DataTables Server-side Processing: Joining two DB Column into One DT - php

Question

I am new to DataTables Server Side Processing.
How can I join/combine two database column (db) in one datatables column (dt) using the server side script ? I tried:
$columns = array(
array( 'db' => 'id', 'dt' => 'id' ),
array( 'db' => array('firstname', 'lastname'),'dt' => 'priest' )
);
and it's NOT working. What is the right what to do that? Thank you!
I'm using DataTables-1.10.16.

Answer 1

You can also do it server side and then hide the column you don't want in js.
For example let's say you have a table with 3 columns: id, name and link.
To combine the link into the name do:
In html (header and footer) show both columns (we will hide the column dynamically in javascript):
<th>#</th><!--this is column 0 with id-->
<th>name</th><!--this is column 1 with name including a tag-->
<th>link</th><!--this is column 2 with link-->
In javascript:
$(document).ready(function() {
$('#table_id').DataTable(
"processing": true,
"serverSide": true,
"ajax": {
"url": "ajax.php"
},
"order": [[ 0, "asc" ]],//ordering by the id (usefull)
{"columnDefs": [
{ "visible": false, "targets": [ 0 ] },//hiding the id
{ "visible": false, "targets": [ 2 ] }//hiding the link column
]
});
});
In the ajax php script also describe both columns:
$columns = array(
array( 'db' => 'id', 'dt' => 0),
array(
'db' => 'name',
'dt' => 1,
'formatter' => function( $d, $row ) {
return ''.$d.'';
}
),
array( 'db' => 'link', 'dt' => 2 )
);

Answer 2

Sorry for late answer,
Actually in demo spss.php class you cannot merge them but we have a solution,
Which is using "Column Render"
Go to Server Side Processing file and
write a something like that (16 just assuming if you've 5 column u should write 6)
array( 'db' => 'database column', 'dt' => 16 )
Then go to the client;
$(document).ready(function() {
$('#example').DataTable( {
"columnDefs": [
{
// The `data` parameter refers to the data for the cell (defined by the
// `data` option, which defaults to the column being worked with, in
"render": function ( data, type, row ) {
return data +' ('+ row[16]+')';
},
"targets": 11
},
//This is makes db 16 row nonvisible
{ "visible": false, "targets": [ 16 ] }
],
} );
} );
"Targets":11 means i would like add something to 11. column.