How to split angularjs controller into chunks? - angularjs

Question

I am very new to AngularJs and hope I can get some help here. Below I have two controllers that are very similar. One is for editing an item and one for adding a new item. I would like to know how I can refactor this code in order to reuse most of this code for both controllers or simply use one controller for both. I originally tried to use one controller for both but the new item page wouldn't let me type anything into the fields. I supposed because there was no current model data like there is when editing.
Any help would be appreciated.
tplApp.controller('editController', function ($scope, $http, $routeParams){
$scope.template = {};
$scope.id = $routeParams.template_id;
$http.get(baseUrl+'templates/get_template/'+$scope.id).success(function(data) {
$scope.template = data;
});
$scope.bodyOptions = {
plugins: 'link image code',
toolbar: 'bold, italic, underline, alignleft, aligncenter, alignright, alignjustify, styleselect, bullist, numlist, outdent, indent, removeformat, mybutton, code',
height: 300,
menubar: false,
statusbar: false,
setup: function(editor) {
editor.addButton('mybutton', {
type: 'menubutton',
text: 'Variables',
icon: false,
menu: [
{text: 'Candidate Name', onclick: function() {editor.insertContent('%name%');}},
{text: 'Company Name', onclick: function() {editor.insertContent('%company-name%');}},
{text: 'Today\'s Date', onclick: function() {editor.insertContent('%date%');}},
{text: 'Your Name', onclick: function() {editor.insertContent('%your-name%');}},
]
});
}
};
$scope.saveTemplate = function() {
$http({
method : 'POST',
url : baseUrl+'templates/save',
data : $.param($scope.template),
headers : { 'Content-Type': 'application/x-www-form-urlencoded' }
})
.success(function(data) {
$scope.message = data.message;
if (data.success) {
console.log(data);
$scope.templates = data.templates;
}
});
};
});
tplApp.controller('addController', function ($scope, $http){
$scope.template = {};
$scope.bodyOptions = {
plugins: 'link image code',
toolbar: 'bold, italic, underline, alignleft, aligncenter, alignright, alignjustify, styleselect, bullist, numlist, outdent, indent, removeformat, mybutton, code',
height: 300,
menubar: false,
statusbar: false,
setup: function(editor) {
editor.addButton('mybutton', {
type: 'menubutton',
text: 'Variables',
icon: false,
menu: [
{text: 'Candidate Name', onclick: function() {editor.insertContent('%name%');}},
{text: 'Company Name', onclick: function() {editor.insertContent('%company-name%');}},
{text: 'Today\'s Date', onclick: function() {editor.insertContent('%date%');}},
{text: 'Your Name', onclick: function() {editor.insertContent('%your-name%');}},
]
});
}
};
$scope.saveTemplate = function() {
$http({
method : 'POST',
url : baseUrl+'templates/save',
data : $.param($scope.template),
headers : { 'Content-Type': 'application/x-www-form-urlencoded' }
})
.success(function(data) {
$scope.message = data.message;
if (data.success) {
console.log(data);
$scope.templates = data.templates;
}
});
};
});

Answer 1

What you want is a service: https://docs.angularjs.org/guide/services
"You can use services to organize and share code across your app"
Google it and/or look here in SO for more info.

Answer 2

Try these changes. You will need 2 services + 2 controllers (for saveTemplateService.js and buildBodyOptionsService.js ). The services will be injected to the controllers.
At the end,don't forget to add the src of each service in the template/html file.
I think it could be even more reduced (without the $http's success in the controllers) but since we are working with callbacks here, I'm not sure. Try it out ;).
It might not be fully functional because I don't have all your code. But debugging should solve it.
saveTemplateService.js:
app.factory('saveTemplateService', function ( baseUrl, $http ) {
return $http({
method : 'POST',
url : baseUrl+'templates/save',
data : $.param($scope.template), //fix these (injecting them like baseUrl)
headers : { 'Content-Type': 'application/x-www-form-urlencoded' }
});
});
buildBodyOptionsService.js:
app.factory('buildBodyOptionsService', function() {
return {
build: function ( editor ) { //maybe editor needs to be injected
var output = {
plugins: 'link image code',
toolbar: 'bold, italic, underline, alignleft, aligncenter, alignright, alignjustify, styleselect, bullist, numlist, outdent, indent, removeformat, mybutton, code',
height: 300,
menubar: false,
statusbar: false,
setup: function(editor) {
editor.addButton('mybutton', {
type: 'menubutton',
text: 'Variables',
icon: false,
menu: [
{text: 'Candidate Name', onclick: function() {editor.insertContent('%name%');}}, // I dont like this functions here. There must be a better way to do this (ex: in a partial html with ng-click)
{text: 'Company Name', onclick: function() {editor.insertContent('%company-name%');}},
{text: 'Today\'s Date', onclick: function() {editor.insertContent('%date%');}},
{text: 'Your Name', onclick: function() {editor.insertContent('%your-name%');}},
]
});
}
};
return output;
}
};
});
editController.js
tplApp.controller('editController', function ($scope, saveTemplateService, buildBodyOptionsService) {
$scope.template = {};
$scope.id = $routeParams.template_id;
$http.get(baseUrl+'templates/get_template/'+$scope.id)
.success(function(data) {
$scope.template = data;
});
// call 1st service
$scope.bodyOptions = buildBodyOptionsService.build( editor );
// call 2nd service
$scope.saveTemplate = saveTemplateService.success( function(data) {
$scope.message = data.message;
if (data.success) {
console.log(data); //use $log.info() instead
$scope.templates = data.templates;
}
});
});
addController.js
tplApp.controller('addController', function ($scope, saveTemplateService, buildBodyOptionsService) {
$scope.template = {};
// call 1st service
$scope.bodyOptions = buildBodyOptionsService.build( editor );
// call 2nd service
$scope.saveTemplate = saveTemplateService.success( function(data) {
$scope.message = data.message;
if (data.success) {
console.log(data); //use $log.info() instead
$scope.templates = data.templates;
}
});
});
Check these links for more info:
custom services in Angular (really well explained): https://youtu.be/rlx1cf7qM0E?list=PL6n9fhu94yhWKHkcL7RJmmXyxkuFB3KSl
promises in services: AngularJS: Performing $http request inside custom service and returning data
(relevant) Angular $http difference between .success() and .then()

Answer 3

I would probably put everything in a single service (templateService). I'm not sure if the bodyOption belongs there but for now I would just put it there. Then I would move the load/save template function to the service.
You could probably do more, for instance, your might set the $scope.templateService = templateService and in your html use templateService.bodyOptions/templates directly.
Also, you could probably move the save.success from the controller to the service aswell.
tplApp.service('templateService', function($http, $routeParams) {
var self = this;
this.template = {};
this.loadTemplate = function() {
$http.get(baseUrl+'templates/get_template/' + $routeParams.template_id)
.success(function(data) {
self.template = data;
});
};
this.saveTemplate = function() {
return $http({
method: 'POST',
url: baseUrl + 'templates/save',
data: $.param(self.template),
headers: {'Content-Type': 'application/x-www-form-urlencoded'}
});
};
this.bodyOptions = {
plugins: 'link image code',
toolbar: 'bold, italic, underline, alignleft, aligncenter, alignright, alignjustify, styleselect, bullist, numlist, outdent, indent, removeformat, mybutton, code',
height: 300,
menubar: false,
statusbar: false,
setup: function(editor) {
editor.addButton('mybutton', {
type: 'menubutton',
text: 'Variables',
icon: false,
menu: [
{text: 'Candidate Name', onclick: function() {editor.insertContent('%name%');}},
{text: 'Company Name', onclick: function() {editor.insertContent('%company-name%');}},
{text: 'Today\'s Date', onclick: function() {editor.insertContent('%date%');}},
{text: 'Your Name', onclick: function() {editor.insertContent('%your-name%');}},
]
});
}
};
});
tplApp.controller('editAndAddController', function ($scope, templateService){
$scope.template = templateService.template;
$scope.bodyOptions = templateService.bodyOptions;
if(edit) {
templateService.loadTemplate();
}
$scope.saveTemplate = function() {
templateService.saveTemplate()
.success(function(data) {
$scope.message = data.message;
if (data.success) {
console.log(data);
$scope.templates = data.templates;
}
});
};
});
Ideally your controller would probably look like this:
tplApp.controller('editAndAddController', function ($scope, templateService){
$scope.templateService = templateService;
if(edit) {
templateService.loadTemplate();
}
});
Heads up! This is just example, code is not tested!