I'm trying to sort columns in DataTables.js that contain HTML anchor tags. The text within the anchor tag is an integer, like <a href="#">123</a>. I want to sort the columns numerically.

In the documentation examples, there is DataTables HTML sorting auto-detection example. I tried this but it doesn't solve my issue - it does correctly parse the text out of the HTML, however, it treats the resulting text as a string and not an integer.

Example output:

0, 0, 1, 14, 67, 67, 7

Desired output:

0, 0, 1, 7, 14, 67, 67

How can I parse the <a> text as an integer prior to sorting?

Code

JSFiddle

This is original JSFiddle without above update(s): http://jsfiddle.net/adamtsiopani/V4Ymr/

JavaScript

$(document).on('ready', function() {
    $('.data-table').dataTable({
        "bPaginate": true,
        "bFilter": true,
        "bSort": true,  
        "bAutoWidth": false,
        "iDisplayLength": 100,
        "sPaginationType": "full_numbers",
        "sDom": '<"tools"T><"top"flip>rt<"bottom"lfip><"clear">',
        "oTableTools": {
            "aButtons": [
                "copy", "csv", "xls", "pdf",
                {
                    "sExtends":    "collection",
                    "sButtonText": "Save",
                    "aButtons":    [ "csv", "xls", "pdf" ]
                }
            ]
        }
    });

    $.fn.dataTableExt.aTypes.push(
        function ( sData ) {
            return 'html';
        }
    );

});

HTML

<table class="data-table">
    <thead>
            <tr>
            <th scope="col">Specialty</th>
            <th scope="col">Friday<br>21/01/2011</th>
            <th scope="col">Saturday<br>22/01/2011</th>
            <th scope="col">Sunday<br>23/01/2011</th>
            <th scope="col">Monday<br>24/01/2011</th>
            <th scope="col">Tuesday<br>25/01/2011</th>
            <th scope="col">Wednesday<br>26/01/2011</th>
            <th scope="col">Thursday<br>27/01/2011</th>
        </tr>
    </thead>
    <tbody>
        <tr>
            <td><a href="#">ACCIDENT AND EMERGENCY</a></td>
            <td><a href="#">5</a></td>
            <td><a href="#">14</a></td>
            <td><a href="#">67</a></td>
            <td><a href="#">45</a></td>
            <td><a href="#">43</a></td>
            <td><a href="#">28</a></td>
            <td><a href="#">36</a></td>
        </tr>
        <tr>
            <td><a href="#">ANAESTHETICS</a></td>
            <td><a href="#">36</a></td>
            <td><a href="#">5</a></td>
            <td><a href="#">14</a></td>
            <td><a href="#">43</a></td>
            <td><a href="#">28</a></td>
            <td><a href="#">67</a></td>
            <td><a href="#">45</a></td>
        </tr>
        <tr>
            <td><a href="#">CARDIOLOGY</a></td>
            <td><a href="#">5</a></td>
            <td><a href="#">14</a></td>
            <td><a href="#">67</a></td>
            <td><a href="#">45</a></td>
            <td><a href="#">43</a></td>
            <td><a href="#">28</a></td>
            <td><a href="#">36</a></td>
        </tr>
        <tr>
            <td><a href="#">HEPATOLOGY</a></td>
            <td><a href="#">2</a></td>
            <td><a href="#">0</a></td>
            <td><a href="#">1</a></td>
            <td><a href="#">1</a></td>
            <td><a href="#">1</a></td>
            <td><a href="#">0</a></td>
            <td><a href="#">1</a></td>
        </tr>
        <tr>
            <td><a href="#">GASTROENTEROLOGY</a></td>
            <td><a href="#">0</a></td>
            <td><a href="#">4</a></td>
            <td><a href="#">7</a></td>
            <td><a href="#">0</a></td>
            <td><a href="#">0</a></td>
            <td><a href="#">0</a></td>
            <td><a href="#">2</a></td>
        </tr>
        <tr>
            <td><a href="#">PLASTIC SURGERY</a></td>
            <td><a href="#">6</a></td>
            <td><a href="#">0</a></td>
            <td><a href="#">0</a></td>
            <td><a href="#">8</a></td>
            <td><a href="#">16</a></td>
            <td><a href="#">5</a></td>
            <td><a href="#">4</a></td>
        </tr>
        <tr>
            <td><a href="#">UROLOGY</a></td>
            <td><a href="#">3</a></td>
            <td><a href="#">0</a></td>
            <td><a href="#">0</a></td>
            <td><a href="#">0</a></td>
            <td><a href="#">0</a></td>
            <td><a href="#">1</a></td>
            <td><a href="#">2</a></td>
        </tr>
    </tbody>
</table>

Adam

Here's a solution: http://jsfiddle.net/adamtsiopani/V4Ymr/8/

jQuery.fn.dataTableExt.oSort['numeric-html-asc']  = function(a,b) {
    a = parseInt($(a).text());
    b = parseInt($(b).text());
    return ((a < b) ? -1 : ((a > b) ?  1 : 0));
};

jQuery.fn.dataTableExt.oSort['numeric-html-desc']  = function(a,b) {
    a = parseInt($(a).text());
    b = parseInt($(b).text());
    return ((a < b) ? 1 : ((a > b) ?  -1 : 0));
};

$('.data-table').dataTable({
    //set the sType to the custom type provided above
    "aoColumns": [
        null,
        { "sType": "numeric-html" },
        { "sType": "numeric-html" },
        { "sType": "numeric-html" },
        { "sType": "numeric-html" },
        { "sType": "numeric-html" },
        { "sType": "numeric-html" },
        { "sType": "numeric-html" }
    ]
});