Document the row model and update the data methods to extend this model as the base for aoData

media/js/jquery.dataTables.js

@@ -1173,14 +1173,10 @@
 			
 			/* Create the object for storing information about this new row */
 			var iRow = oSettings.aoData.length;
-			var oData = {
+			var oData = $.extend( true, {}, DataTable.models.oRow, {
-				"nTr": null,
 				"_iId": oSettings.iNextId++,
-				"_aData": aDataIn,
+				"_aData": aDataIn
-				"_aSortData": [],
+			} );
-				"_anHidden": [],
-				"_sRowStripe": ""
-			};
 			oSettings.aoData.push( oData );
 		
 			/* Create the cells */
@@ -1260,14 +1256,10 @@
 					if ( nTrs[i].nodeName.toUpperCase() == "TR" )
 					{
 						iThisIndex = oSettings.aoData.length;
-						oSettings.aoData.push( {
+						oSettings.aoData.push( $.extend( true, {}, DataTable.models.oRow, {
 							"nTr": nTrs[i],
-							"_iId": oSettings.iNextId++,
+							"_iId": oSettings.iNextId++
-							"_aData": [],
+						} ) );
-							"_aSortData": [],
-							"_anHidden": [],
-							"_sRowStripe": ''
-						} );
 						
 						oSettings.aiDisplayMaster.push( iThisIndex );
 						nTds = nTrs[i].childNodes;
@@ -9181,12 +9173,72 @@
 	
 		oClasses: null
 	};
-	var modelRow = {
+	
+	
+	
+	/**
+	 * Template object for the way in which DataTables holds information about
+	 * each indivudal row. This is the object format used for the settings 
+	 * aoData array.
+	 *  @namespace
+	 */
+	DataTable.models.oRow = {
+		/**
+		 * TR element for the row
+		 *  @type node
+		 *  @default null
+		 */
 		"nTr": null,
+	
+		/**
+		 * Redundant - drop
+		 *  @type node
+		 *  @default null
+		 */
 		"_iId": null,
-		"_aData": null,
+	
+		/**
+		 * Data object from the original data sorce for the row. This is either
+		 * an array if using the tranditional form of DataTables, or an object if
+		 * using mDataProp options. The exact type will depend on the passed in
+		 * data from the data source, or will be an array if using DOM a data 
+		 * source.
+		 *  @type array|object
+		 *  @default []
+		 */
+		"_aData": [],
+	
+		/**
+		 * Sorting data cache - this array is obstensibily the same length as the
+		 * number of columns (although each index is generated only as it is 
+		 * needed), and holds the data that is used for sorting each column in the
+		 * row. We do this cache generation at the start of the sort in order that
+		 * the formatting of the sort data need be done only once for each cell
+		 * per sort. This array should not be read from or written to by anything
+		 * other than the master sorting methods.
+		 *  @type array
+		 *  @default []
+		 */
 		"_aSortData": [],
+	
+		/**
+		 * Array of TD elements that are cached for hidden rows, so they can be
+		 * reinserted into the table if a column is made visible again (or to act
+		 * as a store if a column is made hidden). Only hidden columns have a 
+		 * reference in the array. For non-hidden columns the value is either
+		 * undefined or null.
+		 *  @type array nodes
+		 *  @default []
+		 */
 		"_anHidden": [],
+	
+		/**
+		 * Cache of the class name that DataTables has applied to the row, so we
+		 * can quickly look at this variable rather than needing to do a DOM check
+		 * on className for the nTr property.
+		 *  @type string
+		 *  @default <i>Empty string</i>
+		 */
 		"_sRowStripe": ""
 	};
 	var modelColumn = {

media/src/core/core.data.js

@@ -21,14 +21,10 @@ function _fnAddData ( oSettings, aDataSupplied )
 	
 	/* Create the object for storing information about this new row */
 	var iRow = oSettings.aoData.length;
-	var oData = {
+	var oData = $.extend( true, {}, DataTable.models.oRow, {
-		"nTr": null,
 		"_iId": oSettings.iNextId++,
-		"_aData": aDataIn,
+		"_aData": aDataIn
-		"_aSortData": [],
+	} );
-		"_anHidden": [],
-		"_sRowStripe": ""
-	};
 	oSettings.aoData.push( oData );
 
 	/* Create the cells */
@@ -108,14 +104,10 @@ function _fnGatherData( oSettings )
 			if ( nTrs[i].nodeName.toUpperCase() == "TR" )
 			{
 				iThisIndex = oSettings.aoData.length;
-				oSettings.aoData.push( {
+				oSettings.aoData.push( $.extend( true, {}, DataTable.models.oRow, {
 					"nTr": nTrs[i],
-					"_iId": oSettings.iNextId++,
+					"_iId": oSettings.iNextId++
-					"_aData": [],
+				} ) );
-					"_aSortData": [],
-					"_anHidden": [],
-					"_sRowStripe": ''
-				} );
 				
 				oSettings.aiDisplayMaster.push( iThisIndex );
 				nTds = nTrs[i].childNodes;

media/src/model/model.row.js

@@ -1,8 +1,68 @@
-var modelRow = {
+
+
+
+/**
+ * Template object for the way in which DataTables holds information about
+ * each indivudal row. This is the object format used for the settings 
+ * aoData array.
+ *  @namespace
+ */
+DataTable.models.oRow = {
+	/**
+	 * TR element for the row
+	 *  @type node
+	 *  @default null
+	 */
 	"nTr": null,
+
+	/**
+	 * Redundant - drop
+	 *  @type node
+	 *  @default null
+	 */
 	"_iId": null,
-	"_aData": null,
+
+	/**
+	 * Data object from the original data sorce for the row. This is either
+	 * an array if using the tranditional form of DataTables, or an object if
+	 * using mDataProp options. The exact type will depend on the passed in
+	 * data from the data source, or will be an array if using DOM a data 
+	 * source.
+	 *  @type array|object
+	 *  @default []
+	 */
+	"_aData": [],
+
+	/**
+	 * Sorting data cache - this array is obstensibily the same length as the
+	 * number of columns (although each index is generated only as it is 
+	 * needed), and holds the data that is used for sorting each column in the
+	 * row. We do this cache generation at the start of the sort in order that
+	 * the formatting of the sort data need be done only once for each cell
+	 * per sort. This array should not be read from or written to by anything
+	 * other than the master sorting methods.
+	 *  @type array
+	 *  @default []
+	 */
 	"_aSortData": [],
+
+	/**
+	 * Array of TD elements that are cached for hidden rows, so they can be
+	 * reinserted into the table if a column is made visible again (or to act
+	 * as a store if a column is made hidden). Only hidden columns have a 
+	 * reference in the array. For non-hidden columns the value is either
+	 * undefined or null.
+	 *  @type array nodes
+	 *  @default []
+	 */
 	"_anHidden": [],
+
+	/**
+	 * Cache of the class name that DataTables has applied to the row, so we
+	 * can quickly look at this variable rather than needing to do a DOM check
+	 * on className for the nTr property.
+	 *  @type string
+	 *  @default <i>Empty string</i>
+	 */
 	"_sRowStripe": ""
 };