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Routing issue with angular directives

I'm trying to setup one of my first angular projects and am having trouble getting to grips with the routing.
On page load I see the initial template that has been set by the preferencesDirective, which is great.
When I click the "Change Template" button I want it to change to another template but nothing happens. If I set the template url's in the $routeProvider to something invalid then I see a 404 error in the debugger which tells me something must be working but nothing happens when the template url is valid.. How do I get it to change correctly?
Thanks.
<div id="PreferencesApp" class="" ng-app="clientPreferencesModule">
<preferences-directive factory-settings="clientPreferences"></preferences-directive>
Change Template
</div>
<script>
var app = angular.module("clientPreferencesModule", ["ngResource", "ngRoute"]);
//var app = angular.module("clientPreferencesModule", ["ngRoute"]);
app.config(function ($routeProvider) {
$routeProvider.when("/", { controller: "clientPreferencesController", templateUrl: '/AngularTemplates/ClientPreferences/PreferencesTemplate.html' });
$routeProvider.when("/Preferences/:id", { controller: "clientPreferencesController", templateUrl: '/AngularTemplates/ClientPreferences/PreferencesTemplate.html' });
$routeProvider.when("/Preferences", { controller: "clientPreferencesController", templateUrl: '/AngularTemplates/ClientPreferences/PreferencesTemplate.html' });
$routeProvider.when("/Details", { controller: "clientPreferencesController", templateUrl: '/AngularTemplates/ClientPreferences/DetailsTemplate.html' });
});
app.controller('clientPreferencesController', clientPreferencesController);
clientPreferencesController.$inject = ["$scope", "$resource", "$rootScope", "$http", "$route", "$location"];
function clientPreferencesController($scope, $resource, $rootScope, $http, $route, $location) {
this.model = #Html.Raw(JsonConvert.SerializeObject(Model));
$scope.location = $location.path();
}
app.directive('preferencesDirective', preferencesDirective);
function preferencesDirective() {
return {
restrict: 'EA',
scope:
{
factorySettings: '='
},
controller: 'clientPreferencesController',
controllerAs: 'pc',
bindToController: true,
templateUrl: '/AngularTemplates/ClientPreferences/PreferencesTemplate.html'
}
}
</script>

For routing to work you've to create different views along with its associated controller & then have directive inside that view. And also you'll need ng-view directive in index.html in which all the routes view going to be loaded. And also preferencesDirective should only contain the reusable unique functionality, & the complete app view, so that you can have it different views with different data sets alongside different view components.
So, your template can be:
<div id="PreferencesApp" class="" ng-app="clientPreferencesModule">
Change Template
<div ng-view></div>
</div>
Now for different routes you can have each different controllers or if you want to handle it in one controller the have only one, but different from directive's controller, so it can be,
app.config(function ($routeProvider) {
$routeProvider.when("/", { controller: "viewController", templateUrl: '/AngularTemplates/ClientPreferences/PreferencesTemplate.html' });
$routeProvider.when("/Preferences/:id", { controller: "viewController", templateUrl: '/AngularTemplates/ClientPreferences/PreferencesTemplate.html' });
$routeProvider.when("/Preferences", { controller: "viewController", templateUrl: '/AngularTemplates/ClientPreferences/PreferencesTemplate.html' });
$routeProvider.when("/Details", { controller: "viewController", templateUrl: '/AngularTemplates/ClientPreferences/DetailsTemplate.html' });
});
Have preferencesDirective in all these templates. (This will now potentially change the directive's template but you can have changing dom of each view in views's templates & keep directive's template constant)
Now in viewController by making use of $routeParams you can check the current route & send different data to preferencesDirective's controller.
Now if you must want to change directives template conditionally then make use of ng-include inside directive's template.
function preferencesDirective() {
return {
restrict: 'EA',
scope:
{
factorySettings: '=',
templateSrc: '='
},
controller: 'clientPreferencesController',
controllerAs: 'pc',
bindToController: true,
templateUrl: '<ng-include src="pc.template()"></ng-include>'
}
}
function clientPreferencesController($scope, $resource, $rootScope, $http, $route, $location) {
this.model = #Html.Raw(JsonConvert.SerializeObject(Model));
$scope.location = $location.path();
$scope.template = function(){
if($scope.templateSrc) {
return '/AngularTemplates/ClientPreferences/'+ $scope.templateSrc + '.html';
}
}
}
Here share that templateSrc from viewController based on current route.

which is best to `mainApp.config(['$routeProvider', function($routeProvider)` and `mainApp.config(function($routeProvider)`

I have just started learning angularJS but i can notice the same thing so many time that at some places when we start writing a function in angularJS i noticed that some people define the function they are going to use like this
var mainApp = angular.module("mainApp", ['ngRoute']);
mainApp.config(['$routeProvider', function($routeProvider) {
$routeProvider.
when('/addStudent', {
templateUrl: 'addStudent.htm',
controller: 'AddStudentController'
}).
when('/viewStudents', {
templateUrl: 'viewStudents.htm',
controller: 'ViewStudentsController'
}).
otherwise({
redirectTo: '/addStudent'
});
}]);
But the same function is working fine if we just write the function without this ['$routeProvider' like this
var mainApp = angular.module("mainApp", ['ngRoute']);
mainApp.config(function($routeProvider) {
$routeProvider.
when('/addStudent', {
templateUrl: 'addStudent.htm',
controller: 'AddStudentController'
}).
when('/viewStudents', {
templateUrl: 'viewStudents.htm',
controller: 'ViewStudentsController'
}).
otherwise({
redirectTo: '/addStudent'
});
});
I know there is no big difference when coming to code writing but still is there any difference in both the ways. If yes, then is it about minifying? and is there any negative point other that that of using it?
Thanks in advance!

mainApp.config(['$routeProvider', function($routeProvider) {
}]);
This type define a controller is callled Inline Array Annotation. And It is min-safe. min-safe mean if you minify your code then it will still work.
mainApp.config(function($routeProvider) {
});
This type of define a controller is called 'Implicit Annotation'. And its not min-safe. min-safe mean if you minify your code then it will not work.
And there a another way to declare a controller $inject Property Annotation
var MyController = function($scope, greeter) {
// ...
}
MyController.$inject = ['$scope', 'greeter'];
someModule.controller('MyController', MyController);
read more info click here

Angular $routeParams empty object

I'm trying to get a query value from my url using angular's routeParams.
I've included angular-route in my html page:
<script src="https://ajax.googleapis.com/ajax/libs/angularjs/1.4.4/angular-route.min.js"></script>
Included Ng-Route in my app:
var app = angular.module('app', [
'ngRoute',
'reportController'
]);
And set up my controller as following:
var reportController = angular.module('reportController', []);
reportController.controller('CandidateCtrl', ['$scope', '$routeParams',
function($scope, $routeParams) {
console.log(JSON.stringify($routeParams, null, 4));
$scope.person = $routeParams.person;
}]);
When I access the following URL, however, routeParams is an empty object: {}.
http://localhost:8080/report?person=afe75cc7-fa61-41b3-871d-119691cbe5ad
What am I doing wrong?
Edit:
I've configure the possible route - my routeParams object is still coming up null. I've tried:
famaApp.config(['$routeProvider', function($routeProvider) {
$routeProvider.
when('/report:person', {templateUrl: 'Report.html', controller: 'CandidateCtrl'});
}]);
and
when('/report?person', {templateUrl: 'Report.html', controller: 'CandidateCtrl'});

Rather then accessing like
http://localhost:8080/report?person=afe75cc7-fa61-41b3-871d-119691cbe5ad
try to access it like
http://localhost:8080/#/report/afe75cc7-fa61-41b3-871d-119691cbe5ad
you will get the guid in $route.Params

You have to set your routes to receive the arguments you want with $routeProvider..
Example:
app.config(['$routeProvider', '$locationProvider' function ($routeProvider, $locationProvider) {
$routeProvider
.when('/',
{
templateUrl: 'someHtmlUrl',
controller: 'someController',
controllerAs: 'someCtrl',
caseInsensitiveMatch: true
})
.when('/:person',
{
templateUrl: 'someHtmlUrl',
controller: 'someController',
controllerAs: 'someCtrl',
caseInsensitiveMatch: true
})
.otherwise(
{
templateUrl: 'someHtmlUrl'
});
$locationProvider.html5Mode(true); //Use html5Mode so your angular routes don't have #/route
}]);
Then you can just do
http://localhost:8080/afe75cc7-fa61-41b3-871d-119691cbe5a
And the $routeProvider will call your html and your controller as you can see with the .when('/:person'.. and then you can try and access your $routeParams and you will have your person there, $routeParams.person.

Angular JS 'route' doesn't match component with %2F (encoded '/')

I have a 'route' in Angular JS as follows
$routeProvider.when('/foos/:fooId', { controller: FooController, templateUrl: 'foo.html'});
and it works great, unless the :fooId component contains either a '/' or '%2F' (encoded form)
How can I make this work, my 'fooId' can contain /s ?

You can't easily do this because if you use a link with %2F in it, the browser will just decode it for you and it'll end up being /. AngularJS currently doesn't allow you to use / in $route params.
You can double encode it, like in this plnkr: http://plnkr.co/edit/e04UMNQWkLRtoVOfD9b9?p=preview
var app = angular.module('app', []);
app.controller('HomeCtrl', function ($scope, $route) {
});
app.controller('DirCtrl', function ($scope, $route) {
var p = $route.current.params;
$scope.path = decodeURIComponent(p.p1);
});
app.config(function ($routeProvider) {
$routeProvider
.when('/', {templateUrl: 'home.html', controller: 'HomeCtrl'})
.when('/dir/:p1', {templateUrl: 'dir.html', controller: 'DirCtrl'})
.otherwise({redirectTo: '/'});
});
And the link would be: click here.
Another option, if you have a set number of / characters in your parameters can be found here: How can I make the angular.js route the long path

Based on the answer of Langdon, I created a filter which encodes everything twice, and another one which decodes:
.filter('escape', function() {
return function(input) {
return encodeURIComponent(encodeURIComponent(input));
};
})
.filter('unescape', function() {
return function(input) {
return decodeURIComponent(input);
};
});
I use this in my product links as follows:
<a href="#/p/{{product.id}}/{{product.name | escape}}">
On the product page, I decode the product name:
<h1>{{product.name | unescape}}</h1>

You need not to encode anything here. Just add * in your path Param as mentioned below and enable html5Mode
app.config(function ($routeProvider, $locationProvider) {
$routeProvider
.when('/home', {templateUrl: 'home.html', controller: 'HomeCtrl'})
.when('/base/:path*', {templateUrl: 'path.html', controller: 'pathCtrl'})
.otherwise({redirectTo: '/home'});
});
$locationProvider.html5Mode({
enabled: true,
requireBase: false
});

include
$locationProvider.hashPrefix('');
in your config.

AngularJS dynamic routing

I currently have an AngularJS application with routing built in.
It works and everything is ok.
My app.js file looks like this:
angular.module('myapp', ['myapp.filters', 'myapp.services', 'myapp.directives']).
config(['$routeProvider', function ($routeProvider) {
$routeProvider.when('/', { templateUrl: '/pages/home.html', controller: HomeController });
$routeProvider.when('/about', { templateUrl: '/pages/about.html', controller: AboutController });
$routeProvider.when('/privacy', { templateUrl: '/pages/privacy.html', controller: AboutController });
$routeProvider.when('/terms', { templateUrl: '/pages/terms.html', controller: AboutController });
$routeProvider.otherwise({ redirectTo: '/' });
}]);
My app has a CMS built in where you can copy and add new html files within the /pages directory.
I would like to still go through the routing provider though even for the new dynamically added files.
In an ideal world the routing pattern would be:
$routeProvider.when('/pagename', { templateUrl: '/pages/pagename.html', controller: CMSController });
So if my new page name was "contact.html" I would like angular to pick up "/contact" and redirect to "/pages/contact.html".
Is this even possible?! and if so how?!
Update
I now have this in my routing config:
$routeProvider.when('/page/:name', { templateUrl: '/pages/home.html', controller: CMSController })
and in my CMSController:
function CMSController($scope, $route, $routeParams) {
$route.current.templateUrl = '/pages/' + $routeParams.name + ".html";
alert($route.current.templateUrl);
}
CMSController.$inject = ['$scope', '$route', '$routeParams'];
This sets the current templateUrl to the right value.
However I would now like to change the ng-view with the new templateUrl value. How is this accomplished?

angular.module('myapp', ['myapp.filters', 'myapp.services', 'myapp.directives']).
config(['$routeProvider', function($routeProvider) {
$routeProvider.when('/page/:name*', {
templateUrl: function(urlattr){
return '/pages/' + urlattr.name + '.html';
},
controller: 'CMSController'
});
}
]);
Adding * let you work with multiple levels of directories dynamically.
Example: /page/cars/selling/list will be catch on this provider
From the docs (1.3.0):
"If templateUrl is a function, it will be called with the following
parameters:
{Array.} - route parameters extracted from the current
$location.path() by applying the current route"
Also
when(path, route) : Method
path can contain named groups starting with a colon and ending with a star: e.g.:name*. All characters are eagerly stored in $routeParams under the given name when the route matches.

Ok solved it.
Added the solution to GitHub - http://gregorypratt.github.com/AngularDynamicRouting
In my app.js routing config:
$routeProvider.when('/pages/:name', {
templateUrl: '/pages/home.html',
controller: CMSController
});
Then in my CMS controller:
function CMSController($scope, $route, $routeParams) {
$route.current.templateUrl = '/pages/' + $routeParams.name + ".html";
$.get($route.current.templateUrl, function (data) {
$scope.$apply(function () {
$('#views').html($compile(data)($scope));
});
});
...
}
CMSController.$inject = ['$scope', '$route', '$routeParams'];
With #views being my <div id="views" ng-view></div>
So now it works with standard routing and dynamic routing.
To test it I copied about.html called it portfolio.html, changed some of it's contents and entered /#/pages/portfolio into my browser and hey presto portfolio.html was displayed....
Updated
Added $apply and $compile to the html so that dynamic content can be injected.

I think the easiest way to do such thing is to resolve the routes later, you could ask the routes via json, for example. Check out that I make a factory out of the $routeProvider during config phase, via $provide, so I can keep using the $routeProvider object in the run phase, and even in controllers.
'use strict';
angular.module('myapp', []).config(function($provide, $routeProvider) {
$provide.factory('$routeProvider', function () {
return $routeProvider;
});
}).run(function($routeProvider, $http) {
$routeProvider.when('/', {
templateUrl: 'views/main.html',
controller: 'MainCtrl'
}).otherwise({
redirectTo: '/'
});
$http.get('/dynamic-routes.json').success(function(data) {
$routeProvider.when('/', {
templateUrl: 'views/main.html',
controller: 'MainCtrl'
});
// you might need to call $route.reload() if the route changed
$route.reload();
});
});

In the $routeProvider URI patters, you can specify variable parameters, like so: $routeProvider.when('/page/:pageNumber' ... , and access it in your controller via $routeParams.
There is a good example at the end of the $route page: http://docs.angularjs.org/api/ng.$route
EDIT (for the edited question):
The routing system is unfortunately very limited - there is a lot of discussion on this topic, and some solutions have been proposed, namely via creating multiple named views, etc.. But right now, the ngView directive serves only ONE view per route, on a one-to-one basis. You can go about this in multiple ways - the simpler one would be to use the view's template as a loader, with a <ng-include src="myTemplateUrl"></ng-include> tag in it ($scope.myTemplateUrl would be created in the controller).
I use a more complex (but cleaner, for larger and more complicated problems) solution, basically skipping the $route service altogether, that is detailed here:
http://www.bennadel.com/blog/2420-Mapping-AngularJS-Routes-Onto-URL-Parameters-And-Client-Side-Events.htm

Not sure why this works but dynamic (or wildcard if you prefer) routes are possible in angular 1.2.0-rc.2...
http://code.angularjs.org/1.2.0-rc.2/angular.min.js
http://code.angularjs.org/1.2.0-rc.2/angular-route.min.js
angular.module('yadda', [
'ngRoute'
]).
config(function ($routeProvider, $locationProvider) {
$routeProvider.
when('/:a', {
template: '<div ng-include="templateUrl">Loading...</div>',
controller: 'DynamicController'
}).
controller('DynamicController', function ($scope, $routeParams) {
console.log($routeParams);
$scope.templateUrl = 'partials/' + $routeParams.a;
}).
example.com/foo -> loads "foo" partial
example.com/bar-> loads "bar" partial
No need for any adjustments in the ng-view. The '/:a' case is the only variable I have found that will acheive this.. '/:foo' does not work unless your partials are all foo1, foo2, etc... '/:a' works with any partial name.
All values fire the dynamic controller - so there is no "otherwise" but, I think it is what you're looking for in a dynamic or wildcard routing scenario..

As of AngularJS 1.1.3, you can now do exactly what you want using the new catch-all parameter.
https://github.com/angular/angular.js/commit/7eafbb98c64c0dc079d7d3ec589f1270b7f6fea5
From the commit:
This allows routeProvider to accept parameters that matches
substrings even when they contain slashes if they are prefixed
with an asterisk instead of a colon.
For example, routes like edit/color/:color/largecode/*largecode
will match with something like this
http://appdomain.com/edit/color/brown/largecode/code/with/slashs.
I have tested it out myself (using 1.1.5) and it works great. Just keep in mind that each new URL will reload your controller, so to keep any kind of state, you may need to use a custom service.

Here is another solution that works good.
(function() {
'use strict';
angular.module('cms').config(route);
route.$inject = ['$routeProvider'];
function route($routeProvider) {
$routeProvider
.when('/:section', {
templateUrl: buildPath
})
.when('/:section/:page', {
templateUrl: buildPath
})
.when('/:section/:page/:task', {
templateUrl: buildPath
});
}
function buildPath(path) {
var layout = 'layout';
angular.forEach(path, function(value) {
value = value.charAt(0).toUpperCase() + value.substring(1);
layout += value;
});
layout += '.tpl';
return 'client/app/layouts/' + layout;
}
})();