angular-easy-masks

AngularJS component for input fields based on a configurable mask. Compatible with AngularJS 1.3.4+. Works together with ngModelOptions introduced in AngularJS 1.3.

Live Demo

Why?

The problem of typing data according to some predefined mask is nothing new. Solutions already exists for this, even natively in AngularJS. Unfortunately, I didn't managed to find a solution that worked the way it should.

All is needed to such a component is to:

a) Guide user through typing on an input field, inserting character separators where appropriate; and 
b) If there's an existing value, it should be presented according the mask provided.

Quite simple, it seems.

But in practice, not so. I freaked out when I became aware how some libraries approached these requirements (and with hundreds of lines of code, and dozens of concepts to learn). It looks like clumsy code is winning!! But I refuse to use that code in my projects (it's better when we don't see the code, though).

Then I decided to tackle on this problem and here I present you my approach. I also took it as a exercise of good design, so it was also pleasing to write. When I realized it was actually doing its job well, I decided to polish it and share. From the first prototype, it took a couple of hours more to have it working the AngularJS way. A handful more to make it actually releasable (bower, npm, git).

All this work is based on the following assumptions:

• If it is flexible, then it would solve most problems, even ones not aimed by the library author's;
• Focusing on the task of defining input masks, in order to accomplish a greater objective (smooth user input);
• Storing input together with separators (if any) makes more sense and should be easy;
• Do not mess with model's value unless user has typed something;
• Do the best to parse user input, even input coming from database, in case it does not fulfill the mask;
• Provide convenience without sacrificing flexibility;
• By keeping code base simple, it is easier to reason about and evolve;
• By fully covering with tests, it can evolve without introducing bugs.

Features

• Angular native implementation compatible with 1.3.4+;
• Validate input format, setting ngFormController's $error property as appropriate;
• Store separators in models by default (WYSIWYG);
• Handles source model containing separators or not;
• Handle optional symbols in input mask;
• Allows programmatic change of model value;
• Automatically sets input's maxlength for you;
• Provide filter for use on interpolation;
• Publish common masks under a name;
• Option to remove separator from model value;
• Integrate seamlessly with ngModelOptions (allowInvalid, ngChange, debounce, updateOn).

Also, the following requirements can be achieved by means of integrating with other components:

• Automatic focus next component when input is completed.

Recognized mask wildcards

• 0: digit, optional
• 9: digit, required
• A: alphanumeric, required
• L: alpha, required
• Z: alpha, optional

Future Work

Current version: v0.2.0

• v0.2.1
  • Delegate validation to custom services;
  • Raise events on format valid/invalid;
  • Make possible use in conjunction with input type="date"
• before 1.0
  • BREAKING CHANGE (service): Digit 9 mean optional digits, use digit 0 to mean required

Usage

<input type="text" ng-model="ctrl.field" wt-easy-mask="999.999.999-99" />

or

<input type="text" ng-model="ctrl.field" wt-easy-mask="999.999.999-99" placeholder="Type your Identitication Number"/>

Configuration

app.config(function (easyMaskProvider) {
    easyMaskProvider.publishMask('myId', '999.999.999-99');
});

Directives

wt-easy-mask

• wt-easy-mask: the mask
• placeholder: the mask (optional, if different from the mask)
• wt-easy-mask-options:
  • removeSeparators: boolean = true, if separators should be removed before updating the model

Filters

{{data | easyMask:'99.999-9'}}
{{data | easyMask:'myId'}}

Installation

Bower

bower install angular-easy-masks --save

Application

HTML

<script type="text/javascript" src="release/angular-easy-masks.min.js"></script>

JavaScript

var app = angular.module('app', ['wt.easy']);

License

MIT