Develop Reference

Access Global javascript variables inside AngularJS

I'm working on a site, and I started building it before I realized I needed some dynamic framework. After learning about AngularJS, I decided to use it, where I needed (not the whole site).
I have a very long script in JS, and I want to be able to get and set the variables from within AngularJS directives and controllers.
I found this answer, and it was quite good - I was able to get the variable from within the function. But when the variable changed outside the function, AngularJS' variable won't update.
My code looked something like this:
JS:
var app = angular.module('someName', []);
var currentPage = 'Menu';
app.controller('PageController', ['$window','$scope', function($window,$scope){
this.currentPage = $window.currentPage;
this.isPage = function(page){
return (page == this.currentPage);
};
}]);
function button1onClick(){
currentPage = 'Game';
}
HTML:
<div ng-controller="PageController">
<div id="Game" ng-show="page.isPage('Game')">
...
</div>
<div id="Menu" ng-show="page.isPage('Menu')">
...
</div>
</div>
(button1onClick was called when I clicked some button on the page)
The idea is that I have two dives I want to switch between, using a globle variable. 'Menu' page was visible at first but upon clicking I was supposed to see only the 'Game' div.
The variable inside the controller didn't upadte, but was only given the initial value of currentPage.
I decided to use the $window service inside the isPage function, but this didn't work either. Only when I called a function that tested the $window.currentPage variable, the pages switched - like I wanted:
JS:
var app = angular.module('someName', []);
var currentPage = 'Menu';
app.controller('PageController', ['$window','$scope', function($window,$scope){
this.isPage = function(page){
return (page == $window.currentPage);
};
this.button2onClick = function() {
$window.alert($window.currentPage);
}
}]);
function button1onClick(){
currentPage = 'Game';
}
HTML:
<button onclick="button1onClick()">CLICK ME</button> //Button 1
<div ng-controller="PageController">
<button ng-click="page.button2onClick">CLICK ME</button> //Button 2
<div id="Game" ng-show="page.isPage('Game')">
...
</div>
<div id="Menu" ng-show="page.isPage('Menu')">
...
</div>
</div>
So the only way I was able to update the pages is to call a function that tests the variable, thus updating the variable in AngularJS.
Is there a way to access a global variable without needing to test it to update it?
Am I doing something wrong? I don't want to convert my whole site to AngularJS-style, I like the code the way it is. Is AngularJS not the framework for me?
EDIT:
some things to clear out:
I'm new to AngularJS, so if you could explain what your answer does it would be great.
The whole reason why I do this instead of redirecting to another page is not to shut down socket.io 's connection

OP, take a look at UI Router.
var app = angular.module("app", ['ui.router']);
app.config(['$urlRouterProvider', '$stateProvider', function($urlRouterProvider, $stateProvider) {
$urlRouterProvider.otherwise('/main');
$stateProvider.state('main', {
controller: 'MainCtrl',
templateUrl: 'main.html',
url: '/main/'
}).state('game', {
controller: 'GameCtrl',
url: '/game/',
templateUrl: 'game.html'
});
}]);
HTML links:
<a ui-sref="main">Go to Main</a>
<a ui-sref="game">Go to Game</a>
View injection
<div ui-view="">
</div>

You should not use $window as a map object.
You should probably create a PageService:
angular.module('someName')
.factory('Page', [function(){
var currentPage = 'Menu';
return {
getPage: function() {
return currentPage;
},
isPage: function(page) {
return page === currentPage;
},
setPage: function(page) {
currentPage = page;
}
}
}]);
app.controller('PageController', ['Page','$scope', function(Page,$scope){
this.currentPage = Page.getPage();
this.isPage = Page.isPage;
this.button10Click = function(){
Page.setPage('Game');
}
}]);
HTML
<div class="button" ng-click="page.button10Click()">Game</div>

After reading malix's answer and KKKKKKKK's answer, and after researching a bit, I was able to solve my problem, and even write a better looking code.
To switch divs as I wanted in the example, I used ui-router, almost exactly the way KKKKKKKK did. The only difference is that I change state programmaticly - $state.go('menu')
To access global variables in other places in my code, I had to re-structure my whole code to fit AngularJS's structure, and used a Service, similarly to malix's answer:
app.factory('Data', function(){
var Data = {};
//DEFINE DATA
Data.stateChange = function(){};
Data.menuData = {};
Data.randomColors = ['#35cd96', '#6bcbef', '#E8E1DA', '#91ab01'];
/RETURN DATA
return Data;
});

It can be done using $rootScope. Variable initialize once can be accessible in other controllers.
function Ctrl1($scope, $rootScope) {
$rootScope.GlobalJSVariableA= window.GlobalJSVariable; }
Any controller & any view can access it now
function CtrlN($scope, $rootScope) {
$scope.GlobalJSVariableA= $rootScope.GlobalJSVariableA;
}

ng-else directive in angularjs

how can we create ngELSE directive as same as ngIF directive?
below code for ngIfDirective. Shall we customize the code for ngELSE?
var ngIfDirective = ['$animate', function($animate) {
return {
multiElement: true,
transclude: 'element',
priority: 600,
terminal: true,
restrict: 'A',
$$tlb: true,
link: function($scope, $element, $attr, ctrl, $transclude) {
var block, childScope, previousElements;
$scope.$watch($attr.ngIf, function ngIfWatchAction(value) {
if (value) {
if (!childScope) {
$transclude(function(clone, newScope) {
childScope = newScope;
clone[clone.length++] = document.createComment(' end ngIf: ' + $attr.ngIf + ' ');
// Note: We only need the first/last node of the cloned nodes.
// However, we need to keep the reference to the jqlite wrapper as it might be changed later
// by a directive with templateUrl when its template arrives.
block = {
clone: clone
};
$animate.enter(clone, $element.parent(), $element);
});
}
} else {
if (previousElements) {
previousElements.remove();
previousElements = null;
}
if (childScope) {
childScope.$destroy();
childScope = null;
}
if (block) {
previousElements = getBlockNodes(block.clone);
$animate.leave(previousElements).then(function() {
previousElements = null;
});
block = null;
}
}
});
}
};
}];

Normally we use like this
normal if-else
if(video == video.large){
<!-- code to render a large video block-->
}
else{
<!-- code to render the regular video block -->
}
AngularJS ng-if
<div ng-if="video == video.large">
<!-- code to render a large video block-->
</div>
<div ng-if="video != video.large">
<!-- code to render the regular video block -->
</div>
But if you are too specific that you want a directive like ng-if, ng-else-if, and ng-else then use ng-elif
Working Demo
<div ng-if="someCondition">
...
</div>
<p>
Some random junk in the middle.
</p>
<div ng-else-if="someOther && condition">
...
</div>
<div ng-else-if="moreConditions">
...
</div>
<div ng-else>
...
</div>

En else statement wouldn't make much sense on its own.
You can mimick an else statement in 2 ways with vanilla AngularJS
1. Simply use the negated check in a second ng-if
<div ng-if='myConditionIsTrue'></div>
<div ng-if='!myConditionIsTrue'></div>
2. use the ngSwitch directive
<div ng-switch="myCondition">
<div ng-switch-when="true"></div>
<div ng-switch-default></div>
</div>

Do this, its the reverse of ng-if. Simply saying ! (NOT) Value has the same effect as ng-else would. There are ng-else-if (called ng-elif) directives as well, if that's more what you're looking for.
<div ng-controller="myCtrl as ctrl">
<div ng-if="ctrl.isTrue">If</div>
<div ng-if="!ctrl.isTrue">If</div>
</div>
Though there is literally no point to creating an ng-else directive when you can simply negate the checked value in ng-if, you can modify the ng-if directive like so to achieve the exact same thing
$scope.$watch($attr.ngIf, function ngIfWatchAction(value) {
if (!value) { // add the ! here instead and name this new directive ngElse

In this it has explained how you could use the ng-else through ng-elif
Example:
<div ng-if="someTest" ng-then="theTestPassed">
Some things that assume that "someTest" is true.
</div>
<div ng-else="theTestPassed">
Some other things that assume that "someTest" is false.
</div>
http://zachsnow.com/#!/blog/2014/angularjs-ng-elif/
Also see this: http://plnkr.co/edit/XSPP3jZL8eehu9G750ME?p=preview

Scope variables not inherited to child controllers from state parent controller

I do this in Ionic Framework. It started in the home.html template with eventmenu.home state. The $scope.aaa variable is 10 and it shows that value correctly. However, in a child controller TestCtrl of that template, I cannot change the $scope.aaa value and gets it updated. What's wrong with my method as why aaa did not get increased? Is TestCtrl in a different scope than HomeCtrl although it should be the child of HomeCtrl, no?
CODE:
http://codepen.io/hawkphil/pen/xbmZGm
HTML:
<script id="templates/home.html" type="text/ng-template">
<ion-view view-title="Welcome" >
<ion-content class="padding" >
<p>Swipe to the right to reveal the left menu.</p>
<p>(On desktop click and drag from left to right)</p>
<p>{{ aaa }}</p>
<div ng-controller="TestCtrl">
<a ng-click="clickMe()" href="">Click Me</a>
</div>
</ion-content>
</ion-view>
</script>
JS:
.controller('HomeCtrl', function($scope) {
$scope.aaa = 10;
})
.controller('TestCtrl', function($scope) {
$scope.clickMe = function() {
$scope.aaa++;
}
})
p.s I am using the code from somebody so please ignore other stuffs.

This isn't an issue with Ionic, or with ui-router, or really even with Angular. It's just how javascript works.
You can see the same issues arise in plain Angular using ng-if. It has to do with how javascript inheritance works.
If the child scope doesn't have it's own aaa property it uses it's parent. But once you click the button, you make it's own property, one more than the parent's was. But now they are separate properties, the parent's aaa and the child's aaa.
Example
You can see a pure javascript example here...
Example. Click the Inc Parent as much as you like, both the parent and child displays are incremented. Clicking the Inc Child breaks the connection. Once the connection is broken you can "unhide" the parent value by deleting the child's property by clicking the Unhide button.
code
var obj = function () {}
obj.aaa = 10
obj.inc = function () {
this.aaa += 1;
};
var objB = function () {};
objB.__proto__ = obj; // Make objB a child of obj
objB.inc = function () {
this.aaa += 1;
};
objB.unhide = function () {
delete this.aaa;
};
var update = function () {
document.getElementById("p").textContent = obj.aaa;
document.getElementById("c").textContent = objB.aaa;
};
update();
html
<button onclick="obj.inc(); update();">Inc Parent</button>
<button onclick="objB.inc(); update();">Inc Child</button>
<button onclick="objB.unhide(); update();">Unhide</button>
<p>
Parent's value: <span id="p"></p>
</p>
<p>
Child's value: <span id="c"></p>
</p>

Every controller has its own $scope object. Child controllers can access their parents using $parent:
.controller('TestCtrl', function($scope) {
$scope.clickMe = function() {
$scope.$parent.aaa++;
}
})
codepen

Is it possible to reference Angular custom directive inside itself?

Looking to implement folder hierarchy in Angular:
I'm implementing this via custom directive that references itself inside its template.
Currently it's going into infinite loop with this setup:
<!-- index.html -->
<subfolders folder="default_folder"></subfolders>
This is the <subfolders> directive:
//subfoldersDirective.js
angular.module('app').directive('subfolders', subfolders);
function subfolders() {
var directive = {
restrict: 'AE',
scope: {
folder: '=',
},
templateUrl: '/pathto/subfoldersDirective.html',
controller: DirCtrl,
controllerAs: 'vm'
};
return directive;
function DirCtrl($scope) {
var vm = this;
vm.folder = $scope.folder;
}
}
and its template:
<!-- folderDirective.html -->
<div ng-repeat="folder in vm.folder.subfolders">
{{ folder.name }}
<button ng-click="folder.is_open = true">Open folder</button>
<div ng-if="folder.is_open">
<!-- This is the problem line -->
<subfolders folder="folder"></subfolders>
</div>
</div>
In the template, <subfolders> should only get rendered after the button is clicked which triggers ng-if="folder.is_open". I guess Angular does not know this when it compiles the directive. It goes into infinite loop, even though it technically should not.
Is there a way to make it work with the directive? The logic is a bit more complex in the real app, this is why I'm looking to make it work with the directive.
I'm currently using Angular 1.2.26.

You can do this, but you need to override the compile behavior of the directive. You need to remove contents of the directive element during the compilation step, and then compile and reattach it during the post-link step. I have used the compile function below with great success:
function compile(element) {
var contents = element.contents().remove();
var contentsLinker;
return function (scope, iElement) {
if (angular.isUndefined(contentsLinker)) {
contentsLinker = $compile(contents);
}
contentsLinker(scope, function (clonedElement) {
iElement.append(clonedElement);
});
};
}
I based this function on this post, which is probably more comprehensive if you need a pre-link function.

AngularJS: Trying to programatically add directives to a view

Here is my plunk: http://plnkr.co/edit/BGD0n6gmDM3kv5akIn4l?p=info
I am trying to make a view factory of sort. Ideally my controller will place a config object into scope that the view will use to render the page. It will be used to build navigation and content. I am stuck while trying to dynamically pass directives/partial view references from this object.
Here is a isolated object from the config in my controller:
$scope.partials = [
{
name: 'Well',
method: 'showWell()',
isVisible: false,
template: '<container-well></container-well>'
}
];
The focus of this question would be the template property. I built directives to function as partial views here.
Here is an example of one of my directives:
myApp.directive('containerWell', function() {
return {
restrict: 'E',
replace: false,
templateUrl: 'containers/well.html',
scope: {}
}
});
And here is the well.html template file:
<div>
<h2 class="special">Well Types</h2>
<div class="well well-cc">
<p>Closed Well</p>
<p>CSS: .well.well-cc</p>
</div>
<div class="well well-cc open">
<p>Open Well</p>
<p>CSS: .well.well-cc.open</p>
</div>
<h3 class="alt">Wells can have different highlights applied with css classes</h3>
<div class="well well-cc highlight-warning">
<p>CSS: .well.well-cc.highlight-warning</p>
</div>
</div>
Here is the code in my view that I am failing with:
<div ng-repeat="partial in partials" ng-bind-html-unsafe="{{partial.template}}"></div>
The generated markup looks like this:
<div class="ng-scope" ng-bind-html-unsafe="<container-well></container-well>" ng-repeat="partial in partials"></div>
Its just basically adding the string tag to the attribute instead of the directive.
Basically, I would like to be able to programatically add directives to my view. I am not sure if what I am trying to do is even possible. I am not confident that passing the string equivalent of the directive is the way to go. I would love some suggestions or even some stern correction if I am being ridiculous; well not too stern, maybe something constructive ;)
Here is my plunk: http://plnkr.co/edit/BGD0n6gmDM3kv5akIn4l?p=info
Thanks,
Jordan

You have to $compile the dynamic template. See the example in the docs. I forked your plunk to demonstrate the case:
http://plnkr.co/edit/WBT9FbZmvp0Xj0LAAPzk?p=preview
The points are:
ng-bind-html-unsafe is unsuitable for this usage.
Create another directive to compile the dynamic template, just as in the example:
Compilation is actually quite easy:
MyApp.directive("myDir", function($compile) {
return {
link: function(scope, elem, attrs) {
scope.$watch(
function(scope) {
return scope.$eval(attrs.myDir);
},
function(value) {
var e = $compile(value)(scope);
elem.contents().remove();
elem.append(e);
}
);
}
};
});
Use it as:
<div ng-repeat="partial in partials">
<div my-dir="partial.template"></div>
</div>