Making a datatable, maybe also with column filters In case the table has class 'trans' - run dataTable() and columnFilter(); otherwise  just run dataTable().

Is it possible to not repeat the dataTable() part?

$('#dt_a').each(function() {
        if ($(this).hasClass('trans')) {
            $(this).dataTable({
                "sDom": "&lt;'row'&lt;'span6'&lt;'dt_actions'&gt;l&gt;&lt;'span6'f&gt;r&gt;t&lt;'row'&lt;'span6'i&gt;&lt;'span6'p&gt;&gt;",
                "sPaginationType": "bootstrap_alt",
                "oLanguage": {
                    "sLengthMenu": "_MENU_ records per page"
                }
            })
            .columnFilter({
                sPlaceHolder: "head:before",
                aoColumns: [
                    null,
                    { type: "text" },
                    { type: "text" },
                    { type: "date-range" },
                    { type: "text" },
                    { type: "text" },
                    null,
                    null
                ]
            });
        } else {
            $(this).dataTable({
                "sDom": "&lt;'row'&lt;'span6'&lt;'dt_actions'&gt;l&gt;&lt;'span6'f&gt;r&gt;t&lt;'row'&lt;'span6'i&gt;&lt;'span6'p&gt;&gt;",
                "sPaginationType": "bootstrap_alt",
                "oLanguage": {
                    "sLengthMenu": "_MENU_ records per page"
                }
            });
        }
    });


NOTE:

columnFilter is an extension to dataTable.
Use some variables. You don't need to chain function calls; it's just a neat thing you can do when appropriate, but it's not required.

$('#dt_a').each(function() {
  var target = $(this), // store this 
      table  = target.dataTable({  // and store this too
          "sDom": "&lt;'row'&lt;'span6'&lt;'dt_actions'&gt;l&gt;&lt;'span6'f&gt;r&gt;t&lt;'row'&lt;'span6'i&gt;&lt;'span6'p&gt;&gt;",
          "sPaginationType": "bootstrap_alt",
          "oLanguage": {
              "sLengthMenu": "_MENU_ records per page"
          }
      });

    if (target.hasClass('trans')) {
        table.columnFilter({
            sPlaceHolder: "head:before",
            aoColumns: [
                null,
                { type: "text" },
                { type: "text" },
                { type: "date-range" },
                { type: "text" },
                { type: "text" },
                null,
                null
            ]
        });
    }
});