Storing Data Types as Attributes

When planning how to structure your MetaModels, in addition to the database structure, it is important to know what options are available for storing your real data such as texts, numbers, dates, postal codes, etc. Both the data types of the database (MySQL/MariaDB) and the input options via Contao widgets must be taken into account.

The following is an overview of which attributes can be used to store the desired data. Additionally, “filter rule” indicates which filter rules for filtering/search can be used in the frontend. It also shows which attributes are available for frontend editing (FEE) (✔) — additional repositories may need to be installed (🗹).

Texts

Data type	Attribute	Package name	Filter rule	FEE	Note
Short texts	Text	attribute_text	Text search, Single select, Multi-select, Simple lookup, Register, Levenshtein, Loupe	✔	up to 255 characters; number of attribute limited by DB
Long texts	Long text	attribute_longtext	Text search, Levenshtein, Loupe	✔	up to 65535 characters; adjustable; File-Usage ✔
Text as alias	Alias	attribute_alias	Text search, Simple lookup, Levenshtein, Loupe	✔	up to 255 characters; Generation from one or more attributes
Combined values	Combined values	attribute_combinedvalues	Text search, Single select, Multi-select, Simple lookup, Register, Levenshtein, Loupe	✔	up to 255 characters; Result string definable via sprintf
Text as table	Table text	attribute_tabletext	Levenshtein, Loupe	🗹	up to 255 characters per cell
Text as URL	URL	attribute_url	Levenshtein, Loupe	🗹	up to 255 characters; Character count for title and URL
Text as token	Token	attribute_token	Text search, Single select, Multi-select, Simple lookup, Register, Levenshtein, Loupe	✔	up to 255 characters; Character count incl. optional prefix
Multilingual
Short texts multilingual	Translated text	attribute_translatedtext	see Text	✔	up to 255 characters
Long texts multilingual	Translated long text	attribute_translatedlongtext	see Long text	✔	see Long text; File-Usage ✔
Text as alias multilingual	Translated alias	attribute_translatedalias	see Alias	✔	see Alias
Combined values multilingual	Translated combined values	attribute_translatedcombinedvalues	see Combined values	✔	see Combined values
Text as table multilingual	Translated table text	attribute_translatedtabletext	Levenshtein, Loupe	🗹	see Table text
Text as URL multilingual	Translated URL	attribute_translateurl	Levenshtein, Loupe	🗹	see URL

Numbers

Data type	Attribute	Package name	Filter rule	FEE	Note
Integer values	Numeric	attribute_numeric	Value from/to for one attribute, Value from/to for two attributes	✔	for postal codes or phone numbers use Text attribute
Decimal numbers	Decimal	attribute_decimal	Value from/to for one attribute, Value from/to for two attributes	✔	Input with period as decimal separator
Date or time	Timestamp	attribute_timestamp	Value from/to for one date attribute, Value from/to for two date attributes	✔	Stored as UNIX timestamp; Input can be limited to date only or time only
Geo coordinates	see Decimal		Perimeter search	—	create one attribute each for latitude and longitude

Files

Data type	Attribute	Package name	Filter rule	FEE	Note
File	File	attribute_file		✔ Upload	searchable in BE by filename or UUID; image size selectable for image output; File-Usage ✔
Multilingual
File multilingual	Translated file	attribute_translatedfile		✔ Upload	see File; File-Usage ✔

Transfer e.g. to a Rocksolid Slider.

Boolean Value

Data type	Attribute	Package name	Filter rule	FEE	Note
Boolean value	Checkbox	attribute_checkbox	Checkbox status	✔	Display in BE list as toggle icon possible
Multilingual
Boolean value multilingual	Translated checkbox	attribute_translatedcheckbox	Translated checkbox status	✔	see Checkbox

Relations

Data type	Attribute	Package name	Filter rule	FEE	Note
1:n	Single select [select]	attribute_select	Single select, Filter on attribute of model with a relation	✔	Relation to another table for one value MM tables or other Contao tables
m:n	Multi-select [tags]	attribute_tags	Multi-select, Filter on attribute of model with a relation	✔	Relation to another table for multiple values MM tables or other Contao tables
Multilingual Single and multi-select can inherently handle multilingual MMs
1:n	Translated single select [select]	attribute_translatedselect	Single select	✔	only for special cases with own column for language key
m:n	Translated multi-select [tags]	attribute_translatedtags	Multi-select	✔	only for special cases with own column for language key

Further information can be found on the page Relations in MetaModels.

Further Data

Data type	Attribute	Package name	Filter rule	FEE	Note
Color value	Color picker	attribute_color		🗹	Opacity/transparency also selectable; sorting by color possible; see attribute Color
Content elements	Content of an article	attribute_contentarticle		—	multiple content elements like an article; File-Usage ✔
Country names	Country	attribute_country		✔	available countries can be restricted
Language codes	Language code	attribute_langcode		✔	available languages can be restricted
Geo distance	Geo distance	attribute_geodistance		—	additional info for sorting perimeter search results
Star rating	Rating	attribute_rating		—	number of stars selectable
MCW table	Table multi (MCW)	attribute_tablemulti		🗹	see attribute for Multi-Column-Wizard; File-Usage ✔
Pin for Cowegis map	Cowegis marker	cowegis-layer		✔	see Cowegis layer integration for marker
Multilingual
Content elements multilingual	Translated content of an article	attribute_translatedcontentarticle		—	see Content of an article; File-Usage ✔
MCW table multilingual	Translated table multi (MCW)	attribute_translatedtablemulti		🗹	see Table multi (MCW); File-Usage ✔

Output e.g. as CE-YouTube.