How To Persist Optional State Parameter On Browser Back In Ui Router

Have you ever worked on a web application where you needed to persist optional state parameters while navigating back in the browser? It can be a bit tricky, but with the help of the UI Router library, you can achieve this seamlessly. In this guide, we will walk you through the process of persisting optional state parameters on browser back in UI Router.

Firstly, let's understand the scenario. When working with UI Router in a single-page application, you may encounter situations where you have optional parameters in your state configuration. These parameters might not always be present, but you want to maintain them when the user navigates back using the browser's back button.

To achieve this, you can leverage the built-in feature of UI Router called "sticky states." This feature allows you to define which states should be retained in the history stack even after transitioning away from them. Here's how you can implement this in your application:

1. Define Your States: In your application's state configuration, define the states that contain optional parameters that you want to persist. Make sure to set the `sticky` property to `true` for these states.

Example:

$stateProvider.state('dashboard', {
  url: '/dashboard',
  params: {
    optionalParam: null
  },
  sticky: true
});

2. Configure Your Application: In your AngularJS application, configure the UI Router to enable sticky states functionality.

Example:

myApp.config(function ($uiRouterProvider) {
  let router = $uiRouterProvider.router;
  router.stateService = new StickyStateRouter($uiRouterProvider);
});

3. Handle State Changes: When transitioning between states, ensure that you capture and preserve the optional parameters that need to be persisted.

Example:

$rootScope.$on('$stateChangeStart', function(event, toState, toParams, fromState, fromParams) {
  if (fromState.sticky) {
    // Save optional parameters from the current state
    // and add them to the browser history
  }
});

By following these steps and incorporating sticky states into your UI Router configuration, you can successfully persist optional state parameters when navigating back in the browser. This ensures a smoother user experience and helps maintain the application's state consistency.

In conclusion, leveraging UI Router's sticky states feature provides a simple yet effective solution for persisting optional parameters in your single-page application. Remember to carefully define your states, configure your application accordingly, and handle state changes to ensure seamless navigation and user interaction.