Adding a minimum character threshold

README.md

@@ -43,6 +43,7 @@ $('table').filterTable(); //if this code appears after your tables; otherwise, i
 | `inputName` | string | filter-table | Name attribute of the filter input field |
 | `inputType` | string | search | Tag name of the filter input itself |
 | `label` | string | Filter: | Text to precede the filter input |
+| `minChars` | integer | 1 | Filter is only applied to a table when at least this many characters are entered |
 | `minRows` | integer | 8 | Only show the filter on tables with this number of rows or more |
 | `placeholder` | string | search this table | HTML5 placeholder text for the filter input |
 | `quickList` | array | [] | List of clickable phrases to quick fill the search |
@@ -83,6 +84,10 @@ Other than jQuery, the plugin will take advantage of Brian Grinstead's [bindWith
 
 ## Change Log
 
+### 1.5.4
+
+- Added a `minChars` option, thanks to [Darius Kazemi](https://github.com/dariusk), which specifies the minimum number of characters a user must enter into a filter before filtering occurs. Default is 1, meaning the moment the user begins to type, filtering will occur.
+
 ### 1.5.3
 
 - **There is a potentially significant change in functionality in this version.** While the documentation offered the `inputSelector` option, within the code it was implemented as `filterSelector`. This has been corrected to match the documentation. Note that if you were previously using the `filterSelector` option to overcome this issue, you will need to change it to `inputSelector` to use the feature with this version.

jquery.filtertable.js

@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@
  *
  * Utilizes bindWithDelay() if available. https://github.com/bgrins/bindWithDelay
  *
- * @version v1.5.3
+ * @version v1.5.4
  * @author Sunny Walker, [email protected]
  */
 (function($) {
@@ -34,6 +34,7 @@
                 inputName:         '',                  // name of filter input field
                 inputType:         'search',            // tag name of the filter input tag
                 label:             'Filter:',           // text to precede the filter input tag
+                minChars:          1,                   // don't start filtering until this many characters are entered
                 minRows:           8,                   // don't show the filter on tables with less than this number of rows
                 placeholder:       'search this table', // HTML5 placeholder text for the filter field
                 quickList:         [],                  // list of phrases to quick fill the search
@@ -49,7 +50,7 @@
 
         var doFiltering = function(table, q) { // handle the actual table filtering
                 var tbody=table.find('tbody'); // cache the tbody element
-                if (q==='') { // if the filtering query is blank
+                if (q==='' || q.length < settings.minChars) { // if the filtering query is blank or the number of chars entered is less than minChars
                     tbody.find('tr').show().addClass(settings.visibleClass); // show all rows
                     tbody.find('td').removeClass(settings.highlightClass); // remove the row highlight from all cells
                     if (settings.hideTFootOnFilter) { // show footer if the setting was specified