This documentation is not maintained. Please refer to doc.castsoftware.com/technologies to find the latest updates.

Summary: This document provides basic information about the extension providing AngularJS support for Web applications.

What's new

  • This new version optimizes memory consumption.
  • Detection of controllers have been improved when they are not defined by name, but only by variable.
  • Transaction improvements

Description

This extension provides support for AngularJS.

In what situation should you install this extension?

If your Web application contains AngularJS source code and you want to view these object types and their links with other objects, then you should install this extension:

  • Creates AngularJS object structure (see below)
  • Creates links between these objects and links between HTML files and controller scope elements
  • Directives are partly handled:
    • links between HTML tags and directives are handled
    • links between HTML attributes in directive sections and directive scope items are handled

Regarding Front-End to Back-End connections, we do support the following cross-technology stacks:

AngularJS Front-End connected JEE Back-EndAngularJS Front-End connected Node.js Back-End

Supported AngularJS versions

The following table displays the supported versions matrix:

VersionTransaction SupportRules SupportType of Support
1.0(tick)(tick)Full-stack use case support
1.2(tick)(tick)Fullstack use case support
1.3(tick)(tick)Fullstack use case support
1.4(tick)(tick)Fullstack use case support
1.5(tick)(tick)Fullstack use case support
1.6(tick)(tick)Fullstack use case support

Comparison with existing support for JavaScript in CAST AIP

CAST AIP has provided support for analyzing JavaScript via its J2EE and .NET analyzers (provided out of box in CAST AIP) for some time now. The HTML5/JavaScript extension (on which the AngularJS extension depends) also provides support for JavaScript but with a focus on web applications. CAST highly recommends that you use this extension if your Application contains JavaScript and more specifically if you want to analyze a web application, however you should take note of the following:

  • You should ensure that you configure the extension to NOT analyze the back end web client part of a .NET or J2EE application.
  • You should ensure that you configure the extension to ONLY analyze the front end web application built with the HTML5/JavaScript that communicates with the back end web client part of a .NET or J2EE application.
  • If the back end web client part of a .NET or J2EE application is analyzed with the AngularJS extension and with the native .NET/J2EE analyzers, then your results will reflect this - there will be duplicate objects and links (i.e. from the analyzer and from the extension) therefore impacting results and creating erroneous Function Point data.
Note that in CAST AIP 8.3.x support for analyzing JavaScript has been withdrawn from the JEE and .NET analyzers.

Function Point, Quality and Sizing support

This extension provides the following support:

  • Function Points (transactions): a green tick indicates that OMG Function Point counting and Transaction Risk Index are supported
  • Quality and Sizing: a green tick indicates that CAST can measure size and that a minimum set of Quality Rules exist
Function Points
(transactions)
Quality and Sizing
(tick)(tick)

CAST AIP compatibility

This extension is compatible with:

CAST AIP release
Supported
8.3.x(tick)
8.2.x(tick)
8.1.x(tick)
8.0.x(tick)
7.3.4 and all higher 7.3.x releases(tick)

Supported DBMS servers

This extension is compatible with the following DBMS servers:

CAST AIP releaseCSSOracleMicrosoft
All supported releases(tick)(tick)(error)

Prerequisites

(tick)An installation of any compatible release of CAST AIP (see table above)

Dependencies with other extensions

Some CAST extensions require the presence of other CAST extensions in order to function correctly. The AngularJS extension requires that the following other CAST extensions are also installed:

Note that when using the CAST Extension Downloader to download the extension and the Manage Extensions interface in CAST Server Manager to install the extension, any dependent extensions are automatically downloaded and installed for you. You do not need to do anything.

Download and installation instructions

Please see:

The latest release status of this extension can be seen when downloading it from the CAST Extend server.

Packaging, delivering and analyzing your source code

Once the extension is downloaded and installed, you can nowpackage your source code and run an analysis. The process of packaging, delivering and analyzing your source code is described below:

Click here to expand...

Packaging and delivery

Note that the AngularJS extension does not contain any CAST Delivery Manager Tool discoverers or extractors, therefore, no "AngularJS" projects will be detected. However, the Web Files Discoverer extension will be automatically installed (it is a "shipped" extension which means it is delivered with AIP Core) and will automatically detect projects as HTML5 if specific files are delivered, therefore ensuring that Analysis Units are created for your source code.

Using CAST Console

Using CAST Management Studio

Click here to expand...
  • create a new Version
  • create a new Package for your AngularJS source code using the Files on your file system option:

  • Define the root folder of your Application source code:

  • Run the Package action
  • Before delivering the source code, check the packaging results:
Without the Web Files Discover

If you are not using the Web Files Discoverer, the following will occur:

  • the CAST Delivery Manager Tool will not find any "projects" related to the AngularJS application source code - this is the expected behaviour. However, if your AngularJS related source code is part of a larger application (for example a JEE application), then other projects may be found during the package action (click to enlarge):

With the Web Files Discoverer

If you are using the Web Files Discoverer, the following will occur:

  • the CAST Delivery Manager Tool will automatically detect "HTML5 file projects" (see Web Files Discoverer for more technical information about how the discoverer works) related to the AngularJS application source code. In addition, if your AngularJS related source code is part of a larger application (for example a JEE application), then other projects may also be found during the package action (click to enlarge):

  • Deliver the version.

Analyzing

Using CAST Console

AIP Console exposes the technology configuration options once a version has been accepted/imported, or an analysis has been run. Click Universal Technology (3) in the Config (1) > Analysis (2) tab to display the available options for your AngularJS source code:

Then choose the relevant Analysis Unit (1) to view the configuration:

Using the CAST Management Studio

Click here to expand...

Accept and deploy the Version in the CAST Management Studio.

Without the Web Files Discover

If you are not using the Web Files Discoverer, the following will occur:

  • No Analysis Units will be created automatically relating to the AngularJS source code - this is the expected behaviour. However, if your AngularJS related source code is part of a larger application (for example a JEE application), then other Analysis Units may be created automatically:

  • In the Current Version tab, add a new Analysis Unit specifically for your AngularJS source code, selecting the Add new Universal Analysis Unit option:

  • Edit the new Analysis Unit and configure in the Source Settings tab:
    • a name for the Analysis Unit
    • ensure you tick the HTML5/JavaScript option (the AngularJS extension depends on the HTML5 and JavaScript extension - and therefore the Universal Analyzer language for the AngularJS extension is set as HTML5/JavaScript)
    • define the location of the deployed AngularJS source code (the CAST Management Studio will locate this automatically in the Deployment folder):

  • Run a test analysis on the Analysis Unit before you generate a new snapshot.
With the Web Files Discoverer

If you are using the Web Files Discoverer, the following will occur:

  • "HTML5" Analysis Units will be created automatically (see Web Files Discoverer for more technical information about how the discoverer works) related to the AngularJS application source code. In addition, if your AngularJS related source code is part of a larger application (for example a JEE application), then other Analysis Units may also be created:

  • There is nothing further to do, you can now run a test analysis on the Analysis Unit before you generate a new snapshot.

Analysis warning and error messages

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The following table lists the errors and warnings that may occur during when analyzing source code with the AngularJS extension:

Message ID
Message Type

Logged during

Impact
Remediation
Action
ANGULARJS-001WarningAnalysisA link could not be created because of an internal error.

 

Contact CAST Technical Support
ANGULARJS-002WarningAnalysisSome directories seem identical and perhaps source code is duplicated. Results will be more accurate without duplication of source codeRemove duplicated source code to improve accuracy of results. 
ANGULARJS-003WarningAnalysisAn html file could not be analyzed. If the html file is empty, has a strange format, or is not related to AngularJS, you can ignore this warning. Contact CAST Technical Support
ANGULARJS-004WarningAnalysisA file was not full analyzed because of an internal error. Contact CAST Technical Support
ANGULARJS-005WarningAnalysisA file was not fully analyzed because of an internal error. The message will list the source code line numbers that are causing the problem. If nothing important is between these lines you can ignore the message. Contact CAST Technical Support
ANGULARJS-006WarningAnalysisAn html file referenced in a templateUrl property in an AngularJS file was not found. If the referenced html file does not exist, you can ignore the warning. Contact CAST Technical Support
ANGULARJS-007WarningPost analysesInternal issue with a SQL query that prevents the correct parent ibject being assigned to AngularJS applications. Contact CAST Technical Support

What results can you expect?

Once the analysis/snapshot generation has completed, you can view the results in the normal manner (for example via CAST Enlighten):

E.g. : AngularJS Front-end connected to Node.js Back-end

E.g. : AngularJS Front-end connected to JEE/Spring MVC Back-end

Objects

The following specific objects are displayed in CAST Enlighten:

IconDescription
AngularJS Application
AngularJS Controller
AngularJS Directive
AngularJS Directive Controller
AngularJS Directive Link Function
AngularJS Factory
AngularJS Model function
AngularJS Model variable
AngularJS Service
AngularJS Get Resource Service
AngularJS Post Resource Service
AngularJS Put Resource Service
AngularJS Delete Resource Service
AngularJS Get Http Service
AngularJS Post Http Service
AngularJS Put Http Service
AngularJS Delete Http Service
AngularJS Watch function

Tip

If your application is supposed to be communicating with services, ensure you have GET, POST, PUT, DELETE Service objects created after the analysis.

Quality Rules

You can find a full list of rules delivered with this extension here:

https://technologies.castsoftware.com/?rlH=extensions/com.castsoftware.angularjs/1.5.0-funcrel.json

Technical Notes

AngularJS Service objects and Transactions

AngularJS Service objects are not considered by CAST AIP as being part of any transaction (they are considered as technical function points). Instead, the AngularJS Service's functions are considered to be part of the transaction. Therefore when looking at the results of an AngularJS analysis, links to the AngularJS Service's functions should be checked to ensure that the expected transactions exist. Transactions within AngularJS are ALWAYS from functions or methods to functions or methods (objects which are executable).

Known Limitations

In this section we list the most significant functional limitations that may affect the analysis of applications using AngularJS:

  • The extension does not detect AngularJS objects when they are declared with prototype. For example:
xxx.service('ContentService', ['$rootScope', '$window', '$resource', '$q', '$log', 'ManageContentURIs', attContent.content]);

attContent.content.prototype.retrieveContent = function(criteria, useStubs) {
var useStub = useStubs?useStubs:false;
var deferred = this.q.defer(),