Answers

• sebastianbarth Posts: 43Questions: 11Answers: 0

  November 2023

  Just found another type that we guessed and 'override from the outside':

  /** First parameter of FunctionAjax used in Config.ajax property
   * @see _fnAjaxParameters in jquery.dataTables.mjs */
  export interface DataTablesRequestParams {
    draw: number;
    columns: {
      'data': 'function';
      'name': '';
      'searchable': true;
      'orderable': false;
      'search': {
        'value': '';
        'regex': false;
      };
    }[];
    order: {
      'column': number;
      'dir': 'asc' | 'desc';
    }[];
    start: number;
    length: number;
    search: {
      value: string;
      regex: boolean;
    };
  }
  

  We use it to cache AJAX data results to spare requests to the server when just wanting to redraw the body (completely, including plugins). We store a result in a local variable. On the next ajax call, when we know that we do not need to fetch new data but know that we a) need to redraw the table with the same data, we update its draw property to that from the current request. Without that, datatables wouldn't see it as new data and won't redraw.

  We also need to read out the data, offset and order properties.
• sebastianbarth Posts: 43Questions: 11Answers: 0

  November 2023

  I found another type that is not exported/defined and what we guessed by our self. Bad about this is that we don't know if it is correct or when it changed following this approach:

  /** Interface reconstructed from what we 'usually' get from datatables.
   * @see _fnAjaxParameters in jquery.dataTables.mjs */
  export interface DataTablesRequestParams {
    draw: number;
    columns: {
      'data': 'function';
      'name': '';
      'searchable': true;
      'orderable': false;
      'search': {
        'value': '';
        'regex': false;
      };
    }[];
    order: {
      'column': number;
      'dir': 'asc' | 'desc';
    }[];
    start: number;
    length: number;
    search: {
      value: string;
      regex: boolean;
    };
  }
  

  We need this type to access the draw property: When we need to redraw a table with the same data, the ajax function is still called, talking to the server. This adds unnecessary burden to the server and stresses the response time. To help us we store the latest server result and return that inside of the ajax function. We need to preserve the draw property though, because passing back the stored draw will lead to datatables not redrawing.

  In addition to this we also need to read and transform the properties order, start and length to map to the endpoint requirements.
• sebastianbarth Posts: 43Questions: 11Answers: 0

  November 2023

  There also is this problem:
  
• sebastianbarth Posts: 43Questions: 11Answers: 0

  November 2023 edited November 2023

  We also have problems with Config extensions of Datatables root and column config by the Scroller and FixedColumns at the same time. This does not seem to work at all (e.g. in FixedColumns plugin you name it Settings and in Datatables Config). No matter what we try, one extension is missing in the result: Fixed Columns usually overrides Datatables namespace instead of extending it.
• allan Posts: 63,498Questions: 1Answers: 10,471 Site admin

  November 2023

  Are you able to update this Typescript playground example to demonstrate the issue please?

  Thanks,
  Allan
• sebastianbarth Posts: 43Questions: 11Answers: 0

  October 15 edited October 15

  Hi Allan
  After a while I have the chance to continue on this. I would start with one particular problem that causes us to patch the fixedcolumns plugin - I suggest we ignore the previous outdated code/patches and walk through each issues one by one:
  Playground example

  There are multiple issues here (5.0.3):

  • declare namespace DataTables does not merge with the core namespace
  • interface API does not merge with Api<T> from core namespace
  • Api#fixedColumns() is declared with return type FixedColumnsMethods | Api which causes the FixedColumnsMethods methods to be available conditionally.

  We help our self by reexporting Datatables and patching the types:

  1. fixedcolumns patch
  Export Datatable namespace:

  // declare namespace DataTables {
  export declare namespace DataTables {
  

  Export Api namespace:

  // interface Api {
  export interface Api {
  

  Export Api namespace:

  //fixedColumns(): FixedColumnsMethods | Api;
  fixedColumns(): FixedColumnsMethods; // If we import the lib, we have the types and the FixedColumnsMethods on all Datatable instances
  

  2. Our datatables.ts reexport:

  import type { Api } from 'datatables.net';
  import type { DataTables } from 'datatables.net-fixedcolumns';
  
  // Helps to identify it in our code
  export type Datatables<T> = Api<T> & DataTables.Api;
  

  3. Usage:

  import type { Datatables } from 'ui/datatables/datatables'; // Our reexport
  
  const dt = htmlTable.DataTable(ourConfig) as unknown as Datatables<TableRowDto>;
  dt.fixedColumns().left(2);
  

  I really hope we can sort this out somehow better.
  Thank you,
  Sebastian
• allan Posts: 63,498Questions: 1Answers: 10,471 Site admin

  October 15

  Hi Sebastian,

  Fixes committed here. Sorry about that. I've just tried it out with a Vite project and the latest changes appear to address the issues.

  Are you able to try it and see with the latest file. Assuming it is good, I'll do a release.

  Allan
• sebastianbarth Posts: 43Questions: 11Answers: 0

  October 16

  And in fixed column types.d.ts I see:
  
• allan Posts: 63,498Questions: 1Answers: 10,471 Site admin

  October 16

  I'm not seeing that one I'm afraid. What version of Typescript are you using? I had 5.6.3.

  Allan
• sebastianbarth Posts: 43Questions: 11Answers: 0

  October 16

  My bad, I replaced the wrong types.d.ts. It is working! I request a release!
  Thanks a lot, Allan.

  BTW: We use TS 5.6.2.
• allan Posts: 63,498Questions: 1Answers: 10,471 Site admin

  October 16

  Awesome - good to hear that did the job. I'll tag and release it on Friday

  Allan