TYPO3 Core

the current TYPO3-code causes the following situation:

a page which is disabled because...
...the endtime is in the future, outputs the filename 'pages__f.gif' ($futuretiming = TRUE;)
...the starttime is in the future, outputs the filename 'pages__t.gif' ($timing = TRUE;)
...the endtime is in the past, outputs the filename 'pages__t.gif' ($timing = TRUE;)
...the starttime is in the future AND the endtime is in the future too, outputs the filename 'pages__tf.gif' ($timing = TRUE; $futuretiming = TRUE;)

that is actually ok, but if you want to use a preciser icon-set to visualize the exact state, you dont have a chance to get the right icon, because there is missing a code in the futuretiming-concept:

i.e.: if the starttime is in the future and the endtime is NOT SET, the page is inactive, and so we should have the case 'futuretiming' ...but TYPO3 just returns 'timing'. the filename we get is 'pages__t.gif'
thats the same file we get, when only endtime is set and is in the past.

this problem doesnt affect the current available TYPO3-backend-skins, because none of them is using such precise icons to visualize this states especially in combination with 'Hide in menu' or 'Hide page'.
but if we are interested in designing a new backend-skin where we are able to express all this states with a small icon (or icon-overlay), this part is our stumbling block!

the problem is also relevant, if you are about to use icons, which represents the page's current visility in the frontend!
...a patch would be great for editors, because they could see by mean of the icon, why a page is currently NOT visible.

so i have a little patch here which solve this problem and has downward compatibility too:
just add after line 192 in class.t3lin_iconworks.php the following code:
// ...And if "endtime" is NOT set:
if (!$row[$enCols['endtime']]) {
$futuretiming = TRUE;
}

because of the fact, that the original files 'pages__t.gif' and 'pages__tf.gif' are identically, the patch doesnt affect current TYPO3-installations.
...but with this all backend-skinner get new chances to create meaningful new icon-sets and improve the usability of TYPO3!

btw: this "bug" is very very very old...

(issue imported from #M13486)