Easily Add Powerful Table Sorting with DataTables Plugin

Introduction to the Froala Editor Integration

Do you find the Froala editor the perfect rich text editor for your project, but require robust table sorting capabilities? No problem! The Froala editor is a highly extensible WYSIWYG HTML editor, making it remarkably easy for developers to add the specific table sorting functionality you need using a suitable plugin.

Many developers rely on the Froala editor for its powerful features and ease of use when constructing HTML pages. This editor simplifies the content creation experience.

This article demonstrate how straightforward it is to integrate a table sorting feature into the Froala editor. We’ll achieve this by leveraging the popular DataTables JavaScript library, acting as a powerful plugin. This example showcases how the flexibility of the Froala editor allows developers to enhance this excellent editor with the exact tools their project requires – even if a specific capability isn’t in the core editor.

This example should provide a clear path for many developers looking to add advanced table controls. We will provide essential code examples below, showing how developers can implement this feature. The editor becomes much more powerful with this plugin.

You’ll see how the Froala editor empowers users and developers to create sophisticated editable content. This specific example focuses on table manipulation within the editor, using external library code. The goal is to improve how users interact with table data within the editor.

Key Takeaways

• Implementing Froala table sorting significantly improves data usability and the overall user experience for manipulating table data within the Froala editor.
• Integrating the DataTables plugin enhances the core functionality of Froala editor tables, adding sorting to each column. This plugin is a great example for developers. Using this plugin requires including specific code.
• Performance optimization is essential when the editor needs to handle tables with numerous rows and large data sets; developers must consider this when adding custom code.

The Power of Froala Tables in a WYSIWYG Editor

The Froala WYSIWYG editor already includes robust table editing functionality out of the box. People using the editor can easily create, modify, and format tables directly within the rich text editor.

Native capabilities like multi-cell selection, cell merging, and custom style options (even controlling border collapse or font family) make Froala tables a cut above many other editor solutions.

But the native table features in the Froala editor can be further enhanced by integrating with the powerful DataTables library integration. DataTables provides advanced sorting, filtering, paging (rows per page), and other table management capabilities that complement Froala’s built-in table edit tools within the editor.

This plugin adds significant ability through its JavaScript code. This plugin is a popular choice for developers working with tables in web applications and the Froala editor. The editor becomes a more complete tool for data presentation.

Importance of Table Sorting within the Rich Text Editor

Okay, so you’ve used the editor to create a table. Great! But what if users need to find specific data within its rows? That’s where sorting comes in. Table sorting is important because it lets users quickly organize data in a way that makes sense within the editor.

Imagine a table with a list of customers. Without sorting, users would have to manually scan all the rows to find someone. But with sorting enabled by the plugin, users can instantly arrange the table by name, order date, or whatever column they need. This saves a ton of time and makes your table data way more useful for anyone using the editor.

It’s not just about finding stuff faster, though. Sorting tables can also help users highlight trends and patterns in their data that they might otherwise miss inside the editor. For example, sorting a sales table by revenue could quickly highlight your top-performing products. The editor makes managing this table data easier for users.

Here are some reasons why sorting within the editor is important for developers and end-users:

• Faster data retrieval from tables for users.
• Improved data analysis within the editor by users.
• Enhanced user experience for those interacting with the editable content in the Froala editor. This example clearly shows the benefit of adding this plugin code. The editor feels more interactive.

Froala Table Sorting – How it works

There are several ways developers can add table sorting support to the Froala editor using any JavaScript HTML table enhancing library or plugin. In this guide and code example, we’ll use the popular DataTables library.

DataTables provides advanced sorting, filtering, and pagination features that complement the Froala editor’s built-in table edit tools. We select this plugin due to its extensive features, good documentation for developers, and ease of integration with the editor via simple code additions.

This JavaScript library is a common choice for enhancing HTML tables. Its code is widely used by developers. It interacts directly with the table elements within the editor.

The approach or method we’ll take has the following key steps:

1. Add a new custom button to the Froala editor table edit popup (menu) that initializes the DataTables plugin on the selected table. The necessary code is shown below.
2. This will enhance the table, adding sorting buttons (visual signs) to each column header cell.
3. Users can then click these buttons to sort the table data in ascending or descending order. The underlying code handles the table row manipulation directly in the editor.
4. This tutorial serves as a good starting point example for integrating the Froala editor with the DataTables library plugin. However, developers may need to optimize the provided code further to handle certain scenarios, such as when a user adds new rows and columns to the table after initializing the DataTables on it. In this case, developers may need to re-initialization the DataTables on the modified table.

Adding the Froala Table Sorting Feature: A Code Example

Adding this table sorting capability via the DataTables plugin to your Froala editor setup is a straightforward process. Here are the key steps involved in this setup:

Step 1: Include the Required Libraries (CSS & JS Code)

To get started with this editor enhancement, developers must include the following CDN links in their web page:

• Froala WYSIWYG Editor Stylesheet and JavaScript CDN links
• DataTables JavaScript library (which requires jQuery)
• Font Awesome stylesheet for custom button icons

<!-- Font Awesome library for icons -->
<link href='https://cdnjs.cloudflare.com/ajax/libs/font-awesome/5.5.0/css/all.min.css' rel='stylesheet' type='text/css' />

<!-- Froala editor stylesheet -->
<link href='https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/npm/froala-editor@latest/css/froala_editor.pkgd.min.css' rel='stylesheet' type='text/css' />

<!-- DataTables stylesheet -->
<link href='https://cdn.datatables.net/2.2.2/css/dataTables.dataTables.min.css' rel='stylesheet' type='text/css' />

<!-- jQuery script -->
<script type='text/javascript' src='https://cdnjs.cloudflare.com/ajax/libs/jquery/3.7.1/jquery.min.js'></script>
<!-- DataTables script -->
<script type='text/javascript' src='https://cdn.datatables.net/2.2.2/js/dataTables.min.js'></script>
<!-- Froala script -->
<script type='text/javascript' src='https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/npm/froala-editor@latest/js/froala_editor.pkgd.min.js'></script>

Step 2: Create a New Custom Button For Froala

Let’s create a custom button within the Froala editor system to enable the sorting function on the selected table.

We will use the “filter” Font Awesome icon (font) to represent our button in the editor toolbar. Add this JavaScript code before initializing the Froala editor.

// Use Font Awesome icons
FroalaEditor.ICON_DEFAULT_TEMPLATE = "font_awesome_5" 

//Define icon for "advancedTable" buttton
FroalaEditor.DefineIcon("advancedTable", { NAME: "filter" })

This code tells the editor how to display the button icon using the specified font.

2.2 Define the Button Function (Command Code)

Now, let’s register one of the Froala editor commands that executes our table sorting logic using the DataTables plugin. This code defines the button’s action. Place this code before the editor initialization.

The following code block shows the command registration.

FroalaEditor.RegisterCommand("advancedTable", {   
   title: "Advanced Table",   undo: true,
   callback: function callback(cmd) {
     let table = this.$el.find(".fr-selected-cell").closest("table");
     if (table[0] && table[0].getElementsByTagName("thead").length > 0) {
       let advTable = new DataTable(table, {
         searching: false,
         paging: false,
       });
     } else {
       alert("You should add a table header first.");
     }
   },
 });

In the above JavaScript code:

• We registered a new Froala editor button command with the name “advancedTable”.
• The button will be represented by the font icon we defined in the previous step using separate code. It will appear on the table edit menu.
• It has a title attribute shown as a tooltip in the editor.
• The callback function contains the core logic. This function code runs when the button is clicked by a user in the editor.
• It finds the parent table HTML element from the currently selected table cell within the editor. This part of the code uses jQuery selectors provided by the Froala editor.
• Crucially, it checks if the selected table has a header row (<thead> tag). This is a requirement for the DataTables plugin code to identify columns for sorting.
• If a header row exists, it initializes the DataTables plugin (new DataTable(…)) on the HTML table DOM element. Note the options object uses false for searching and paging in this specific code example. This code line activates the plugin. The boolean value false turns those features off.
• If no header row is found, it displays an alert message. This ensures the DataTables plugin functionality works as expected.
• This code provides the essential mechanism for developers to trigger the plugin. It’s the core integration code.

Step 3: Initialize the Froala Editor

Finally, developers need to setup the Froala Editor instance on their page. This usually involves targeting a textarea HTML element or a div. Add the new “advancedTable” button to the tableEditButtons array in the editor configuration options.

This code integrates our custom button into the editor’s table edit menu. The following code block shows the editor initialization. This code makes the editor appear on the page.

new FroalaEditor("#editor", {
  tableEditButtons: [
    "tableHeader",
    "tableRemove",
    "|",
    "tableRows",
    "tableColumns",
    "tableStyle",
    "-",
    "tableCells",
    "tableCellBackground",
    "tableCellVerticalAlign",
    "tableCellHorizontalAlign",
    "tableCellStyle",
    "|",
    "advancedTable",
  ],
})

This final block of code:

• Creates the Froala editor instance, targeting an HTML element (e.g., <textarea id="editor"></textarea> or <div id="editor"></div>). This HTML element becomes the editor element where users edit content.
• Crucially, advancedTable is added to the tableEditButtons array. This makes our custom button appear in the table edit menu within the editor.
• Developers can add many other options to this initialization code to customize the editor (e.g., license key, height, available font size, font family options like sans serif, event handlers, other plugins). This example code shows only the essential part for adding the button. The Froala documentation lists all available code options.
• This editor setup code should run after the page’s HTML body is loaded and the previous JavaScript code (icon and command definition) has executed. Ensure all prerequisite code is loaded.

Testing the Froala Table Sorting Feature

Once the Froala editor is set up with the new “Advanced Table” button using the provided code, users and developers can test it:

1. Insert a new table into the editor’s editable content area using the toolbar.
2. Add content to the table rows and columns. Make sure to add a header row using the editor’s table menu. Each table cell should contain appropriate data. The table needs a <thead> for the plugin code to work.
3. Click inside any table cell of the table you want to sort within the editor.
4. The table edit toolbar / popup menu should appear. Find and click the “Advanced Table” button (the one with the filter font icon).
5. The DataTables plugin code will execute, enhancing the table. Users should see sorting icons (a visual sign) appear in each column header cell. These icons are often added via CSS defined in the plugin’s stylesheet code.
6. Click these column headers to sort the table data within that column in ascending or descending order. The rows will rearrange directly within the editor, handled by the plugin’s code.

This integration allows Froala editor users to leverage the advanced table management features of the DataTables plugin while still maintaining the rich edit capabilities of the Froala WYSIWYG HTML editor. This enhances the content creation experience. Try pasting data into the table as well. Users can edit table cell content freely after sorting. The editor remains fully functional.

Advanced Configurations for Froala Table Sorting

While the default DataTables plugin integration (using the minimal code shown) provides a great baseline table sorting functionality, developers may want to further customize the experience. DataTables offers a wide range of configuration options in its code API.

Developers can modify the initialization code (example: the options object { searching: false, paging: false } passed to new DataTable(…) in the command’s code) to:

• Implement pagination by setting paging to true instead of false and control the number of rows displayed per page. The plugin code handles this display logic.
• Customize the applied CSS classes for different table states. Apply custom border styles or width controls using your own CSS code. The plugin adds specific CSS classes that developers can target.
• Define custom sorting functions (function code) for specific data types (e.g., dates, currency) if the default plugin sorting isn’t sufficient. This involves writing more JavaScript code for the plugin.
• Change the sorting mode (e.g., multi-column sorting). Requires different options in the initialization code.
• Control the position of elements like the search box or pagination controls relative to the table using CSS code.

Leveraging these configurability options in the code requires more effort from developers but allows tailoring the table sorting experience within the Froala editor to perfectly fit the needs of your project and the people using the editor. Consult the DataTables plugin documentation for full details and more code examples. Many developers find the plugin very flexible. You can find many code examples online for this plugin.

Handling Dynamic Table Changes (Developer Considerations for Table Columns and Cells)

One potential challenge for developers when integrating the Froala editor and the DataTables plugin using the provided code is handling scenarios where the user adds, removes, or modifies table rows, table columns, or table cell content after the DataTables plugin initialization code has run. The sorting state might become inconsistent with the actual table data in the editor.

To address this, developers must implement more sophisticated code:

1. Store References: Keep track of the DataTables instances initialized on each table within the editor. Developers could use JavaScript code to manage this, perhaps using a Map keyed by table IDs.
2. Listen to Froala Events: Use the Froala editor’s event system (like contentChanged, table.inserted, commands.after, etc.) by adding event handlers in the editor initialization code. These editor events signal changes to the HTML. Developers need to write listener code.
3. Update or Re-initialize DataTables: When relevant editor events fire for a specific table, get the corresponding DataTables instance using your tracking code. Developers might need to write code to:

• Destroy the existing DataTables instance (table.destroy()) and re-initialize the plugin on the modified HTML table structure using the original initialization code. This is often the simplest method for developers to ensure the plugin sees all HTML changes, including new rows or changes affecting border or width. This requires careful execution of code.

Developers must test these scenarios thoroughly in different browser environments. Look for code examples online or in documentation for handling these dynamic updates in the editor.

Frequently Asked Questions about the WYSIWYG HTML Editor and Plugin

What is Froala WYSIWYG HTML Editor?

Froala is a powerful, front-end WYSIWYG HTML editor (a type of rich text editor) that allows people (users) to easily create and edit HTML content directly in a web page, often replacing a standard textarea. It’s known for its clean interface and extensive API (code methods and events) for developers. It provides a great content creation experience. The editor renders HTML tags visually.

Why use DataTables with the Froala Rich Text Editor?

Using the DataTables plugin with the Froala editor adds powerful features for managing HTML tables, like sorting by column, filtering data, and pagination across multiple rows. This makes it much easier for people using the editor to work with large amounts of table data. It enhances the core editor functionality via external code. This plugin makes the editor more suitable for data-heavy content.

How do I integrate DataTables into my Froala editor setup?

Developers can integrate the DataTables plugin by including the necessary DataTables CSS and JavaScript library code (https links) in their project’s HTML page (often in the <head> or before the </body> tag).

Then, write JavaScript code (like the example in this article) to initialize the plugin on specific HTML table elements within the Froala editor’s editable content area, usually triggered by a custom button defined with editor API code.

Does Froala integrate with DataTables in Inline Editor mode?

Yes, the Froala-DataTables integration can also be used in Froala’s Inline Editor mode. The inline editor mode is used when the user wants to minimize the disruptions and maintaining the page layout during the editing process.

Does Froala support multiple table cell editing?

Yes, Froala does support multiple cell table editing. Users can select multiple cells and apply formatting, styles, or other operations across the selected range. This enables powerful table management capabilities within the Froala WYSIWYG editor. By leveraging DataTables sorting alongside Froala’s multi-cell editing, users can efficiently organize and structure tabular data to meet their specific requirements. The combination of these features provides a robust and flexible table editing experience within the Froala editor.

Does Froala support image uploads within tables?

Yes, Froala allows users to insert images directly within table cells, providing a seamless way to incorporate visual elements alongside tabular data. This flexibility enables content creators to build rich and visually engaging tables that blend text, numbers, and imagery. The integration of image uploads within Froala’s table editing capabilities empowers users to create more dynamic and informative tabular content, enhancing the overall presentation and effectiveness of the information being conveyed.

How to modify table cell font family and size?

To modify the font family and size of table cells in the Froala WYSIWYG editor, you can use the editor toolbar. Moreover, you can set a specific font family and size in a CSS class and apply that class to the desired cell using the “tableCellStyles” button.

Conclusion

Integrating the Froala editor with the DataTables JavaScript library plugin is an excellent method for developers to provide a comprehensive table management experience for users. Froala’s built-in table edit capabilities, combined with the advanced sorting provided by the DataTables plugin, create a powerful solution for content-rich web applications needing sophisticated table interactions within a rich text editor. The ability to sort rows by column is crucial for data analysis within the editor.

By following the simple steps and the code examples outlined in this article, and further customizing the integration code and CSS style to meet your specific needs, developers can quickly add this valuable feature to their projects using the Froala editor. This empowers people using the editor with a best-in-class table editing and data exploration experience, improving the overall content creation experience.