feat($animate): introduce the $animate.animate() method

src/ng/animate.js

@@ -170,6 +170,10 @@ var $AnimateProvider = ['$provide', function($provide) {
      * page}.
      */
     return {
+      animate : function(element, from, to) {
+        applyStyles(element, { from: from, to: to });
+        return asyncPromise();
+      },
 
       /**
        *

src/ngAnimate/animate.js

@@ -628,9 +628,10 @@ angular.module('ngAnimate', ['ng'])
         }
 
         var isSetClassOperation = animationEvent == 'setClass';
-        var isClassBased = isSetClassOperation ||
+        var isClassBased = isSetClassOperation
-                           animationEvent == 'addClass' ||
+                           || animationEvent == 'addClass'
-                           animationEvent == 'removeClass';
+                           || animationEvent == 'removeClass'
+                           || animationEvent == 'animate';
 
         var currentClassName = element.attr('class');
         var classes = currentClassName + ' ' + className;
@@ -700,6 +701,9 @@ angular.module('ngAnimate', ['ng'])
               case 'setClass':
                 cancellations.push(animation.fn(element, classNameAdd, classNameRemove, progress, options));
                 break;
+              case 'animate':
+                cancellations.push(animation.fn(element, className, options.from, options.to, progress));
+                break;
               case 'addClass':
                 cancellations.push(animation.fn(element, classNameAdd || className,     progress, options));
                 break;
@@ -819,6 +823,65 @@ angular.module('ngAnimate', ['ng'])
        *
        */
       return {
+        /**
+         * @ngdoc method
+         * @name $animate#animate
+         * @kind function
+         *
+         * @description
+         * Performs an inline animation on the element which applies the provided `to` and `from` CSS styles to the element.
+         * If any detected CSS transition, keyframe or JavaScript matches the provided `className` value then the animation
+         * will take on the provided styles. For example, if a transition animation is set for the given className then the
+         * provided `from` and `to` styles will be applied alongside the given transition. If a JavaScript animation is
+         * detected then the provided styles will be given in as function paramters.
+         *
+         * ```js
+         * ngModule.animation('.my-inline-animation', function() {
+         *   return {
+         *     animate : function(element, className, from, to, done) {
+         *       //styles
+         *     }
+         *   }
+         * });
+         * ```
+         *
+         * Below is a breakdown of each step that occurs during the `animate` animation:
+         *
+         * | Animation Step                                                                                                    | What the element class attribute looks like                |
+         * |-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------------------|
+         * | 1. $animate.animate(...) is called                                                                                | class="my-animation"                                       |
+         * | 2. $animate waits for the next digest to start the animation                                                      | class="my-animation ng-animate"                            |
+         * | 3. $animate runs the JavaScript-defined animations detected on the element                                        | class="my-animation ng-animate"                            |
+         * | 4. the className class value is added to the element                                                              | class="my-animation ng-animate className"                  |
+         * | 5. $animate scans the element styles to get the CSS transition/animation duration and delay                       | class="my-animation ng-animate className"                  |
+         * | 6. $animate blocks all CSS transitions on the element to ensure the .className class styling is applied right away| class="my-animation ng-animate className"                  |
+         * | 7. $animate applies the provided collection of `from` CSS styles to the element                                   | class="my-animation ng-animate className"                  |
+         * | 8. $animate waits for a single animation frame (this performs a reflow)                                           | class="my-animation ng-animate className"                  |
+         * | 9. $animate removes the CSS transition block placed on the element                                                | class="my-animation ng-animate className"                  |
+         * | 10. the className-active class is added (this triggers the CSS transition/animation)                              | class="my-animation ng-animate className className-active" |
+         * | 11. $animate applies the collection of `to` CSS styles to the element which are then handled by the transition    | class="my-animation ng-animate className className-active" |
+         * | 12. $animate waits for the animation to complete (via events and timeout)                                         | class="my-animation ng-animate className className-active" |
+         * | 13. The animation ends and all generated CSS classes are removed from the element                                 | class="my-animation"                                       |
+         * | 14. The returned promise is resolved.                                                                             | class="my-animation"                                       |
+         *
+         * @param {DOMElement} element the element that will be the focus of the enter animation
+         * @param {object} from a collection of CSS styles that will be applied to the element at the start of the animation
+         * @param {object} to a collection of CSS styles that the element will animate towards
+         * @param {string=} className an optional CSS class that will be added to the element for the duration of the animation (the default class is `ng-inline-animate`)
+         * @param {object=} options an optional collection of options that will be picked up by the CSS transition/animation
+         * @return {Promise} the animation callback promise
+        */
+        animate : function(element, from, to, className, options) {
+          className = className || 'ng-inline-animate';
+          options = parseAnimateOptions(options) || {};
+          options.from = to ? from : null;
+          options.to   = to ? to : from;
+
+          return runAnimationPostDigest(function(done) {
+            return performAnimation('animate', className, stripCommentsFromElement(element), null, null, noop, options, done);
+          });
+        },
+
         /**
          * @ngdoc method
          * @name $animate#enter
@@ -1256,7 +1319,10 @@ angular.module('ngAnimate', ['ng'])
           }
         }
 
-        if (runner.isClassBased && !runner.isSetClassOperation && !skipAnimation) {
+        if (runner.isClassBased
+            && !runner.isSetClassOperation
+            && animationEvent != 'animate'
+            && !skipAnimation) {
           skipAnimation = (animationEvent == 'addClass') == element.hasClass(className); //opposite of XOR
         }
 
@@ -1947,6 +2013,13 @@ angular.module('ngAnimate', ['ng'])
       }
 
       return {
+        animate : function(element, className, from, to, animationCompleted, options) {
+          options = options || {};
+          options.from = from;
+          options.to = to;
+          return animate('animate', element, className, animationCompleted, options);
+        },
+
         enter : function(element, animationCompleted, options) {
           options = options || {};
           return animate('enter', element, 'ng-enter', animationCompleted, options);

src/ngMock/angular-mocks.js

@@ -803,7 +803,7 @@ angular.mock.animate = angular.module('ngAnimateMock', ['ng'])
       };
 
       angular.forEach(
-        ['enter','leave','move','addClass','removeClass','setClass'], function(method) {
+        ['animate','enter','leave','move','addClass','removeClass','setClass'], function(method) {
         animate[method] = function() {
           animate.queue.push({
             event : method,

test/ng/animateSpec.js

@@ -50,6 +50,15 @@ describe("$animate", function() {
       expect(element.text()).toBe('21');
     }));
 
+    it("should apply styles instantly to the element",
+      inject(function($animate, $compile, $rootScope) {
+
+      $animate.animate(element, { color: 'rgb(0, 0, 0)' });
+      expect(element.css('color')).toBe('rgb(0, 0, 0)');
+
+      $animate.animate(element, { color: 'rgb(255, 0, 0)' }, { color: 'rgb(0, 255, 0)' });
+      expect(element.css('color')).toBe('rgb(0, 255, 0)');
+    }));
 
     it("should still perform DOM operations even if animations are disabled (post-digest)", inject(function($animate, $rootScope) {
       $animate.enabled(false);

test/ngAnimate/animateSpec.js

@@ -329,7 +329,7 @@ describe("ngAnimate", function() {
             return function($animate, $compile, $rootScope, $rootElement) {
               element = $compile('<div></div>')($rootScope);
 
-              forEach(['.ng-hide-add', '.ng-hide-remove', '.ng-enter', '.ng-leave', '.ng-move'], function(selector) {
+              forEach(['.ng-hide-add', '.ng-hide-remove', '.ng-enter', '.ng-leave', '.ng-move', '.my-inline-animation'], function(selector) {
                 ss.addRule(selector, '-webkit-transition:1s linear all;' +
                                              'transition:1s linear all;');
               });
@@ -454,6 +454,20 @@ describe("ngAnimate", function() {
           expect(element.text()).toBe('21');
         }));
 
+        it("should perform the animate event",
+          inject(function($animate, $compile, $rootScope, $timeout, $sniffer) {
+
+          $rootScope.$digest();
+          $animate.animate(element, { color: 'rgb(255, 0, 0)' }, { color: 'rgb(0, 0, 255)' }, 'animated');
+          $rootScope.$digest();
+
+          if($sniffer.transitions) {
+            expect(element.css('color')).toBe('rgb(255, 0, 0)');
+            $animate.triggerReflow();
+          }
+          expect(element.css('color')).toBe('rgb(0, 0, 255)');
+        }));
+
         it("should animate the show animation event",
           inject(function($animate, $rootScope, $sniffer) {
 
@@ -653,6 +667,16 @@ describe("ngAnimate", function() {
           expect(child.attr('class')).toContain('ng-hide-remove-active');
           browserTrigger(child,'transitionend', { timeStamp: Date.now() + 1000, elapsedTime: 1 });
 
+          //animate
+          $animate.animate(child, null, null, 'my-inline-animation');
+          $rootScope.$digest();
+          $animate.triggerReflow();
+
+          expect(child.attr('class')).toContain('my-inline-animation');
+          expect(child.attr('class')).toContain('my-inline-animation-active');
+          browserTrigger(child,'transitionend', { timeStamp: Date.now() + 1000, elapsedTime: 1 });
+          $animate.triggerCallbackPromise();
+
           //leave
           $animate.leave(child);
           $rootScope.$digest();