Datatables - Setting column width

Question

I'm trying to set up width of columns as shown below:

 var per_page = $("table").data("per_page");
  $(".table").dataTable({
    "aoColumnDefs": [
      { "sWidth": "100px", "aTargets": [ 1 ] },
      { "sWidth": "100px", "aTargets": [ 2 ] },
      { "sWidth": "100px", "aTargets": [ 3 ] },
      { "sWidth": "100px", "aTargets": [ 4 ] },
      { "sWidth": "100px", "aTargets": [ 5 ] },
      { "sWidth": "100px", "aTargets": [ 6 ] },
      { "sWidth": "100px", "aTargets": [ 7 ] }
    ],
    "aoColumns" : [
      { "sWidth": "100px"},
      { "sWidth": "100px"},
      { "sWidth": "100px"},
      { "sWidth": "100px"},
      { "sWidth": "100px"},
      { "sWidth": "100px"},
      { "sWidth": "100px"},
      { "sWidth": "100px"},
    ],
    bJQueryUI: true,
    iDisplayLength: per_page,
    "fnDrawCallback": function( oSettings ) {
      if (oSettings._iDisplayLength == per_page)
        return true
      else {
        $.post($(this).data("url"), {iDisplayLength: oSettings._iDisplayLength})
          .done(function(data){
            if (data.success)
              per_page = oSettings._iDisplayLength;
          });
      }
    }
  })

But resulting column width is not that i'm trying to set. could you help me please?

Update 1

I've updated my initialization code as follows, but bumped into strange behavior on IE 9: Ie takes the longest field, devides it into lines , and takes it's length as default for all rows of this column.

  var per_page = $("table").data("per_page");
  $(".table").dataTable({
    sScrollX: "100%",
    aoColumns : [
      { "sWidth": "15%"},
      { "sWidth": "15%"},
      { "sWidth": "15%"},
      { "sWidth": "15%"},
      { "sWidth": "15%"},
      { "sWidth": "15%"},
      { "sWidth": "15%"},
    ],
    bJQueryUI: true,
    iDisplayLength: per_page,
    "fnDrawCallback": function( oSettings ) {
      if (oSettings._iDisplayLength == per_page)
        return true
      else {
        $.post($(this).data("url"), {iDisplayLength: oSettings._iDisplayLength})
          .done(function(data){
            if (data.success)
              per_page = oSettings._iDisplayLength;
          });
      }
    }
  })

Update 2
I've updated code as shown below, the result in ie 9 is that the heading of the datatable is resized to new size, but the rest of the table is untouched by changes , see screenshot http://gyazo.com/282967b051366b18634d4e778205c938 init code:

  var per_page = $("table").data("per_page");
  var datTable = $(".table").dataTable({
    sScrollX: "100%",
    sScrollX: "500px",
    aoColumnDefs: [
          { bSortable: false, aTargets: [ 4, 5,6 ] },
          { sWidth: "16%", aTargets: [  1, 2,3,4,5,6 ] },
    ],
    bJQueryUI: true,
    sAutoWidth: false,
    iDisplayLength: per_page,
    "fnDrawCallback": function( oSettings ) {
      if (oSettings._iDisplayLength == per_page)
        return true
      else {
        $.post($(this).data("url"), {iDisplayLength: oSettings._iDisplayLength})
          .done(function(data){
            if (data.success)
              per_page = oSettings._iDisplayLength;
          });
      }
    }
  })

How can I fix this behavior ?

Answer 1

I have tried in many ways. The only way that worked for me was:

The Yush0 CSS solution:

#yourTable{
    table-layout: fixed !important;
    word-wrap:break-word;
}

Together with Roy Jackson HTML Solution:

    <th style='width: 5%;'>ProjectId</th>
    <th style='width: 15%;'>Title</th>
    <th style='width: 40%;'>Abstract</th>
    <th style='width: 20%;'>Keywords</th>
    <th style='width: 10%;'>PaperName</th>
    <th style='width: 10%;'>PaperURL</th>
</tr>

Answer 2

I set the column widths in the HTML markup like so:

    <thead>
        <tr>

            <th style='width: 5%;'>ProjectId</th>
            <th style='width: 15%;'>Title</th>
            <th style='width: 40%;'>Abstract</th>
            <th style='width: 20%;'>Keywords</th>
            <th style='width: 10%;'>PaperName</th>
            <th style='width: 10%;'>PaperURL</th>
        </tr>
    </thead>
    <tbody>
        @foreach (var item in Model)
        {
            <tr id="@item.ID">
                <td>@item.ProjectId</td>
                <td>@item.Title</td>
                <td>@item.Abstract</td>
                <td>@item.Keywords</td>
                <td>@item.PaperName</td>
                <td>@item.PaperURL</td>
            </tr>
        }
    </tbody>
</table>

Answer 3

for who still having issues with 1.9.4 change

//oSettings.aoColumns[i].nTh.style.width = _fnStringToCss(oSettings.aoColumns[i].sWidth);
oSettings.aoColumns[i].nTh.style.minWidth = _fnStringToCss(oSettings.aoColumns[i].sWidth);

Answer 4

I would suggest not using pixels for sWidth, instead use percentages. Like below:

   "aoColumnDefs": [
  { "sWidth": "20%", "aTargets": [ 0 ] }, <- start from zero
  { "sWidth": "5%", "aTargets": [ 1 ] },
  { "sWidth": "10%", "aTargets": [ 2 ] },
  { "sWidth": "5%", "aTargets": [ 3 ] },
  { "sWidth": "40%", "aTargets": [ 4 ] },
  { "sWidth": "5%", "aTargets": [ 5 ] },
  { "sWidth": "15%", "aTargets": [ 6 ] }
],
     aoColumns : [
      { "sWidth": "20%"},
      { "sWidth": "5%"},
      { "sWidth": "10%"},
      { "sWidth": "5%"},
      { "sWidth": "40%"},
      { "sWidth": "5%"},
      { "sWidth": "15%"}
    ]
});

Hope it helps.

Answer 5

My way to do it

$('#table_1').DataTable({
    processing: true,
    serverSide: true,
    ajax: 'customer/data',
    columns: [
        { data: 'id', name: 'id' , width: '50px', class: 'text-right' },
        { data: 'name', name: 'name' width: '50px', class: 'text-right' }
    ]
});

Answer 6

If you ever need to set your datatable column's width using CSS ONLY, following css will help you :-)

HTML

<table class="table table-striped table-bordered table-hover table-checkable" id="datatable">
    <thead>
    <tr role="row" class="heading">
        <th width="2%">
            <label class="mt-checkbox mt-checkbox-single mt-checkbox-outline">
                <input type="checkbox" class="group-checkable" data-set="#sample_2 .checkboxes" />
                <span></span>
            </label>
        </th>
        <th width=""> Col 1 </th>
        <th width=""> Col 2 </th>
        <th width=""> Col 3 </th>
        <th width=""> Actions </th>
    </tr>
    <tr role="row" class="filter">
        <td> </td>
        <td><input type="text" class="form-control form-filter input-sm" name="col_1"></td>
        <td><input type="text" class="form-control form-filter input-sm" name="col_2"></td>
        <td><input type="text" class="form-control form-filter input-sm" name="col_3"></td>
        <td>
            <div class="margin-bottom-5">
                <button class="btn btn-sm btn-success filter-submit margin-bottom"><i class="fa fa-search"></i> Search</button>
            </div>
            <button class="btn btn-sm btn-default filter-cancel"><i class="fa fa-times"></i> Reset</button>
        </td>
    </tr>
    </thead>
    <tbody> </tbody> 
</table>

Using metronic admin theme and my table id is #datatable as above.

CSS

#datatable > thead > tr.heading > th:nth-child(2),
#datatable > thead > tr.heading > th:nth-child(3) { width: 120px; min-width: 120px; }