Refresh datatable on Ajax success

Question

I am using datatables and jquery dialog. Overall I have 3 forms and 3 datatables. My script is working great but the thing I am struggling with is updating the correct datatable on success of ajax save (It doesn't even have to be the correct corresponding table, it could update all 3 tables on any of the 3 form saves.)

Any guidance would be greatly appreciated.

Page with buttons for showing datatable/forms in dialog

<div style="float:left;">
<button class="menubutton" id="view_academic">Academic</button>
<button class="menubutton" id="view_business">Business/Suppport</button>
<button class="menubutton" id="line_managers">Managers/Divisions</button>
<br/>
<br/>
</div>
<div style="float:right;">
<a href="line_managers_form.php" class="menubutton" id="add_line_managers">Add Managers/Divisions</a>
<a href="academic_form.php" class="menubutton" id="add_academic">Add Academic</a>
<a href="business_form.php" class="menubutton" id="add_business">Add Business/Suppport</a>
<br/>
<br/>
</div>
<div style="clear:both"></div>


<div id="academic_list">
<h2>Academic Entitlements</h2>
<table class="dataTable" id="academic_table" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="2" width="100%">
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Year</th> 
<th>Employee</th>  
<th>Division</th>
<th>Contract</th>
<th>Entitlement</th>
<th>Line Manager</th>
</tr> 
</thead>
<tbody>
    <tr>
        <td colspan="4" class="dataTables_empty">Loading data from server</td>
    </tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</div>

<div id="business_list" class="the_options" style="display:none;">
<h2>Business & Manual Entitlements</h2>
<table class="dataTable" id="business_table" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="2" width="100%">
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Year</th> 
<th>Employee</th>  
<th>FT/PT</th>
<th>Weekly Hours</th>
<th>Division</th>
<th>Commencement</th>
<th>Entitlement</th>
<th>Line Manager</th>
</tr> 
</thead>
<tbody>
    <tr>
        <td colspan="4" class="dataTables_empty">Loading data from server</td>
    </tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</div>

</div>

<div id="line_managers_list" class="the_options" style="display:none;">
<h2>Line Managers & Divisions</h2>
<table class="dataTable" id="line_managers_table" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="2" width="100%">
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Division</th>
<th>Name</th>
<th>Line Manager</th>
</tr> 
</thead>
<tbody>
    <tr>
        <td colspan="4" class="dataTables_empty">Loading data from server</td>
    </tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</div>

initialise Datatables

$(function() {
    // Implements the dataTables plugin on the HTML table
    var $acTable= $("#academic_table").dataTable( {
        "oLanguage": {
            "sSearch": "Filter:"
        },
        "bProcessing": true,
        "bServerSide": true,
        "sAjaxSource": "scripts/academic_serverside.php",
        "iDisplayLength": 10,       
        "bJQueryUI": false,
        "sPaginationType": "scrolling",
        "sDom": '<"top"iflp<"clear">>rt>',
        "sScrollX": "100%",
        "sScrollXInner": "100%",
        "bScrollCollapse": true
        });     

});
$(function() {
    // Implements the dataTables plugin on the HTML table
    var $buTable= $("#business_table").dataTable( {
        "oLanguage": {
            "sSearch": "Filter:"
        },
        "bProcessing": true,
        "bServerSide": true,
        "sAjaxSource": "scripts/business_serverside.php",
        "iDisplayLength": 10,       
        "bJQueryUI": false,
        "sPaginationType": "scrolling",
        "sDom": '<"top"iflp<"clear">>rt>',
        "sScrollX": "100%",
        "sScrollXInner": "100%",
        "bScrollCollapse": true
        });     

});
$(function() {
    // Implements the dataTables plugin on the HTML table
    var $lmTable= $("#line_managers_table").dataTable( {
        "oLanguage": {
            "sSearch": "Filter:"
        },
        "bProcessing": true,
        "bServerSide": true,
        "sAjaxSource": "scripts/line_managers_serverside.php",
        "iDisplayLength": 10,       
        "bJQueryUI": false,
        "sPaginationType": "scrolling",
        "sDom": '<"top"iflp<"clear">>rt>'
        });     

});

$(document).ready(function() {
$(".the_options").hide();
});

Dialogs/datatables show/hide/open/close and AJAX save form:

$(document).ready(dialogForms);
function dialogForms() {
  $('a.menubutton').click(function() {
    var a = $(this);
    $.get(a.attr('href'),function(resp){
      var dialog = $('<div>').attr('id','formDialog').html($(resp).find('form:first').parent('div').html());
      $('body').append(dialog);
      dialog.find(':submit').hide();
      dialog.dialog({
        title: a.attr('title') ? a.attr('title') : '',
        modal: true,
        buttons: {
          'Save': function() {
                submitFormWithAjax($(this).find('form'));
                $(this).dialog('close');
                $lmTable.fnDraw('');
                },
          'Cancel': function() {$(this).dialog('close');}
        },
        close: function() {$(this).remove();},
        width: 600,
        height: 500
      });
    }, 'html');
    return false;
  });
}

function submitFormWithAjax(form) {
  form = $(form);
  $.ajax({
    url: form.attr('action'),
    data: form.serialize(),
    type: (form.attr('method')),
    dataType: 'script',
    success: function(data){
    $(this).dialog('close');
    $lmTable.fnDraw('');
   }
  });
  return false;
}

$(function() {

        $("#add_academic")
            .button()
            .click(function() {
                $("#academic-form").dialog( "open" );
            });
        $("#add_line_managers")
            .button()
            .click(function() {
                $("#line-managers-form").dialog( "open" );
            });
        $("#add_business")
            .button()
            .click(function() {
                $("#business-form").dialog( "open" );
            });
        $("#view_academic")
            .button()
            .click(function() {
                $('#academic_list').show();
                $('#business_list').hide();
                $('#line_managers_list').hide();
            });
        $("#view_business")
            .button()
            .click(function() {
                $('#academic_list').hide();
                $('#business_list').show();
                $('#line_managers_list').hide();
            });
        $("#line_managers")
            .button()
            .click(function() {
                $('#academic_list').hide();
                $('#business_list').hide();
                $('#line_managers_list').show();
            });

});

Solution

To update a table simply call fnDraw() on it. Since you are not using global variables, you must retrieve the table first

var $lmTable = $("#line_managers_table").dataTable( { bRetrieve : true } );
$lmTable.fnDraw();

EDIT - to show only the right table you could do something like:

function dialogForms() {
  $('a.menubutton').click(function() {
    var id = this.id;// Save the id of the clicked button
    var a = $(this);
    $.get(a.attr('href'),function(resp){
      var dialog = $('<div>').attr('id','formDialog').html($(resp).find('form:first').parent('div').html());
      $('body').append(dialog);
      dialog.find(':submit').hide();
      dialog.dialog({
        title: a.attr('title') ? a.attr('title') : '',
        modal: true,
        buttons: {
          'Save': function() {
                submitFormWithAjax($(this).find('form'), id);// Pass the id to the function 

function submitFormWithAjax(form, id) {
  form = $(form);
  var table_id;
  // Choose the table to display depending on the id, i made some guesses but adjust this
  switch(id){
    case 'view_academic': table_id = '#academic_table';
    break;
    case 'view_business': table_id = '#business_table';
    break;
    case 'line_managers': table_id = '#line_managers_list';
    break;
  }
  $.ajax({
    url: form.attr('action'),
    data: form.serialize(),
    type: (form.attr('method')),
    dataType: 'script',
    success: function(data){
        $(this).dialog('close');
        // Refresh table
        var oTableToUpdate =  $(table_id).dataTable( { bRetrieve : true } );
        $oTableToUpdate .fnDraw();
        // Hide all tables
        $('table').hide();
        // Show the refreshed
        $(table_id).show();

   }
  });
  return false;
}

Comments

[Codded]

Could i private chat with you, i think i know what the issue may be but not sure how to fix it.

[Codded]

Although the origional part of this answer is working, it does not always update on the first instance of save. Do you think it may be refreshing before saving? It does however work everythim after the first instance. Any Ideas?

[Nicola Peluchetti]

@Codded that's strange. Have you checked with console.log or an alert that fnDraw() is really called?

[Codded]

seems ok in firefox. I tested earlier in opera.