sorttable.js question

zx7king · Feb 7, 2006

hello all,

I am relatively new to javascript but have had extensive programming experience in other languages. I have been using sorttable.js to sort html tables by clicking on the header for each column. My question regards the following:

It is working fine for me but I wanted to find out how to modify it so it does not sort the first column.
My database query outputs a row number in the first column and when I sort on other columns, I obviously don’t want it to change.

For instance, if my table looks like:

1 peter 100
2 paul 150
3 michael 100

When I sort on the names I want it to look like:

1 michael 100
2 paul 150
3 peter 100

not like:

3 michael 100
2 paul 150
1 peter 100

Is there an easy way to do this?
I have made one modification that does not make the first column header an href for sorting but cannot figure out how to stop the sort from sorting the first column itself. I realize it is building an array out of the html table but I have not been able to figure out how to do this. Below is the sorttable.js code.

Thanks in advance,
Charles

Code:

// This code originally comes from:
// [URL unfurl="true"]http://www.kryogenix.org/code/browser/sorttable/[/URL]

// 2004-12-03: Modifications by mcramer@pbs.org: [URL unfurl="true"]http://blog.webkist.com/archives/000043.html[/URL]
// 2005-01-07: Modifications by Anthony.Garrett@aods.org (tested IE 6.0.28, Opera 7.54, Firefox 1.0)
//             [Problem: Firefox 1.0 won't display the span style for the up and down arrows.]
// 2005-01-11: Anthony.Garrett@aods.org Fixed small bug:
//             Error occurred when clicking on column header link just to the right of the text.
// 2005-01-11: mcramer@pbs.org integrated AG's fixes and added support for <select> sorting.
// 2005-01-13: mcramer@pbs.org: Caching optimizations. Should be faster on big tables.
// 2005-04-29: mcramer@pbs.org: Style fix, "nosort" stuff, and don't link empty headers.

addEvent(window, "load", sortables_init);

var SORT_COLUMN_INDEX;

// Set this array up for any language you choose.  
// You can use any strings you like for the months as long as the array matches the data.
var monthName = new Array('Jan', 'Feb', 'Mar', 'Apr', 'May', 'Jun',
                          'Jul', 'Aug', 'Sep', 'Oct', 'Nov', 'Dec');

function sortables_init() {
    // Find all tables with class sortable and make them sortable
    if (!document.getElementsByTagName)
	return;
    tbls = document.getElementsByTagName("table");
    for (ti = 0; ti < tbls.length; ti++) {
	thisTbl = tbls[ti];
	if (((' ' + thisTbl.className + ' ').indexOf(" sortable ") != -1) && (thisTbl.id)) {
	    ts_makeSortable(thisTbl);
	}
    }
}

function ts_makeSortable(table) {
    var firstRow;
    for (var i = 0; i < table.rows.length; i++) {
	firstRow = table.rows[i];
	if (firstRow.cells && firstRow.cells[0].nodeName == "TD") {
	    firstRow = table.rows[i - 1];
	    break;
	}
    }

    if (!firstRow)
	return;

    // IE 6.0.28  Resets checkbox values to their initial state on sort.
    // BUG (see [URL unfurl="true"]http://www.quirksmode.org/bugreports/archives/2004/10/moving_checkbox.html)[/URL]
    //     solution 1: Don't use a crappy browser like IE.
    //     solution 2: Store the checkbox state and restore after move.
    // --> solution 3: Set defaultChecked to the value of checked each time the checkbox is changed.

    // AG Avoid IE bug that uses "defaultChecked" when it should use "checked" on move of element
    var inputs = document.getElementsByTagName("input");
    for (var i = 0; i < inputs.length; i++) {
	if (inputs[i].type.toLowerCase() == 'checkbox')
	    addEvent(inputs[i], "change", ts_persistCheckbox);
    }

    // We have a first row: assume it's the header, and make its contents clickable links
    for (var i = 0; i < firstRow.cells.length; i++) {
	var cell = firstRow.cells[i];
	if(cell.childNodes.length > 0 && cell.className.indexOf("nosort") == -1) {
	    var link = document.createElement("a");
	    link.href = "#";
	    link.style.textDecoration = "none";
	    link.className = "sortheader";	// AG Added (makes the styling work)
	    addEvent(link, "click", ts_resortTable);
	    var l = cell.childNodes.length;
	    while (cell.childNodes.length > 0) {
	        link.appendChild(cell.childNodes[0]);
  	    }
	    var span = document.createElement("span");
	    span.className = "sortarrow";
	    span.innerHTML = '&nbsp;&nbsp;';
  	    link.appendChild(span);
	    cell.appendChild(link);
	}
    }
}

function ts_getInnerText(el) {
    if (typeof el == "string" || typeof el == "undefined")
	return el;

    if(el.ts_allText)
      return el.ts_allText;

    var str = new Array();
    var cs = el.childNodes;

    for (var i = 0; i < cs.length; i++) {
	switch (cs[i].nodeType) {
	  case 1: // ELEMENT_NODE
	      if(cs[i].tagName.toLowerCase() == 'input') {
	        if(cs[i].type.toLowerCase() == 'text')
		  str.push(cs[i].value)
		else if(cs[i].type.toLowerCase() == 'checkbox')
		  str.push(cs[i].checked)
		else
	          str.push(ts_getInnerText(cs[i]));
	      }
	      else if(cs[i].tagName.toLowerCase() == 'select') {
	        str.push(cs[i].options[cs[i].selectedIndex].value);
	      } else {
	        str.push(ts_getInnerText(cs[i]));
	      }
	      break;
	  case 3: // TEXT_NODE
	      str.push(cs[i].nodeValue);
	      break;
	}
    }
    // Save the extracted text for later. This costs the client RAM,
    // but saves major CPU when the cell contents are particularly
    // complex.
    return el.ts_allText = str.join(" ");
}

function ts_expireCache(el) {
    var cs = el.childNodes;
    if(typeof el.ts_allText == "undefined")
      return false

    for (var i = 0; i < cs.length; i++) {
	if(cs[i].nodeType == 1) { // ELEMENT_NODE
	  // We need to expire the cache if the element
	  // contains any form-type nodes, just in case
	  // the user changes their value.
	  if(cs[i].tagName.toLowerCase() == 'input')
	    return delete el.ts_allText
	  else if(cs[i].tagName.toLowerCase() == 'select')
	    return delete el.ts_allText
	  else if(ts_expireCache(cs[i])) 
	    return delete el.ts_allText
	}
    }
    return false
}

function ts_persistCheckbox(event) {
    // AG - Avoids IE bug
    var chkbox = event.currentTarget ? event.currentTarget : event.srcElement;
    chkbox.defaultChecked = chkbox.checked;
    return true;
}

function ts_resortTable(event) {
    var lnk = event.currentTarget ? event.currentTarget : event.srcElement;
    // AG - IE doesn't support "currentTarget", must use "srcElement" instead.
    // get the span
    var span;
    if(lnk.tagName && lnk.tagName.toLowerCase() == 'span')
      span = lnk;
    else {
      for (var ci=0; ci<lnk.childNodes.length; ci++) {
        if(lnk.childNodes[ci].tagName && lnk.childNodes[ci].tagName.toLowerCase() == 'span')
            span = lnk.childNodes[ci];
      }
    }
    var td = lnk.parentNode;
    while(td.tagName != 'TD' && td.tagName != 'TH')
      td = td.parentNode;

    var column = td.cellIndex;
    var table = getParent(td, 'TABLE');

    var nonHeaderIndex;
    for (nonHeaderIndex = 0; nonHeaderIndex < table.rows.length; nonHeaderIndex++) {
	if(table.rows[nonHeaderIndex].cells &&
	   table.rows[nonHeaderIndex].cells[0].nodeName == "TD") {
	  break;
	}
    }

    // If 0, the table has no rows. If >= table.rows.length, it has no data.
    if(nonHeaderIndex == 0 || nonHeaderIndex >= table.rows.length)
      return;

    // Work out a type for the column
    var itm = ts_getInnerText(table.rows[nonHeaderIndex].cells[column]);

    var dateregex = new RegExp("^\\d\\d[\\/-](\\d\\d|" +
                               monthName.join("|") +
			       ')[\\/-]\\d\\d(\\d\\d)?$', "i")
    // A date in dd/mm/yy format.
    if (itm.match(dateregex))
	sortfn = ts_sort_date

    // Currency, like $10.34
    else if (itm.match(/^[£€$]/))
	sortfn = ts_sort_currency // AG Added Euro

    // 234.123
    else if (itm.match(/^[\d\.]+$/))
	sortfn = ts_sort_numeric

    // Everything else.
    else
        sortfn = ts_sort_caseinsensitive

    SORT_COLUMN_INDEX = column;

    var newRows = new Array();
    var bottomRows = new Array();
    for (var j=nonHeaderIndex; j<table.rows.length; j++) {
	if (table.rows[j].className.indexOf('sortbottom') == -1)
	  newRows.push(table.rows[j])
	else
	  bottomRows.push(table.rows[j]);
    }

    newRows.sort(sortfn);

    if (span.getAttribute("sortdir") == 'down') {
	ARROW = '&nbsp;&uarr;';
	newRows.reverse();
	span.setAttribute('sortdir', 'up');
    } else {
	ARROW = '&nbsp;&darr;';
	span.setAttribute('sortdir', 'down');
    }

    // We appendChild rows that already exist to the tbody, so it moves them rather 
    // than creating new ones don't do sortbottom rows
    for (var i=0; i<newRows.length; i++) {
	table.tBodies[0].appendChild(newRows[i]);
	// We've sorted the list already, so we need to make
	// sure any cells with changable values are expired.
        ts_expireCache(newRows[i].cells[SORT_COLUMN_INDEX]);
    }

    // do sortbottom rows only
    for (i = 0; i < bottomRows.length; i++) {
	table.tBodies[0].appendChild(bottomRows[i]);
    }

    // Delete any other arrows there may be showing
    var allspans = document.getElementsByTagName("span");
    for (var ci = 0; ci < allspans.length; ci++) {
	if (allspans[ci].className == 'sortarrow') {
	    if (getParent(allspans[ci], "table") == getParent(lnk, "table")) {	// in the same table as us?
		allspans[ci].innerHTML = '&nbsp;&nbsp;';
	    }
	}
    }
    span.innerHTML = ARROW;
    event.preventDefault();
}

function getParent(el, pTagName) {
    if (el == null)
	return null;
    else if (el.nodeType == 1 && el.tagName.toLowerCase() == pTagName.toLowerCase())	// Gecko bug, supposed to be uppercase
	return el;
    else
	return getParent(el.parentNode, pTagName);
}

function ts_sort_date(a, b) {
    // y2k notes: Two digit years less than 50 are treated as 20XX, 
    // greater than 50 are treated as 19XX.

    aa = ts_getInnerText(a.cells[SORT_COLUMN_INDEX]);
    bb = ts_getInnerText(b.cells[SORT_COLUMN_INDEX]);

    aaBits = aa.split(/\/|-/);
    for (i = 0; i < monthName.length; i++) { // AG Convert Alpha month to two digit month
	if (monthName[i].toLowerCase() == aaBits[1].toLowerCase()) {
	    aa = aaBits[0] + '/' + (i < 9 ? '0' : '') + (i + 1) + '/' + aaBits[2];
	    break;
	}
    }

    if (aa.length == 10) {
	dt1 = aa.substr(6, 4) + aa.substr(3, 2) + aa.substr(0, 2);
    } else {
	yr = aa.substr(6, 2);
	dt1 = (parseInt(yr) < 50 ? '20' : '19') + yr + aa.substr(3, 2) + aa.substr(0, 2);
    }

    bbBits = bb.split(/\/|-/);
    for (i = 0; i < monthName.length; i++) { // AG: Convert Alpha month to two digit month
	if (monthName[i].toLowerCase() == bbBits[1].toLowerCase()) {
	    bb = bbBits[0] + '/' + (i < 9 ? '0' : '') + (i + 1) + '/' + bbBits[2];
	    break;
	}
    }

    if (bb.length == 10) {
	dt2 = bb.substr(6, 4) + bb.substr(3, 2) + bb.substr(0, 2);
    } else {
	yr = bb.substr(6, 2);
	dt2 = (parseInt(yr) < 50 ? '20' : '19') + yr + bb.substr(3, 2) + bb.substr(0, 2);
    }

    if (dt1 == dt2)
	return 0;
    if (dt1 < dt2)
	return -1;
    return 1;
}

function ts_sort_currency(a, b) {
    aa = ts_getInnerText(a.cells[SORT_COLUMN_INDEX]).replace(/[^0-9.]/g, '');
    bb = ts_getInnerText(b.cells[SORT_COLUMN_INDEX]).replace(/[^0-9.]/g, '');
    return parseFloat(aa) - parseFloat(bb);
}

function ts_sort_numeric(a, b) {
    aa = parseFloat(ts_getInnerText(a.cells[SORT_COLUMN_INDEX]));
    if (isNaN(aa))
	aa = 0;
    bb = parseFloat(ts_getInnerText(b.cells[SORT_COLUMN_INDEX]));
    if (isNaN(bb))
	bb = 0;
    return aa - bb;
}

function ts_sort_caseinsensitive(a, b) {
    aa = ts_getInnerText(a.cells[SORT_COLUMN_INDEX]).toLowerCase();
    bb = ts_getInnerText(b.cells[SORT_COLUMN_INDEX]).toLowerCase();
    if (aa == bb)
	return 0;
    if (aa < bb)
	return -1;
    return 1;
}

function ts_sort_default(a, b) {
    aa = ts_getInnerText(a.cells[SORT_COLUMN_INDEX]);
    bb = ts_getInnerText(b.cells[SORT_COLUMN_INDEX]);
    if (aa == bb)
	return 0;
    if (aa < bb)
	return -1;
    return 1;
}

function addEvent(elm, evType, fn, useCapture) {
// addEvent cross-browser event handling for IE5+,  NS6 and Mozilla
// By Scott Andrew
    if (elm.addEventListener) {
	elm.addEventListener(evType, fn, useCapture);
	return true;
    } else if (elm.attachEvent) {
	var r = elm.attachEvent("on" + evType, fn);
	return r;
    } else {
	alert("Handler could not be added");
    }
}

// Suggested by MT Jordan:
// Posted by liorean at [URL unfurl="true"]http://codingforums.com[/URL]
// IE5 triggers runtime error w/o push function
// Shortened by mcramer@pbs.org

if (typeof Array.prototype.push == 'undefined') {
    Array.prototype.push = function() {
        var b = this.length;
        for(var i=0; i<arguments.length; i++ ) {
            this[b + i] = arguments[i];
        }
        return this.length
    }
}

LFI · Feb 7, 2006

Probably the fastest solution would be to for-loop through the rows once, grabbing the values of each of the first columns and stuffing them into an array.

Then, using the existing code, sort the rows... first columns and all.

Then, go through your array, and put the values therein into the first cell of each row in turn.

In a few words: sort them all, then return the first column back to its original state.

Wrap the table in a DIV, make it style='visiblity:hidden' during the sorting and style='visibility:visible' when it is done (so user's will not see the weird behavior of the first column).

'hope that helps.

Dave

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
O Time, Strength, Cash, and Patience! [infinity]

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sorttable.js question

zx7king

Technical User

LFI

Programmer

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