Help on getting help for DT/datatables and Javascript

[acombo]

Hi All,

I'm trying to build a Shiny App for visualizing some tabular data.

The problem is that, despite I have some programming experience, it is NOT on web design. This means that I (basically) don't have experience in HTML, Javascript or CSS (despite my awareness os the basic concepts).

So, my first approach is to get some code example (similar to what I intend) from the community, Fully Understand it and then create/adapt to my specific needs.

Regarding the code example I have found a very close match (in a fantastic blog by Stéphane Lauren). To get the fully running example please refer to Child tables.

The second step is where I REALLY need your help. More specifically, I am unable to understand the Javascript sections. The problem is that I'm not doing the right questions (a very fundamental issue!!).

Can you point me out where can I find information regarding methods/functions/properties used in this (Javascript) code sections?

Here are some example of questions where I'm stuck... (please refer to the full code above).

1. In the following code lines (34, 38) table is the object shine server send to Ui (right?). The methods (this is the right terminology?) column() and table() where can I find their man? (I know they are pretty much self-explanatory... but, usually details are killers...)

"var expandColumn = table.column(0).data()[0] === 'plus-sign' ? 0 : 1;",
"var tbl = table.table().node();",

2. The render function (line 174) is called from the datatable options (as a columnDefs property), but I don't know how and where the arguments are defined and passed to the function... In DT documentation (4.4 Column Rendering another example is presented, but with no other explanation regarding function "prototype". Is there a place where I can find this information?

I suppose that if you can point me to a place where these points are documented I can actually understand the remaining code.

Any general explanation is also welcome .

Thank you very much for your patience and answers.

Best Regards
AC