sorttable.js - fails with UNDEFINED error

I am trying to get a java script routine to work which is something I found
on the internet for sorting tables. These tables are constructed using PHP
from MySQL tables and it works great for 1 table. However, I just built
another table and it won't sort any of the columns. Since I don't know java
script, I am STUCK! The error that I'm getting is "\undefined is null or
not an object" which leaves me baffled. There are only 2 records in the
table and 7 columns. Can someone please give me an idea what to look for or
tell me what else I need to provide?

Thanks,

Vic


This is the function that is failing on the line : bb =
ts_getInnerText(b.cells[SORT_COLUMN_INDEX]).toLowerCase();

function ts_sort_caseinsensitive(a,b) {
//alert("ts_sort_caseinsensitive");
aa = ts_getInnerText(a.cells[SORT_COLUMN_INDEX]).toLowerCase();
// document.write (SORT_COLUMN_INDEX);
bb = ts_getInnerText(b.cells[SORT_COLUMN_INDEX]).toLowerCase();
if (aa==bb) return 0;
if (aa<bb) return -1;
return 1;
}



Here's the entire script:
addEvent(window, "load", sortables_init);

var SORT_COLUMN_INDEX;

function sortables_init() {
// Find all tables with class sortable and make them sortable
if (!document.getElementsByTagName) return;
tbls = document.getElementsByTagName("table");
for (ti=0;ti<tbls.length;ti++) {
thisTbl = tbls[ti];
if (((' '+thisTbl.className+' ').indexOf("sortable") != -1) &&
(thisTbl.id)) {
//initTable(thisTbl.id);
ts_makeSortable(thisTbl);
}
}
}

function ts_makeSortable(table) {
if (table.rows && table.rows.length > 0) {
var firstRow = table.rows[0];
}
if (!firstRow) return;

// We have a first row: assume it's the header, and make its contents
clickable links
for (var i=0;i<firstRow.cells.length;i++) {
var cell = firstRow.cells[i];
var txt = ts_getInnerText(cell);
cell.innerHTML = '<a href="#" class="sortheader" '+
'onclick="ts_resortTable(this, '+i+');return false;">' +
txt+'<span class="sortarrow">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</span></a>';
}
}

function ts_getInnerText(el) {
//alert("ts_getInnerText");
//document.write (typeof e1);
if (typeof el == "string") return el;
if (typeof el == "undefined") { return el };
//document.write (typeof e1);
if (el.innerText) return el.innerText; //Not needed but it is faster
var str = "";

var cs = el.childNodes;
var l = cs.length;
for (var i = 0; i < l; i++) {
switch (cs[i].nodeType) {
case 1: //ELEMENT_NODE
str += ts_getInnerText(cs[i]);
break;
case 3: //TEXT_NODE
str += cs[i].nodeValue;
break;
}
}
//alert ("Exit - ts_getInnerText(el)");
return str;
}

function ts_resortTable(lnk,clid) {
//alert("ts_resortTable");
// get the span
var span;
for (var ci=0;ci<lnk.childNodes.length;ci++) {
if (lnk.childNodes[ci].tagName &&
lnk.childNodes[ci].tagName.toLowerCase() == 'span') span =
lnk.childNodes[ci];
}
var spantext = ts_getInnerText(span);
var td = lnk.parentNode;
var column = clid || td.cellIndex;
var table = getParent(td,'TABLE');

// Work out a type for the column
if (table.rows.length <= 1) return;
var itm = ts_getInnerText(table.rows[1].cells[column]);
sortfn = ts_sort_caseinsensitive;
if (itm.match(/^\d\d[\/-]\d\d[\/-]\d\d\d\d$/)) sortfn = ts_sort_date;
if (itm.match(/^\d\d[\/-]\d\d[\/-]\d\d$/)) sortfn = ts_sort_date;
if (itm.match(/^[£$]/)) sortfn = ts_sort_currency;
if (itm.match(/^[\d\.]+$/)) sortfn = ts_sort_numeric;
SORT_COLUMN_INDEX = column;
var firstRow = new Array();
var newRows = new Array();
for (i=0;i<table.rows[0].length;i++) { firstRow[i] = table.rows[0][i]; }
for (j=1;j<table.rows.length;j++) { newRows[j-1] = table.rows[j]; }

newRows.sort(sortfn);

if (span.getAttribute("sortdir") == 'down') {
ARROW = '&nbsp;&nbsp;&uarr;';
newRows.reverse();
span.setAttribute('sortdir','up');
} else {
ARROW = '&nbsp;&nbsp;&darr;';
span.setAttribute('sortdir','down');
}

// We appendChild rows that already exist to the tbody, so it moves them
rather than creating new ones
// don't do sortbottom rows
for (i=0;i<newRows.length;i++) { if (!newRows[i].className ||
(newRows[i].className && (newRows[i].className.indexOf('sortbottom')
== -1))) table.tBodies[0].appendChild(newRows[i]);}
// do sortbottom rows only
for (i=0;i<newRows.length;i++) { if (newRows[i].className &&
(newRows[i].className.indexOf('sortbottom') != -1))
table.tBodies[0].appendChild(newRows[i]);}

// Delete any other arrows there may be showing
var allspans = document.getElementsByTagName("span");
for (var ci=0;ci<allspans.length;ci++) {
if (allspans[ci].className == 'sortarrow') {
if (getParent(allspans[ci],"table") == getParent(lnk,"table"))
{ // in the same table as us?
allspans[ci].innerHTML = '&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;';
}
}
}
//alert ("All Done - Insert arrow");
span.innerHTML = ARROW;
}

function getParent(el, pTagName) {
if (el == null) return null;
else if (el.nodeType == 1 && el.tagName.toLowerCase() ==
pTagName.toLowerCase()) // Gecko bug, supposed to be uppercase
return el;
else
return getParent(el.parentNode, pTagName);
}
function ts_sort_date(a,b) {
// y2k notes: two digit years less than 50 are treated as 20XX, greater
than 50 are treated as 19XX
aa = ts_getInnerText(a.cells[SORT_COLUMN_INDEX]);
bb = ts_getInnerText(b.cells[SORT_COLUMN_INDEX]);
if (aa.length == 10) {
dt1 = aa.substr(6,4)+aa.substr(3,2)+aa.substr(0,2);
} else {
yr = aa.substr(6,2);
if (parseInt(yr) < 50) { yr = '20'+yr; } else { yr = '19'+yr; }
dt1 = yr+aa.substr(3,2)+aa.substr(0,2);
}
if (bb.length == 10) {
dt2 = bb.substr(6,4)+bb.substr(3,2)+bb.substr(0,2);
} else {
yr = bb.substr(6,2);
if (parseInt(yr) < 50) { yr = '20'+yr; } else { yr = '19'+yr; }
dt2 = yr+bb.substr(3,2)+bb.substr(0,2);
}
if (dt1==dt2) return 0;
if (dt1<dt2) return -1;
return 1;
}

function ts_sort_currency(a,b) {
aa = ts_getInnerText(a.cells[SORT_COLUMN_INDEX]).replace(/[^0-9.]/g,'');
bb = ts_getInnerText(b.cells[SORT_COLUMN_INDEX]).replace(/[^0-9.]/g,'');
return parseFloat(aa) - parseFloat(bb);
}

function ts_sort_numeric(a,b) {
aa = parseFloat(ts_getInnerText(a.cells[SORT_COLUMN_INDEX]));
if (isNaN(aa)) aa = 0;
bb = parseFloat(ts_getInnerText(b.cells[SORT_COLUMN_INDEX]));
if (isNaN(bb)) bb = 0;
return aa-bb;
}

function ts_sort_caseinsensitive(a,b) {
//alert("ts_sort_caseinsensitive");
aa = ts_getInnerText(a.cells[SORT_COLUMN_INDEX]).toLowerCase();
// document.write (SORT_COLUMN_INDEX);
bb = ts_getInnerText(b.cells[SORT_COLUMN_INDEX]).toLowerCase();
if (aa==bb) return 0;
if (aa<bb) return -1;
return 1;
}

function ts_sort_default(a,b) {
//alert("ts_sort_default");
aa = ts_getInnerText(a.cells[SORT_COLUMN_INDEX]);
bb = ts_getInnerText(b.cells[SORT_COLUMN_INDEX]);
if (aa==bb) return 0;
if (aa<bb) return -1;
return 1;
}


function addEvent(elm, evType, fn, useCapture)
// addEvent and removeEvent
// cross-browser event handling for IE5+, NS6 and Mozilla
// By Scott Andrew
{
if (elm.addEventListener){
elm.addEventListener(evType, fn, useCapture);
return true;
} else if (elm.attachEvent){
var r = elm.attachEvent("on"+evType, fn);
return r;
} else {
alert("Handler could not be removed");
}
}

This is the function that is failing on the line : bb =
ts_getInnerText(b.cells[SORT_COLUMN_INDEX]).toLowerCase();

Well I found the problem and it is not a problem with sorttable.js at all.
When I was constructing the table using PHP I had an extra "echo <tr>" at
the very end of the table. Removed it and all is better now.

Vic