Extension Framework

Introduction

The extension framework provides a means to modify various application data inside SuiteCRM. For example it provides a way to add or modify vardefs, scheduled tasks, language strings and more.

The mechanism is slightly more complicated than merely copying a file to custom directory to override all its contents, but has advantages:

you can override just a part of what you’re modifying
different people can override different parts, without conflicts. For example, you can add a field to a layout, and then an add-on adds another, and a second add-on changes something else in the same layout. SuiteCRM will make sure all changes will be consolidated.

In general a folder is provided in custom/Extension (the exact path depends on the extension). This folder is then scanned for files which will be consolidated into a single ext file which SuiteCRM will then read and use. In this way it is possible for developers to add a new file to affect the behaviour of SuiteCRM rather than altering existing files. This makes the changes more modular and allows the easy addition or removal of changes.

Additionally, because these files are all consolidated it means that there is no effect on performance of checking a (possibly large) number of files. This is only done when performing a repair and rebuild in the admin menu.

Standard Extensions

List of standard SuiteCRM extensions:

Extension Directory	Compiled file	Module	Description
ActionViewMap	action_view_map.ext.php		Used to map actions for a module to a specified view.
ActionFileMap	action_file_map.ext.php		Used to map actions for a module to a specified file.
ActionReMap	action_remap.ext.php		Used to map actions for a module to existing actions.
Administration	administration.ext.php	Administration	Used to add new sections to the administration panel.
EntryPointRegistry	entry_point_registry.ext.php	application	Used to add new entry points to SuiteCRM. See the chapter on Entry Points.
Extensions	extensions.ext.php	application	Used to add new extension types.
FileAccessControlMap	file_access_control_map.ext.php		Used to add, update or delete entries in the access control lists for files.
Language	N/A (the language extensions are treated specially and, as such, aren’t compiled to a single file)		Used to add, update or delete language strings for both modules and app strings. See the chapter on Language Strings.
Layoutdefs	layoutdefs.ext.php		Used to add, update or delete subpanel definitions for a module.
GlobalLinks	links.ext.php	application	Used to add, update or delete global links (the list of links that appear in the top right of the SuiteCRM UI).
LogicHooks	logichooks.ext.php		Used to add, update or delete logic hooks. See the chapter on Logic Hooks.
Include	modules.ext.php	application	Used to register new beans and modules.
Menus	menu.ext.php		Used to add, update or delete the menu links for each module.
ScheduledTasks	scheduledtasks.ext.php	Schedulers	Used to add new scheduled tasks. See the chapter on Scheduled Tasks.
UserPage	userpage.ext.php	Users	Unused
Utils	custom_utils.ext.php	application	Used to add new utility methods.
Vardefs	vardefs.ext.php		Used to add, update or delete vardefs for a module. See the section on Vardefs.
JSGroupings	jsgroups.ext.php		Used to add, update or delete JavaScript groupings.
Actions	actions.ext.php	AOW_Actions	Used to add new WorkFlow actions.

Extension Directory

Compiled file

Module

Description

ActionViewMap

action_view_map.ext.php

Used to map actions for a module to a specified view.

ActionFileMap

action_file_map.ext.php

Used to map actions for a module to a specified file.

ActionReMap

action_remap.ext.php

Used to map actions for a module to existing actions.

Administration

administration.ext.php

Administration

Used to add new sections to the administration panel.

EntryPointRegistry

entry_point_registry.ext.php

application

Used to add new entry points to SuiteCRM. See the chapter on Entry Points.

Extensions

extensions.ext.php

application

Used to add new extension types.

FileAccessControlMap

file_access_control_map.ext.php

Used to add, update or delete entries in the access control lists for files.

Language

N/A (the language extensions are treated specially and, as such, aren’t compiled to a single file)

Used to add, update or delete language strings for both modules and app strings. See the chapter on Language Strings.

Layoutdefs

layoutdefs.ext.php

Used to add, update or delete subpanel definitions for a module.

GlobalLinks

links.ext.php

application

Used to add, update or delete global links (the list of links that appear in the top right of the SuiteCRM UI).

LogicHooks

logichooks.ext.php

Used to add, update or delete logic hooks. See the chapter on Logic Hooks.

Include

modules.ext.php

application

Used to register new beans and modules.

Menus

menu.ext.php

Used to add, update or delete the menu links for each module.

ScheduledTasks

scheduledtasks.ext.php

Schedulers

Used to add new scheduled tasks. See the chapter on Scheduled Tasks.

UserPage

userpage.ext.php

Users

Unused

Utils

custom_utils.ext.php

application

Used to add new utility methods.

Vardefs

vardefs.ext.php

Used to add, update or delete vardefs for a module. See the section on Vardefs.

JSGroupings

jsgroups.ext.php

Used to add, update or delete JavaScript groupings.

Actions

actions.ext.php

AOW_Actions

Used to add new WorkFlow actions.

Forcing overrides

To make sure certain customisations take precedence, there is an additional mechanism using files starting with _override, for example:

custom\Extension\modules\Accounts\Ext\Vardefs\_override_my_field_change.php

When Quick Repair & Rebuild is run, all the extension files are consolidated in two groups:

the 1st run gathers files not starting with _override
the 2nd run gathers files which start with _override

Since these files are loaded with a PHP require, the PHP in them is executed, and the overrides will be the last to run, so they will take effect regardless of what is done in the files read before.

Custom Extensions

Interestingly the extension framework can be used to add new extensions. This allows you to create customisations that are easily customised by others (in a similar manner to, for example, how vardefs can be added - see the chapter on Vardefs).

To create a custom extension you simply add a new file in
custom/Extension/application/Ext/Extensions.

This can be given a name of your choosing. Our example will use
custom/Extension/application/Ext/Extensions/SportsList.php and will look like:

Example 14.1: Adding an entry point entry

<?php
$extensions["sports_list"] =  array(
    "section" => "sports_list",
    "extdir" => "SportsList",
    "file" => 'sportslist.ext.php',
    "module" => "");

Now when a Quick Repair and Rebuild is run any files in custom/Extension/application/Ext/SportsList/ will be consolidated into custom/application/Ext/SportsList/sportslist.ext.php.

On its own this file will not do anything but you are now able to write custom code that checks the consolidated file rather than having to worry about searching for customisations.

Composer Extensions

In order to add your own packages to Composer, you can define them in files named like this:

custom/Extension/application/Ext/Composer/*/*.json

An example could be custom/Extension/application/Ext/Composer/MyProject/AddToComposer.json

Run a composer install --no-dev after adding this, and then again after each time you upgrade SuiteCRM.

These Composer extensions are handled not by SuiteCRM directly, but rather by the Composer merge-plugin.