Question

Is it possible to make a table row expand and collapse? Can anyone refer me to a script or an example?

I prefer jQuery if possible. I have a drawing concept I would like to achieve:

Answer 1

Yes, a table row can slide up and down, but it’s ugly since it changes the shape of the table and makes everything jump. Instead, put an element in each td, something that makes sense like a p or h2 etc.

As for implementing a table slide toggle…

It’s probably simplest to put the click handler on the entire table, .stopPropagation() and check what was clicked.

If a td in a row with a colspan is clicked, close the p in it. If it’s not a td in a row with a colspan, then close then toggle the following row’s p.

It is essential to wrap all your written content in an element inside the tds, since you never want to slideUp a td or tr or table shape will change!

Something like:

$(function() {
  
      // Initially hide toggleable content
    $("td[colspan=3]").find("p").hide();

      // Click handler on entire table
    $("table").click(function(event) {

          // No bubbling up
        event.stopPropagation();

        var $target = $(event.target);

          // Open and close the appropriate thing
        if ( $target.closest("td").attr("colspan") > 1 ) {
            $target.slideUp();
        } else {
            $target.closest("tr").next().find("p").slideToggle();
        }                    
    });
});​

Try it out with this jsFiddle example.

… and try out this jsFiddle showing implementation of a + – - toggle.

The HTML just has to have alternating rows of several tds and then a row with a td of a colspan greater than 1. You can obviously adjust the specifics quite easily.

The HTML would look something like:

<table>
    <tr><td><p>Name</p></td><td><p>Age</p></td><td><p>Info</p></td></tr>
    <tr><td colspan="3"><p>Blah blah blah blah blah blah blah.</p>
    </td></tr>

    <tr><td><p>Name</p></td><td><p>Age</p></td><td><p>Info</p></td></tr>
    <tr><td colspan="3"><p>Blah blah blah blah blah blah blah.</p>
    </td></tr>
    
    <tr><td><p>Name</p></td><td><p>Age</p></td><td><p>Info</p></td></tr>
    <tr><td colspan="3"><p>Blah blah blah blah blah blah blah.</p>
    </td></tr>    
</table>​