Angularjs: Get element in controller

You can pass in the element to the controller, just like the scope:

function someControllerFunc($scope, $element){

}

$element is one of four locals that $compileProvider gives to $controllerProvider which then gets given to $injector. The injector injects locals in your controller function only if asked.

The four locals are:

• $scope
• $element
• $attrs
• $transclude

The official documentation: AngularJS $compile Service API Reference - controller

The source code from Github angular.js/compile.js:

 function setupControllers($element, attrs, transcludeFn, controllerDirectives, isolateScope, scope) {
    var elementControllers = createMap();
    for (var controllerKey in controllerDirectives) {
      var directive = controllerDirectives[controllerKey];
      var locals = {
        $scope: directive === newIsolateScopeDirective || directive.$$isolateScope ? isolateScope : scope,
        $element: $element,
        $attrs: attrs,
        $transclude: transcludeFn
      };

      var controller = directive.controller;
      if (controller == '@') {
        controller = attrs[directive.name];
      }

      var controllerInstance = $controller(controller, locals, true, directive.controllerAs);

I dont know what do you exactly mean but hope it help you.
by this directive you can access the DOM element inside controller
this is sample that help you to focus element inside controller

.directive('scopeElement', function () {
    return {
        restrict:"A", // E-Element A-Attribute C-Class M-Comments
        replace: false,
        link: function($scope, elem, attrs) {
            $scope[attrs.scopeElement] = elem[0];
        }
    };
})

now, inside HTML

<input scope-element="txtMessage" >

then, inside controller :

.controller('messageController', ['$scope', function ($scope) {
    $scope.txtMessage.focus();
}])