Angular ui.router. Deep nested routes - angularjs

Question

Here is an example to check http://embed.plnkr.co/uVMlkk/preview
When we navigate to 'page2' route there is a 'hey, I'm a subroute' note.
But once we navigate anywhere else that note will disappear forever.
The goal is to make some nested states to be shown right away (as a default ones).
I assume there should be some cases using $state.go(), but can't figure it out so far. Any help is highly appreciated.
State definition snippet:
.state('root.page2.tab', {
url: '/:tabId',
templateUrl: 'tpl.page2.tab.html',
controller: 'Page2TabController'
})
.state('root.page2.tab.subroute', {
url: '',
templateUrl: 'tpl.page2.tab.subroute.html'
})
the content of the 'tpl.page2.tab.subroute.html':
hey, I'm a subroute
related controller:
.controller('Page2TabController', ['$scope', '$state', function($scope, $state) {
$scope.tabId = $state.params.tabId;
$state.go('root.page2.tab.subroute');
}])

Answer 1

There is a fixed version.
I removed the url from the 'root.page2.tab.subroute'
.state('root.page2.tab.subroute', {
//url: '',
templateUrl: 'tpl.page2.tab.subroute.html'
})
And because the parent has defined paramater tabId:
.state('root.page2.tab', {
url: '/:tabId',
templateUrl: 'tpl.page2.tab.html',
controller: 'Page2TabController'
})
We have to pass that param inside of the redicrection:
.controller('Page2TabController', ['$scope', '$state', function($scope, $state) {
$scope.tabId = $state.params.tabId;
// instead of this
// $state.go('root.page2.tab.subroute');
// we need this
$state.go('root.page2.tab.subroute', $state.params);
}])
Check the working, fixed version here
ANOTHER approach - using redirectTo - there is a working plunker
One way, inspired by this:
Redirect a state to default substate with UI-Router in AngularJS
could be to add a very smart but small redirect code snippet:
.run(['$rootScope', '$state', function($rootScope, $state) {
$rootScope.$on('$stateChangeStart', function(evt, to, params) {
if (to.redirectTo) {
evt.preventDefault();
$state.go(to.redirectTo, params)
}
});
}])
And adjust our state like this:
.state('root.page2.tab', {
url: '/:tabId',
templateUrl: 'tpl.page2.tab.html',
controller: 'Page2TabController',
redirectTo: 'root.page2.tab.subroute',
})
Check it here

Answer 2

There is a trick how to handle scenarios:
Parent should trigger some action in case that
it is accessed, or
its reached again, when navigating back from child in a parent state
In that case, we can use the "target (ui-view) for a child" as a place where sits the special view, with special controller. This will be
injected into that position once parent is created and
re-injected into that position again, once child is left. In that case, it will be re-init.
Enough explanation. There is a working plunker. There is adjusted state:
.state('root.page2', {
url: '/page2',
views: {
'content#root': {
templateUrl: './tpl.page2.html',
controller: 'Page2Controller'
},
'#root.page2': {
template: '<div></div>',
controller: 'RedirectorController'
}
}
})
So, now we can do some magic inside of our 'RedirectorController'
.controller('RedirectorController', ['$scope', '$state',
function($scope, $state) {
$state.go('root.page2.tab', { tabId: $scope.activeTabId });
}])
Check it in action here
Read more about what that new view/controller get from the other (Scope Inheritance by View Hierarchy Only) one here
Nested states or views for layout with leftbar in ui-router?
How do I share $scope data between states in angularjs ui-router?