Populate table from array using JQuery
I have an array of 16 elements that I want to fill a table. I want it to have 2 rows with 8 cells in each row which is filled with the array. My problem is that when the table is populated, the table populates all elements into one row. I have not had much experience with JQuery and I want to try to get this to work. Any help is appreciated! Here is my code:
//**********Javascript & JQuery**********
var array = [1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8];
var count = 0;
var totalCells = 8;
function writeTable() {
var $table = $('#summaryOfResults');
//Array always includes enough elements to fill an entire row, which is 8 cells. Outer loop determines how many rows to make.
//Inner loop determines the elements to print in the cells for that row.
for (var i = 0; i < array.length / 8; i++) {
$table.find('#body').append('<tr>');
for (var j = 0; j < totalCells; j++) {
$table.append('<td>' + array[count] + '</td>');
count++;
}
$table.append('</tr>');
}
}
//**********HTML**********
<html>
<head>
</head>
<body>
<div id="resultsTable">
<table id='summaryOfResults' border='1'>
<tbody id="body">
<tr>
<th>#</th>
<th>n<sub>i</sub></th>
<th>n<sub>f</sub></th>
<th>E<sub>i</sub> (J)</th>
<th>E<sub>f</sub> (J)</th>
<th>ΔE (J)</th>
<th>ΔE (kJ/mol)</th>
<th>λ (nm)</th>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</div>
<div id="tableButtons">
<button id='copyButton' onclick=''>Copy Table</button>
<button id='clear' onclick='clearTable();'>Clear Table</button>
<button id='write' onclick='writeTable();'>Write Table</button>
</div>
</body>
</html>
Answer
First, you have to reset count on every click.
Next, you have to specify where exactly the <td> elements have to be appended to. As for now, you're appending them directly to the <table> :
// your declaration of the table element:
var $table = $('#summaryOfResults');
// ...
// then in nested loop, you're appending the cells directly to the table:
$table.append('<td>' + array[count] + '</td>');
The last thing - .append('</tr>') is not a proper way to create an element object, it should be '<tr/>' , or '<tr></tr>'.
This should be what you're looking for:
function writeTable() {
// cache <tbody> element:
var tbody = $('#body');
for (var i = 0; i < array.length / 8; i++) {
// create an <tr> element, append it to the <tbody> and cache it as a variable:
var tr = $('<tr/>').appendTo(tbody);
for (var j = 0; j < totalCells; j++) {
// append <td> elements to previously created <tr> element:
tr.append('<td>' + array[count] + '</td>');
count++;
}
}
// reset the count:
count = 0;
}
Alternatively, make a HTML string and append it to the table outside of the loop:
function writeTable() {
// declare html variable (a string holder):
var html = '';
for (var i = 0; i < array.length / 8; i++) {
// add opening <tr> tag to the string:
html += '<tr>';
for (var j = 0; j < totalCells; j++) {
// add <td> elements to the string:
html += '<td>' + array[count] + '</td>';
count++;
}
// add closing </tr> tag to the string:
html += '</tr>';
}
//append created html to the table body:
$('#body').append(html);
// reset the count:
count = 0;
}