142
votes

I am getting this error with the following:

jquery.dataTables.js:4089 Uncaught TypeError: Cannot read property 'style' of undefined(…)
_fnCalculateColumnWidths @ jquery.dataTables.js:4089
_fnInitialise @ jquery.dataTables.js:3216
(anonymous function) @ jquery.dataTables.js:6457
each @ jquery-2.0.2.min.js:4
each @ jquery-2.0.2.min.js:4
DataTable @ jquery.dataTables.js:5993
$.fn.DataTable @ jquery.dataTables.js:14595
(anonymous function) @ VM3329:1
(anonymous function) @ VM3156:180
l @ jquery-2.0.2.min.js:4
fireWith @ jquery-2.0.2.min.js:4
k @ jquery-2.0.2.min.js:6
(anonymous function) @ jquery-2.0.2.min.js:6

The line above referring to (anonymous function) @ VM3156:180 is:

                TASKLISTGRID = $("#TASK_LIST_GRID").DataTable({
                    data : response,
                    columns : columns.AdoptionTaskInfo.columns,
                    paging: true
                });

So I am guessing this is where it is failing.

The HTML ID element exist:

  <table id="TASK_LIST_GRID" class="table table-striped table-bordered table-hover dataTable no-footer" width="100%" role="grid" aria-describedby="TASK_LIST_GRID_info">
  <thead>
    <tr role="row">
      <th class="sorting" tabindex="0" aria-controls="TASK_LIST_GRID" rowspan="1" colspan="1">Solution</th>
      <th class="sorting" tabindex="0" aria-controls="TASK_LIST_GRID" rowspan="1" colspan="1">Status</th>
      <th class="sorting" tabindex="0" aria-controls="TASK_LIST_GRID" rowspan="1" colspan="1">Category</th>
      <th class="sorting" tabindex="0" aria-controls="TASK_LIST_GRID" rowspan="1" colspan="1">Type</th>
      <th class="sorting" tabindex="0" aria-controls="TASK_LIST_GRID" rowspan="1" colspan="1">Due Date</th>
      <th class="sorting" tabindex="0" aria-controls="TASK_LIST_GRID" rowspan="1" colspan="1">Create Date</th>
      <th class="sorting" tabindex="0" aria-controls="TASK_LIST_GRID" rowspan="1" colspan="1">Owner</th>
      <th class="sorting" tabindex="0" aria-controls="TASK_LIST_GRID" rowspan="1" colspan="1">Comments</th>
      <th class="sorting" tabindex="0" aria-controls="TASK_LIST_GRID" rowspan="1" colspan="1">Mnemonic</th>
      <th class="sorting" tabindex="0" aria-controls="TASK_LIST_GRID" rowspan="1" colspan="1">Domain</th>
      <th class="sorting" tabindex="0" aria-controls="TASK_LIST_GRID" rowspan="1" colspan="1">Approve</th>
      <th class="sorting" tabindex="0" aria-controls="TASK_LIST_GRID" rowspan="1" colspan="1">Dismiss</th>
    </tr>
  </thead>
  <tbody></tbody>
</table>

Also, the columns.AdoptionTaskInfo.columns & response object arrays exist. Not sure how to debug what's wrong.. Any suggestions will be helpful..

13
Look for .style in your code. You're trying to access that property of an undefined variable. You can debug from there.Jecoms
Check if the number of columns you're trying to fetch is same as the number of <th> you've created.matrixguy
Number of th column mismatch with number of columns defined in javascripts causing this issue.Dhanuka777

13 Answers

337
votes

The problem is that the number of <th> tags need to match the number of columns in the configuration (the array with the key "columns"). If there are fewer <th> tags than columns specified, you get this slightly cryptical error message.

(the correct answer is already present as a comment but I'm repeating it as an answer so it's easier to find - I didn't see the comments)

42
votes

POSSIBLE CAUSES

  • Number of th elements in the table header or footer differs from number of columns in the table body or defined using columns option.
  • Attribute colspan is used for th element in the table header.
  • Incorrect column index specified in columnDefs.targets option.

SOLUTIONS

  • Make sure that number of th elements in the table header or footer matches number of columns defined in the columns option.
  • If you use colspan attribute in the table header, make sure you have at least two header rows and one unique th element for each column. See Complex header for more information.
  • If you use columnDefs.targets option, make sure that zero-based column index refers to existing columns.

LINKS

See jQuery DataTables: Common JavaScript console errors - TypeError: Cannot read property ‘style’ of undefined for more information.

16
votes

You said any suggestions wold be helpful, so currently I resolved my DataTables "cannot read property 'style' of undefined" problem but my problem was basically using wrong indexes at data table initiation phase's columnDefs section. I got 9 columns and the indexes are 0, 1, 2, .. , 8 but I was using indexes for 9 and 10 so after fixing the wrong index issue the fault has disappeared. I hope this helps.

In short, you got to watch your columns amount and indexes if consistent everywhere.

Buggy Code:

    jQuery('#table').DataTable({
        "ajax": {
            url: "something_url",
            type: 'POST'
        },
        "processing": true,
        "serverSide": true,
        "bPaginate": true,
        "sPaginationType": "full_numbers",
        "columns": [
            { "data": "cl1" },
            { "data": "cl2" },
            { "data": "cl3" },
            { "data": "cl4" },
            { "data": "cl5" },
            { "data": "cl6" },
            { "data": "cl7" },
            { "data": "cl8" },
            { "data": "cl9" }
        ],
        columnDefs: [
            { orderable: false, targets: [ 7, 9, 10 ] } //This part was wrong
        ]
    });

Fixed Code:

    jQuery('#table').DataTable({
        "ajax": {
            url: "something_url",
            type: 'POST'
        },
        "processing": true,
        "serverSide": true,
        "bPaginate": true,
        "sPaginationType": "full_numbers",
        "columns": [
            { "data": "cl1" },
            { "data": "cl2" },
            { "data": "cl3" },
            { "data": "cl4" },
            { "data": "cl5" },
            { "data": "cl6" },
            { "data": "cl7" },
            { "data": "cl8" },
            { "data": "cl9" }
        ],
        columnDefs: [
            { orderable: false, targets: [ 5, 7, 8 ] } //This part is ok now
        ]
    });
12
votes

I had this issue when i set colspan in table header. So my table was:

        <thead>
            <tr>
                <th colspan="2">Expenses</th>

                <th colspan="2">Income</th>

                <th>Profit/Loss</th>
            </tr>
        </thead>

Then once i change it to:

        <thead>
            <tr>
                <th>Expenses</th>
                <th></th>
                <th>Income</th>
                <th></th>
                <th>Profit/Loss</th>
            </tr>
        </thead>

Everything worked just fine.

11
votes

most of the time it happens when the table header count and data cel count is not matched

7
votes

For me the data columns {data: columnName} had more columns than Table Heads <th>Column Name</th>

4
votes

Make sure that in your input data, response[i] and response[i][j], are not undefined/null.

If so, replace them with "".

4
votes

It can also happen when drawing a new (other) table. I solved this by first removing the previous table:

$("#prod_tabel_ph").remove();

2
votes

The solution is pretty simple.

  <table id="TASK_LIST_GRID" class="table table-striped table-bordered table-hover dataTable no-footer" width="100%" role="grid" aria-describedby="TASK_LIST_GRID_info">
  <thead>
    <tr role="row">
      <th class="sorting" tabindex="0" aria-controls="TASK_LIST_GRID" rowspan="1" colspan="1">Solution</th>
      <th class="sorting" tabindex="0" aria-controls="TASK_LIST_GRID" rowspan="1" colspan="1">Status</th>
      <th class="sorting" tabindex="0" aria-controls="TASK_LIST_GRID" rowspan="1" colspan="1">Category</th>
      <th class="sorting" tabindex="0" aria-controls="TASK_LIST_GRID" rowspan="1" colspan="1">Type</th>
      <th class="sorting" tabindex="0" aria-controls="TASK_LIST_GRID" rowspan="1" colspan="1">Due Date</th>
      <th class="sorting" tabindex="0" aria-controls="TASK_LIST_GRID" rowspan="1" colspan="1">Create Date</th>
      <th class="sorting" tabindex="0" aria-controls="TASK_LIST_GRID" rowspan="1" colspan="1">Owner</th>
      <th class="sorting" tabindex="0" aria-controls="TASK_LIST_GRID" rowspan="1" colspan="1">Comments</th>
      <th class="sorting" tabindex="0" aria-controls="TASK_LIST_GRID" rowspan="1" colspan="1">Mnemonic</th>
      <th class="sorting" tabindex="0" aria-controls="TASK_LIST_GRID" rowspan="1" colspan="1">Domain</th>
      <th class="sorting" tabindex="0" aria-controls="TASK_LIST_GRID" rowspan="1" colspan="1">Approve</th>
      <th class="sorting" tabindex="0" aria-controls="TASK_LIST_GRID" rowspan="1" colspan="1">Dismiss</th>
    </tr>
  </thead>
  <tbody></tbody>
</table>

                TASKLISTGRID = $("#TASK_LIST_GRID").DataTable({
                    data : response,
                    columns : columns.AdoptionTaskInfo.columns,
                    paging: true
                });
                
                //Note: columns : columns.AdoptionTaskInfo.columns has at least a column not definded in the <thead>

Note: columns : columns.AdoptionTaskInfo.columns has at least a column not defined in the table head

1
votes

Funnily i was getting the following error for having one th-/th pair too many and still google directed me here. I'll leave it written down so people can find it.

jquery.dataTables.min.js:27 Uncaught TypeError: Cannot read property 'className' of undefined
at ua (jquery.dataTables.min.js:27)
at HTMLTableElement.<anonymous> (jquery.dataTables.min.js:127)
at Function.each (jquery.min.js:2)
at n.fn.init.each (jquery.min.js:2)
at n.fn.init.j (jquery.dataTables.min.js:116)
at HTMLDocument.<anonymous> (history:619)
at i (jquery.min.js:2)
at Object.fireWith [as resolveWith] (jquery.min.js:2)
at Function.ready (jquery.min.js:2)
at HTMLDocument.K (jquery.min.js:2)
0
votes

In my case, I was updating the server-sided datatable twice and it gives me this error. Hope it helps someone.

0
votes

I resolved this error, by replacing the src attribute with https://code.jquery.com/jquery-3.5.1.min.js, the problem is caused by the slim version of JQuery.

0
votes

The answers here put me on the right path, but none gave me the full answer I needed. I was using destroy: true as an option, but on a second iteration of a DataTable, I kept getting the error in the original question.

Instead, I had to call the destroy() method directly, and clear out the child entities of the HTML to force DataTables to properly repaint the DataTable on each iteration without a conflict between the <th> headers and the ones being passed in columns: like this:

if ($.fn.DataTable.isDataTable('#results_table')) {
    $('#results_table').DataTable().destroy();
}
$('#results_table thead').empty();
$('#results_table tbody').empty();

$('#results_table').DataTable({
    data: data,
    columns: columns,
    ...etc...
});