Adding a button to the CMS in SilverStripe - button

Question

How do I add a button to the backend of the CMS that fires an action? I can display the button where I want using:
public function getCMSFields()
{
$fields = parent::getCMSFields();
$fields->addFieldsToTab("Root.ButtonTest", array(
FormAction::create('doAction', 'Action button')
)
);
return $fields;
}
public function doAction()
{
//Do something
}
However the button added does nothing when clicked.
I've seen one example of how to put a button on the main action bar (next to save/publish) but that's not what I'm trying to do.
Looking at the only page of documentation I can find, do I need to do something within:
public function getCMSActions()
{
$actions = parent::getCMSActions();
//Something here?
}
It isn't very clear how to create the action that the button calls.

Answer 1

You'll have to extend/decorate LeftAndMain with your own extension and the action you want to call. Here's an example:
<?php
class MyExtension extends LeftAndMainExtension
{
private static $allowed_actions = array(
'doAction'
);
public function doAction($data, $form){
$className = $this->owner->stat('tree_class');
$SQL_id = Convert::raw2sql($data['ID']);
$record = DataObject::get_by_id($className, $SQL_id);
if(!$record || !$record->ID){
throw new SS_HTTPResponse_Exception(
"Bad record ID #" . (int)$data['ID'], 404);
}
// at this point you have a $record,
// which is your page you can work with!
// this generates a message that will show up in the CMS
$this->owner->response->addHeader(
'X-Status',
rawurlencode('Success message!')
);
return $this->owner->getResponseNegotiator()
->respond($this->owner->request);
}
}
Once you have written an extension like this, you'll have to apply it to LeftAndMain by adding the following to your mysite/_config/config.yml:
LeftAndMain:
extensions:
- MyExtension
That's it. Your doAction button should now actually do something!

Answer 2

Not sure if this is helpful, but here's how you can add action-buttons to a ModelAdmin.
(does reload the page)
...in the admin class:
public function getEditForm($id = null, $fields = null)
{
$form = parent::getEditForm($id, $fields);
$form
->Fields()
->fieldByName($this->sanitiseClassName($this->modelClass))
->getConfig()
->getComponentByType('GridFieldDetailForm')
->setItemRequestClass('MyGridFieldDetailForm_ItemRequest');
return $form;
}
MyGridFieldDetailForm_ItemRequest.php
class MyGridFieldDetailForm_ItemRequest extends GridFieldDetailForm_ItemRequest
{
function ItemEditForm()
{
$form = parent::ItemEditForm();
$formActions = $form->Actions();
$button = FormAction::create('myAction');
$button->setTitle('button label');
$button->addExtraClass('ss-ui-action-constructive');
$formActions->push($button);
$form->setActions($formActions);
return $form;
}
public function myAction(){ //do things }
}