jquery datatable and cakePHP - php

Question

i am trying to implement jquery datatable, in my cakePHP based website, but it just wont load. this website is already half developed, and from the way i see it, the js' is loaded through a file called _head.inc.ctp located inside the views/layouts folder, i have added the datatables library inside the libs folder which is webroot/js/libs and load it inside the _head.inc.ctp file.
suppose i have this:
my controller:
var $helpers = array(
'Form',
'Html',
'Javascript'
);
//my method
function dataTable_example($id=null){
$details = $this->Detail->find("all");
$this->set('details', $details );
}
my view:
<div>
<?php echo $javascript->link('libs/jquery.dataTables.js'); ?>
<script>
$(document).ready(function(){
$('#js-datatable').dataTable();
});
</script>
<h2><?php echo __l('Tickets');?></h2>
<div>
<table id="js-datatable">
<tr>
<th>some heading 1</th>
<th>some heading 1</th>
<th>some heading 1</th>
</tr>
<?php
if (!empty($details)){
foreach ($details as $detail):
?>
<tr>
<td><?php echo $detail['Detail']['id'];?></td>
<td><?php echo $detail['Detail']['created'];?></td>
<td><?php echo $detail['Detail']['ticket_detail'];?></td>
</tr>
<?php
endforeach;
}else{
?>
<tr>
<td>No Data Found</td>
</tr>
<?php }?>
</table>
</div>
</div>
i even hard coded it using the usual call, and checked it using firebug to see if the script is loaded or not, and according to firebug, it is loaded, so i cant see whats making the script fail my table.
did i missed some steps ? please help
thanks

Answer 1

You don't have thead and tbody elements as required by the datatables script

Answer 2

You should use the find function in your controller and pass the array to the view and in the view write it.. don't just leave the table empty