Is there a way to trigger a function in an AngularJS controller from a Backbone controller?

Question

Is there a way to trigger a function in an AngularJS controller from a Backbone controller?

I've been working on an application that was originally developed using backbone and jQuery, but we had to incorporate new modules built with angular to meet client requirements. Routing in the application is handled by backbone route, and we have successfully integrated the angular modules.

However, I am facing a challenge where I need to access the current instance of a module in angular and execute a function from the controller of that module based on actions handled by a backbone controller.

Below is an example of how the angular module and controller are structured:

//chat.module.js
( function () {
angular
    .module( 'chat.module', [] );
})();

//chat.controller.js
(function () {
angular
        .module('chat.module')
        .controller('chat.controller', ['profileFactory', '$filter', '$q', '$timeout', 'Position', 'Chat', chat]);

function chat(profileFactory, $filter,  $q, $timeout, Position, Chat) {
    var vm = this;
    vm.initChatFlag = false;

    vm.initChat = initChat;
    vm.setInformation = setInformation;


    function setInformation() {
        //handle business logic here
    }

    ...

In backbone, the module can be created as shown below:

        chatmodule: function () {
        var self = this;
        var element = angular.element(document.querySelector('#modalCallback'));
        var chat = angular.element(document.querySelector('#chatModule'));
        var isInitializedChat = chat.injector();

        var isInitialized = element.injector();
        if (!isInitialized) {
            angular.bootstrap($('#modalCallback'), ['app']);
        }
        if (!isInitializedChat) {
            angular.bootstrap($('#chatModule'), ['app']);
        }

        //TODO: chat.controller.setInformation() get access to fields like chat.controller.initChatFlag etc

The main app module is defined as follows:

    (function(){
    angular
        .module('app',[
            'callback',
            'ui.bootstrap',
            '720kb.datepicker',
            'ngLocale',
            'directives.module',
            'interceptor',
            'directive.loading',
            'angularUtils.directives.dirPagination',
            'blog.module',
            'profile.module',
            'filters.module',
            'chat.module',
            'ui.toggle',
        ]);
})();

javascript angularjs backbone.js

Answer 1

Answer №1

The AngularJS $injector plays a crucial role in performing magic within the codebase. By exposing it outside of AngularJS, you can connect it with non-AngularJS elements as demonstrated below:

//Defining a basic AngularJS service:
app.service('myService', function() {
  this.message = "This is my default message.";
});

//Making the injector accessible externally from the angular app.
app.run(function($injector, $window) {
  $window.angularInjector = $injector;
});

//Utilizing the injector to retrieve the service.
function nonAngularEventHandler() {
  angularInjector.invoke(function(myService, $rootScope) {    
    $rootScope.$apply(function() {
      myService.message = "Now this is my message."
    });
  });
}

Edit: Alternatively, simplify the process by following this approach.

//Instead of directly exposing the $injector, wrap it within a function
//that includes the $apply() functionality.
app.run(function($injector, $window, $rootScope) {

  $window.callInMyAngularApp = function(func) {
    $rootScope.$apply(function() {
      $injector.invoke(func);
    });
  }

});

//Call the function using an injectable function like shown below.
function nonAngularClick() {
  callInMyAngularApp(function(myService) {    
      myService.message = "Now this is my message."
  });
}

//For minification purposes, use the minify-safe version of the injectable function as depicted here
function nonAngularClick() {
  callInMyAngularApp(['myService', function(myService) {    
      myService.message = "Now this is my message."
  }]);
}

Update: (last one I promise!) While the previous methods work fine, it's recommended to expose a specific API instead of a generic injectable interface. Consider the following implementation.

//Introducing a limited API within a service
app.service("myExternalApi", function($rootScope, myService) {
  this.changeMyMessage = function(message) {
    $rootScope.$apply(function() {
      myService.message = message;
    });
  };
});

//Exposing the defined API
app.run(function($window, myExternalApi) {
  $window.myExternalApi = myExternalApi;
});

//Executing a cleaner external call from outside of angular.
function nonAngularClick() {
  myExternalApi.changeMyMessage("Now this is my message.");
}

Answer 2

The AngularJS $injector plays a crucial role in performing magic within the codebase. By exposing it outside of AngularJS, you can connect it with non-AngularJS elements as demonstrated below:

//Defining a basic AngularJS service:
app.service('myService', function() {
  this.message = "This is my default message.";
});

//Making the injector accessible externally from the angular app.
app.run(function($injector, $window) {
  $window.angularInjector = $injector;
});

//Utilizing the injector to retrieve the service.
function nonAngularEventHandler() {
  angularInjector.invoke(function(myService, $rootScope) {    
    $rootScope.$apply(function() {
      myService.message = "Now this is my message."
    });
  });
}

Edit: Alternatively, simplify the process by following this approach.

//Instead of directly exposing the $injector, wrap it within a function
//that includes the $apply() functionality.
app.run(function($injector, $window, $rootScope) {

  $window.callInMyAngularApp = function(func) {
    $rootScope.$apply(function() {
      $injector.invoke(func);
    });
  }

});

//Call the function using an injectable function like shown below.
function nonAngularClick() {
  callInMyAngularApp(function(myService) {    
      myService.message = "Now this is my message."
  });
}

//For minification purposes, use the minify-safe version of the injectable function as depicted here
function nonAngularClick() {
  callInMyAngularApp(['myService', function(myService) {    
      myService.message = "Now this is my message."
  }]);
}

Update: (last one I promise!) While the previous methods work fine, it's recommended to expose a specific API instead of a generic injectable interface. Consider the following implementation.

//Introducing a limited API within a service
app.service("myExternalApi", function($rootScope, myService) {
  this.changeMyMessage = function(message) {
    $rootScope.$apply(function() {
      myService.message = message;
    });
  };
});

//Exposing the defined API
app.run(function($window, myExternalApi) {
  $window.myExternalApi = myExternalApi;
});

//Executing a cleaner external call from outside of angular.
function nonAngularClick() {
  myExternalApi.changeMyMessage("Now this is my message.");
}

Answer 3

Answer №2

I managed to gain entry into the controller by following the guidance provided in this post -

    var Chat = angular.element(document.querySelector('#chatModule')).scope();

    if(!Chat) return;

    if(Chat.chatCtrl.initChatFlag) {
        Chat.chatCtrl.setInformation();
    }else{
        console.log('Chat has not been initialized');
    }

Answer 4

I managed to gain entry into the controller by following the guidance provided in this post -

    var Chat = angular.element(document.querySelector('#chatModule')).scope();

    if(!Chat) return;

    if(Chat.chatCtrl.initChatFlag) {
        Chat.chatCtrl.setInformation();
    }else{
        console.log('Chat has not been initialized');
    }

Is there a way to trigger a function in an AngularJS controller from a Backbone controller?

Answer №1

Answer №2

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