Develop Reference

What is the point of controller.$viewValue/controller.$modelValue?

I'm unclear what the relation is between scope.ngModel and controller.$viewValue/controller.$modelValue/controller.$setViewValue() is, and specifically, what the point of the latter three is. For example, see this jsfiddle:
<input type="text" ng-model="foo" my-directive>
and:
myApp.directive('myDirective', function($timeout) {
return {
require: 'ngModel',
restrict: 'A',
scope: { ngModel: '=' },
link: function (scope, element, attrs, controller) {
function log() {
console.log(scope.ngModel);
console.log(controller.$viewValue);
console.log(controller.$modelValue);
}
log();
controller.$setViewValue("boorb");
log();
scope.$watch('ngModel', function (val) {
console.log("val is now", val);
});
$timeout(function () {
log();
}, 2000);
}
}
});
With the controller being:
function MyCtrl($scope, $timeout) {
$scope.foo = 'ahha';
$timeout(function () {
$scope.foo = "good";
}, 1000);
}
The output is:
(index):45 ahha
(index):46 NaN
(index):47 NaN
(index):45 ahha
(index):46 boorb
(index):47 boorb
(index):53 val is now ahha
(index):53 val is now good
(index):45 good
(index):46 boorb
(index):47 boorb
controller.$viewValue did not start out as the value of the foo variable. Further, controller.$setViewValue("boorb") didn't influence scope.ngModel at all, nor was the update reflected in the HTML. Thus it seems there is no relation between scope.ngModel and controller.$viewValue. It seems that with anything I'd want to do, I would just use scope.ngModel, and watch those values. What is ever the point of using controller.$viewValue and controller.$modelValue or keeping them up to date with scope.ngModel?

scope: { ngModel: '=' }, creates an isolated scope for the directive, which means that changes to foo in the directive will no longer be reflected in the parent scope of MyCtrl.
Also, changes made by $setViewValue() will not get reflected in the DOM until controller.$render() is called, which tells Angular to update the DOM in the next digest cycle.
But to answer the question, NgModelController and its methods are really only necessary if you need to create some extra-special-custom-fancy data-binding directives. For normal data input and validation, you shouldn't ever need to use it. From the documentation (emphasis mine):
[NgModelController] contains services for data-binding, validation, CSS updates, and value formatting and parsing. It purposefully does not contain any logic which deals with DOM rendering or listening to DOM events. Such DOM related logic should be provided by other directives which make use of NgModelController for data-binding to control elements. Angular provides this DOM logic for most input elements.

The confusion here is coming from sticking a directive onto an existing directive, namely ngInput.
Instead, consider a fresh directive:
<my-directive ng-model="ugh">Sup</my-directive>
With:
$rootScope.ugh = 40;
And:
.directive('myDirective', function () {
return {
require: "ngModel",
// element-only directive
restrict: "E",
// template turns the directive into one input tag
// 'inner' is on the scope of the *directive*
template: "<input type='text' ng-model='inner'/>",
// the directive will have its own isolated scope
scope: { },
link: function (scope, element, attrs, ngModelCtrl) {
// formatter goes from modelValue (i.e. $rootScope.ugh) to
// view value (in this case, the string of twice the model
// value + '-'
ngModelCtrl.$formatters.push(function (modelValue) {
return ('' + (modelValue * 2)) + '-';
});
// render does what is necessary to display the view value
// in this case, sets the scope.inner so that the inner
// <input> can render it
ngModelCtrl.$render = function () {
scope.inner = ngModelCtrl.$viewValue;
};
// changes on the inner should trigger changes in the view value
scope.$watch('inner', function (newValue) {
ngModelCtrl.$setViewValue(newValue);
});
// when the view value changes, it gets parsed back into a model
// value via the parsers, which then sets the $modelValue, which
// then sets the underlying model ($rootScope.ugh)
ngModelCtrl.$parsers.push(function (viewValue) {
var sub = viewValue.substr(0, viewValue.length-1);
return parseInt(sub)/2;
});
}
};
})
Try it on Plunker.
Note that typeof ugh stays "number", even though the directive's view value is of a different type.

Angular directives settings pattern

I'm looking for a good design pattern to provide angular directives render acording to some global specified parametrs.
For example, I have some factory called "Settings", that holds the value "directiveColor: red".
When i do the link in my directive, I ask the Settings about my directiveColor value. Everything is working fine - I got red and put element on the page. But I have hundreds of this elements on the page, and every directive before render ask for settings... I think it's not very good way.
What will you recomend?
UPD
factory
app.factory('Settings', function() {
var data = {
//...
directiveColor: red //set by user
}
//...
GetSettings : function () {return data}
}
directve
app.directive('wdMyDirective', ['Settings', function(Settings) {
return {
restrict: 'E',
link: function(scope, elem, attr) {
scope.data = {
//...
color: Settings.GetSettings().directiveColor
};
};
}]);
//later "color" used in template through the scope
That's how it works for now (works fine). But every time, when I render directive (many many times on the page, ngRepeat for table data), my directive ask for Settings to choose its color. I think, it is not good. Or maybe not?

There are two considerations here. First, you are right that it is not optimal, and directive actually provides a way to do that call once, read about Compile-PreLink-PostLink in angular directives. Basically you want this call in Compile step if it is the same for all directives in your app.
Second consideration is that Settings.GetSettings().directiveColor will give really really small overhead if GetSettings() returns just an object that you only create once ( and that is what happened as angular factories are singletons )
In your case you can do
app.factory('Settings', function() {
var data = {
directiveColor: 'red' //set by user
}
return {
GetSettings : function () {return data}
}
})
app.directive('wdMyDirective', ['Settings', function(Settings) {
return {
restrict: 'E',
compile: function(elem, attrs) {
var color = Settings.GetSettings().directiveColor
return function postLink(scope, elem, attr) {
scope.data = {
color: color
};
}
}
}
}])
instead of declaring link property on directive.

passing defined object to another custom directive angularjs

so I have this custom directives that you could see below.
myApp.directive('myDirective', function (testService) {
return {
restrict:'EA',
link:function (scope, element, attr) {
//defined the object
var object = new object();
testService.setObject(object);
}
}
});
myApp.directive('mySecondDirective', function (testService) {
return {
restrict:'EA',
link:function (scope, element, attr) {
//call the variable from previous custom directive
console.log(testService.getobject()); -> always return undefined
}
}
});
and this is the html structure where I used the directives above.
<my-directive></my-directive>
<my-second-directive></my-second-directive>
there I want to retreive the object that contains new object() from previous custom directive, but it always return an undefined I wonder how could I do this without using require nor isolated scope as well.. could you guys help me ?
UPDATE
I create a service to provide the facility to set and retreive the object and apparently it returned undefined because I set the custom direcitve this way
<my-second-directive></my-second-directive>
<my-directive></my-directive>
and this is the service
define(
['services/services'],
function(services)
{
'use strict';
services.factory('testService', [function() {
var me = this;
var testObject = '';
return {
setObject: function(object) {
me.testObject = object;
},
getObject: function() {
return me.testObject;
}
}
}
]);
}
);
the thing is that I actually set the html markup like I already mentioned above which is
<my-second-directive></my-second-directive>
<my-directive></my-directive>
so could you give me some advice on how should I do this ?
note* that the passing object actually worked I prefer using services because it will easy to mantain latter. The question is how do I make the object accessible from another directive even though the initiate install of the object (set the object) in the directive that I defined at the html markup, as the last position of the html it self ?
UPDATE this is the PLUNKER that I've been made for you to understand the question it self

You could achieve this by firing a custom event and then listening for it in the second directive. Here's an updated plunker: http://plnkr.co/edit/512gi6mfepyc04JKfiep?p=info
Broadcast the event from the first directive:
app.directive('myDirective', function(testService) {
return {
restrict: 'EA',
link: function(scope, elm, attr) {
var object = {};
testService.setObject(object);
console.log('setting object');
scope.$broadcast('objectSet');
}
}
});
... and then listen for it on the second:
app.directive('mySecondDirective', function(testService) {
return {
restrict: 'EA',
link: function(scope, elm, attr) {
scope.$on('objectSet', function(){
console.log('retrieving object', testService.getObject());
})
}
}
});
You could also pass data along with the event, if you wanted to emit a specific piece of data to be picked up by the second directive.

1). Scope. Since you don't want to use controllers and isolated scope, then you can simply set this object as scope property.
myApp.directive('myDirective', function() {
return {
restrict: 'EA',
link: function(scope, element, attr) {
var object = {};
object.test = 21;
// set object as scope property
scope.object = object;
}
}
});
myApp.directive('mySecondDirective', function() {
return {
priority: 1, // priority is important here
restrict: 'EA',
link: function(scope, element, attr) {
console.log('Retrieve: ', scope.object);
}
}
});
Just make sure you are also defining priority on the second directive (only if both directive a applied to the same element) to make sure it's evaluated in proper turn (should be bigger then the one of myDirective, if omitted it's 0).
2). Service. Another simple solution is to use service. You can inject custom service into both directives and use it storage for you shared object.

Expanding from what #gmartellino said.
Anything that you wanted to do after listening to the event in second directive, can have a callBack method and use it.
app.directive('mySecondDirective', function(testService) {
return {
restrict: 'EA',
link: function(scope, elm, attr) {
// what if I created like this ?
// define the test variable
var test;
scope.$on('objectSet', function(){
//set the variable
test = testService.getObject();
console.log('retrieving object : ', testService.getObject());
//Anything that you wanted to do
//after listening to the event
//Write a callBack method and call it
codeToExecuteAsCallBack();
})
//then use this method to make a call back from the event
//and outside the event too.
var codeToExecuteAsCallBack = function(){
console.log(test);
}
codeToExecuteAsCallBack();
}
}
});
Updated plnkr link

Manually applying the ngModel directive

My directive needs to use ngModel.
I need to do this dynamically from within another directive as I want to do some funky stuff with scopes and abstract this away from the person writing the HTML.
My first thought was to use the $set function provided by the attrs argument in the link function, that works to modify the HTML but the directive itself does not get compiled. We can then combine this with the $compile provider, and it works.
attrs.$set('ngModel', someVar);
$compile(element)(scope);
The problem is that this creates infinite recursion if I do not (and I can not) replace the elements tag as the directive gets reapplied and recompiled indefinitely.
However I can fiddle with the priorities and get that to work:
module.directive('input', [
'$compile',
function($compile) {
return {
restrict: 'E',
scope: {},
priority: 100, // Set this high enough to perform other directives
terminal: true, // Make sure this is the last directive parsed
link: function(scope, element, attrs) {
var key = 'example';
attrs.$set('ngModel', key);
$compile(element, null, 100)(scope);
}
};
}
]);
This works fine, but it just feels wrong:
I now have to ensure that all other directives on the element are
capable of being recompiled as they will all get compiled twice.
I have to make sure that nobody uses a higher priority.
So this got me thinking why can't I just inject the ngModelDirective and force compile it against my element?
module.directive('input', [
'ngModelDirective',
function(ngModel) {
return {
restrict: 'E',
scope: {},
priority: 100, // Set this high enough to perform other directives
terminal: true, // Make sure this is the last directive parsed
require: '?^form',
link: function(scope, element, attrs, formCtrl) {
var key = 'example';
attrs.$set('ngModel', key);
var ngModelFactory = ngModel[0];
var ngModelLink = ngModelFactory.compile(element);
ngModelLink.call(this, scope, element, attrs, [ngModelFactory.controller, formCtrl]);
}
};
}
]);
See: https://github.com/angular/angular.js/blob/v1.2.x/src/ng/directive/input.js#L1356
No errors thrown, but nothing happens. It seems this isn't enough to hook it up, so my question is can anyone elaborate on to what I need to do link the ngModelDirective to my custom directive without forcing a recompile?

ngModel seems a bad fit for what you are trying to do. But you don't need it anyway. You can two-way-bind some variable and pass the name into the model directive scope:
app.directive("myDirective", function() {
// ...
scope: {
myModel = "=",
modelName = "myModel"
// ...
}
// ...
});
app.directive("ngModelDirective", function() {
// ...
// ...
transclude: true,
link: function(scope, element, attrs) {
var modelName = scope.modelName;
console.assert(modelName, '`modelName` must be set when using `ngModelDirective`.');
// TODO: Check if `scope[modelName]` is actually bound
doSomethingFancyWith(scope, modelName);
}
});
Template example:
<myDirective ngModelDirective my-model="..." />
Note that doSomethingFancyWith can read and write the model variable, with bindings to the outside world.

I don't think it is possible without a re-compile.
The ngModel is designed to be a kind of collaborator between other directives in the same element and also parent form diretives. For example, during complilation:
other directives (e.g. input, required or ng-change) may add its own $parser or $formatter to ngModel.
ngModel will add itself to a parent form directive if exists.
Therefore, if the ngModel is somehow added after the complication process is ended already, the above two actions will be missing.
Edit: In case the value to be assigned to ng-model attribute is known at the compile time, it is possible and will be something like this:
app.directive('myNgModel', function($compile) {
return {
restrict: 'A',
replace: false,
priority: 1000,
terminal: true, // these terminal and priority will stop all other directive from being compiled.
link: function (scope, element, attrs) {
var key = 'example';
attrs.$set('ngModel', key);
attrs.$set('myNgModel', null); // remove itself to avoid a recusion
$compile(element)(scope); // start compiling other directives
}
};
});
Here is the plunker with example: http://plnkr.co/edit/S2ZkiVIyq2bOK04vAnFO?p=preview

I've managed to do it. It's not the prettiest thing but it works and I can hook up my input directive to work using the native inputDirective so that it can use things like require or validate specific input types.
To build this against another standard directive that implements specific ngModel functionality such as ngChange just replace the injected inputDirective with the correct directive e.g., ngChangeDirective.
module.directive('input', function() {
return {
restrict: 'E',
scope: {},
require: '?ngModel',
priority: -1,
link: function(scope, element, attrs, ngModel) {
var key = 'example.property';
if (ngModel === undefined) {
attrs.$set('ngModel', key);
angular.injector(['ng']).invoke([
'inputDirective',
'ngModelDirective',
'$controller',
'$exceptionHandler',
'$parse',
'$animate',
function(inputDirective, ngModelDirective, $controller, $exceptionHandler, $parse, $animate) {
var ngModelFactory = ngModelDirective[0];
var ngModelLink = ngModelFactory.compile(scope); // Get the ngModel linkage function against this scope
ngModel = $controller(ngModelFactory.controller, {
$scope: scope,
$exceptionHandler: $exceptionHandler,
$attrs: attrs,
$element: element,
$parse: $parse,
$animate: $animate
}); // Call the ngModel controller and bootstrap it's arguments
// Call the inputDirective linkage function to set up the ngModel against this input
inputDirective[0].link(scope, element, attrs, ngModel);
element.data('$ngModelController', ngModel); // Allow additional directives to require ngModel on this element.
}
]);
}
}
};
});
NOTE: This will not work for ngOptions as it specifies terminal: true.

Callback function inside directive attr defined in different attr

So I have this directive called say, mySave, it's pretty much just this
app.directive('mySave', function($http) {
return function(scope, element, attrs) {
element.bind("click", function() {
$http.post('/save', scope.data).success(returnedData) {
// callback defined on my utils service here
// user defined callback here, from my-save-callback perhaps?
}
});
}
});
the element itself looks like this
<button my-save my-save-callback="callbackFunctionInController()">save</button>
callbackFunctionInController is for now just
$scope.callbackFunctionInController = function() {
alert("callback");
}
when I console.log() attrs.mySaveCallback inside my-save directive, it just gives me a string callbackFunctionInController(), I read somewhere that I should $parse this and it would be fine, so I tried to $parse(attrs.mySaveCallback) which gave me back some function, but hardly the one I was looking for, it gave me back
function (a,b){return m(a,b)}
What am I doing wrong? Is this approach flawed from the beginning?

So what seems like the best way is using the isolated scope as suggested by ProLoser
app.directive('mySave', function($http) {
return {
scope: {
callback: '&mySaveCallback'
}
link: function(scope, element, attrs) {
element.on("click", function() {
$http.post('/save', scope.$parent.data).success(returnedData) {
// callback defined on my utils service here
scope.callback(); // fires alert
}
});
}
}
});
For passing parameters back to controller do this
[11:28] <revolunet> you have to send named parameters
[11:28] <revolunet> eg my-attr="callback(a, b)"
[11:29] <revolunet> in the directive: scope.callback({a:xxx, b:yyy})

There are a lot of ways to go about what you're doing. The FIRST thing you should know is that the $http.post() is going to be called as soon as that DOM element is rendered out by the template engine, and that's it. If you put it inside a repeat, the call will be done for each new item in the repeater, so my guess is this is definitely not what you want. And if it is then you really aren't designing things correctly because the existence of DOM alone should not dictate queries to the backend.
Anyway, directly answering your question; if you read the albeit crappy docs on $parse, it returns you an evaluation expression. When you execute this function by passing the scope to evaluate on, the current state of that expression on the scope you passed will be returned, this means your function will be executed.
var expression = $parse(attrs.mySave);
results = expression($scope); // call on demand when needed
expression.assign($scope, 'newValu'); // the major reason to leverage $parse, setting vals
Yes, it's a little confusing at first, but you must understand that a $scope changes constantly in asynchronous apps and it's all about WHEN you want the value determined, not just how. $parse is more useful for a reference to a model that you want to be able to assign a value to, not just read from.
Of course, you may want to read up on creating an isolate scope or on how to $eval() an expression.
$scope.$eval(attrs.mySave);

You can use .$eval to execute a statement in the given scope
app.directive('mySave', function($http) {
return function(scope, element, attrs) {
$http.post('/save', scope.data).success(returnedData) {
// callback defined on my utils service here
// user defined callback here, from my-save-callback perhaps?
scope.$eval(attrs.mySaveCallback)
}
}
});
TD: Demo
If you want to share data between a directive and a controller you can use the two way binding
app.controller('AppController', function ($scope) {
$scope.callbackFunctionInController = function() {
console.log('do something')
};
$scope.$watch('somedata', function(data) {
console.log('controller', data);
}, true);
});
app.directive('mySave', function($http, $parse) {
return {
scope: {
data: '=mySaveData',
callback: '&mySaveCallback' //the callback
},
link: function(scope, element, attrs) {
$http.get('data.json').success(function(data) {
console.log('data', data);
scope.data = data;
scope.callback(); //calling callback, this may not be required
});
}
};
});
Demo: Fiddle

scope: {
callback: '&mySaveCallback'
}
Setting the scope explicitly could be a good solution but if you want the reach other parts of the original scope you can't because you have just overwritten it. For some reason, I needed to reach other parts of the scope too so I used the same implementation as ng-click do.
The use of my directive in HTML:
<div my-data-table my-source="dataSource" refresh="refresh(data)">
Inside the directive (without setting the scope explicitly):
var refreshHandler = $parse(attrs.refresh);
scope.$apply(function () {
refreshHandler( {data : conditions}, scope, { $event: event });
});
With this I can call the function in controller and pass parameters to it.
In the controller:
$scope.refresh= function(data){
console.log(data);
}
And it prints the conditions correctly out.

This worked for me
Inside the view script
<tag mycallbackattrib="scopemethod">
Inside the directive
$scope[attrs.mycallbackattrib](params....);
It is correctly called and params are passed, but maybe is not a best 'angular way' to work.

You should be using ng-click instead of creating your own directive.

app.directive('mySave', function($http, $parse) {
return {
scope: {
data: '=mySaveData',
callback: '&' //the callback
},
link: function(scope, element, attrs) {
$http.get('data.json').success(function(data) {
console.log('data', data);
if (scope.callback()) scope.callback().apply(data);
});
}
};
});