it, this has been done more than enough times. Just search the web for a good tutorial. I can recommend the extension “danp_realurlconfigurator” though, which gives you a nice configurator.

Basic no. 6: Description and meta tags.

A really important SEO rule is to have unique page descriptions and meta tags. Since these fields have to match the page content as close as posible it’s only logical to have them in your page configuration. If you edit your page you’ll find the second tab is all about meta data. Here you can fill in the description and meta tags for your page. To actually use these field in the frontend source code you’ll need to following lines in your template Setup section:

# This will activate the page meta data
page.meta.keywords.field = keywords
page.meta.description.field = description

Basic no. 7: An XML sitemap for Google Webmaster Center.

If you want Google to track your page changes and crawl them accordingly you can submit a XML sitemap. If you do not know what a XML sitemap is please read this first. There are a couple of extensions to generate such a sitemap dynamically in TYPO3.

Basic no. 8: JavaScript at the bottom of your source.

Deprecated since version 4.3! Use page.includeJSFooter instead.

This might be more of a speed thing rather than SEO, but still… By default TYPO3 will put javascript includes in your header.

-- SNIP: Deprecated snippet --

TYPO3 also generates a default JavaScript which can be removed by putting this line in your template Setup section:

# Remove the default JS file in the header
config.removeDefaultJS = 1

Make sure you copy the content of this file to your custom one before removing it.

Tip: Extension seo_basics

Benjamin Mack has developed an extension (seo_basics) which is really useful. It not only generates the XML sitemap by default, but it also helps you to update the page descriptions and meta tags. Download and install the extension through the extension manager. Once installed, go to http://www.your-website.com/sitemap.xml, you’ll notice it works right out of the box. (If it doesn’t, please check you RealURL configuration). But this is just the beginning. Go to the “info” module and select your root website page. Now, in the drop-down box choose “SEO Management”.

(Update: 17-01-2010: Breaking change in extension update, include static template first!)

Click to enlarge!

Here you’ll see all pages with there url-path, title, description and metatags. Click on the “Edit SEO fields”. Now you’ll notice you can edit all fields of all pages within one screen! Once you start filling in the details you’ll notice the color changes while typing:

Yellow: To little text
Green: Just good!
Red: To much text

If you would like to add META Abstract & Author to seo_basics please look at this post of Michael Cannon: http://www.acqal.com/blog/a/article/add-meta-abstract-author-to-seo-basics/

Click to enlarge!

Hope you liked this post:)

These basics are far from a complete reference but I hope they will be of use. If you’ve got suggestions, please don’t hesitate to comment…

plugin.tt_news {
# SYS-Folder with newsitems
pid_list =
# Page with single view
singlePid =
displayXML {
  xmlTitle = Your RSS title
  xmlLink = Your website url
  xmlDesc = Your RSS description
  subheader_stdWrap.crop = 250 | ... | 1
  }
}

Now just go to your homepage and add &type=100 to the url! You’re done

There are a few more options, but above are the most important. See the tt_news manual for a complete reference!

plugin.tt_news {
usePiBasePagebrowser = 0
}

Now, just out of curiosity I set it to 1, just to see what happened… What do you know… way better than the default pagebrowser! It really makes me wonder why these things aren’t active by default?

Anyway, most of you probably already knew this, and if you didn’t like me, you should have

By the way: If any of you programmers are bored and want to write something really useful.. write a Ajax-based pagebrowser!