title: http://datatables.net/tn/3 : Cannot reinitialize datatable
body: <p>I want to perform row grouping for my ajax sourced data in my datatables.
  This is my code for html:-</p>
  
  <pre><code>&lt;html&gt;
  &lt;head&gt;
    &lt;link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" href="//cdn.datatables.net/1.10.0-beta.2/css/jquery.dataTables.css"&gt;
     &lt;link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" href="NewFile.css"&gt;
  &lt;/head&gt;
  &lt;body&gt;
  &lt;table id="example" class="display" cellspacing="0" width="100%"&gt;
          &lt;thead&gt;
              &lt;tr&gt;
                  &lt;th&gt;Name&lt;/th&gt;
                  &lt;th&gt;Position&lt;/th&gt;
                  &lt;th&gt;Office&lt;/th&gt;
                  &lt;th&gt;Age&lt;/th&gt;
                  &lt;th&gt;Start date&lt;/th&gt;
                  &lt;th&gt;Salary&lt;/th&gt;
              &lt;/tr&gt;
          &lt;/thead&gt;
  
          &lt;tfoot&gt;
              &lt;tr&gt;
                  &lt;th&gt;Name&lt;/th&gt;
                  &lt;th&gt;Position&lt;/th&gt;
                  &lt;th&gt;Office&lt;/th&gt;
                  &lt;th&gt;Age&lt;/th&gt;
                  &lt;th&gt;Start date&lt;/th&gt;
                  &lt;th&gt;Salary&lt;/th&gt;
              &lt;/tr&gt;
          &lt;/tfoot&gt;
  
  
      &lt;/table&gt;
      &lt;script type="text/javascript" charset="utf8" src="//code.jquery.com/jquery-1.10.2.min.js"&gt;&lt;/script&gt;
    &lt;script type="text/javascript" charset="utf8" src="//cdn.datatables.net/1.10.0-beta.2/js/jquery.dataTables.js"&gt;&lt;/script&gt;
    &lt;script&gt;
    $(document).ready(function() {
          $('#example').dataTable( {
              "ajax": 'arrays.txt'
          } );
      } );
    &lt;/script&gt;
    &lt;script&gt;
  
    &lt;/script&gt;
    &lt;script&gt;
    $(document).ready(function() {
          var table = $('#example').DataTable({
              "columnDefs": [
                  { "visible": false, "targets": 2 }
              ],
              "order": [[ 2, 'asc' ]],
              "displayLength": 25,
              "drawCallback": function ( settings ) {
                  var api = this.api();
                  var rows = api.rows( {page:'current'} ).nodes();
                  var last=null;
  
                  api.column(2, {page:'current'} ).data().each( function ( group, i ) {
                      if ( last !== group ) {
                          $(rows).eq( i ).before(
                              '&lt;tr class="group"&gt;&lt;td colspan="5"&gt;'+group+'&lt;/td&gt;&lt;/tr&gt;'
                          );
  
                          last = group;
                      }
                  } );
              }
          } );
  
          // Order by the grouping
          $('#example tbody').on( 'click', 'tr.group', function () {
              var currentOrder = table.order()[0];
              if ( currentOrder[0] === 2 &amp;&amp; currentOrder[1] === 'asc' ) {
                  table.order( [ 2, 'desc' ] ).draw();
              }
              else {
                  table.order( [ 2, 'asc' ] ).draw();
              }
          } );
      } );
  
    &lt;/script&gt;
      &lt;/body&gt;
      &lt;/html&gt;
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>And this is my ajax arrays.txt file:-</p>
  
  <pre><code>{
    "data": [
      [
        "Tiger Nixon",
        "System Architect",
        "Edinburgh",
        "5421",
        "2011/04/25",
        "$320,800"
      ],
      [
        "Garrett Winters",
        "Accountant",
        "Tokyo",
        "8422",
        "2011/07/25",
        "$170,750"
      ],
      [
        "Ashton Cox",
        "Junior Technical Author",
        "San Francisco",
        "1562",
        "2009/01/12",
        "$86,000"
      ],
      [
        "Cedric Kelly",
        "Senior Javascript Developer",
        "Edinburgh",
        "6224",
        "2012/03/29",
        "$433,060"
      ],
      [
        "Airi Satou",
        "Accountant",
        "Tokyo",
        "5407",
        "2008/11/28",
        "$162,700"
      ],
      [
        "Brielle Williamson",
        "Integration Specialist",
        "New York",
        "4804",
        "2012/12/02",
        "$372,000"
      ],
      [
        "Herrod Chandler",
        "Sales Assistant",
        "San Francisco",
        "9608",
        "2012/08/06",
        "$137,500"
      ],
      [
        "Rhona Davidson",
        "Integration Specialist",
        "Tokyo",
        "6200",
        "2010/10/14",
        "$327,900"
      ],
      [
        "Colleen Hurst",
        "Javascript Developer",
        "San Francisco",
        "2360",
        "2009/09/15",
        "$205,500"
      ],
      [
        "Sonya Frost",
        "Software Engineer",
        "Edinburgh",
        "1667",
        "2008/12/13",
        "$103,600"
      ],
      [
        "Jena Gaines",
        "Office Manager",
        "London",
        "3814",
        "2008/12/19",
        "$90,560"
      ],
      [
        "Quinn Flynn",
        "Support Lead",
        "Edinburgh",
        "9497",
        "2013/03/03",
        "$342,000"
      ],
      [
        "Charde Marshall",
        "Regional Director",
        "San Francisco",
        "6741",
        "2008/10/16",
        "$470,600"
      ],
      [
        "Haley Kennedy",
        "Senior Marketing Designer",
        "London",
        "3597",
        "2012/12/18",
        "$313,500"
      ],
      [
        "Tatyana Fitzpatrick",
        "Regional Director",
        "London",
        "1965",
        "2010/03/17",
        "$385,750"
      ],
      [
        "Michael Silva",
        "Marketing Designer",
        "London",
        "1581",
        "2012/11/27",
        "$198,500"
      ],
      [
        "Paul Byrd",
        "Chief Financial Officer (CFO)",
        "New York",
        "3059",
        "2010/06/09",
        "$725,000"
      ],
      [
        "Gloria Little",
        "Systems Administrator",
        "New York",
        "1721",
        "2009/04/10",
        "$237,500"
      ],
      [
        "Bradley Greer",
        "Software Engineer",
        "London",
        "2558",
        "2012/10/13",
        "$132,000"
      ],
      [
        "Dai Rios",
        "Personnel Lead",
        "Edinburgh",
        "2290",
        "2012/09/26",
        "$217,500"
      ],
      [
        "Jenette Caldwell",
        "Development Lead",
        "New York",
        "1937",
        "2011/09/03",
        "$345,000"
      ],
      [
        "Yuri Berry",
        "Chief Marketing Officer (CMO)",
        "New York",
        "6154",
        "2009/06/25",
        "$675,000"
      ],
      [
        "Caesar Vance",
        "Pre-Sales Support",
        "New York",
        "8330",
        "2011/12/12",
        "$106,450"
      ],
      [
        "Doris Wilder",
        "Sales Assistant",
        "Sidney",
        "3023",
        "2010/09/20",
        "$85,600"
      ],
      [
        "Angelica Ramos",
        "Chief Executive Officer (CEO)",
        "London",
        "5797",
        "2009/10/09",
        "$1,200,000"
      ],
      [
        "Gavin Joyce",
        "Developer",
        "Edinburgh",
        "8822",
        "2010/12/22",
        "$92,575"
      ],
      [
        "Jennifer Chang",
        "Regional Director",
        "Singapore",
        "9239",
        "2010/11/14",
        "$357,650"
      ],
      [
        "Brenden Wagner",
        "Software Engineer",
        "San Francisco",
        "1314",
        "2011/06/07",
        "$206,850"
      ],
      [
        "Fiona Green",
        "Chief Operating Officer (COO)",
        "San Francisco",
        "2947",
        "2010/03/11",
        "$850,000"
      ],
      [
        "Shou Itou",
        "Regional Marketing",
        "Tokyo",
        "8899",
        "2011/08/14",
        "$163,000"
      ],
      [
        "Michelle House",
        "Integration Specialist",
        "Sidney",
        "2769",
        "2011/06/02",
        "$95,400"
      ],
      [
        "Suki Burks",
        "Developer",
        "London",
        "6832",
        "2009/10/22",
        "$114,500"
      ],
      [
        "Prescott Bartlett",
        "Technical Author",
        "London",
        "3606",
        "2011/05/07",
        "$145,000"
      ],
      [
        "Gavin Cortez",
        "Team Leader",
        "San Francisco",
        "2860",
        "2008/10/26",
        "$235,500"
      ],
      [
        "Martena Mccray",
        "Post-Sales support",
        "Edinburgh",
        "8240",
        "2011/03/09",
        "$324,050"
      ],
      [
        "Unity Butler",
        "Marketing Designer",
        "San Francisco",
        "5384",
        "2009/12/09",
        "$85,675"
      ],
      [
        "Howard Hatfield",
        "Office Manager",
        "San Francisco",
        "7031",
        "2008/12/16",
        "$164,500"
      ],
      [
        "Hope Fuentes",
        "Secretary",
        "San Francisco",
        "6318",
        "2010/02/12",
        "$109,850"
      ],
      [
        "Vivian Harrell",
        "Financial Controller",
        "San Francisco",
        "9422",
        "2009/02/14",
        "$452,500"
      ],
      [
        "Timothy Mooney",
        "Office Manager",
        "London",
        "7580",
        "2008/12/11",
        "$136,200"
      ],
      [
        "Jackson Bradshaw",
        "Director",
        "New York",
        "1042",
        "2008/09/26",
        "$645,750"
      ],
      [
        "Olivia Liang",
        "Support Engineer",
        "Singapore",
        "2120",
        "2011/02/03",
        "$234,500"
      ],
      [
        "Bruno Nash",
        "Software Engineer",
        "London",
        "6222",
        "2011/05/03",
        "$163,500"
      ],
      [
        "Sakura Yamamoto",
        "Support Engineer",
        "Tokyo",
        "9383",
        "2009/08/19",
        "$139,575"
      ],
      [
        "Thor Walton",
        "Developer",
        "New York",
        "8327",
        "2013/08/11",
        "$98,540"
      ],
      [
        "Finn Camacho",
        "Support Engineer",
        "San Francisco",
        "2927",
        "2009/07/07",
        "$87,500"
      ],
      [
        "Serge Baldwin",
        "Data Coordinator",
        "Singapore",
        "8352",
        "2012/04/09",
        "$138,575"
      ],
      [
        "Zenaida Frank",
        "Software Engineer",
        "New York",
        "7439",
        "2010/01/04",
        "$125,250"
      ],
      [
        "Zorita Serrano",
        "Software Engineer",
        "San Francisco",
        "4389",
        "2012/06/01",
        "$115,000"
      ],
      [
        "Jennifer Acosta",
        "Junior Javascript Developer",
        "Edinburgh",
        "3431",
        "2013/02/01",
        "$75,650"
      ],
      [
        "Cara Stevens",
        "Sales Assistant",
        "New York",
        "3990",
        "2011/12/06",
        "$145,600"
      ],
      [
        "Hermione Butler",
        "Regional Director",
        "London",
        "1016",
        "2011/03/21",
        "$356,250"
      ],
      [
        "Lael Greer",
        "Systems Administrator",
        "London",
        "6733",
        "2009/02/27",
        "$103,500"
      ],
      [
        "Jonas Alexander",
        "Developer",
        "San Francisco",
        "8196",
        "2010/07/14",
        "$86,500"
      ],
      [
        "Shad Decker",
        "Regional Director",
        "Edinburgh",
        "6373",
        "2008/11/13",
        "$183,000"
      ],
      [
        "Michael Bruce",
        "Javascript Developer",
        "Singapore",
        "5384",
        "2011/06/27",
        "$183,000"
      ],
      [
        "Donna Snider",
        "Customer Support",
        "New York",
        "4226",
        "2011/01/25",
        "$112,000"
      ]
    ]
  }
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>When i try to run , I get the error message <strong>DataTables warning:table id=example-cannot reinitialize datatable. For more information about this error, see <a href="http://datatables.net/tn/3" rel="nofollow">http://datatables.net/tn/3</a></strong>
  So where is the error ?</p>
  
  <p><strong>*******************************************UPDATE****************************************</strong></p>
  
  <p>Now, if i club the 2 javascript code, I <strong>don't get the error, the datatable gets populated but the row grouping doesn't happen</strong>. So where is my error now ? PLEASE HELP !!!! My code:-</p>
  
  <pre><code>&lt;html&gt;
  &lt;head&gt;
    &lt;link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" href="//cdn.datatables.net/1.10.0-beta.2/css/jquery.dataTables.css"&gt;
     &lt;link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" href="NewFile.css"&gt;
  &lt;/head&gt;
  &lt;body&gt;
  &lt;table id="example" class="display" cellspacing="0" width="100%"&gt;
          &lt;thead&gt;
              &lt;tr&gt;
                  &lt;th&gt;SECTION&lt;/th&gt;
                  &lt;th&gt;REPORT NAME&lt;/th&gt;
                  &lt;th&gt;CONTACT PERSON&lt;/th&gt;
                  &lt;th&gt;LINK TO DOWNLOAD&lt;/th&gt;
                  &lt;th&gt;METRICS&lt;/th&gt;
                  &lt;th&gt;Salary&lt;/th&gt;
              &lt;/tr&gt;
          &lt;/thead&gt;
  
          &lt;tfoot&gt;
              &lt;tr&gt;
                  &lt;th&gt;Name&lt;/th&gt;
                  &lt;th&gt;Position&lt;/th&gt;
                  &lt;th&gt;Office&lt;/th&gt;
                  &lt;th&gt;Age&lt;/th&gt;
                  &lt;th&gt;Start date&lt;/th&gt;
                  &lt;th&gt;Salary&lt;/th&gt;
              &lt;/tr&gt;
          &lt;/tfoot&gt;
  
  
      &lt;/table&gt;
      &lt;script type="text/javascript" charset="utf8" src="//code.jquery.com/jquery-1.10.2.min.js"&gt;&lt;/script&gt;
    &lt;script type="text/javascript" charset="utf8" src="//cdn.datatables.net/1.10.0-beta.2/js/jquery.dataTables.js"&gt;&lt;/script&gt;
    &lt;!-- &lt;script&gt;
    $(document).ready(function() {
          $('#example').dataTable( {
              "ajax": 'arrays.txt'
          } );
      &lt;!-- } );
      &lt;/script&gt;
    &lt;script&gt;
  
    &lt;/script&gt; --&gt;
    &lt;script&gt;
    $(document).ready(function() {   
        $('#example').dataTable( {
              "ajax": 'arrays.txt'
          } );
        table.destroy();
          var table = $('#example').DataTable({
              "columnDefs": [
                  { "visible": false, "targets": 2 }
              ],
              "order": [[ 2, 'asc' ]],
              "displayLength": 25,
              "drawCallback": function ( settings ) {
                  var api = this.api();
                  var rows = api.rows( {page:'current'} ).nodes();
                  var last=null;
  
                  api.column(2, {page:'current'} ).data().each( function ( group, i ) {
                      if ( last !== group ) {
                          $(rows).eq( i ).before(
                              '&lt;tr class="group"&gt;&lt;td colspan="5"&gt;'+group+'&lt;/td&gt;&lt;/tr&gt;'
                          );
  
                          last = group;
                      }
                  } );
              }
          } );
  
          // Order by the grouping
          $('#example tbody').on( 'click', 'tr.group', function () {
              var currentOrder = table.order()[0];
              if ( currentOrder[0] === 2 &amp;&amp; currentOrder[1] === 'asc' ) {
                  table.order( [ 2, 'desc' ] ).draw();
              }
              else {
                  table.order( [ 2, 'asc' ] ).draw();
              }
          } );
      } );
  
    &lt;/script&gt;
      &lt;/body&gt;
      &lt;/html&gt;
  </code></pre>