Replies

• allan Posts: 63,498Questions: 1Answers: 10,470 Site admin

  June 2009

  Hi fst,
  
  Thanks for posting your patched version - looks like quite an interesting idea. So if I am reading your code correctly, basically you can now return column information which is stored in the aoColumns array - right?
  
  There is actually a way of doing this with the current release of DataTables which is a little more flexible:
  
  [code]
  $.getJSON( sUrl, null, function( json ) {
  $('#example').dataTable( json );
  } );
  [/code]
  With this you can customise the JSON reply to exactly match how you want DataTables to initialise (features, starting parameters etc), so the control of the server-side isn't limited to just the columns. The developer would also have full control over the program to display whatever loading/progress message he/she wants to do.
  
  How does this sound?
  
  Allan
• Volvoxe Posts: 4Questions: 0Answers: 0

  August 2009

  Hi Allan,
  Can u provide an example for getting table headers with json, in a way developer has full control on table header also?
  
  Say some times table has two columns, other times has three... and no change required to page code!!!
  
  BTW, txs a lot for datatables.
• fst Posts: 3Questions: 0Answers: 0

  August 2009

  Allan, thanks for your response. Sorry for not replying myself earlier.
  
  Thanks for the tip of doing it the way you proposed but I think my way is cleaner and already implemented so I'll leave it as it is...
• allan Posts: 63,498Questions: 1Answers: 10,470 Site admin

  August 2009

  @fst: Sounds good. I'll keep this in mind for future versions :-)
  
  @Volvoxe: If you have a look at the demo for creating a DataTable from a JS array ( http://datatables.net/examples/data_sources/js_array.html ) you can see the full JSON object that is required for DataTables to be initialised. This should give you a good starting point. Anything else can be found in the documentation.
  
  Regards,
  Allan
• Volvoxe Posts: 4Questions: 0Answers: 0

  August 2009

  Big thanks Allan!!!
  Works like a charm.
  I did combined two of your samples and got :
  
  [code]
  /*Create a table in demo DIV*/
  $('#demo').html( '' );
  /*Use json to populate created table*/
  $.getJSON( sUrl, null, function( json ) {
  $('#example').dataTable( json );
  } );
  
  [/code]
• azzazeli Posts: 9Questions: 0Answers: 0

  November 2011 edited November 2011

  Hi. I know that the topic is old. But.
  From example I see
  [code]
  "aoColumns": [
  { "sTitle": "Engine" },
  { "sTitle": "Browser" },
  { "sTitle": "Platform" },
  { "sTitle": "Version", "sClass": "center" },
  {
  "sTitle": "Grade",
  "sClass": "center",
  "fnRender": function(obj) {
  var sReturn = obj.aData[ obj.iDataColumn ];
  if ( sReturn == "A" ) {
  sReturn = "A";
  }
  return sReturn;
  }
  }
  ]
  [/code]
  This is not a valid JSON. How can I generate it?
  Thanks.
• allan Posts: 63,498Questions: 1Answers: 10,470 Site admin

  November 2011

  It isn't valid JSON because it has a function in it. If you really wanted to load functions from the server you would need to use 'eval()'.
  
  Allan
• azzazeli Posts: 9Questions: 0Answers: 0

  November 2011

  Thanks for response.
  Could you please provide an example?
• azzazeli Posts: 9Questions: 0Answers: 0

  November 2011

  In definition of aoColumns I want to call a function for each row in specified column. I can do it using following code
  [code]
  aoColumns": [
  { "sTitle": "Engine" },
  ...
  {"fnRender": callToMyFunction}
  ...
  ]
  [/code]
  But I have following problems:
  1. This definition is not a valid JSON object, so I can't generate it in a properly way.
  2. How can I send additional params to my function (callToMyFunction). I want to have something like this
  [code]
  function callToMyFunction( oObj, myObj) {
  //return String used in display using data from myObj
  }
  [/code]
  3. Is there o possibility to add a user defined property to a column in "aoColumns" definition?
  Any help will be appreciated.
  Thanks.
• allan Posts: 63,498Questions: 1Answers: 10,470 Site admin

  November 2011

  There is no way to pass a function around as a JSON object/string since it is not valid JSON. As I mentioned you would need to use eval() to do that - although that is considered to be "evil". Can you load your function a different way - or do you need to define it through the JSON string.
  
  Sure I can write an example for you using eval - hit the support button at the top of the page :-)
  
  Allan
• azzazeli Posts: 9Questions: 0Answers: 0

  November 2011

  Thanks for response. I'll load my function a different way.