How to set focus on input field?

Question

What is the 'Angular way' to set focus on input field in AngularJS?

More specific requirements:

1. When a Modal is opened, set focus on a predefined <input> inside this Modal.
2. Everytime <input> becomes visible (e.g. by clicking some button), set focus on it.

I tried to achieve the first requirement with autofocus, but this works only when the Modal is opened for the first time, and only in certain browsers (e.g. in Firefox it doesn't work).

Any help will be appreciated.

Answer 1

1. When a Modal is opened, set focus on a predefined <input> inside this Modal.

Define a directive and have it $watch a property/trigger so it knows when to focus the element:

Name: <input type="text" focus-me="shouldBeOpen">

app.directive('focusMe', ['$timeout', '$parse', function ($timeout, $parse) {
    return {
        //scope: true,   // optionally create a child scope
        link: function (scope, element, attrs) {
            var model = $parse(attrs.focusMe);
            scope.$watch(model, function (value) {
                console.log('value=', value);
                if (value === true) {
                    $timeout(function () {
                        element[0].focus();
                    });
                }
            });
            // to address @blesh's comment, set attribute value to 'false'
            // on blur event:
            element.bind('blur', function () {
                console.log('blur');
                scope.$apply(model.assign(scope, false));
            });
        }
    };
}]);

Plunker

The $timeout seems to be needed to give the modal time to render.

'2.' Everytime <input> becomes visible (e.g. by clicking some button), set focus on it.

Create a directive essentially like the one above. Watch some scope property, and when it becomes true (set it in your ng-click handler), execute element[0].focus(). Depending on your use case, you may or may not need a $timeout for this one:

<button class="btn" ng-click="showForm=true; focusInput=true">show form and
 focus input</button>
<div ng-show="showForm">
  <input type="text" ng-model="myInput" focus-me="focusInput"> {{ myInput }}
  <button class="btn" ng-click="showForm=false">hide form</button>
</div>

app.directive('focusMe', function($timeout) {
  return {
    link: function(scope, element, attrs) {
      scope.$watch(attrs.focusMe, function(value) {
        if(value === true) { 
          console.log('value=',value);
          //$timeout(function() {
            element[0].focus();
            scope[attrs.focusMe] = false;
          //});
        }
      });
    }
  };
});

Plunker

---

Update 7/2013: I've seen a few people use my original isolate scope directives and then have problems with embedded input fields (i.e., an input field in the modal). A directive with no new scope (or possibly a new child scope) should alleviate some of the pain. So above I updated the answer to not use isolate scopes. Below is the original answer:

Original answer for 1., using an isolate scope:

Name: <input type="text" focus-me="{{shouldBeOpen}}">

app.directive('focusMe', function($timeout) {
  return {
    scope: { trigger: '@focusMe' },
    link: function(scope, element) {
      scope.$watch('trigger', function(value) {
        if(value === "true") { 
          $timeout(function() {
            element[0].focus(); 
          });
        }
      });
    }
  };
});

Plunker.

Original answer for 2., using an isolate scope:

<button class="btn" ng-click="showForm=true; focusInput=true">show form and
 focus input</button>
<div ng-show="showForm">
  <input type="text" focus-me="focusInput">
  <button class="btn" ng-click="showForm=false">hide form</button>
</div>

app.directive('focusMe', function($timeout) {
  return {
    scope: { trigger: '=focusMe' },
    link: function(scope, element) {
      scope.$watch('trigger', function(value) {
        if(value === true) { 
          //console.log('trigger',value);
          //$timeout(function() {
            element[0].focus();
            scope.trigger = false;
          //});
        }
      });
    }
  };
});

Plunker.

Since we need to reset the trigger/focusInput property in the directive, '=' is used for two-way databinding. In the first directive, '@' was sufficient. Also note that when using '@' we compare the trigger value to "true" since @ always results in a string.