revealing module pattern & variable scope -> public object undefined after async call returns

Question

I have an Angular controller, which appeared to be working fine. I can console log the user variable inside of the service call, and it contains the correct data. However in my test, I can console log the controller and verify the user object is there, but it is empty. It really seems like initialize is trying to store the variable after the local scope is destroyed, but it is very strange as I have another controller & test written in the exact same way working fine.

I have been iterating over this for two days, so if anyone has any leads, I would be most grateful.

function DetailAccountController (accountsService) {
    'use strict';

    var user = {};

    initialize();

    return {
        user: user
    };

    /**
     * Initialize the controller,
     * & fetch detail for a single user.
     */
    function initialize () {
        // If the service is available, then fetch the user
        accountsService && accountsService.getById('').then(function (res) {
            user = res;
        });

    }
}

and a jasmine test:

describe('DetailAccountController', function () {
    var ctrl = require('./detail-account-controller'),
        data = [{
            "email": "fakeUser0@gmail.com",
            "voornaam": "Mr Fake0",
            "tussenvoegsel": "van0",
            "achternaam": "User0",
            "straat": "Mt Lincolnweg0",
            "huisnr": 0,
            "huisnr_toev": 0,
            "postcode": "0LW",
            "telefoonr": "0200000000",
            "mobielnr": "0680000000",
            "plaats": "Amsterdam",
            "id": "00000000"
        }],
        accountsServiceMock,
        $rootScope,
        $q;

    beforeEach(inject(function (_$q_, _$rootScope_) {
        $q = _$q_;
        $rootScope = _$rootScope_;

        accountsServiceMock = {
            getById: function () {}
        };

    }));

    it('should call the getById method at least once', function () {

        spyOn(accountsServiceMock, 'getById').and.returnValue($q.defer().promise);
        ctrl.call({}, accountsServiceMock);

        expect(accountsServiceMock.getById.calls.any()).toBe(true);
        expect(accountsServiceMock.getById.calls.count()).toBe(1);
    });

    it('should populate user data in the model', function () {
        var deferred = $q.defer();
        deferred.resolve(data);
        spyOn(accountsServiceMock, 'getById').and.returnValue(deferred.promise);

        var vm = ctrl.call({}, accountsServiceMock);
        $rootScope.$apply();

        expect(vm.user).toEqual(data);
    });
});

Updated solution for the curious

function DetailAccountController (accountsService) {
    'use strict';
    var self = this;
    self.user = null;

    initialize();

    return self;

    /**
     * Initialize the controller,
     * & fetch detail for a single user.
     */
    function initialize () {
        accountsService && accountsService.getById('').then(function (res) {
            self.user = res;
        });
    }
}

Answer 1

user = res affects local variable and has nothing to do with returned object.

It has to be either

    accountsService && accountsService.getById('').then(function (res) {
        angular.extend(user, res);
    });

or

var obj = {
    user: {}
};

initialize();

return obj;

function initialize () {
    accountsService && accountsService.getById('').then(function (res) {
        obj.user = res;
    });

}