# Editor example Complex (nested) JSON data source

Like DataTables, Editor has the ability to work with virtually any JSON data source. In DataTables the `columns.data` option is used to specify the property name for the row's data source object that should be used for a columns' data. In Editor the `fields.name` and `fields.data` options can be used to tell Editor where to read a field's value from and where to send it to on the server.

To clarify the difference between `fields.data` and `fields.name`, the former is used to read the value from the DataTables row's data, while the latter is the name of the field that is submitted to the server. Typically they will be the same, with the data property taking the value of the name automatically unless otherwise specified.

This example uses data from the server in the structure:

    {
    	"DT_RowId": "row_1",
    	"users": {
    		"first_name": "Quynn",
    		"last_name": "Contreras",
    		"phone": "1-971-977-4681",
    		"site": "1"
    	},
    	"sites": {
    		"name": "Edinburgh"
    	}
    }

The `columns.data`, `fields.data` and `fields.name` options can be given as Javascript dotted object notation strings, to be able to read the data required. For example, to get the first name parameter from the above data source object, use `users.first_name` as is done in the Editor initialisation in this example.

This can be exceptionally useful when working with joined tables.

First name | Last name | Phone # | Location
--- | --- | --- | ---
First name | Last name | Phone # | Location

- Javascript
- HTML
- CSS
- Ajax
- Server-side script

The Javascript shown below is used to initialise the table shown in this example:

`var editor; // use a global for the submit and return data rendering in the examples $(document).ready(function() { editor = new $.fn.dataTable.Editor( { ajax: "../php/join.php", table: "#example", fields: [ { label: "First name:", name: "users.first_name" }, { label: "Last name:", name: "users.last_name" }, { label: "Phone #:", name: "users.phone" }, { label: "Site:", name: "users.site", type: "select" } ] } ); $('#example').DataTable( { dom: "Bfrtip", ajax: { url: "../php/join.php", type: 'POST' }, columns: [ { data: "users.first_name" }, { data: "users.last_name" }, { data: "users.phone" }, { data: "sites.name" } ], select: true, buttons: [ { extend: "create", editor: editor }, { extend: "edit", editor: editor }, { extend: "remove", editor: editor } ] } ); } );`

In addition to the above code, the following Javascript library files are loaded for use in this example:

- //code.jquery.com/jquery-1.12.4.js
- https://cdn.datatables.net/1.10.16/js/jquery.dataTables.min.js
- https://cdn.datatables.net/buttons/1.5.0/js/dataTables.buttons.min.js
- https://cdn.datatables.net/select/1.2.4/js/dataTables.select.min.js
- ../../js/dataTables.editor.min.js

The HTML shown below is the raw HTML table element, before it has been enhanced by DataTables:

This example uses a little bit of additional CSS beyond what is loaded from the library files (below), in order to correctly display the table. The additional CSS used is shown below:

``

The following CSS library files are loaded for use in this example to provide the styling of the table:

- https://cdn.datatables.net/1.10.16/css/jquery.dataTables.min.css
- https://cdn.datatables.net/buttons/1.5.0/css/buttons.dataTables.min.css
- https://cdn.datatables.net/select/1.2.4/css/select.dataTables.min.css
- ../../css/editor.dataTables.min.css

This table loads data by Ajax. The latest data that has been loaded is shown below. This data will update automatically as any additional data is loaded.

The script used to perform the server-side processing for this table is shown below. Please note that this is just an example script using PHP. Server-side processing scripts can be written in any language, using the protocol described in the DataTables documentation.