Here is the directive with my new changes:

(function () {
    'use strict';

    var app = angular.module('sysMgrApp');

    app.directive('smFocus', [ '$timeout', function ($timeout) {
        return {
            restrict: 'A',
            scope: {
                noFocus: "=?"
            },
            link: function (scope, element) {
                var noFocus = angular.isDefined(scope.noFocus) ? scope.noFocus : false;
               // console.log('noFocus=' + noFocus)
                if (!noFocus) {
                    scope.$on('sm:focus', function () {
                        $timeout(function () {
                            element[0].focus();
                        }, 10);
                    });
                }
            }
        };
    }]);
})();

The problem is that on the form with several tabs (tabs are on the left side), the first time the form opens the control has the focus. When I start switching between tabs, other tabs first control doesn't have focus (despite having that directive set) and when I go back to the original first tab the control also doesn't have focus anymore. I am wondering if there is a way to fix that behavior.