As JSubmenuHelper is deprecated, how to migrate to JHtmlSidebar?

Question

The only source I found about this is from this post: Replacing JSubmenuHelper with JHtmlSidebar / Administrative menu in Joomla 4

The issue here is that I tried it, and it doesn't show the Sidebar if I try it with JHtmlSidebar.

Here is the Code:

public function render($config = array())
{
    $config = new KObjectConfigJson($config);
    $config->append(array(
        'toolbar' => null
    ));

    foreach ($config->toolbar->getCommands() as $command)
    {
        if(!empty($command->href)) {
            $command->href = $this->getTemplate()->route($command->href);
        }

        JSubmenuHelper::addEntry($this->getObject('translator')->translate($command->label), $command->href, $command->active);

    }

    return '';
}

In this, JSubmenuHelper::addEntry should be replaced with the JHtmlSidebar function.

I tried to change the line to

JHtmlSidebar::addEntry($this->getObject('translator')->translate($command->label), $command->href, $command->active);

and to

JHtmlSidebar::render($this->getObject('translator')->translate($command->label), $command->href, $command->active);

but on with addEntry the sidebar is hidden and with render() there is no content in it.

What is wrong with the attempts that I already tried?

Answer 1

You will firstly need to create a helper class that extends ContentHelper, like so:

administrator/components/com_mycomponent/Helper/MyComponentHelper.php

use Joomla\CMS\Helper\ContentHelper;

class MyComponentHelper extends ContentHelper
{
    protected $config = null;

    public function __construct($config)
    {
        $this->config = new KObjectConfigJson($config);
        $this->config->append(array(
            'toolbar' => null
        ));
    }

    public static function addSubmenu()
    {
        foreach ($this->config->toolbar->getCommands() as $command)
        {
            if (!empty($command->href))
            {
                $command->href = $this->getTemplate()->route($command->href);
            }

            \JHtmlSidebar::addEntry(
                $this->getObject('translator')->translate($command->label),
                $command->href,
                $command->active
            );

        }
    }
}

Then in the following directory:

administrator/components/com_mycomponent/controller.php

You'll want to load the class, using JLoader, like so:

JLoader::register('MyComponentHelper', JPATH_ADMINISTRATOR . '/components/com_mycomponent/helpers/contact.php');

Once done, you will need to instantiate the class in your view.html.php:

MyComponentHelper::addSubmenu();

---

Notes:

• As far as I know, there is no namespaced version of \JHtmlSidebar so I'm not sure if it's going to be supported or replaced in J4.
• I haven't tested this as I don't really work with components
• You will need to add the getObject() method to the class or change the $this->getObject() reference if it's coming from a different class.

Hope this helps