Setting view value an input field in a unit test of an angular form directive

Here’s how I’ve been unit testing my input-based directives (Lots of code omitted for clarity!) The important line you are after is:

angular.element(dirElementInput).val('Some text').trigger('input');

Here’s the full unit test:

  it('Should show a red cross when invalid', function () {

    dirElement = angular.element('<ng-form name="dummyForm"><my-text-entry ng-model="name"></my-text-entry></ng-form>');

    compile(dirElement)(scope);
    scope.$digest();

    // Find the input control: 
    var dirElementInput = dirElement.find('input');

    // Set some text!
    angular.element(dirElementInput).val('Some text').trigger('input');
    scope.$apply();

    // Check the outcome is what you expect! (in my case, that a specific class has been applied)
    expect(dirElementInput.hasClass('ng-valid')).toEqual(true);
  });