Exclude column from export in Datatables Tabletools

Question

I have the following initialization for my datatables:

$(document).ready(function() {
    $('.datatable').dataTable({
        "dom": 'T<"clear">lfrtip',
        "tableTools": {
            "sSwfPath": "/js/plugins/dataTables/swf/copy_csv_xls_pdf.swf",
        },
        "columnDefs": [{
            "targets": 'no-sort',
            "orderable": false
        }]

    });
});

The TableTools plugin for DT gives me the flash buttons for export. I would like to exclude table columns of a certain class .no-export. I am aware of the mColumns option but I cannot get it to apply for a column by class. I have read the answer here Excluding last column of jQuery DataTables.net TableTools where Joe Jonston suggest the possibility by setting:

"aoColumnDefs": [{ "mColumns": false, "aTargets": ["no-export"] }],

I have tried applying the code in various ways but there is something missing in my understanding.

Answer 1

SOLUTION

See this answer for a possible solution.

You can use mColumns to define a function that will return indexes of all columns having class no-export assigned to th element in the header.

$('.datatable').dataTable({
    "dom": 'T<"clear">lfrtip',
    "tableTools": {
        "sSwfPath": "/js/plugins/dataTables/swf/copy_csv_xls_pdf.swf",
        "aButtons": [{
          "sExtends": "csv",
          "mColumns": function (settings) {
               var api = new $.fn.dataTable.Api( settings );
               return api.columns(":not(.no-export)").indexes().toArray();
          }
        }]
    }
});