title: AngularJS set route without template
body: <p>I have an app that has a sidebar that I want to perform actions with different controllers and different hashed URL's.  </p>
  
  <p>For example, I'd want <code>/edit/item</code> to use an <code>EditItemController</code> which would set a scope property that is used in an <code>ng-switch</code> to determine which view to load within the sidebar.</p>
  
  <p>The same is true for <code>/edit/item/details</code>, this would use an <code>EditItemDetailsController</code> and slide the sidebar open and display the view <code>ng-include</code> from the switch.</p>
  
  <p>The problem is that everything I've found seems like you can't have a route without a template.  So, I can do this with having <code>ng-click</code> and just use the switch for the views, but then I don't get to save the state within the browser, which isn't ideal.</p>
  
  <p>I've tried defining my routes with <code>template: ''</code> but this doesn't work, it actually renders an empty template.</p>
  
  <p>Is there anyway to work around this, to set URL's for specific controllers, without effecting the main ng-view?  Also, without using <code>ui-router</code>.</p>
  
  <p>Thank you</p>