139

I'm trying to see if there's a simple way to access the internal scope of a controller through an external javascript function (completely irrelevant to the target controller)

I've seen on a couple of other questions here that

angular.element("#scope").scope();

would retrieve the scope from a DOM element, but my attempts are currently yielding no proper results.

Here's the jsfiddle: http://jsfiddle.net/sXkjc/5/

I'm currently going through a transition from plain JS to Angular. The main reason I'm trying to achieve this is to keep my original library code intact as much as possible; saving the need for me to add each function to the controller.

Any ideas on how I could go about achieving this? Comments on the above fiddle are also welcome.

2

12 Answers 12

232

You need to use $scope.$apply() if you want to make any changes to a scope value from outside the control of angularjs like a jquery/javascript event handler.

function change() {
    alert("a");
    var scope = angular.element($("#outer")).scope();
    scope.$apply(function(){
        scope.msg = 'Superhero';
    })
}

Demo: Fiddle

11
  • 2
    @dk123 angular.element("#scope") is not working, though angular.element($("#scope")) is working, you need to have jquery also Commented Mar 15, 2013 at 5:11
  • 1
    I know it been a while, but I hope some can answer me on this ... Why does var scope = angular.element($("#outer")).scope(); have to be declared inside the change function? If I move it to the global space it's a no go?
    – Marc M.
    Commented Nov 6, 2013 at 9:47
  • 1
    @MarcM. I think it has to do with Angular's scope recreation. By the time you're using the change function, the previous scope the global var was pointing to may no longer exist (due to the recreation).
    – dk123
    Commented Dec 14, 2013 at 3:43
  • 1
    angular.element($("div[ng-controller='myCtrl']")).scope(); is better than additional #outer in div element, i guess
    – wyverny
    Commented Mar 21, 2016 at 6:21
  • 1
    scope() gets undefined when we do: $compileProvider.debugInfoEnabled(false); in angular. So how can we make it work with debuginfoEnabled false?
    – Agnosco
    Commented May 24, 2016 at 16:42
26

It's been a while since I posted this question, but considering the views this still seems to get, here's another solution I've come upon during these last few months:

$scope.safeApply = function( fn ) {
    var phase = this.$root.$$phase;
    if(phase == '$apply' || phase == '$digest') {
        if(fn) {
            fn();
        }
    } else {
        this.$apply(fn);
    }
};

The above code basically creates a function called safeApply that calles the $apply function (as stated in Arun's answer) if and only Angular currently isn't going through the $digest stage. On the other hand, if Angular is currently digesting things, it will just execute the function as it is, since that will be enough to signal to Angular to make the changes.

Numerous errors occur when trying to use the $apply function while AngularJs is currently in its $digest stage. The safeApply code above is a safe wrapper to prevent such errors.

(note: I personally like to chuck in safeApply as a function of $rootScope for convenience purposes)

Example:

function change() {
    alert("a");
    var scope = angular.element($("#outer")).scope();
    scope.safeApply(function(){
        scope.msg = 'Superhero';
    })
}

Demo: http://jsfiddle.net/sXkjc/227/

6
  • 1
    Why does your safeApply function work? Seems like what you are saying is "execute the function by itself if Angular is in the $apply or $digest stages, otherwise use $apply() to apply the function".... But if you execute the function by itself.... how does that update any models? Seems like that would not be favorable behavior, unless there something going on I don't know about. Does some mechanism in Angular go an poll the $scope for changes that may have happened directly to it???
    – trusktr
    Commented Mar 26, 2014 at 5:37
  • Plus, if you need to safeguard against those states, then I'd consider that a bug of the $apply() method that needs to be fixed.
    – trusktr
    Commented Mar 26, 2014 at 5:37
  • @trusktr From what I understand, executing the function normally is caught by angular if the function changes any models, and hence angular updates them in the next digest stage.
    – dk123
    Commented Mar 27, 2014 at 0:54
  • @trusktr I'd agree though that if the normal $apply() can be applied without the safeguards, there would be nothing better. In essence, the only purpose of safeApply is to safeguard against the $apply() errors. Not sure though if this was a reported issue and now fixed, or still an ongoing one.
    – dk123
    Commented Mar 27, 2014 at 0:56
  • 1
    Just because I stumbled over it: github.com/angular/angular.js/wiki/When-to-use-$scope.$apply(). _If you are doing if (!$scope.$$phase) $scope.$apply() it's because you are not high enough in the call stack._
    – scheffield
    Commented Sep 29, 2014 at 14:44
18

Another way to do that is:

var extScope;
var app = angular.module('myApp', []);
app.controller('myController',function($scope, $http){
    extScope = $scope;
})
//below you do what you want to do with $scope as extScope
extScope.$apply(function(){
    extScope.test = 'Hello world';
})
1
  • 1
    I still don't understand why this comment isn't the best answer for this. After digging the internet for couple of days, with frustration and anger, finally this is what solved my issue. Thank you @Charleston. You are great, sir!
    – Rajkumar
    Commented Aug 24, 2016 at 4:44
13

we can call it after loaded

http://jsfiddle.net/gentletech/s3qtv/3/

<div id="wrap" ng-controller="Ctrl">
    {{message}}<br>
    {{info}}
    </div>
    <a  onClick="hi()">click me </a>

    function Ctrl($scope) {
        $scope.message = "hi robi";
        $scope.updateMessage = function(_s){
            $scope.message = _s;    
        };
    }

function hi(){
    var scope = angular.element(document.getElementById("wrap")).scope();
        scope.$apply(function() {
        scope.info = "nami";
        scope.updateMessage("i am new fans like nami");
    });
}
8

It's been a long time since I asked this question, but here's an answer that doesn't require jquery:

function change() {
    var scope = angular.element(document.querySelector('#outside')).scope();
    scope.$apply(function(){
        scope.msg = 'Superhero';
    })
}
3

Here's a reusable solution: http://jsfiddle.net/flobar/r28b0gmq/

function accessScope(node, func) {
    var scope = angular.element(document.querySelector(node)).scope();
    scope.$apply(func);
}

window.onload = function () {

    accessScope('#outer', function (scope) {
        // change any property inside the scope
        scope.name = 'John';
        scope.sname = 'Doe';
        scope.msg = 'Superhero';
    });

};
2

You can also try:

function change() {
    var scope = angular.element( document.getElementById('outer') ).scope();
    scope.$apply(function(){
        scope.msg = 'Superhero';
    })
}
1
  • @dk123 this also dose not require JQuery. Commented Mar 14, 2017 at 13:09
1

The accepted answer is great. I wanted to look at what happens to the Angular scope in the context of ng-repeat. The thing is, Angular will create a sub-scope for each repeated item. When calling into a method defined on the original $scope, that retains its original value (due to javascript closure). However, the this refers the calling scope/object. This works out well, so long as you're clear on when $scope and this are the same and when they are different. hth

Here is a fiddle that illustrates the difference: https://jsfiddle.net/creitzel/oxsxjcyc/

1

I'm newbie, so sorry if is a bad practice. Based on the chosen answer, I did this function:

function x_apply(selector, variable, value) {
    var scope = angular.element( $(selector) ).scope();
    scope.$apply(function(){
        scope[variable] = value;
    });
}

I'm using it this way:

x_apply('#fileuploader', 'thereisfiles', true);

By the way, sorry for my english

1

We need to use Angular Js built in function $apply to acsess scope variables or functions outside the controller function.

This can be done in two ways :

|*| Method 1 : Using Id :

<div id="nameNgsDivUid" ng-app="">
    <a onclick="actNgsFnc()"> Activate Angular Scope</a><br><br>
    {{ nameNgsVar }}
</div>

<script type="text/javascript">

    var nameNgsDivVar = document.getElementById('nameNgsDivUid')

    function actNgsFnc()
    {
        var scopeNgsVar = angular.element(nameNgsDivVar).scope();
        scopeNgsVar.$apply(function()
        {
            scopeNgsVar.nameNgsVar = "Tst Txt";
        })
    }

</script>

|*| Method 2 : Using init of ng-controller :

<div ng-app="nameNgsApp" ng-controller="nameNgsCtl">
    <a onclick="actNgsFnc()"> Activate Angular Scope</a><br><br>
    {{ nameNgsVar }}
</div>

<script type="text/javascript">

    var scopeNgsVar;
    var nameNgsAppVar=angular.module("nameNgsApp",[])
    nameNgsAppVar.controller("nameNgsCtl",function($scope)
    {
        scopeNgsVar=$scope;
    })

    function actNgsFnc()
    {
        scopeNgsVar.$apply(function()
        {
            scopeNgsVar.nameNgsVar = "Tst Txt";
        })
    }

</script>
1

This is how I did for my CRUDManager class initialized in Angular controller, which later passed over to jQuery button-click event defined outside the controller:

In Angular Controller:

        // Note that I can even pass over the $scope to my CRUDManager's constructor.
        var crudManager = new CRUDManager($scope, contextData, opMode);

        crudManager.initialize()
            .then(() => {
                crudManager.dataBind();
                $scope.crudManager = crudManager;
                $scope.$apply();
            })
            .catch(error => {
                alert(error);
            });

In jQuery Save button click event outside the controller:

    $(document).on("click", "#ElementWithNgControllerDefined #btnSave", function () {
        var ngScope = angular.element($("#ElementWithNgControllerDefined")).scope();
        var crudManager = ngScope.crudManager;
        crudManager.saveData()
            .then(finalData => {
               alert("Successfully saved!");
            })
            .catch(error => {
               alert("Failed to save.");
            });
    });

This is particularly important and useful when your jQuery events need to be placed OUTSIDE OF CONTROLLER in order to prevent it from firing twice.

0
<input type="text" class="form-control timepicker2" ng-model='programRow.StationAuxiliaryTime.ST88' />

accessing scope value

assume that programRow.StationAuxiliaryTime is an array of object

 $('.timepicker2').on('click', function () 
    {
            var currentElement = $(this);

            var scopeValues = angular.element(currentElement).scope();
            var model = currentElement.attr('ng-model');
            var stationNumber = model.split('.')[2];
            var val = '';
            if (model.indexOf("StationWaterTime") > 0) {
                val = scopeValues.programRow.StationWaterTime[stationNumber];
            }
            else {
                val = scopeValues.programRow.StationAuxiliaryTime[stationNumber];
            }
            currentElement.timepicker('setTime', val);
        });

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