Using a null/empty column in the Datatables front-end breaks search and ordering in the REST API

[viseshrp]

Sometimes I use datatables with a column of checkboxes in the front-end for selection. During a request, this column is set as empty strings. When drf-datatables encounters an empty string, it breaks out and returns no fields which in turn breaks search and ordering.

Example: A dummy column like this:

{
                "data": null,
                "defaultContent": '',
                'searchable': false,
                'orderable': false,
                'className': 'dt-body-center',
                'render': function (data, type, row, meta) {
                        return `<input type="checkbox" class="item_select_checkbox"/>`;
                    }
                }
            }

will result in params like:

'format': ['datatables'], 'draw': ['6'], 'columns[0][data]': [''], 'columns[0][name]': [''], 'columns[0][searchable]': ['false'], 'columns[0][orderable]': ['false'], 'columns
[0][search][value]': [''], 'columns[0][search][regex]': ['false'],

Because of this line: any column like the above will result in an empty list of fields which will break search and ordering.