>>I believe my code was exactly the same as plunker's code. Also, I was trying to add $scope.$apply() and the end of the load procedure in addition to that code and it had no effect.
>
>Another question: in setPagingData() you have

$scope.totalServerItems = data.length;

Is the totalServerItems the value you were referring to when you said the total number of items shows correctly ?
>If so you're not comparing like with like - data is not your grid source.....

I was also checking gridOptions.data and it was always correct.