Why don't I see any value from autocomplete search in jQuery

Is $config['compress_output'] = TRUE; in your application/config/config.php?

If it is, you can't output content directly from the controller methods. You must use a view. You can create a view as simple as:

<?php echo $response;

and just pass the json data like this:

function search() {    $searchterm = $this->input->post('search_hotel');    $data['response'] = json_encode($this->d_book_groups->sw_search($searchterm));    $this->load->view('ajax/json_response', $data);}

I dont know why, but you make a mistake in this code:

$.each(data.name, function (a, b) {    $("#suggestion_tab").append('<li>' + data.b + '</li>');});

You can not use "data.b" in $.each method, b is an object of data.namefor more help, actually "b" equal to data.name[a](data.name[a] == b)

So data.b is false, (data.name[a] == b) && data.name[a] != data.b

Use console.log(b) in $.each loop to see your array object (you need firefox and firebug extention)

$.each(data.name, function (a, b) {    console.log(b);});

I think you want to put each name, in li element, if its true, use this code:

$.each(data, function (a, b) {    $("#suggestion_tab").append('<li>' + b.name + '</li>');});

// here b.name == data[a].name