DataTables Warning: Cannot Reinitialise DataTable after adding Export Feature

Question

Trying to add Datatables into my Sinatra App. It has a feature to export tables built into the JS. I am able to run it, but get an error with this line to solve. Datatables Error

How do I incorporate this extra JS code into my .DataTable? I am not entirely sure where I need to place it. Here's the current code throwing the error (sorry if formatting is off):

$(document).ready(function() {
  $('#ma_pen_report').DataTable( {
    dom: 'Bfrtip',
    buttons: [
        'copy', 'csv', 'excel', 'pdf', 'print'
    ]
} );
} );
$(document).ready(function() {
  $('#ma_pen_report').DataTable( {
    initComplete: function () {
      this.api().columns().every( function () {
        var column = this;
        var select = $('<select><option value=""></option></select>')
          .appendTo( $(column.footer()).empty() )
          .on( 'change', function () {
            var val = $.fn.dataTable.util.escapeRegex(
            $(this).val()
          );
        column
          .search( val ? '^'+val+'$' : '', true, false )
          .draw();
        } );
      column.data().unique().sort().each( function ( d, j ) {
        select.append( '<option value="'+d+'">'+d+'</option>' )
      } );
    } );
  }
} );
} );

I think I just need to insert the dom: & buttons: array into the next block of code But I can't find an example of how to do that. Any help would be awesome!

Answer 1

As the error says, the problem is because you're initialising the table twice - once on line 2, and again on line 10. You've duplicated the (document).ready(function() too. To do it all in one hit, have it like this:

$(document).ready(function() {
$('#ma_pen_report').DataTable({
    dom: 'Bfrtip',
    buttons: [
        'copy', 'csv', 'excel', 'pdf', 'print'
    ],
    initComplete: function() {
        this.api().columns().every(function() {
            var column = this;
            var select = $('<select><option value=""></option></select>')
                .appendTo($(column.footer()).empty())
                .on('change', function() {
                    var val = $.fn.dataTable.util.escapeRegex(
                        $(this).val()
                    );
                    column
                        .search(val ? '^' + val + '$' : '', true, false)
                        .draw();
                });
            column.data().unique().sort().each(function(d, j) {
                select.append('<option value="' + d + '">' + d + '</option>');
            });
        });
    }
});

});