Hello all,
I have a very simple html table with collapsible rows and sorting capabilities. The collapsible row is hidden with css rule (display:none). When one clicks in the left of the expandable row, the hidden row is made visible with css. The problem is when i sort the rows, the hidden rows get sorted as well which i don't want and want to be moved (while sorting) relative to their parent rows. The following is my complete html code with javascript. Just copy the entire code to new html file and see the problem yourselves. Any suggestions/help would be greatly appreciated.

<html>
   <head>
      <title>Expandible row test in firefox</title>
<STYLE type="text/css">
.collapsed
{
 DISPLAY: none;
}
</STYLE>
<script language="javascript" type="text/javascript"> 
//***collapsible rows 
function outliner(evt) {
evt = (evt) ? evt : (window.event) ? window.event : ""; 
     var oMe; 
     if (evt.srcElement) { 
        oMe = evt.srcElement; 
     } else if (evt.target) { 
        oMe = evt.target; 
     } 
if (evt.srcElement) { 
        //for IE 
                var child = document.all[oMe.getAttribute("child",false)];
 
        } 
        else { 
        //for Firefox 
               var child = document.all[oMe.getAttribute("child",false)];
        } 
//get child element
//if child element exists, expand or collapse it.
if (null != child)
child.className = child.className == "collapsed" ? "expanded" : "collapsed";
  }
function changepic(evt) {
evt = (evt) ? evt : (window.event) ? window.event : ""; 
     var uMe; 
     if (evt.srcElement) { 
        uMe = evt.srcElement; 
     } else if (evt.target) { 
        uMe = evt.target; 
     } 
var check = uMe.src.toLowerCase();
if (check.lastIndexOf("expand.gif") != -1)
{
uMe.src = "collapse.gif";
}
else
{
uMe.src = "expand.gif";
}
}
//*** SORTABLE ROWS
var ts_version = "1.26";
var ts_browser_agt = navigator.userAgent.toLowerCase();   
var ts_browser_is_ie = ((ts_browser_agt.indexOf("msie") != -1) && (ts_browser_agt.indexOf("opera") == -1));
var ml_tsort = {
  // configurable constants, modify as needed!
  sort_col_title : "Click to Sort!", // the popup text for the sorting link in the header columns
  sort_col_asc_title : "Sorted ascending", // the popup text for the sorting link in the header column after the column's sorted in ascending order
  sort_col_desc_title : "Sorted Descending ", // the popup text for the sorting link in the header column after the column's sorted in ascending order
  sort_col_class : "abc", // whichever class you want the heading to be
  sort_col_style : "text-decoration:none; font-weight:bold; color:black", // whichever style you want the link to look like
  sort_col_class_post_sort : "def", // whichever class you want the heading for the column that's just sorted
  sort_col_style_post_sort : "text-decoration:none; font-weight:bold; color:black", // whichever style you want the link to look like when the column for the link was sorted
  sort_col_mouseover : "this.style.color='blue'", // what style the link should use onmouseover?
  use_ctrl_alt_click : true, // allow ctrl-alt-click anywhere in table to activate sorting?
  sort_only_sortable : true, // make all tables sortable by default or just make the tables with "sortable" class sortable?
 
  // speed related constants, modify as needed!
  table_content_might_change : false, // table content could be changed by other JS on-the-fly? if so, some speed improvements cannot be used.
  preserve_style : " ", // (row, cell) preserves style for row or cell e.g., row is useful when the table highlights rows alternatively. cell is much slower while no preservation's the fastest by far!
  tell_me_time_consumption : false, // give stats about time consumed during sorting and table update/redrawing.
 
  // anything below this line, modify at your own risk! ;)
  smallest_int : -2147483648000, // date parse is in milliseconds, hence the 000
  set_vars : function(event)
  {
    var e = (event)? event : window.event;
    var element = (event)? ((event.target)? event.target : event.srcElement) : window.event.srcElement;
    var clicked_td = ml_tsort.getParent(element,'TD') || ml_tsort.getParent(element,'TH');
    var table = ml_tsort.getParent(element,'TABLE');
    if(!table || table.rows.length < 1 || !clicked_td) return;
    var column = clicked_td.cellIndex;
    if (e.altKey && e.ctrlKey && ml_tsort.use_ctrl_alt_click) ml_tsort.resortTable(table.rows[0].cells[column]);
  },
  makeSortable: function(table) 
  {
      if (table.rows && table.rows.length > 0) {
          var rowidx = table.getAttribute("ts_linkrow") || 0;
          var firstRow = table.rows[rowidx];
      }
      if (!firstRow) return;
      var sortCell;
      // We have a first row: assume it's the header (it works for <thead> too), 
      // and make its contents clickable links
      for (var i=0;i<firstRow.cells.length;i++) {
          var cell = firstRow.cells[i];
          if(cell.getAttribute("ts_nosort")) continue;
          var txt = cell.innerHTML;
          if(cell.getAttribute("sortdir")) sortCell = cell;
          cell.innerHTML = '<a style="'+this.sort_col_style+'" onMouseOver="this.oldstyle=this.style.cssText;'+this.sort_col_mouseover+'" onMouseOut="this.style.cssText=this.oldstyle;" class="'+this.sort_col_class+'" href="#" title="'+this.sort_col_title+'" onclick="javascript:ml_tsort.resortTable(this.parentNode);return false">'+txt+'</a>';
      }
      if(sortCell) this.resortTable(sortCell);
  },
 
  sortables_init : function() 
  {
      // Find all tables with class sortable and make them sortable
      if (!document.getElementsByTagName) return;
      var tbls = document.getElementsByTagName("table");
      for (var ti=0;ti<tbls.length;ti++) {
          thisTbl = tbls[ti];
          if(!ml_tsort.sort_only_sortable || thisTbl.className.match(/sortable/i))
            ml_tsort.makeSortable(thisTbl);
      }
  },
 
  getParent : function(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 this.getParent(el.parentNode, pTagName);
  },
 
  getInnerText : function(el) 
  {
   if (typeof el == "string") return el;
   if (typeof el == "undefined") { return el };
   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=i++) {
    switch (cs[i].nodeType) {
     case 1: //ELEMENT_NODE
      str += this.getInnerText(cs[i]);
      break;
     case 3: //TEXT_NODE
      str += cs[i].nodeValue;
      break;
    }
   }
   return str;
  },
 
  match_date_format : function(value, format)
  {
    var v = this.getInnerText(value.cells[this.sort_column_index]);
    this.set_date_array(format);
    if(format == 'M/D/Y' && !isNaN(Date.parse(v)))
      return true;
    else if(!isNaN(this.convert_date(v))) return true;
    this.set_date_array(format.replace(/\//g, '-'));
    if(!isNaN(this.convert_date(v))) return true;
    this.set_date_array(format.replace(/\//g, '.'));
    if(!isNaN(this.convert_date(v))) return true;
    this.set_date_array(format.replace(/\//g, ' '));
    if(!isNaN(this.convert_date(v))) return true;
    return false;
  },
 
  resortTable : function(td) 
  {
    if(td == null) return;
    var column = td.cellIndex;
    var table = this.getParent(td,'TABLE');
    this.sort_column_index = column;
    if(table == null || table.rows.length <= 2) return;
    var lastSortCell = table.getAttribute("ts_sortcell") || 0;
    lastSortCell--; // the processing is used for IE, which treats no attribute as 0, while FF treats 0 as still true.
    var lastSortDir;
    if(td.getAttribute("ts_forcesort"))
      lastSortDir = (td.getAttribute("ts_forcesort") == 'desc')? 'asc' : 'desc';
    else
      lastSortDir = (table == this.last_sorted_table && column == lastSortCell)? table.getAttribute("ts_sortdir") : ((td.getAttribute("sortdir") == 'desc')? 'asc' : 'desc');
    var newRows = new Array();
    var headcount = 1;
    for (var i=0,j=1;j<table.rows.length;j++)
    {
      var t = table.rows[j].parentNode.tagName.toLowerCase();
      if(t == 'tbody' && table.rows[j].cells.length >= column + 1) newRows[i++] = table.rows[j];
      else if(t == 'thead') headcount++;
    }
    if(newRows.length == 0) return;
    var time2 = new Date();
 
    // check if we really need to sort
    if(!td.getAttribute("ts_forcesort") && !this.table_content_might_change && table == this.last_sorted_table && column == lastSortCell)
      newRows.reverse();
    else
    {
      // Work out a type for the column
      var sortfn, type = td.getAttribute("ts_type");
      this.replace_pattern = '';
      var itm, i;
      for(i = 0; i < newRows.length; i++)
      {
        itm = this.getInnerText(newRows[i].cells[column]);
        if(itm.match(/\S/)) break;
      }
      if(i == newRows.length) return;
      itm = ml_trim(itm);
      if(!type)
      {
        sortfn = this.sort_caseinsensitive;
        if (this.match_date_format(newRows[i], 'M/D/Y')) sortfn = this.sort_date;
        else if (itm.match(/^[¥£€$]/)) sortfn = this.sort_currency;
        else if (itm.match(/^\d{1,3}(\.\d{1,3}){3}$/)) sortfn = this.sort_ip;
        else if (itm.match(/^[+-]?\s*[0-9]+(?:\.[0-9]+)?(?:\s*[eE]\s*[+-]?\s*\d+)?$/))
          sortfn = this.sort_numeric;
      }
      else if(type == 'date' && this.match_date_format(newRows[i], 'M/D/Y')) sortfn = this.sort_date;
      else if(type == 'euro_date' && this.match_date_format(newRows[i], 'D/M/Y')) sortfn = this.sort_date;
      else if(type == 'other_date' && this.match_date_format(newRows[i], td.getAttribute("ts_date_format"))) sortfn = this.sort_date; 
      else if(type == 'number') sortfn = this.sort_numeric;
      else if(type == 'ip') sortfn = this.sort_ip;
      else if(type == 'money') sortfn = this.sort_currency;
  //       else if(type == 'custom') sortfn = function(aa,bb) { a = this.getInnerText(aa.cells[this.sort_column_index]); b = this.getInnerText(bb.cells[this.sort_column_index]); eval(td.getAttribute("ts_sortfn")) }; // the coding here is shorter but interestingly it's also slower
      else if(type == 'custom') { this.custom_code = td.getAttribute("ts_sortfn"); sortfn = this.custom_sortfn }
      else { alert("unsupported sorting type or data not matching indicated type!"); return; }
 
      table.setAttribute("ts_sortcell", column+1);
      newRows.sort(sortfn);
      if (lastSortDir == 'asc') newRows.reverse();
    }
    // set style of heading
    var rowidx = table.getAttribute("ts_linkrow") || 0;
    if(lastSortCell > -1 && table.rows[rowidx].cells[lastSortCell].firstChild.style)
    {
      table.rows[rowidx].cells[lastSortCell].firstChild.oldstyle = this.sort_col_style;
      table.rows[rowidx].cells[lastSortCell].firstChild.style.cssText = this.sort_col_style;
      table.rows[rowidx].cells[lastSortCell].firstChild.className = this.sort_col_class;
    }
    if(table.rows[rowidx].cells[column].firstChild.style)
    {
      table.rows[rowidx].cells[column].firstChild.oldstyle = this.sort_col_style_post_sort;
      table.rows[rowidx].cells[column].firstChild.style.cssText = this.sort_col_style_post_sort;
      table.rows[rowidx].cells[column].firstChild.className = this.sort_col_class_post_sort;
    }
    if (lastSortDir == 'desc') table.setAttribute('ts_sortdir','asc');
    else table.setAttribute('ts_sortdir','desc');
    // has to use tagName otherwise IE complains
    if(lastSortCell > -1 && table.rows[rowidx].cells[lastSortCell].firstChild.tagName) table.rows[rowidx].cells[lastSortCell].firstChild.title = this.sort_col_title;
    if(table.rows[rowidx].cells[column].firstChild.tagName) table.rows[rowidx].cells[column].firstChild.title = ((lastSortDir == 'desc')? this.sort_col_asc_title : this.sort_col_desc_title);
    this.last_sorted_table = table;
 
    var time3 = new Date();
 
    var ps = table.getAttribute("preserve_style") || this.preserve_style;
    if(ps == 'row' && !ts_browser_is_ie) 
    {
      var tmp = new Array(newRows.length);
      for (var i = 0; i < newRows.length; i++) tmp[i] = newRows[i].innerHTML;
      for (var i = 0; i < newRows.length; i++) table.rows[i+headcount].innerHTML = tmp[i];
    }
    else if(ps == 'cell' || (ps == 'row' && ts_browser_is_ie)) 
    {
      var tmp = new Array(newRows.length);
      for (var i = 0; i < newRows.length; i++)
        for (var j = 0; j < newRows[i].cells.length; j++)
        {
          if(!tmp[i]) tmp[i] = new Array(newRows[i].cells.length);
          tmp[i][j] = newRows[i].cells[j].innerHTML;
        }
      for (var i = 0; i < newRows.length; i++)
        for (var j = 0; j < newRows[i].cells.length; j++)
          table.rows[i+headcount].cells[j].innerHTML = tmp[i][j];
    }
    else
    {
      for (var i=0;i<newRows.length;i++) // We appendChild rows that already exist to the tbody, so it moves them rather than creating new ones
        table.tBodies[0].appendChild(newRows[i]);
    } 
    var time4 = new Date();
    if(this.tell_me_time_consumption)
    {
      alert('it took ' + this.diff_time(time3, time2) + ' seconds to do sorting!');
      alert('it took ' + this.diff_time(time4, time3) + ' seconds to do redrawing!');
    }
    return false;
  },
 
  diff_time : function(time2, time1) 
  {
    return (time2.getTime() - time1.getTime())/1000;
  },
 
  set_date_array : function(f) 
  {
    var tmp = [['D', f.indexOf('D')], ['M', f.indexOf('M')], ['Y', f.indexOf('Y')]];
    tmp.sort(function(a,b){ return a[1] - b[1]});
    this.date_order_array = new Array(3);
    for(var i = 0; i < 3; i++) this.date_order_array[tmp[i][0]] = '$' + (i + 2);
    this.replace_pattern = f.replace(/[DMY]([^DMY]+)[DMY]([^DMY]+)[DMY]/, '^(.*?)(\\d+)\\$1(\\d+)\\$2(\\d+)(.*)$');
  },
 
  process_year : function(y) 
  {
    var tmp = parseInt(y);
    if(tmp < 32) return '20' + y; 
   else if(tmp < 100) return '19' + y;
   else return y;
  },
 
  // convert to MM/DD/YYYY (or M/D/YYYY) format
  convert_date : function(a) 
  {
    var re = 'RegExp.$1+RegExp.'+this.date_order_array['M']+'+\'/\'+RegExp.'+this.date_order_array['D']+'+\'/\'+this.process_year(RegExp.'+this.date_order_array['Y']+')+RegExp.$5';
    var code = 'if(a.match(/'+this.replace_pattern+'/)) (' + re + ')';
    return Date.parse(eval(code));
  },
 
  sort_date : function(a,b) 
  {
    var atext = ml_tsort.getInnerText(a.cells[ml_tsort.sort_column_index]);
    var btext = ml_tsort.getInnerText(b.cells[ml_tsort.sort_column_index]);
    var aa, bb;
    if(atext && atext.match(/\S/))
    {
      aa = ml_tsort.convert_date(atext);
      if(isNaN(aa)) aa = Date.parse(atext);
      if(isNaN(aa)) aa = 0;
    }
    else aa = ml_tsort.smallest_int;
    if(btext && btext.match(/\S/))
    {
      bb = ml_tsort.convert_date(btext);
      if(isNaN(bb)) bb = Date.parse(btext);
      if(isNaN(bb)) bb = 0;
    }
    else bb = ml_tsort.smallest_int;
    return aa - bb;
  },
 
  sort_currency : function(a,b) 
  { 
      return ml_tsort.sort_num(ml_tsort.getInnerText(a.cells[ml_tsort.sort_column_index]).replace(/[^-0-9.+]/g,''),
                         ml_tsort.getInnerText(b.cells[ml_tsort.sort_column_index]).replace(/[^-0-9.+]/g,''));
  },
 
  sort_num : function(a, b) 
  {
      var aa, bb;
      if(a && a.match(/\S/))
      {
        if(!isNaN(a)) aa = a;
        else if(a && a.match(/^[^0-9.+-]*([+-]?\s*[0-9]+(?:\.[0-9]+)?(?:\s*[eE]\s*[+-]?\s*\d+)?)/))
          aa = parseFloat(RegExp.$1.replace(/\s+/g, ''));
        else aa = 0;
      }
      else aa = ml_tsort.smallest_int;
      if(b && b.match(/\S/))
      {
        if(!isNaN(b)) bb = b;
        else if(b && b.match(/^[^0-9.+-]*([+-]?\s*[0-9]+(?:\.[0-9]+)?(?:\s*[eE]\s*[+-]?\s*\d+)?)/))
          bb = parseFloat(RegExp.$1.replace(/\s+/g, ''));
        else bb = 0;
      }
      else bb = ml_tsort.smallest_int;
      return aa - bb;
  },
 
  sort_numeric : function(a,b) 
  {
      return ml_tsort.sort_num(ml_tsort.getInnerText(a.cells[ml_tsort.sort_column_index]),
                         ml_tsort.getInnerText(b.cells[ml_tsort.sort_column_index])); 
  },
 
  sort_ip : function(a,b) 
  {
      var aa = ml_tsort.getInnerText(a.cells[ml_tsort.sort_column_index]).split('.');
      var bb = ml_tsort.getInnerText(b.cells[ml_tsort.sort_column_index]).split('.');
      return ml_tsort.sort_num(aa[0], bb[0]) || ml_tsort.sort_num(aa[1], bb[1]) || 
             ml_tsort.sort_num(aa[2], bb[2]) || ml_tsort.sort_num(aa[3], bb[3]);
  },
 
  sort_caseinsensitive : function(a,b) 
  {
      var aa = ml_tsort.getInnerText(a.cells[ml_tsort.sort_column_index]).toLowerCase();
      var bb = ml_tsort.getInnerText(b.cells[ml_tsort.sort_column_index]).toLowerCase();
      if (aa==bb) return 0;
      if (aa<bb) return -1;
      return 1;
  },
 
  custom_sortfn : function(aa,bb) 
  {
    var a = ml_tsort.getInnerText(aa.cells[ml_tsort.sort_column_index]);
    var b = ml_tsort.getInnerText(bb.cells[ml_tsort.sort_column_index]);
    return eval(ml_tsort.custom_code);
  }
};
function ml_trim(text)
{
  if(!text) return text;
  var tmp = text.replace(/^\s+/, '');
  return tmp.replace(/\s+$/, '');
}
function ts_addEvent(elm, evType, fn, useCapture)
// 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");
  }
}
ts_addEvent(document, "click", ml_tsort.set_vars);
ts_addEvent(window, "load", ml_tsort.sortables_init);
</script>
   </head>
   <body onclick="outliner(event)">
     <table class="sortable" >
   <thead >
    <tr>
     <th class="header" width="1%" />
     <td class="header"> Last Name:</td>
     <td class="header"> First Name:</td>
     <td class="header"> Gender:</td>
    </tr>
   </thead>
    <tr>
     <td><A><IMG border="0" alt="expand/collapse" class="expandable" height="11" onclick="changepic(event)" src="expand.gif" width="9" child="s1" p1="p1"></A></td>
 
      <td>Rainbow</td>
     <td>Mark</td>
     <td>T</td>
     </tr>
     <tr>
 
     <td colspan="4" bgcolor="cyan" class="collapsed" id="s1">
       <table>
 
        <tr>
         <td  > Mark T Rainbow</td>
        </tr>
       </table>
     </td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
     <td><A><IMG border="0" alt="expand/collapse" class="expandable" height="11" onclick="changepic(event)" src="expand.gif" width="9" child="s2" p21="p21" p22="p22" p22="p23"></A></td>
      <td id="p21">Carlos</td>
     <td id="p22">Morris</td>
     <td id="p23">N</td>
</tr>
<tr>
     <td colspan="4" bgcolor="cyan" class="collapsed" id="s2">
       <table>
        <tr>
        <tr>
         <td  > Carlos N Morris</td>
        </tr>
       </table>
     </td>
    </tr>
  </table>
   </body>
</html>

Use thead, tfoot, and tbody to divide the table into multiple parts. Then sort just the tbody part.

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