DataTables new API function plug-in example

# Preamble

DataTables presents a number of useful API functions to the calling code which can be used to manipulate the table data as required. But there are times when DataTables doesn't provide the API function that you want - so for this DataTables allows a method by which custom API functions can be defined (effectively a plug-in). This is done by adding functions the $.fn.dataTableExt.oApi object, which will be registered by DataTables. Each function is passed a single parameter, the settings object for the table in question.

In the example below, I present an API function which is used to obtain all of the TR rows which are currently not on display (useful for building a form from the table).

# Live example

Click to get hidden rows

Rendering engine | Browser | Platform(s) | Engine version | CSS grade
--- | --- | --- | --- | ---
Trident | Internet Explorer 4.0 | Win 95+ | 4 | X
Trident | Internet Explorer 5.0 | Win 95+ | 5 | C
Trident | Internet Explorer 5.5 | Win 95+ | 5.5 | A
Trident | Internet Explorer 6 | Win 98+ | 6 | A
Trident | Internet Explorer 7 | Win XP SP2+ | 7 | A
Trident | AOL browser (AOL desktop) | Win XP | 6 | A
Gecko | Firefox 1.0 | Win 98+ / OSX.2+ | 1.7 | A
Gecko | Firefox 1.5 | Win 98+ / OSX.2+ | 1.8 | A
Gecko | Firefox 2.0 | Win 98+ / OSX.2+ | 1.8 | A
Gecko | Firefox 3.0 | Win 2k+ / OSX.3+ | 1.9 | A
Gecko | Camino 1.0 | OSX.2+ | 1.8 | A
Gecko | Camino 1.5 | OSX.3+ | 1.8 | A
Gecko | Netscape 7.2 | Win 95+ / Mac OS 8.6-9.2 | 1.7 | A
Gecko | Netscape Browser 8 | Win 98SE+ | 1.7 | A
Gecko | Netscape Navigator 9 | Win 98+ / OSX.2+ | 1.8 | A
Gecko | Mozilla 1.0 | Win 95+ / OSX.1+ | 1 | A
Gecko | Mozilla 1.1 | Win 95+ / OSX.1+ | 1.1 | A
Gecko | Mozilla 1.2 | Win 95+ / OSX.1+ | 1.2 | A
Gecko | Mozilla 1.3 | Win 95+ / OSX.1+ | 1.3 | A
Gecko | Mozilla 1.4 | Win 95+ / OSX.1+ | 1.4 | A
Gecko | Mozilla 1.5 | Win 95+ / OSX.1+ | 1.5 | A
Gecko | Mozilla 1.6 | Win 95+ / OSX.1+ | 1.6 | A
Gecko | Mozilla 1.7 | Win 98+ / OSX.1+ | 1.7 | A
Gecko | Mozilla 1.8 | Win 98+ / OSX.1+ | 1.8 | A
Gecko | Seamonkey 1.1 | Win 98+ / OSX.2+ | 1.8 | A
Gecko | Epiphany 2.20 | Gnome | 1.8 | A
Webkit | Safari 1.2 | OSX.3 | 125.5 | A
Webkit | Safari 1.3 | OSX.3 | 312.8 | A
Webkit | Safari 2.0 | OSX.4+ | 419.3 | A
Webkit | Safari 3.0 | OSX.4+ | 522.1 | A
Webkit | OmniWeb 5.5 | OSX.4+ | 420 | A
Webkit | iPod Touch / iPhone | iPod | 420.1 | A
Webkit | S60 | S60 | 413 | A
Presto | Opera 7.0 | Win 95+ / OSX.1+ | - | A
Presto | Opera 7.5 | Win 95+ / OSX.2+ | - | A
Presto | Opera 8.0 | Win 95+ / OSX.2+ | - | A
Presto | Opera 8.5 | Win 95+ / OSX.2+ | - | A
Presto | Opera 9.0 | Win 95+ / OSX.3+ | - | A
Presto | Opera 9.2 | Win 88+ / OSX.3+ | - | A
Presto | Opera 9.5 | Win 88+ / OSX.3+ | - | A
Presto | Opera for Wii | Wii | - | A
Presto | Nokia N800 | N800 | - | A
Presto | Nintendo DS browser | Nintendo DS | 8.5 | C/A1
KHTML | Konqureror 3.1 | KDE 3.1 | 3.1 | C
KHTML | Konqureror 3.3 | KDE 3.3 | 3.3 | A
KHTML | Konqureror 3.5 | KDE 3.5 | 3.5 | A
Tasman | Internet Explorer 4.5 | Mac OS 8-9 | - | X
Tasman | Internet Explorer 5.1 | Mac OS 7.6-9 | 1 | C
Tasman | Internet Explorer 5.2 | Mac OS 8-X | 1 | C
Misc | NetFront 3.1 | Embedded devices | - | C
Misc | NetFront 3.4 | Embedded devices | - | A
Misc | Dillo 0.8 | Embedded devices | - | X
Misc | Links | Text only | - | X
Misc | Lynx | Text only | - | X
Misc | IE Mobile | Windows Mobile 6 | - | C
Misc | PSP browser | PSP | - | C
Other browsers | All others | - | - | U
Rendering engine | Browser | Platform(s) | Engine version | CSS grade

# Initialisation code

    /*
     * Function: fnGetHiddenTrNodes
     * Purpose:  Get all of the hidden TR nodes (i.e. the ones which aren't on display)
     * Returns:  array:
     * Inputs:   object:oSettings - DataTables settings object
     */
    $.fn.dataTableExt.oApi.fnGetHiddenTrNodes = function ( oSettings )
    {
    	/* Note the use of a DataTables 'private' function thought the 'oApi' object */
    	var anNodes = this.oApi._fnGetTrNodes( oSettings );
    	var anDisplay = $('tbody tr', oSettings.nTable);

    	/* Remove nodes which are being displayed */
    	for ( var i=0 ; i<anDisplay.length ; i++ )
    	{
    		var iIndex = jQuery.inArray( anDisplay[i], anNodes );
    		if ( iIndex != -1 )
    		{
    			anNodes.splice( iIndex, 1 );
    		}
    	}

    	/* Fire back the array to the caller */
    	return anNodes;
    }

    /* Init the table and fire off a call to get the hidden nodes. */
    var oTable;
    $(document).ready(function() {
    	var oTable = $('#example').dataTable();

    	$('#button').click( function () {
    		var nHidden = oTable.fnGetHiddenTrNodes();
    		alert( nHidden.length +' nodes were returned' );
    	} );
    } );

# Other examples

## Basic initialisation

- Zero configuration
- Feature enablement
- Sorting data
- Multi-column sorting
- Multiple tables
- Hidden columns
- Complex headers - grouping with colspan
- DOM positioning
- Flexible table width
- State saving
- Alternative pagination styles
- Scrolling:
  Horizontal / Vertical / Both / Themed / Infinite
- Change language information (internationalisation)
- ThemeRoller themes (Smoothness)

## Advanced initialisation

- Events:
  Live events / Pre-init / Post-init
- Column rendering
- Sorting without HTML tags
- Multiple table controls (sDom)
- Defining length menu options
- Complex headers and hidden columns
- Custom toolbar (element) around table
- Row highlighting with CSS
- Row grouping
- Row callback
- Footer callback
- Control sorting direction of columns
- Change language information from a file (internationalisation)
- Setting defaults
- State saving with localStorage
- Custom events

## API

- Dynamically add a new row
- Individual column filtering (using "input" elements)
- Individual column filtering (using "select" elements)
- Highlight rows and columns
- Show and hide details about a particular record
- User selectable rows (multiple rows)
- User selectable rows (single row) and delete rows
- Editable rows (with jEditable)
- Submit form with elements in table
- Index column (static number column)
- Show and hide columns dynamically
- API function use in initialisation object (callback)
- DataTables scrolling and tabs
- Regular expression filtering

## Data sources

- DOM
- Javascript array
- Ajax source
- Server side processing

## Server-side processing

- Obtain server-side data
- Add extra HTTP variables
- Use HTTP POST
- Automatic addition of IDs and classes to rows
- Reading table data from objects
- Show and hide details about a particular record
- User selectable rows (multiple rows)
- JSONP for a cross domain data source
- jEditable integration with DataTables
- Deferred loading of Ajax data
- Pipelining data (reduce Ajax calls for paging)

## Ajax data source

- Ajax sourced data (array of arrays)
- Ajax sourced data (array of objects)
- Deferred DOM creation for extra speed
- Empty data source columns
- Use a data source other than aaData (the default)
- Read column data from sub-arrays
- Read column data from deeply nested properties

## Plug-ins

- Add custom API functions
- Sorting and automatic type detection
- Sorting without automatic type detection
- Custom pagination controls
- Range filtering / custom filtering
- Live DOM sorting
- Automatic HTML type detection