$state.transitionToUrl - to return the path/url of a transition

[dbrans]

Sometimes I would prefer to use <a href> with the appropriate path/url instead of calling $state.transitionTo(state).

For this purpose, it would be nice to have an equivalent $state.transitionToUrl and some helpers to get the transition urls for

• the parent state
• a child state
• an arbitrary state

Here is an example of the api:

$state.transitionToUrl = function(to, toParams) {
};

$state.transitionToChildUrl = function(childName, childParams) {
};

$state.transitionToParentUrl = function() {
};

Would others find this useful?

[ksperling]

Essentially that is what issue #16 is about, even though the plan was to expose it as a directive. There is no reason why we can't have both a function and a directive (which uses the function).

Are there any particular use cases where a function would be preferable over a directive?

[dbrans]

#16 is cool, I hadn't seen that.

A couple of cases where a function would be preferred:

1. You don't want the scope to know about state parameters
2. the transition parameters are difficult to compute within the context of a template.

In any case, exposing more of the currently hidden helper functions (like this transitionUrl function or "findState") would make ui.state easier to use.

[ksperling]

Closing this, @nateabele 's $state.href() has been merged

[morgs32]

@ksperling and @dbrans - Here's a use case. I'd like to reroute someone from within a resolve function inside an abstract state. I can get a $stateParam from injecting it into the resolve. But, the $state.current is an empty string (I'm assuming because it's abstract). I could use the url to redirect thought ($location.path.replace()). Thoughts?

[nateabele]

I don't really understand why you'd do a redirect within a resolve instead of, for example onEnter. I know @ksperling is working on a refactor of transitionTo() which will use an event object containing information on the current transition. That sounds like something that would be more appropriate for your use case.

[morgs32]

I wouldn't mind using onEnter but it doesn't give me the current state name either (just checked), in both abstract states or not. The only thing I have to tell me the current state is the URL.

[morgs32]

I agree I should wish @ksperling good luck with his work on transitionTo()