TYPO3: Uploads in backend module - typo3

Question

I have to implement a "Book" management in the Backend. Each book has a PDF preview, a title, description and so on...
The BE user should be able to upload a PDF and set a title, description etc. through a Backend module.
The created Book should be selectable in a plugin (or content element ?) so it can be display in the frontend.
Also, the uploaded PDF should only be downloadable by a certain group of FE users.
I don't know how to handle the upload part in the backend. I didn't find much info online beside this upload example: https://github.com/helhum/upload_example it seems quite complex and I'm not sure if it's the best solution for me.
What would be the best way to proceed for my task ?

Answer 1

Use File Abstraction Layer (FAL). You don't need the example in backend, but it's great for frontend upload.
Domain/Model/Book.php
...
/**
* File (file references)
*
* #var \TYPO3\CMS\Extbase\Persistence\ObjectStorage<\TYPO3\CMS\Extbase\Domain\Model\FileReference>
* #lazy
*/
protected $files = NULL;
/**
* Construct
*
*
*/
public function __construct() {
//Do not remove the next line: It would break the functionality
$this->initStorageObjects();
}
/**
* Initializes all ObjectStorage properties
* Do not modify this method!
* It will be rewritten on each save in the extension builder
* You may modify the constructor of this class instead
*
* #return void
*/
protected function initStorageObjects() {
$this->files = new \TYPO3\CMS\Extbase\Persistence\ObjectStorage();
}
/**
* Set files (file references)
*
* #param \TYPO3\CMS\Extbase\Persistence\ObjectStorage<\TYPO3\CMS\Extbase\Domain\Model\FileReference> $files
* #return void
*/
public function setFiles(\TYPO3\CMS\Extbase\Persistence\ObjectStorage $files) {
$this->files = $files;
}
/**
* Get files (file references)
*
* #return \TYPO3\CMS\Extbase\Persistence\ObjectStorage<\TYPO3\CMS\Extbase\Domain\Model\FileReference> $files
*/
public function getFiles() {
return $this->files;
}
...
TCA/tx_yourextension_domain_model_book.php
...
'files' => [
'label' => 'LLL:EXT:werkhandkunst/Resources/Private/Language/locallang_db.xlf:file',
'config' => \TYPO3\CMS\Core\Utility\ExtensionManagementUtility::getFileFieldTCAConfig(
'files', ['
maxitems' => 25,
],
$GLOBALS['TYPO3_CONF_VARS']['GFX']['imagefile_ext']
),
],
...
ext_tables.sql
CREATE TABLE tx_yourextension_domain_model_book (
...
files int(11) unsigned DEFAULT '0' NOT NULL,
...
)