jQuery UI custom AutoComplete - `_renderItem` and `_renderMenu` not working

Question

I've used some code from a combobox demo, and now that i am trying to add some classes to the list-items, the _renderItem and _renderMenu, has no effect.

the code (with some irrelevant lines, to make sure that i miss nothing)

this.input = $("<input>")
    .appendTo(this.wrapper)
    .val(value)
    .attr("title", "")
    .addClass("custom-combobox-input ui-widget ui-widget-content ui-state-default ui-corner-left")
    .autocomplete({
        autoFocus: true,
        response: function (event, ui) {
            if (ui.content.length == 0) {
                    ui.content.push({
                        label: "new value: " + $(this).val(),
                        value: $(this).val(),
                        id: 0
                    });
            }
        },
        _renderItem: function (ul, item) {
            return $("<li>")
                .addClass("Please work")
                .attr("data-value", item.value)
                .append(item.label)
                .appendTo(ul);
        },
        _renderMenu: function (ul, items) {
            var that = this;
            $.each(items, function (index, item) {
                that._renderItemData(ul, item);
            });
            $(ul).find("li:odd").addClass("odd");
        },
        delay: 0,
        minLength: 0,
        source: $.proxy(this, "_source")
    })
    .tooltip({
        tooltipClass: "ui-state-highlight"
    });

Answer 1

i've never used extensions in that way, and i can't say why it isn't working (it should, i suppose).

Anyway, try with the standard way, on create callback:

this.input = $("<input>")
    .appendTo(this.wrapper)
    .val(value)
    .attr("title", "")
    .addClass("custom-combobox-input ui-widget ui-widget-content ui-state-default ui-corner-left")
    .autocomplete({
        autoFocus: true,
        response: function (event, ui) {
            if (ui.content.length == 0) {
                    ui.content.push({
                        label: "new value: " + $(this).val(),
                        value: $(this).val(),
                        id: 0
                    });
            }
        },
        delay: 0,
        minLength: 0,
        source: $.proxy(this, "_source"),
        create: function() {
            $(this).data('ui-autocomplete')._renderItem  = function (ul, item) {
              return $("<li>")
                .addClass("Please work")
                .attr("data-value", item.value)
                .append(item.label)
                .appendTo(ul);
            };

        }
    })
    .tooltip({
        tooltipClass: "ui-state-highlight"
    });

see this FIDDLE