Beginning Drupal 8

Other Field Types
Chapter 5 ■ Content Types
In our Event content type, we created a set of fields for authors to enter values for date and venue. There may
be instances where a text field is less effective than using one of the following field types:
• Radio buttons: Great for providing a list of options to the author and only allowing
the selection of a single item from the list.
• Check boxes: Perfect for providing a list of options to the author, allowing selection of
one or more items in the list.
• Select list: Great for long a list of items to select from; for example, all of the countries
in the world.
• File upload: The right field to use when you want to provide the ability to upload and
attach a file to a piece of content.
• Image upload: The field type to use when you want to upload and display an image.
• Text area: The field to use when the author is expected to enter paragraphs of
content. It provides a box with multiple lines, whereas a text field has only a single
line of text.
• Numeric field: Perfect when you want the author to enter numbers only.
• Entity reference fields: It’s the field to use when you want to associate and display
another content item with the item that you are creating. An example could be
that your site has a content type called Biography that contains a headshot and
biographical information about performing artists. If you wanted to include an
artist’s headshot and biography on an Event content item you could use the entity
reference field to link the event to the artist’s Biography, displaying the headshot and
biography from the existing content item instead of having to manually re-enter the
biographical information the Event.
• Term reference field: When you want to include taxonomy terms as part of your
content item, this is the field to use.
The field types listed here are part of Drupal 8 core. There are other custom field types that are available
as contributed modules. For a list of those modules, please visit www.drupal.org/project/modules, choose
the Fields item in the “Module categories” filter, and click Search. You’ll find a list of add-on modules that
provide value-added capabilities, like other field types. You can install additional modules by following the
process described in Chapter 12.
It is likely that you will come across the need to use one of the other field types as you create new content
types. We will expand on our Event content type by adding several additional fields using other types of fields.
Radio Buttons
Radio buttons are useful when you want to present the author with a list of values from which they can
select only a single item (check boxes are used when you want the author to have the ability to select one
or more values). We will expand our Event content type to include the ability to select the type of seating
that will be available at the event: either reserved seating or general admission. To start the process, click
the Manage link at the top of the page, click Structure in the submenu, followed by the “Content types” link
on the Structure page and the “Manage fields” tab for the Event content type. Click the “Add field” button
to start the process. Figure 5-17 shows the list of field types. Since we are creating a radio button–based list,
select the “List (text)” option. A field for the Label will appear after selecting the List option. Enter “Type of
Seating” in the Label field, and then click the “Save and continue” button.
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