Fix #39 - null values should also be considered like undefined values when working with nested data and have properties created as needed.

media/js/jquery.dataTables.js

@@ -867,11 +867,11 @@
 								break;
 							}
 		
-							data = data[ a[i] ];
+							if ( data === null || data[ a[i] ] === undefined )
-							if ( data === undefined )
 							{
 								return undefined;
 							}
+							data = data[ a[i] ];
 						}
 					}
 		
@@ -949,7 +949,7 @@
 		
 						// If the nested object doesn't currently exist - since we are
 						// trying to set the value - create it
-						if ( data[ a[i] ] === undefined )
+						if ( data[ a[i] ] === null || data[ a[i] ] === undefined )
 						{
 							data[ a[i] ] = {};
 						}

media/src/core/core.data.js

@@ -433,11 +433,11 @@ function _fnGetObjectDataFn( mSource )
 						break;
 					}
 
-					data = data[ a[i] ];
+					if ( data === null || data[ a[i] ] === undefined )
-					if ( data === undefined )
 					{
 						return undefined;
 					}
+					data = data[ a[i] ];
 				}
 			}
 
@@ -515,7 +515,7 @@ function _fnSetObjectDataFn( mSource )
 
 				// If the nested object doesn't currently exist - since we are
 				// trying to set the value - create it
-				if ( data[ a[i] ] === undefined )
+				if ( data[ a[i] ] === null || data[ a[i] ] === undefined )
 				{
 					data[ a[i] ] = {};
 				}

media/unit_testing/tests_onhold/2_js/39-nested-null.js

@@ -0,0 +1,73 @@
+// DATA_TEMPLATE: empty_table
+oTest.fnStart( "39 - nested null values" );
+
+$(document).ready( function () {
+	var test = false;
+
+	$.fn.dataTable.ext.sErrMode = "throw";
+
+	oTest.fnTest(
+		"No default content throws an error",
+		function () {
+			try {
+				$('#example').dataTable( {
+					"aaData": [
+						{ "a": "0", "b": {"c": 0} },
+						{ "a": "1", "b": {"c": 3} },
+						{ "a": "2", "b": null }
+					],
+					"aoColumns": [
+						{ "mDataProp": "a" },
+						{ "mDataProp": "b.c" }
+					]
+				} );
+			}
+			catch(err) {
+				test = true;
+			}
+		},
+		function () { return test; }
+	);
+
+	oTest.fnTest(
+		"Table renders",
+		function () {
+			oSession.fnRestore();
+			
+			$('#example').dataTable( {
+				"aaData": [
+					{ "a": "0", "b": {"c": 0} },
+					{ "a": "1", "b": {"c": 3} },
+					{ "a": "2", "b": null }
+				],
+				"aoColumns": [
+					{ "mDataProp": "a" },
+					{ "mDataProp": "b.c", "sDefaultContent": "allan" }
+				]
+			} );
+		},
+		function () { return $('#example tbody td:eq(0)').html() === "0"; }
+	);
+
+	oTest.fnTest(
+		"Default content applied",
+		function () {
+			oSession.fnRestore();
+			
+			$('#example').dataTable( {
+				"aaData": [
+					{ "a": "0", "b": {"c": 0} },
+					{ "a": "1", "b": {"c": 3} },
+					{ "a": "2", "b": null }
+				],
+				"aoColumns": [
+					{ "mDataProp": "a" },
+					{ "mDataProp": "b.c", "sDefaultContent": "allan" }
+				]
+			} );
+		},
+		function () { return $('#example tbody td:eq(5)').html() === "allan"; }
+	);
+	
+	oTest.fnComplete();
+} );