Transclusion fallback content with ng-if/ng-repeat cause js exception

[peterreisz]

In case I want to use directives which modifies the DOM structure (ng-if/ng-repeat) in the fallback content of the transclusion and I give another content when using the component, I've got an javascript exception, though the component seems working.

Angular version: 1.5.5
Plunkr: https://plnkr.co/edit/A4nxJDDy8OUBPc6hiVqq?p=info

angular.js:13550 TypeError: Cannot read property 'insertBefore' of null
    at forEach.after (https://ajax.googleapis.com/ajax/libs/angularjs/1.5.5/angular.js:3603:13)
    at Object.JQLite.(anonymous function) [as after] (https://ajax.googleapis.com/ajax/libs/angularjs/1.5.5/angular.js:3687:17)
    at domInsert (https://ajax.googleapis.com/ajax/libs/angularjs/1.5.5/angular.js:5229:35)
    at Object.enter (https://ajax.googleapis.com/ajax/libs/angularjs/1.5.5/angular.js:5397:9)
    at https://ajax.googleapis.com/ajax/libs/angularjs/1.5.5/angular.js:25542:26
    at publicLinkFn (https://ajax.googleapis.com/ajax/libs/angularjs/1.5.5/angular.js:8276:29)
    at lazyCompilation (https://ajax.googleapis.com/ajax/libs/angularjs/1.5.5/angular.js:8615:25)
    at boundTranscludeFn (https://ajax.googleapis.com/ajax/libs/angularjs/1.5.5/angular.js:8414:16)
    at controllersBoundTransclude (https://ajax.googleapis.com/ajax/libs/angularjs/1.5.5/angular.js:9143:20)
    at ngIfWatchAction (https://ajax.googleapis.com/ajax/libs/angularjs/1.5.5/angular.js:25533:15)

[Narretz]

Strange, this happens only when you use .component, not when you use .directive. Since component is built on directive, I wonder where the problem lies. Maybe there's timing difference where the component takes a bit longer to compile.

[gkalpak]

It does happen with directives too, as long as you use the same DDO properties.
Specifically, it seems to be the controllerAs: '$ctrl' that triggers it (and only for $ctrl !?!): plnkr

[yhorbachov]

I had same issue but with ng-repeat and component inside of it. I figure out that problem appears when we have unhandled exception during nodeLinkFn running (in my case in $onInit lifecycle hook), sooo if we have exception there, angular.js skips prelinking and postlinking routines and as result we have scope mess.

[jamie-pate]

With multi-element ng-repeat there is a similar problem: VM1362 angular.js:13236 Error: [$compile:uterdir] Unterminated attribute, found 'ng-repeat-start' but no matching 'ng-repeat-end' found.
plnkr

[gkalpak]

From a quick check the original issue seems to be fixed in 1.5.8 and works as expected till the latest 1.5.10 (demo).
The issue reported by @jamie-pate is totally unrelated (but still a valid issue). Let's track it in #15554.