DataTables

This module covers a class to support JQuery DataTable within the REST API of this project. It is recommended to use apply(...) to filter a specific queryset.

Important

All list views of the REST API support jQuery DataTable requests, so sorting, filtering and search will be applied to all of them.

mastf.MASTF.utils.datatable.apply(request: DataTableRequest, queryset: QuerySet) → QuerySet

Utility function that applies filters or ordering to a Django queryset based on a DataTableRequest object.

This function can be used in conjunction with Django’s generic views and the DataTables jQuery plugin to create dynamic data tables with server-side filtering, sorting, and pagination. Simply pass the DataTableRequest object and the queryset to this function in your view’s get_queryset(...) method, and return the result (or a pageinated one).

For example, to use this function with the Django ListView, you could define your view like this:

from django.views.generic import ListView
from mastf.MASTF.models import MyModel
from mastf.MASTF.utils import datatable

class MyListView(ListView):
    model = MyModel
    template_name = "my_template.html"

    def get_queryset(self):
        request = datatable.DataTableRequest(self.request)
        queryset = super().get_queryset()
        return datatable.apply(request, queryset)

To use your defined view within a jQuery DataTable, you should set the following parameters:

var options = {
    "processing": true,
    "serverSide": true,
    "ajax": {
        // assuming the view is mapped to an URL path with name=MyListView
        "url": "{% url 'MyListView' %}",
        "dataSrc": function(json) {
            return json.results;
        },
    },
    "columns": {
        {"data": "mycolumn"},
        // ...
    }
};
$(element).DataTable(options);

Parameters:

• request (DataTableRequest) – a DataTableRequest object containing information about the current data table view, such as search keywords, sorting column, and pagination.

• queryset (QuerySet) – the queryset to apply the filters and ordering to.

Returns:

A filtered and/or ordered queryset based on the DataTableRequest object.

Return type:

QuerySet

class mastf.MASTF.utils.datatable.DataTableRequest(request: HttpRequest)

Parse jQuery DataTables requests.

This class provides a convenient way to extract the necessary data from a jQuery DataTables request to construct a query for the database. It takes the request and creates a list of columns that should be queried/searched:

from django.http import HttpRequest
from myapp.models import MyModel

def my_view(request: HttpRequest):
    dt_request = DataTableRequest(request)
    # use the extracted data to perform database queries or other#
    # relevant operations.

In general, the extracted column data will be stored with the following structure:

>>> dt_request = DataTableRequest(request)
>>> dt_request.columns
[{'name': "Column1", 'params': {...}}, ...]

Note that the params dictionary can be used in Django’s database queries directly by just passing **column["params"].

HttpRequest Structure

While this class is capable of parsing DataTable requests, it can be used within every context having the following parameters in mind:

• column[$idx][data]: Stores the column name at the specified index

• column[$idx][searchable]: Indicates whether this column is searchable

• column[$idx][search][value]: Specifies an extra search value that should be applied instead of the global one.

• search[value]: Global search value

• order[0][column]: Defines the column that should be ordered in a specific direction

• order[0][dir]: The sorting direction

• start: offset position where to start

• length: preferred data length to return

property columns: list

Specifies all column data that is present within this request.

Returns:

a list of column structures.

Return type:

list

property length: int

Defines the preferred return size.

Returns:

an integer or 0 if this parameter is not present.

Return type:

int

property order_column: int

The column index which points to a column that should be ordered.

Returns:

-1 if no column is selected ot the column index

Return type:

int

property order_direction: str

Specifies the order direction.

Returns:

the direction as string (either asc or desc)

Return type:

str

property search_value: str

Defines a global search value

Returns:

_description_

Return type:

str

property start: int

Defines the starting pointer.

Returns:

an integer pointing to the starting offset position

Return type:

int