silverstripe-framework/docs/en/02_Developer_Guides/00_Model/11_Scaffolding.md

title: Building Model and Search Interfaces around Scaffolding
summary: A Model-driven approach to defining your application UI.

# Scaffolding

The ORM already has a lot of information about the data represented by a `DataObject` through its `$db` property, so 
SilverStripe will use that information to provide scaffold some interfaces. This is done though [FormScaffolder](api:SilverStripe\Forms\FormScaffolder)
to provide reasonable defaults based on the property type (e.g. a checkbox field for booleans). You can then further 
customise those fields as required.

## Form Fields

An example is `DataObject`, SilverStripe will automatically create your CMS interface so you can modify what you need.

```php
	use SilverStripe\ORM\DataObject;

	class MyDataObject extends DataObject 
	{
		
		private static $db = [
			'IsActive' => 'Boolean',
			'Title' => 'Varchar',
			'Content' => 'Text'
		];

		public function getCMSFields() 
		{
			// parent::getCMSFields() does all the hard work and creates the fields for Title, IsActive and Content.
			$fields = parent::getCMSFields();
			$fields->dataFieldByName('IsActive')->setTitle('Is active?');
			
			return $fields;
		}
	}

```

To fully customise your form fields, start with an empty FieldList.

```php
	
		public function getCMSFields() 
		{
			$fields = FieldList::create(
				TabSet::create("Root.Main",
					CheckboxSetField::create('IsActive','Is active?'),
					TextField::create('Title'),
					TextareaField::create('Content')
						->setRows(5)
				)
			);
			
			return $fields;
		}
```

You can also alter the fields of built-in and module `DataObject` classes through your own 
[DataExtension](/developer_guides/extending/extensions), and a call to `DataExtension->updateCMSFields`.

## Searchable Fields

The `$searchable_fields` property uses a mixed array format that can be used to further customise your generated admin
system. The default is a set of array values listing the fields.

```php
	use SilverStripe\ORM\DataObject;

	class MyDataObject extends DataObject 
	{
	
	   private static $searchable_fields = [
	      'Name',
	      'ProductCode'
	   ];
	}

```

Searchable fields will be appear in the search interface with a default form field (usually a [TextField](api:SilverStripe\Forms\TextField)) and a 
default search filter assigned (usually an [ExactMatchFilter](api:SilverStripe\ORM\Filters\ExactMatchFilter)). To override these defaults, you can specify 
additional information on `$searchable_fields`:

```php
	use SilverStripe\ORM\DataObject;

	class MyDataObject extends DataObject 
	{

		private static $searchable_fields = [
			'Name' => 'PartialMatchFilter',
			'ProductCode' => 'NumericField'
		];
	}

```

If you assign a single string value, you can set it to be either a [FormField](api:SilverStripe\Forms\FormField) or [SearchFilter](api:SilverStripe\ORM\Filters\SearchFilter). To specify 
both, you can assign an array:

```php
	use SilverStripe\ORM\DataObject;

	class MyDataObject extends DataObject 
	{
	
	   private static $searchable_fields = [
	       'Name' => [
	          'field' => 'TextField',
	          'filter' => 'PartialMatchFilter',
	       ],
	       'ProductCode' => [
	           'title' => 'Product code #',
	           'field' => 'NumericField',
	           'filter' => 'PartialMatchFilter',
	       ],
	   ];
	}

```

To include relations (`$has_one`, `$has_many` and `$many_many`) in your search, you can use a dot-notation.

```php
	use SilverStripe\ORM\DataObject;

	class Team extends DataObject 
	{
	
	  private static $db = [
	    'Title' => 'Varchar'
	  ];
	
	  private static $many_many = [
	    'Players' => 'Player'
	  ];
	
	  private static $searchable_fields = [
	      'Title',
	      'Players.Name',
	   ];
	}
	class Player extends DataObject 
	{
	
	  private static $db = [
	    'Name' => 'Varchar',
	    'Birthday' => 'Date'
	  ];
	
	  private static $belongs_many_many = [
	    'Teams' => 'Team'
	  ];
	}

```

### Summary Fields

Summary fields can be used to show a quick overview of the data for a specific [DataObject](api:SilverStripe\ORM\DataObject) record. The most common use 
is their display as table columns, e.g. in the search results of a [ModelAdmin](api:SilverStripe\Admin\ModelAdmin) CMS interface.

```php
	use SilverStripe\ORM\DataObject;

	class MyDataObject extends DataObject 
	{
	
	  private static $db = [
	    'Name' => 'Text',
	    'OtherProperty' => 'Text',
	    'ProductCode' => 'Int',
	  ]; 
	
	  private static $summary_fields = [
	    'Name',
	    'ProductCode'
	  ];
	}

```

To include relations or field manipulations in your summaries, you can use a dot-notation.

```php
	use SilverStripe\ORM\DataObject;

	class OtherObject extends DataObject 
	{
	
	  private static $db = [
	    'Title' => 'Varchar'
	  ];
	}
	class MyDataObject extends DataObject 
	{
	
	  private static $db = [
	    'Name' => 'Text',
	    'Description' => 'HTMLText'
	  ];
	
	  private static $has_one = [
	    'OtherObject' => 'OtherObject'
	  ];
	
	  private static $summary_fields = [
	    'Name' => 'Name',
	    'Description.Summary' => 'Description (summary)',
	    'OtherObject.Title' => 'Other Object Title'
	  ];
	}

```

Non-textual elements (such as images and their manipulations) can also be used in summaries.

```php
	use SilverStripe\ORM\DataObject;

	class MyDataObject extends DataObject 
	{
	
	  private static $db = [
	    'Name' => 'Text'
	  ];
	
	  private static $has_one = [
	    'HeroImage' => 'Image'
	  ];
	
	  private static $summary_fields = [
	    'Name' => 'Name',
	    'HeroImage.CMSThumbnail' => 'Hero Image'
	  ];
	}

```

## Related Documentation

* [SearchFilters](searchfilters)

## API Documentation

* [FormScaffolder](api:SilverStripe\Forms\FormScaffolder)
* [DataObject](api:SilverStripe\ORM\DataObject)