Here are two examples:
Using ng-include and a function that points to the external file
I created a plunker showing you a working example. As soon as you click the 'process data' link, it will call NewBox() that will append the content from an external file. This link simulates your callback.
In the directive, the template is defined as template:
<div ng-include="getTemplateUrl()"></div>
And in the link function, I setup getTemplateUrl() once newBox() is called... the getTemplateUrl() function returns the name of the external file (e.g. template.html):
link: function(scope, element, attr) {
scope.newBox = function() {
console.log('new Box');
scope.getTemplateUrl = function() {
return 'template.html';
}
}
}
The full JS file is:
angular.module('components', [])
.directive('newHost', function() {
return {
restrict: 'E',
template: '<div ng-include="getTemplateUrl()"></div>',
link: function(scope, element, attr) {
scope.newBox = function() {
console.log('new Box');
scope.getTemplateUrl = function() {
return 'template.html';
}
}
}
}
});
angular.module('HelloApp', ['components'])
.controller('MyCtrl', ['$scope', function($scope) {
$scope.name = 'This is the controller';
$scope.go = function() {
console.log('Processing...');
$scope.newBox();
}
}]);
index.html is:
<!doctype html>
<html ng-app="HelloApp" >
<head>
<meta charset="utf-8">
<title>AngularJS Plunker</title>
<link rel="stylesheet" href="style.css">
<script src="https://ajax.googleapis.com/ajax/libs/angularjs/1.5.5/angular.js"></script>
<script src="app.js"></script>
</head>
<body>
<div ng-controller="MyCtrl">
<new-host></new-host>
<br/>
<a ng-href='#here' ng-click='go()'>process data</a>
</div>
</body>
</html>
And template.html is a simple example:
<div>
This is some content from template.html
</div>
If you look in plunker, once you press 'process data', the template.html content is then added using the newBox() function. Now, you would replace that link with your callback.
Using ng-show and a boolean to hide/show the content
One way which is going in a slightly different direction than you is to use ng-show and hide the template until newBox() is called.
I created a JSFiddle that shows an example of how to do this.
The new-host tag is hidden at the start using ng-show:
<div ng-controller="MyCtrl">
<new-host ng-show='displayNewHost'></new-host>
<br/>
<a ng-href='#here' ng-click='go()' >process data</a>
</div>
The link process data is to simulate your success callback, so when you click on it, it will call $scope.newBox()
Here is the main JS file:
angular.module('components',[])
.directive('newHost', function() {
return {
restrict: 'E',
link: function(scope, element, attr) {
scope.newBox = function() {
console.log('new Box');
scope.displayNewHost = true;
};
}
}
})
angular.module('HelloApp', ['components'])
function MyCtrl($scope) {
$scope.displayNewHost = false;
$scope.name = 'This is the controller';
$scope.go = function() {
console.log('Processing...');
$scope.newBox();
}
}
angular.module('myApp', ['components'])
As you see, in the controller we set displayNewHost to false hiding the directive. Once one clicks on the process data link, the newBox function sets displayNewHost to true and then the content appears.
In your example, you would replace the 'template' by 'templateUrl' pointing to your file.
That is another solution.
Editing my answer to answer the follow-up question / newBox is not a function error
Just reading your code (without checking using plunker so I may be wrong), I am guessing that the problem is that once you are in the success function $scope points to another scope. Try to change your code to this... please note that I put $scope in a variable 'vm' and then use that in both the core function and the success callback.
host.controller('hostsController', function($scope, $http, $window, $rootScope){
$rootScope.$on("$routeChangeError", function (event, current, previous, rejection) {
console.log("failed to change routes");
});
var vm = $scope;
vm.newHost = {};
vm.addNewHost = function() {
$http({
method : 'POST',
url : 'http://192.168.0.99:5000/newHost',
data : JSON.stringify(vm.newHost), // pass in data as strings
})
.success(function(data) {
console.log(data);
vm.newBox()
//on success we want to close the modal and reset the data
vm.newHost = {}
vm.dismiss()
});
};
});'
templateUrlproperty to set path to template