Prevent multiple ajax calls when re-using a controller/factory - angularjs

Question

just starting out really with Angular and need some advice regarding preventing repeated ajax requests for the same data when re-using a controller with multiple view.
So I have say 6 views all referencing the same controller but different views
app.js
(function() {
var app = angular.module('myApp', ['ngRoute','ui.unique']);
app.config(function ($routeProvider) {
// Routes
$routeProvider
.when('/',
{
controller: 'SamplesController',
templateUrl: 'app/views/home.html'
})
.when('/view2/',
{
controller: 'SamplesController',
templateUrl: 'app/views/main.html'
})
.when('/view3/:rangeName',
{
controller: 'SamplesController',
templateUrl: 'app/views/samples.html'
})
.when('/view4/:rangeName',
{
controller: 'SamplesController',
templateUrl: 'app/views/samples.html'
})
.when('/view5/',
{
controller: 'SamplesController',
templateUrl: 'app/views/basket.html'
})
.when('/view6/',
{
controller: 'SamplesController',
templateUrl: 'app/views/lightbox.html'
})
.otherwise({ redirectTo: '/' });
});
}());
samplesController.js
(function() {
var SamplesController = function ($scope, SamplesFactory, appSettings, $routeParams) {
function init() {
// back function
$scope.$back = function() {
window.history.back();
};
// app settings
$scope.settings = appSettings;
// samples list
SamplesFactory.getSamples()
.success(function(data){
var returnSamples = [];
for (var i=0,len=data.length;i<len;i++) {
if (data[i].range === $routeParams.rangeName) {
returnSamples.push(data[i]);
}
}
$scope.samples = returnSamples;
})
.error(function(data, status, headers, config){
// return empty object
return {};
});
// variables for both ranges
$scope.rangeName = $routeParams.rangeName;
// click to change type
$scope.populate = function(type) {
$scope.attributeValue = type;
};
};
init();
};
SamplesController.$inject = ['$scope','SamplesFactory', 'appSettings', '$routeParams'];
angular.module('myApp').controller('SamplesController', SamplesController);
}());
samplesFactory.js
(function () {
var SamplesFactory = function ($http) {
var factory = {};
factory.getSamples = function() {
return $http.jsonp('http://www.website.com/app/index.php?callback=JSON_CALLBACK');
};
return factory;
};
SamplesFactory.$inject = ['$http'];
angular.module('myApp').factory('SamplesFactory', SamplesFactory);
}());
So with this - every time a new view is loaded the ajax request is made again - how would I re-purpose to have only a single request happen?
As always thanks in advance
Carl
UPDATE: Answer marked below but I also had success by changing the "cache" config item/property (whatever its called) to true in the jsonp request
return $http.jsonp('http://www.website.com/app/index.php?callback=JSON_CALLBACK',{cache: true});

Answer 1

You could change your factory in this way:
(function () {
var SamplesFactory = function ($http) {
var factory = {},
samples = $http.jsonp('http://www.website.com/app/index.php?callback=JSON_CALLBACK');
factory.getSamples = function() {
return samples;
};
return factory;
};
SamplesFactory.$inject = ['$http'];
angular.module('myApp').factory('SamplesFactory', SamplesFactory);
}());
Now getSamples() returns a promise that you should manage in your controllers.