[javascript] AngularJS: How can I pass variables between controllers?

I have two Angular controllers:

function Ctrl1($scope) {
    $scope.prop1 = "First";
}

function Ctrl2($scope) {
    $scope.prop2 = "Second";
    $scope.both = Ctrl1.prop1 + $scope.prop2; //This is what I would like to do ideally
}

I can't use Ctrl1 inside Ctrl2 because it is undefined. However if I try to pass it in like so…

function Ctrl2($scope, Ctrl1) {
    $scope.prop2 = "Second";
    $scope.both = Ctrl1.prop1 + $scope.prop2; //This is what I would like to do ideally
}

I get an error. Does anyone know how to do this?

Doing

Ctrl2.prototype = new Ctrl1();

Also fails.

NOTE: These controllers are not nested inside each other.

This question is related to javascript angularjs angularjs-controller

The answer is


Second Approach :

angular.module('myApp', [])
  .controller('Ctrl1', ['$scope',
    function($scope) {

    $scope.prop1 = "First";

    $scope.clickFunction = function() {
      $scope.$broadcast('update_Ctrl2_controller', $scope.prop1);
    };
   }
])
.controller('Ctrl2', ['$scope',
    function($scope) {
      $scope.prop2 = "Second";

        $scope.$on("update_Ctrl2_controller", function(event, prop) {
        $scope.prop = prop;

        $scope.both = prop + $scope.prop2; 
    });
  }
])

Html :

<div ng-controller="Ctrl2">
  <p>{{both}}</p>
</div>

<button ng-click="clickFunction()">Click</button>

For more details see plunker :

http://plnkr.co/edit/cKVsPcfs1A1Wwlud2jtO?p=preview


I looked thru the answers above, I recommend pejman's Dec 29 '16 at 13:31 suggestion but he/she has not left a full answer. Here it is, I will put this as --> (you need a service and a listener $watch on one of the scopes from controllers for changes in the service area)

var app = 
angular.module('myApp', ['ngRoute', 'ngSanitize']);

app.service('bridgeService', function () {
    var msg = ""; 
    return msg;
});
app.controller('CTRL_1'
, function ($scope, $http, bridgeService) 
{
    $http.get(_restApi, config)
    .success(
    function (serverdata, status, config) {
        $scope.scope1Box = bridgeService.msg = serverdata;
    });
});
app.controller('CTRL_2'
, function ($scope, $http, bridgeService) 
{
    $scope.$watch( function () {
        return (bridgeService.msg);
    }, function (newVal, oldVal) {
        $scope.scope2Box = newVal;
    }, true
    );
});

I like to illustrate simple things by simple examples :)

Here is a very simple Service example:


angular.module('toDo',[])

.service('dataService', function() {

  // private variable
  var _dataObj = {};

  // public API
  this.dataObj = _dataObj;
})

.controller('One', function($scope, dataService) {
  $scope.data = dataService.dataObj;
})

.controller('Two', function($scope, dataService) {
  $scope.data = dataService.dataObj;
});

And here the jsbin

And here is a very simple Factory example:


angular.module('toDo',[])

.factory('dataService', function() {

  // private variable
  var _dataObj = {};

  // public API
  return {
    dataObj: _dataObj
  };
})

.controller('One', function($scope, dataService) {
  $scope.data = dataService.dataObj;
})

.controller('Two', function($scope, dataService) {
  $scope.data = dataService.dataObj;
});

And here the jsbin


If that is too simple, here is a more sophisticated example

Also see the answer here for related best practices comments


Besides $rootScope and services, there is a clean and easy alternative solution to extend angular to add the shared data:

in the controllers:

angular.sharedProperties = angular.sharedProperties 
    || angular.extend(the-properties-objects);

This properties belong to 'angular' object, separated from the scopes, and can be shared in scopes and services.

1 benefit of it that you don't have to inject the object: they are accessible anywhere immediately after your defination!


The sample above worked like a charm. I just did a modification just in case I need to manage multiple values. I hope this helps!

app.service('sharedProperties', function () {

    var hashtable = {};

    return {
        setValue: function (key, value) {
            hashtable[key] = value;
        },
        getValue: function (key) {
            return hashtable[key];
        }
    }
});

--- I know this answer is not for this question, but I want people who reads this question and want to handle Services such as Factories to avoid trouble doing this ----

For this you will need to use a Service or a Factory.

The services are the BEST PRACTICE to share data between not nested controllers.

A very very good annotation on this topic about data sharing is how to declare objects. I was unlucky because I fell in a AngularJS trap before I read about it, and I was very frustrated. So let me help you avoid this trouble.

I read from the "ng-book: The complete book on AngularJS" that AngularJS ng-models that are created in controllers as bare-data are WRONG!

A $scope element should be created like this:

angular.module('myApp', [])
.controller('SomeCtrl', function($scope) {
  // best practice, always use a model
  $scope.someModel = {
    someValue: 'hello computer'
  });

And not like this:

angular.module('myApp', [])
.controller('SomeCtrl', function($scope) {
  // anti-pattern, bare value
  $scope.someBareValue = 'hello computer';
  };
});

This is because it is recomended(BEST PRACTICE) for the DOM(html document) to contain the calls as

<div ng-model="someModel.someValue"></div>  //NOTICE THE DOT.

This is very helpful for nested controllers if you want your child controller to be able to change an object from the parent controller....

But in your case you don't want nested scopes, but there is a similar aspect to get objects from services to the controllers.

Lets say you have your service 'Factory' and in the return space there is an objectA that contains objectB that contains objectC.

If from your controller you want to GET the objectC into your scope, is a mistake to say:

$scope.neededObjectInController = Factory.objectA.objectB.objectC;

That wont work... Instead use only one dot.

$scope.neededObjectInController = Factory.ObjectA;

Then, in the DOM you can call objectC from objectA. This is a best practice related to factories, and most important, it will help to avoid unexpected and non-catchable errors.


If you don't want to make service then you can do like this.

var scope = angular.element("#another ctrl scope element id.").scope();
scope.plean_assign = some_value;

I'd like to contribute to this question by pointing out that the recommended way to share data between controllers, and even directives, is by using services (factories) as it has been already pointed out, but also I'd like to provide a working practical example of how to that should be done.

Here is the working plunker: http://plnkr.co/edit/Q1VdKJP2tpvqqJL1LF6m?p=info

First, create your service, that will have your shared data:

app.factory('SharedService', function() {
  return {
    sharedObject: {
      value: '',
      value2: ''
    }
  };
});

Then, simply inject it on your controllers and grab the shared data on your scope:

app.controller('FirstCtrl', function($scope, SharedService) {
  $scope.model = SharedService.sharedObject;
});

app.controller('SecondCtrl', function($scope, SharedService) {
  $scope.model = SharedService.sharedObject;
});

app.controller('MainCtrl', function($scope, SharedService) {
  $scope.model = SharedService.sharedObject;
});

You can also do that for your directives, it works the same way:

app.directive('myDirective',['SharedService', function(SharedService){
  return{
    restrict: 'E',
    link: function(scope){
      scope.model = SharedService.sharedObject;
    },
    template: '<div><input type="text" ng-model="model.value"/></div>'
  }
}]);

Hope this practical and clean answer can be helpful to someone.


I tend to use values, happy for anyone to discuss why this is a bad idea..

var myApp = angular.module('myApp', []);

myApp.value('sharedProperties', {}); //set to empty object - 

Then inject the value as per a service.

Set in ctrl1:

myApp.controller('ctrl1', function DemoController(sharedProperties) {
  sharedProperties.carModel = "Galaxy";
  sharedProperties.carMake = "Ford";
});

and access from ctrl2:

myApp.controller('ctrl2', function DemoController(sharedProperties) {
  this.car = sharedProperties.carModel + sharedProperties.carMake; 

});

The following example shows how to pass variables between siblings controllers and take an action when the value changes.

Use case example: you have a filter in a sidebar that changes the content of another view.

_x000D_
_x000D_
angular.module('myApp', [])_x000D_
_x000D_
  .factory('MyService', function() {_x000D_
_x000D_
    // private_x000D_
    var value = 0;_x000D_
_x000D_
    // public_x000D_
    return {_x000D_
      _x000D_
      getValue: function() {_x000D_
        return value;_x000D_
      },_x000D_
      _x000D_
      setValue: function(val) {_x000D_
        value = val;_x000D_
      }_x000D_
      _x000D_
    };_x000D_
  })_x000D_
  _x000D_
  .controller('Ctrl1', function($scope, $rootScope, MyService) {_x000D_
_x000D_
    $scope.update = function() {_x000D_
      MyService.setValue($scope.value);_x000D_
      $rootScope.$broadcast('increment-value-event');_x000D_
    };_x000D_
  })_x000D_
  _x000D_
  .controller('Ctrl2', function($scope, MyService) {_x000D_
_x000D_
    $scope.value = MyService.getValue();_x000D_
_x000D_
    $scope.$on('increment-value-event', function() {    _x000D_
      $scope.value = MyService.getValue();_x000D_
    });_x000D_
  });
_x000D_
<script src="https://ajax.googleapis.com/ajax/libs/angularjs/1.2.23/angular.min.js"></script>_x000D_
_x000D_
<div ng-app="myApp">_x000D_
  _x000D_
  <h3>Controller 1 Scope</h3>_x000D_
  <div ng-controller="Ctrl1">_x000D_
    <input type="text" ng-model="value"/>_x000D_
    <button ng-click="update()">Update</button>_x000D_
  </div>_x000D_
  _x000D_
  <hr>_x000D_
  _x000D_
  <h3>Controller 2 Scope</h3>_x000D_
  <div ng-controller="Ctrl2">_x000D_
    Value: {{ value }}_x000D_
  </div>  _x000D_
_x000D_
</div>
_x000D_
_x000D_
_x000D_


There are two ways to do this

1) Use get/set service

2) $scope.$emit('key', {data: value}); //to set the value

 $rootScope.$on('key', function (event, data) {}); // to get the value

Solution without creating Service, using $rootScope:

To share properties across app Controllers you can use Angular $rootScope. This is another option to share data, putting it so that people know about it.

The preferred way to share some functionality across Controllers is Services, to read or change a global property you can use $rootscope.

var app = angular.module('mymodule',[]);
app.controller('Ctrl1', ['$scope','$rootScope',
  function($scope, $rootScope) {
    $rootScope.showBanner = true;
}]);

app.controller('Ctrl2', ['$scope','$rootScope',
  function($scope, $rootScope) {
    $rootScope.showBanner = false;
}]);

Using $rootScope in a template (Access properties with $root):

<div ng-controller="Ctrl1">
    <div class="banner" ng-show="$root.showBanner"> </div>
</div>

Ah, have a bit of this new stuff as another alternative. It's localstorage, and works where angular works. You're welcome. (But really, thank the guy)

https://github.com/gsklee/ngStorage

Define your defaults:

$scope.$storage = $localStorage.$default({
    prop1: 'First',
    prop2: 'Second'
});

Access the values:

$scope.prop1 = $localStorage.prop1;
$scope.prop2 = $localStorage.prop2;

Store the values

$localStorage.prop1 = $scope.prop1;
$localStorage.prop2 = $scope.prop2;

Remember to inject ngStorage in your app and $localStorage in your controller.


You could do that with services or factories. They are essentially the same apart for some core differences. I found this explanation on thinkster.io to be the easiest to follow. Simple, to the point and effective.


Couldn't you also make the property part of the scopes parent?

$scope.$parent.property = somevalue;

I'm not saying it's right but it works.


Examples related to javascript

need to add a class to an element How to make a variable accessible outside a function? Hide Signs that Meteor.js was Used How to create a showdown.js markdown extension Please help me convert this script to a simple image slider Highlight Anchor Links when user manually scrolls? Summing radio input values How to execute an action before close metro app WinJS javascript, for loop defines a dynamic variable name Getting all files in directory with ajax

Examples related to angularjs

AngularJs directive not updating another directive's scope ERROR in Cannot find module 'node-sass' CORS: credentials mode is 'include' CORS error :Request header field Authorization is not allowed by Access-Control-Allow-Headers in preflight response WebSocket connection failed: Error during WebSocket handshake: Unexpected response code: 400 Print Html template in Angular 2 (ng-print in Angular 2) $http.get(...).success is not a function Angular 1.6.0: "Possibly unhandled rejection" error Find object by its property in array of objects with AngularJS way Error: Cannot invoke an expression whose type lacks a call signature

Examples related to angularjs-controller

Check if value exists in the array (AngularJS) How do I inject a controller into another controller in AngularJS Error: [ng:areq] from angular controller How do I use $rootScope in Angular to store variables? AngularJS : The correct way of binding to a service properties Using $setValidity inside a Controller AngularJS: How can I pass variables between controllers?