angularjs: extending directive then make modifications - angularjs

Question

I am working in ServiceNow and am trying to extend an ootb directive, then make some modifications to a couple functions. So far I've figured out how to extend the directive:
function (spModelDirective){
return angular.extend({}, spModelDirective[0], {
templateUrl:'lbl_custom_template.xml'
});
}
Within this directive, there's a function called getNestedFields that I would like to make edits to:
function getNestedFields(fields, containers) {
if (!containers)
return;
for (var _container in containers) {
var container = containers[_container];
if (container.columns) {
for (var _col in container.columns) {
var col = container.columns[_col];
for (var _field in col.fields) {
var field = col.fields[_field];
if (field.type == "container" && container.caption != "")
getNestedFields(fields, [field]);
else if (field.type == "checkbox_container")
getNestedFields(fields, field.containers);
else if (field.type == "field" || container.caption=="")
fields.push(formModel._fields[field.name]);
}
}
}
}
}
Can someone provide some guidance on what the correct syntax for this would be?
More information
Our team cloned the ootb widget-form and am trying to create a custom layout. Basically, we want each form section to be it's own tab much like the back-end form instead of one long form, which is what the ootb widget-form currently does. In the very first line of the sp-variable-layout template, it shows:
<fieldset ng-init="$last ? execItemScripts() : null" ng-show="isContainerVisible(container)" ng-repeat="container in containers">
The ng-repeat of container in containers considers each form section as a separate container (which is perfect), BUT it also considers any splits as a separate container as well. So for example, if my form's layout looks like this:
This will create two tabs: one that has every field within the begin and end splits AND a separate tab with everything after the end split. The JSON object that is created looks like this:
{
"_bootstrap_cells": 6,
"_count": 2,
"visible": true,
"columns": [{
"fields": [{
"name": "type_of_account",
"type": "field"
}, {
"name": "routing_transit_number",
"type": "field"
}]
}, {
"fields": [{
"name": "type_of_payment",
"type": "field"
}, {
"name": "check_digit",
"type": "field"
}]
}],
"caption": "Direct Deposit",
"id": "b456b9d2137ac340177c36328144b0ef",
"scope_name": "x_dnf_table"
}, {
"_bootstrap_cells": 12,
"_count": 1,
"visible": true,
"columns": [{
"fields": [{
"name": "account_number",
"type": "field"
}, {
"name": "account_title",
"type": "field"
}, {
"name": "financial_institution_name",
"type": "field"
}]
}],
"caption": "",
"id": "",
"scope_name": "x_dnf_table"
}
Notice the first "section" has a caption, but ServiceNow treats the split section as its own separate section with no caption at all.
I want to change the spModel directive to produce only containers with captions as their own tab and if a container does NOT have a caption, to append it to the previous container that does have a caption.

Answer 1

I don't think you can edit this function as this is hosted as a file on Servicenow. See https://hi.service-now.com/scripts/app.$sp/directive.spModel.js then just control-f for the getNestedFields.
Per this thread; https://community.servicenow.com/thread/247907#1059129 I believe spModal is just a wrapper for $uibModal.
What you can do is make your own directive on sp_angular_provider.