getting the ng-object selected with ng-change

Given the following select element

<select ng-options="size.code as size.name for size in sizes " 
        ng-model="item.size.code" 
        ng-change="update(MAGIC_THING)">
</select>

Is there a way to get MAGIC_THING to be equal to the currently selected size, so I have access to size.name and size.code in my controller?

size.code affects a lot of the other parts of the app (image urls, etc), but when the ng-model of item.size.code is updated, item.size.name needs to be updated as well for the user facing stuff. I assume that the correct way to do this is capturing the change event and setting the values inside of my controller, but I'm not sure what I can pass into update to get the proper values.

If this is completely the wrong way to go about it, i'd love to know the right way.

Instead of setting the ng-model to item.size.code, how about setting it to size:

<select ng-options="size as size.name for size in sizes" 
   ng-model="item" ng-change="update()"></select>

Then in your update() method, $scope.item will be set to the currently selected item.

And whatever code needed item.size.code, can get that property via $scope.item.code.

Fiddle.

Update based on more info in comments:

Use some other $scope property for your select ng-model then:

<select ng-options="size as size.name for size in sizes" 
   ng-model="selectedItem" ng-change="update()"></select>

Controller:

$scope.update = function() {
   $scope.item.size.code = $scope.selectedItem.code
   // use $scope.selectedItem.code and $scope.selectedItem.name here
   // for other stuff ...
}

You can also directly get selected value using following code

 <select ng-options='t.name for t in templates'
                  ng-change='selectedTemplate(template.url)'></select>

script.js

 $scope.selectedTemplate = function(pTemplate) {
    //Your logic
    alert('Template is : '+pTemplate);
}

If Divyesh Rupawala's answer doesn't work (passing the current item as the parameter), then please see the onChanged() function in this Plunker. It's using this:

http://plnkr.co/edit/B5TDQJ

<select ng-model="item.size.code">
<option ng-repeat="size in sizes" ng-attr-value="size.code">{{size.name}}          </option>
</select>

This might give you some ideas

.NET C# View Model 

public class DepartmentViewModel
{
    public int Id { get; set; }
    public string Name { get; set; }
}

.NET C# Web Api Controller

public class DepartmentController : BaseApiController
{
    [HttpGet]
    public HttpResponseMessage Get()
    {
        var sms = Ctx.Departments;

        var vms = new List<DepartmentViewModel>();

        foreach (var sm in sms)
        {
            var vm = new DepartmentViewModel()
            {
                Id = sm.Id,
                Name = sm.DepartmentName
            };
            vms.Add(vm);
        }

        return Request.CreateResponse(HttpStatusCode.OK, vms);
    }

}

Angular Controller:

$http.get('/api/department').then(
    function (response) {
        $scope.departments = response.data;
    },
    function (response) {
        toaster.pop('error', "Error", "An unexpected error occurred.");
    }
);

$http.get('/api/getTravelerInformation', { params: { id: $routeParams.userKey } }).then(
   function (response) {
       $scope.request = response.data;
       $scope.travelerDepartment = underscoreService.findWhere($scope.departments, { Id: $scope.request.TravelerDepartmentId });
   },
    function (response) {
        toaster.pop('error', "Error", "An unexpected error occurred.");
    }
);

Angular Template:

<div class="form-group">
    <label>Department</label>
    <div class="left-inner-addon">
        <i class="glyphicon glyphicon-hand-up"></i>
        <select ng-model="travelerDepartment"
                ng-options="department.Name for department in departments track by department.Id"
                ng-init="request.TravelerDepartmentId = travelerDepartment.Id"
                ng-change="request.TravelerDepartmentId = travelerDepartment.Id"
                class="form-control">
            <option value=""></option>
        </select>
    </div>
</div>

you also coud try this:

<select  ng-model="selectedItem" ng-change="update()">
<option ng-repeat="item in items" ng-selected="selectedItem == item.Id" value="{{item.Id}}">{{item.Name}}</option>
</select>