Question

I have a HTML table as shown in http://jsfiddle.net/Lijo/auny3/ . The table has 10 columns – divided into three col groups. I need to hide/show the colgroup named “Associate Info” (including its rows data) using buttons “Show Associate” and “Hide Associate”.

What is the best way (in terms of performance) for doing this using jQuery?

Please answer if you have a better answer than http://jsfiddle.net/Lijo/auny3/8/

Note: I am generating the table using ASP.Net GridView as given in
http://www.sacdeveloper.com/Community/Articles/tabid/86/ctl/ArticleView/mid/458/articleId/1/Group_columns_in_an_ASPNet_Gridview.aspx

Reference:

1. http://jsfiddle.net/Lijo/auny3/8/

2. http://jsfiddle.net/Lijo/auny3/12/

3. http://jsfiddle.net/Lijo/auny3/11/

4. http://jsfiddle.net/Lijo/auny3/13/

Selected Answer

1. http://jsfiddle.net/Lijo/UqdQp/2/

Answer 1

I have generalized the idea provided by @Pioul. Hence please upvote for @Pioul also if you like this answer. This generalized approach is available in http://jsfiddle.net/Lijo/UqdQp/10/

References:

1. Finding column index using jQuery when table contains column-spanning cells

2. Select table cells based on the value in the cell

CODE

var associateStartElementString = "EmpID";
var financialStartElementString = "Type";

var associateHTMLElements;
var financialHTMLElements;

var associateHideClass = '.tableColGroupAssociate';
var financialHideClass = '.tableColGroupTransaction';

$(document).ready(function () {



////////Hide Sections


//Associate Hide
$('.associateHide').live("click", function (e) {
    e.preventDefault();


    var hideClass = associateHideClass; 
    associateHTMLElements = HideSection(hideClass, associateStartElementString);

    $('.btnAssociate').show();

});

//Financial Hide
$('.financialHide').live("click", function (e) {
    e.preventDefault();

  var hideClass = financialHideClass ;

    financialHTMLElements = HideSection(hideClass, financialStartElementString);

    $('.btnFinancial').show();

});


////SHOW 
$('.btnAssociate').click(function()
{
    associateHTMLElements.show();

      var firstHeaderLineElement = $(".resultGridTable").find(associateHideClass );

    firstHeaderLineElement.show(); 

});


$('.btnFinancial').click(function()
{
    financialHTMLElements.show();

      var firstHeaderLineElement = $(".resultGridTable").find(financialHideClass );

    firstHeaderLineElement.show(); 

});



//Function 1
function HideSection(hideClass, startElementString) 
{

var htmlElement = GetTableSections(hideClass, startElementString);

var firstHeaderLineElement = $(".resultGridTable").find(hideClass);

var variableToSet;

if (!(htmlElement === undefined)) {

    variableToSet = htmlElement;
    htmlElement.hide();
    firstHeaderLineElement.hide();
}

return variableToSet;
}


//Function 2
function GetTableSections(hideClass, referenceHeaderCellValue) {


var firstHeaderLineElement = $(".resultGridTable").find(hideClass);
var colspan = parseInt(firstHeaderLineElement.attr("colspan"));


var startElementIndex = GetNonColSpanIndex(referenceHeaderCellValue);


if (startElementIndex > 0) {

    startElementIndex = (startElementIndex - 1);

    var selectedElements = $("tr:gt(0)")
                                    .find("th:gt(" + startElementIndex + "):lt(" + colspan + "), td:gt(" + startElementIndex + "):lt(" + colspan + ")");

    return selectedElements;

}


}

//Function 3
function GetNonColSpanIndex(referenceHeaderCellValue) {


var selectedCell = $("th").filter(function (i) {
    return ($.trim($(this).html())) == referenceHeaderCellValue;


});


var allCells = $(selectedCell).parent('tr').children();
var normalIndex = allCells.index($(selectedCell));
var nonColSpanIndex = 0;


allCells.each(
    function (i, item) {
        if (i == normalIndex)
            return false;

        var colspan = $(selectedCell).attr('colspan');
        colspan = colspan ? parseInt(colspan) : 1;
        nonColSpanIndex += colspan;
    }
    );

return nonColSpanIndex;
};


}
);