Column Control Search

The columnControlSearch() API provides advanced search functionality with control logic. This allows DataTables to send column control search parameters including logic operators, value lists, and date masks.

Overview

Column control search supports multiple search types:

Frontend Setup

Enable column control search in your JavaScript:

$('#users-table').DataTable({
    processing: true,
    serverSide: true,
    ajax: '/user-data',
    columns: [
        { data: 'id', name: 'id' },
        { data: 'name', name: 'name' },
        { data: 'created_at', name: 'created_at' }
    ],
    searchPanes: {
        controls: true
    }
});

Backend Handling

The backend automatically processes column control search parameters. Use filterColumn() for custom handling:

use Yajra\DataTables\Facades\DataTables;
use App\Models\User;
use Illuminate\Database\Eloquent\Builder;
 
Route::get('user-data', function() {
    return DataTables::eloquent(User::query())
        ->filterColumn('status', function(Builder $query, $keyword) {
            // Handle comma-separated values from list control
            $values = explode(', ', $keyword);
            $query->whereIn('status', $values);
        })
        ->toJson();
});

Supported Operators

Text Operators

• equal - Exact match
• not - Not equal
• contains - Contains substring
• notContains - Does not contain
• starts - Starts with
• ends - Ends with
• empty - Is empty
• notEmpty - Is not empty

Numeric Operators

• equal - Equal to
• not - Not equal to
• greater - Greater than
• less - Less than
• greaterOrEqual - Greater than or equal
• lessOrEqual - Less than or equal

Date Operators

• All numeric operators plus:
• notEqual - Date not equal (excludes NULL values)

See Also

• Filter Column - Custom column filtering
• SearchPanes Extension - SearchPanes integration