joomla-cms [5.x] Form control fields, new API

Summary of Changes

Replace control inputs hardcoded into the form layout with an API which allows to add this fields programaticaly.

Before PR (the form layout):

<input type="hidden" name="task" value="">
<input type="hidden" name="return" value="<?php echo $input->getBase64('return'); ?>">
<input type="hidden" name="forcedLanguage" value="<?php echo $input->get('forcedLanguage', '', 'cmd'); ?>">
<?php echo HTMLHelper::_('form.token'); ?>

After PR:

// In Controller/View
$this->form
  ->addControlField('task', '')
  ->addControlField('return', $input->getBase64('return', ''))
  ->addControlField('forcedLanguage', $forcedLanguage);

// In the form layout
echo $this->form->renderControlFields();

For now I have updated following forms:

[x] Article
[x] Category
[x] Menu

Will update more, when there will be a positive feedbacks.

Testing Instructions

Code review. Create/edit Article, Category, Menu item. All should work as before.

Actual result BEFORE applying this Pull Request

Works

Expected result AFTER applying this Pull Request

Works

Link to documentations

Please select:

[ ] Documentation link for docs.joomla.org:
[ ] No documentation changes for docs.joomla.org needed
[ ] Pull Request link for manual.joomla.org: TBD
[ ] No documentation changes for manual.joomla.org needed

Jul 28 '24 10:07 Fedik

I have tested this item :white_check_mark: successfully on 5cfe9859447c404f584d05ab27185a902838fc7c

A long life in IT, I have learned that everything changes. A wise controller, from Italy, whom I once met, said that we should remember that we did not invent solutions to problems that we did not have! Extra testing, modifying working code, and so on.

The code does as described, it is as such ok.

I miss a use case for this change. What is it that is being tried to solve? It could just be that I just haven't seen it.