Nice article. We use the first approach in our code.

I tried what you suggested (e.g. my new code is

app.factory('invoicesService', ['$http', '$q', function($http, $q) {

        var metaData = null;

        var getMetaData = function () {
            var deferred = $q.defer();

            if (angular.isObject(metaData))
                deferred.resolve(metaData);
            else {
                $http.get('/api/invoices/metadata')
                    .success(function (data) {
                        metaData = data;
                        deferred.resolve(data);

                    })
                    .error(function (data, status, header, config) {
                        deferred.reject(status);
                    });
            }
            return deferred.promise;
        };

but I still got hit of my API controller's method twice. I'm going to look into Viv's idea now.

>You need to return a promise even if you return the cached data.
>
>So define your deferred at the top of the code then to return the cached data:
>
>

>if (angular.isObject(metaData)) {
>      deferred.resolve(metaData);
>     return deferred.promise;
>}
>

>
>This way you get the same data back regardless of whether the data was returned from the AJAX call or from the cached data.
>
>You might want to read this:
>http://weblog.west-wind.com/posts/2014/Oct/24/AngularJs-and-Promises-with-the-http-Service
>
>which explains some of the mechanics behind this...
>
>+++ Rick ---
>>
>
>
>Define your $q.defer() before the first call then deferred.resolve(metaData); return deferred.promise() with the cached data and return the promise in the if block.
>
>+++ Rick ---
>
>>Hi everybody,
>>
>>I have two pages in the same form that need to access the same data.
>>
>>Each of the pages is controlled by its own controller and both have this code in the init:
>>
>>

>>invoicesService.getMetaData().then(function (data) {
>>                        $scope.invoicesMetaData = data;
>>
>>                    });

>>
>>So, I want to somehow adjust the service code to not invoke the method twice. Here is what I attempted to do but it's not working:
>>
>>

>>app.factory('invoicesService', ['$http', '$q', function($http, $q) {
>>
>>        var metaData = null;
>>
>>        var getMetaData = function () {
>>            if (angular.isObject(metaData))
>>                return metaData;
>>
>>            var deferred = $q.defer();
>>            $http.get('/api/invoices/metadata')
>>                .success(function (data) {
>>                    metaData = data;
>>                    deferred.resolve(data);
>>                    
>>                })
>>                .error(function (data, status, header, config) {
>>                    deferred.reject(status);
>>                });
>>            return deferred.promise;
>>        };

>>
>>I still get 2 hits in my API controller. Do you see how should I change the above to avoid the second call after the first one was already made?
>>
>>Thanks in advance.