Grabbing datatables' search object before it passes to search

lordterrin

STEP ONE
I have a server-side DataTables initialization. After initializing, I replace the column headers with search fields:

$('#table thead th').each( function () {
   var title = $(this).text();
   var html = $(this).html();

   $(this).html( '<textarea id="'+ search_field +'" />');

});

STEP TWO
I tie a separate function into when the user types data into this header, and I create this dt_object

table.columns().every( function () {
    var that = this;
    $( 'textarea', this.header() ).on( 'keyup change paste', function () {
      search_field = $(this).attr('id');      
      search_value = (this.value).replace(/'/g,"\\'");
      dt_object = that;      
    });
  });

STEP THREE
Later on I call this specific function, which takes the user's search term and fires off the .search and .draw() options of dt_object.:

function execute_datatables_search(dt_object, search_term) {
  dt_object
    .search( search_term )
    .ajax.url(global_base_url + '/api/datatables_search')
    .draw();
}

STEP FOUR
This works fine. In the header request that gets sent over to the datatables_search api, I see this:

{ 
draw: 3
    columns[0][data]: 
    columns[0][name]: 
    columns[0][searchable]: true
    columns[0][orderable]: false
    columns[0][search][value]: 
    columns[0][search][regex]: false
    columns[1][data]: 
    columns[1][name]: 
    columns[1][searchable]: true
    columns[1][orderable]: true
    columns[1][search][value]: 
}

I'm trying to hit a point in between steps 3 and 4 and review the values that are going to be populated into these columns[] variables - but I can't seem to parse out the dt_object object and find any information in there (it's a really big object...). I would assume that these are all a part of the dt_object object I'm creating up in step two - but I don't see anywhere in this object that tells me Okay, the user is searching column 4, which is "user", for the value "Alan" , however I see that in the POST info once I submit the request.

Where is this data and how do I access it so I can verify it's building correctly? (It's not right now - there's something going on with my logic that is causing search fields to get populated with data when I don't want them to...)

colin

Hi @lordterrin ,

There's a lot going on there. We're happy to take a look, but as per the forum rules, please link to a test case - a test case that replicates the issue will ensure you'll get a quick and accurate response. Information on how to create a test case (if you aren't able to link to the page you are working on) is available here.

Cheers,

Colin