JQuery Datatables Plugin to modify the behavior of the filter field. There are other plugins that will allow you to adjust the delay on when the filter is submitted to the server. This one removes the delay/automatic submission entirely and only request

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JQuery Datatables Plugin to modify the behavior of the filter field.  There are other plugins that will allow you to adjust the delay on when the filter is submitted to the server.  This one removes the delay/automatic submission entirely and only requests the redraw when you hit the enter key from the filter field.

This is my first time using datatables, and while I think this is pretty solid use at your own discretion.

jquery.dataTables.filteronenter.js

jQuery.fn.dataTableExt.oApi.fnFilterOnEnter = function ( oSettings ) {

 /*
  * Type:        Plugin for DataTables (www.datatables.net) JQuery plugin.
  * Name:        dataTableExt.oApi.fnFilterOnEnter
  * Version:     1.0.0
  * Description: Instead of filtering based on a delay, submit the filter only
  *              when submitted by the enter key.
  * Inputs:      object:oSettings - dataTables settings object
  * Returns:     JQuery
  * Usage:       $('#example').dataTable().fnFilterOnEnter();
  *
  * Author:      Jeff Whitmire (www.jwhitmire.com)
  * Created:     8/4/2010
  * Language:    Javascript
  * License:     GPL v2 or BSD 3 point style
  * Contact:     jeff@jwhitmire.com
  */


  var _that = this;

  this.each(function(i) {
    $.fn.dataTableExt.iApiIndex = i;
    var $this = this;
    var sPreviousSearch = null;
    var anControl = $('input', _that.fnSettings().aanFeatures.f);
    
    anControl.unbind('keyup').bind('keyup',function() {

      /* Update the filter input elements for the new display */
      for ( var i=0, iLen=anControl.length ; i<iLen ; i++ )
      {
        if ( anControl[i] != this.parentNode )
        {
          $('input', anControl[i]).val( this.value );
        }
      }

      /* Skip the filter submission from the original */
    });

    anControl.unbind( 'keypress' ).bind( 'keypress', function(e) {

      /* Do the filtering only if the enter key was pressed. */
      if ( e.keyCode == 13 )
      {
        
        if (sPreviousSearch === null || sPreviousSearch != anControl.val()) {
          sPreviousSearch = anControl.val();
          _that.fnFilter( anControl.val() );
        }
        return false;
      }
    });
  });

  return this;
}