Refresh datatable on Ajax success

Question

I am using datatables and jquery dialog. Overall I have 3 forms and 3 datatables. My script is working great but the thing I am struggling with is updating the correct datatable on success of ajax save (It doesn't even have to be the correct corresponding table, it could update all 3 tables on any of the 3 form saves.)

Any guidance would be greatly appreciated.

Page with buttons for showing datatable/forms in dialog

<div style="float:left;">
<button class="menubutton" id="view_academic">Academic</button>
<button class="menubutton" id="view_business">Business/Suppport</button>
<button class="menubutton" id="line_managers">Managers/Divisions</button>
<br/>
<br/>
</div>
<div style="float:right;">
<a href="line_managers_form.php" class="menubutton" id="add_line_managers">Add Managers/Divisions</a>
<a href="academic_form.php" class="menubutton" id="add_academic">Add Academic</a>
<a href="business_form.php" class="menubutton" id="add_business">Add Business/Suppport</a>
<br/>
<br/>
</div>
<div style="clear:both"></div>


<div id="academic_list">
<h2>Academic Entitlements</h2>
<table class="dataTable" id="academic_table" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="2" width="100%">
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Year</th> 
<th>Employee</th>  
<th>Division</th>
<th>Contract</th>
<th>Entitlement</th>
<th>Line Manager</th>
</tr> 
</thead>
<tbody>
    <tr>
        <td colspan="4" class="dataTables_empty">Loading data from server</td>
    </tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</div>

<div id="business_list" class="the_options" style="display:none;">
<h2>Business & Manual Entitlements</h2>
<table class="dataTable" id="business_table" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="2" width="100%">
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Year</th> 
<th>Employee</th>  
<th>FT/PT</th>
<th>Weekly Hours</th>
<th>Division</th>
<th>Commencement</th>
<th>Entitlement</th>
<th>Line Manager</th>
</tr> 
</thead>
<tbody>
    <tr>
        <td colspan="4" class="dataTables_empty">Loading data from server</td>
    </tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</div>

</div>

<div id="line_managers_list" class="the_options" style="display:none;">
<h2>Line Managers & Divisions</h2>
<table class="dataTable" id="line_managers_table" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="2" width="100%">
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Division</th>
<th>Name</th>
<th>Line Manager</th>
</tr> 
</thead>
<tbody>
    <tr>
        <td colspan="4" class="dataTables_empty">Loading data from server</td>
    </tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</div>

initialise Datatables

$(function() {
    // Implements the dataTables plugin on the HTML table
    var $acTable= $("#academic_table").dataTable( {
        "oLanguage": {
            "sSearch": "Filter:"
        },
        "bProcessing": true,
        "bServerSide": true,
        "sAjaxSource": "scripts/academic_serverside.php",
        "iDisplayLength": 10,       
        "bJQueryUI": false,
        "sPaginationType": "scrolling",
        "sDom": '<"top"iflp<"clear">>rt>',
        "sScrollX": "100%",
        "sScrollXInner": "100%",
        "bScrollCollapse": true
        });     

});
$(function() {
    // Implements the dataTables plugin on the HTML table
    var $buTable= $("#business_table").dataTable( {
        "oLanguage": {
            "sSearch": "Filter:"
        },
        "bProcessing": true,
        "bServerSide": true,
        "sAjaxSource": "scripts/business_serverside.php",
        "iDisplayLength": 10,       
        "bJQueryUI": false,
        "sPaginationType": "scrolling",
        "sDom": '<"top"iflp<"clear">>rt>',
        "sScrollX": "100%",
        "sScrollXInner": "100%",
        "bScrollCollapse": true
        });     

});
$(function() {
    // Implements the dataTables plugin on the HTML table
    var $lmTable= $("#line_managers_table").dataTable( {
        "oLanguage": {
            "sSearch": "Filter:"
        },
        "bProcessing": true,
        "bServerSide": true,
        "sAjaxSource": "scripts/line_managers_serverside.php",
        "iDisplayLength": 10,       
        "bJQueryUI": false,
        "sPaginationType": "scrolling",
        "sDom": '<"top"iflp<"clear">>rt>'
        });     

});

$(document).ready(function() {
$(".the_options").hide();
});

Dialogs/datatables show/hide/open/close and AJAX save form:

$(document).ready(dialogForms);
function dialogForms() {
  $('a.menubutton').click(function() {
    var a = $(this);
    $.get(a.attr('href'),function(resp){
      var dialog = $('<div>').attr('id','formDialog').html($(resp).find('form:first').parent('div').html());
      $('body').append(dialog);
      dialog.find(':submit').hide();
      dialog.dialog({
        title: a.attr('title') ? a.attr('title') : '',
        modal: true,
        buttons: {
          'Save': function() {
                submitFormWithAjax($(this).find('form'));
                $(this).dialog('close');
                $lmTable.fnDraw('');
                },
          'Cancel': function() {$(this).dialog('close');}
        },
        close: function() {$(this).remove();},
        width: 600,
        height: 500
      });
    }, 'html');
    return false;
  });
}

function submitFormWithAjax(form) {
  form = $(form);
  $.ajax({
    url: form.attr('action'),
    data: form.serialize(),
    type: (form.attr('method')),
    dataType: 'script',
    success: function(data){
    $(this).dialog('close');
    $lmTable.fnDraw('');
   }
  });
  return false;
}

$(function() {

        $("#add_academic")
            .button()
            .click(function() {
                $("#academic-form").dialog( "open" );
            });
        $("#add_line_managers")
            .button()
            .click(function() {
                $("#line-managers-form").dialog( "open" );
            });
        $("#add_business")
            .button()
            .click(function() {
                $("#business-form").dialog( "open" );
            });
        $("#view_academic")
            .button()
            .click(function() {
                $('#academic_list').show();
                $('#business_list').hide();
                $('#line_managers_list').hide();
            });
        $("#view_business")
            .button()
            .click(function() {
                $('#academic_list').hide();
                $('#business_list').show();
                $('#line_managers_list').hide();
            });
        $("#line_managers")
            .button()
            .click(function() {
                $('#academic_list').hide();
                $('#business_list').hide();
                $('#line_managers_list').show();
            });

});

Answer 1

To update a table simply call fnDraw() on it. Since you are not using global variables, you must retrieve the table first

var $lmTable = $("#line_managers_table").dataTable( { bRetrieve : true } );
$lmTable.fnDraw();

EDIT - to show only the right table you could do something like:

function dialogForms() {
  $('a.menubutton').click(function() {
    var id = this.id;// Save the id of the clicked button
    var a = $(this);
    $.get(a.attr('href'),function(resp){
      var dialog = $('<div>').attr('id','formDialog').html($(resp).find('form:first').parent('div').html());
      $('body').append(dialog);
      dialog.find(':submit').hide();
      dialog.dialog({
        title: a.attr('title') ? a.attr('title') : '',
        modal: true,
        buttons: {
          'Save': function() {
                submitFormWithAjax($(this).find('form'), id);// Pass the id to the function 

function submitFormWithAjax(form, id) {
  form = $(form);
  var table_id;
  // Choose the table to display depending on the id, i made some guesses but adjust this
  switch(id){
    case 'view_academic': table_id = '#academic_table';
    break;
    case 'view_business': table_id = '#business_table';
    break;
    case 'line_managers': table_id = '#line_managers_list';
    break;
  }
  $.ajax({
    url: form.attr('action'),
    data: form.serialize(),
    type: (form.attr('method')),
    dataType: 'script',
    success: function(data){
        $(this).dialog('close');
        // Refresh table
        var oTableToUpdate =  $(table_id).dataTable( { bRetrieve : true } );
        $oTableToUpdate .fnDraw();
        // Hide all tables
        $('table').hide();
        // Show the refreshed
        $(table_id).show();

   }
  });
  return false;
}