- DataTables 1.9 had 5 different parameters that controlled how Ajax
data was obtained, which with its own naming properties, often mapping
to the jQuery.ajax methods, or otherwise extending them. To hugely
simply and extend the Ajax functionality DataTables has, these five
parameters have now been deprecated and the funtionality provided by
them merged into the new `ajax` parameter.
- Deprecated properties:
- sAjaxSource
- fnServerData
- sAjaxDataProp
- sServerMethod
- fnServerParams
- Note that these parameters are still fully supported and can be used,
but for new projects, `ajax` should be used as they will eventually be
removed (likely DataTables v2 whenever that is, as they are too widely
used to be removed in v1.x).
- Added additional / missing tests for the deprecated properties to
ensure full backwards compatiblity
- The new `ajax` property is fully documented in the doc comments, but
as a summary it can take three forms:
- string - the url to get the data from (i.e. this is the new
sAjaxSource)
- object - maps directly to jQuery.ajax, allowing full control of the
Ajax call (provides the abilities of fnServerParams, sServerMethod,
sAjaxDataProp)
- function - a function so you can get the data your own way
(provides the abilities of fnServerData)
- Added unit tests for the new `ajax` property and doc comment examples
updated to use this property exclusively.
- As of jQuery 1.8 `andSelf` was deprecated in favour of `andBack`.
`andBack` was not available in jQuery <1.8, and I don't want to make
1.8 a requirement yet, so a small workaround requiring two unbind
calls is used to avoid calling `andSelf` or `andBack`.
- jQuery migrate gives a warning about the use of `attr` rather than
`prop`. However, we should really just be using `val` here - much
easier.
- Thread: 13931
object notation.
- Previously if you had an object key that contained a period, it
wouldn't work with `data` or `render` (or rather it would need a
function call to do it manually), since a split was being done on the
periods to reconstruct the Javascript object property chain. Now it is
possible to escape a period, allowing it to be included in the
property name read / set.
- Example:
$('#example').dataTable( {
columns: [
{ data: 'a' },
{ data: 'b\\.c' }
],
data: [
{ 'a': 1, 'b.c': 2 },
{ 'a': 3, 'b.c': 4 },
{ 'a': 5, 'b.c': 6 },
{ 'a': 7, 'b.c': 8 }
]
} );
- As part of completing the planning development for reading data, I've
added support for calling functions from the string defined in `data`
and `render` column options. So you can now do something like:
`render: 'name()'` rather than needing to use an anon function and
calling name() in that. This is useful for cases where you want to
give DataTables an array of Javascript instances, rather than objects
or arrays (see example below). It also fully supports the continuation
of the dotted notation DataTables supports, so you could use
`name().first` if `name()` returns an object. Again to make it easier
than needed to define a function.
- Documentation for `data` and `render` updated to reflect this
abilities
- Unit tests for this still to come
- There is one backwards incompatiblity that should be noted - although
I think this is a real edge case and I just can't see it being an
issue. If before, you had `data:null` without `render` or
`defaultContent` specified, DataTables would have output an empty
cell. Now it will output the original data source object. Can't see
this being an issue since, why would you have a column empty cells? If
this is an issue, then you simply need to add `defaultContent:''` now.
- Example use case, using Javascript instances:
$(document).ready(function() {
var z = function (i) {
this.a = function (set) {
if ( set ) {
return this;
}
return i+'-0';
};
this.b = function (set) {
if ( set ) {
return this;
}
return i+'-1';
};
this.c = function (set) {
if ( set ) {
return this;
}
return i+'-2';
};
this.d = function (set) {
if ( set ) {
return this;
}
return i+'-3';
};
this.e = function (set) {
if ( set ) {
return this;
}
return {
q: i+'-4q',
w: i+'-4w'
};
};
};
window.dataset = [
new z(0),
new z(1),
new z(2),
new z(3),
new z(4),
new z(5)
];
$('#example').dataTable( {
columns: [
{ data: null, /*render: 'a()'*/ },
{ data: 'b()' },
{ data: 'c' },
{ data: 'd()' },
{ data: 'e().q' }
],
data: dataset
} );
} );
- Typically I think setting bDestroy or bRetrieve as default true is a
bad idea as it could lead to more processing of tables than is needed
by mistake, but if set the defaults should be acted upon.
- These are slightly different to the other defaults since the settings
object hasn't been expanded by the point they are checked, so need to
manually check the values.
- When scrolling is enabled, the scrollbar can be placed on the right or
the left of the scrolling container by the browser for rtl layout (of
the current browsers, only Safari appears to place it on the right) -
when placed on the left the padding adjustment that DataTables makes
for the scrollbar area was added to the wrong side.
- To cope with this, the browser compat method (moved to the compat
file) will check for the position of the scrollbar and set a flag so
the scroll draw can adjust the position as needed.
Removed: fnCookieCallback (cookieCallback) - This is now irrelevant since DataTables does not state save in cookies by default.
Removed: sCookiePrefix (cookiePrefix) - This is now irrelevant since DataTables does not state save in cookies by default.
Depreciated: iCookieDuration (cookieDuration) - Since DataTables does not use cookies for state saving by default the name of this parameter is now incorrect. The new parameter `stateDuration` should be used instead, although the old parameter is still supported. It will be removed in the next major version of DataTables.
Update - Performance / Memory: The functions that DataTables uses are not instance based, they are locally scoped, but they were included in the DataTable constructore, which meant that every time you create a new 'instance' of DataTables ($().dataTable()) it would create these functions in that scope again and again. That's completely pointless since we only need them once, so moving them outside the constructor helps both performance and memory (not huge, but very little helps!).
