Best use of results from fnGetTds?

MattC

I've been working with DataTables for a couple days now and I like it quite a bit. Thanks Allan.

I'd like advice on how to make part of my code better. It works, and I'm satisfied with the effects, but I bet I'm missing something cleaner in one place.

I have a table that will be changing several times over the next couple weeks. I don't want to use numeric column indexes to identify fields. I have applied classes to the s and to certain s to pick out the data I want.

I am writing out the table in HTML including some columns with verbose data, which I'm then hiding. I'm using fnGetTds to get this hidden data back out. To pick the column I want, I'm taking each td from the array and turning it into a jQuery object, and then checking for the class that means it was one of the verbose cells. This feels awfully clumsy. I imagined something like $('').append(anTds.join()) and then .find(".dataclass") on the resulting row, but I'm not adept enough with jQuery to get it working.

Suggestions on getting rid of the ugly array loop?

[code]
function expand_details(e) {
e.preventDefault();

var parenttr = $(e.target).closest('tr')[0];

var expandLink;
var description;
var notes;
var internalNotes;
var anTds = dtExpedite.fnGetTds(parenttr);
for (var i = 0; i < anTds.length; i++) {
var cell = $(anTds[i]);
if (cell.hasClass('data_ExpandDetails')) {
expandLink = cell.find('a:first');
}
if (cell.hasClass('data_Description')) {
description = cell.html();
}
if (cell.hasClass('data_Notes')) {
notes = cell.html();
}
if (cell.hasClass('data_InternalNotes')) {
internalNotes = cell.html();
}
}

if (expandLink.html() == "-") {
dtExpedite.fnClose(parenttr);
expandLink.html("+");
} else {
dtExpedite.fnOpen(parenttr, fnFormatDetails(dtExpedite, description, notes, internalNotes), 'details');
expandLink.html("-");
}
}
[/code]

allan

Ah - a challenge :-). How about this:

[code]
function expand_details(e) {
e.preventDefault();

var parenttr = $(e.target).closest('tr')[0];
var anTds = dtExpedite.fnGetTds(parenttr);

var expandLink = $(anTds).filter('.data_ExpandDetails').find('a:first');
var description = $(anTds).filter('.data_Description').html();
var notes = $(anTds).filter('.data_Notes').html();
var internalNotes = $(anTds).filter('.data_InternalNotes').html();

if (expandLink.html() == "-") {
dtExpedite.fnClose(parenttr);
expandLink.html("+");
} else {
dtExpedite.fnOpen(parenttr, fnFormatDetails(dtExpedite, description, notes, internalNotes), 'details');
expandLink.html("-");
}
}
[/code]

A couple of assumptions here - I presume you are using hidden columns, hence the need for fnGetTds? I've also assumes that there will always be those inner cells - is that correct?

Allan

MattC

Your assumptions are correct, using hidden columns (not sure that's the best way here, but it's what I started with), and as long as I'm using the hidden columns those cells will always be present.

Your improvement works great and is much tidier. Thanks.