MsBuild compiler options don't support node modules properly

[ehamai]

I'm trying to get the Angular2 beta to work with ASP.Net Web API but can either get intellisense with the Angular2 node libraries to work in Visual Studio, or compiling to work, but not both. The project I'm referring to is here: https://github.com/Tuesdaysgreen/angular2-webapi

According to your msbuild documentation, you should specify "NodeJs" instead of "node" for the TypeScriptModuleResolution for node modules projects. If I use this, then the Visual Studio editor is able to resolve the Angular2 node libraries, but if I try to compile, I hit this error:

Build: Argument for '--moduleResolution' option must be 'node' or 'classic'. angular2-webapi C:\git\angular2-webapi\angular2-webapi\VSTSC

If I change TypeScriptModuleResolution to "node" instead of "NodeJs", then I can compile, but lose intellisense for the Angular2 node modules in the editor. For example, when I hover over the error from this import statement, it says "cannot find module "angular2/core"

import {Component} from 'angular2/core'

Here's my TypeScript arguments from my csproj file:

<PropertyGroup Condition="'$(Configuration)|$(Platform)' == 'Debug|AnyCPU'"> <TypeScriptTarget>ES5</TypeScriptTarget> <TypeScriptJSXEmit>None</TypeScriptJSXEmit> <TypeScriptCompileOnSaveEnabled>True</TypeScriptCompileOnSaveEnabled> <TypeScriptNoImplicitAny>False</TypeScriptNoImplicitAny> <TypeScriptModuleKind>System</TypeScriptModuleKind> <TypeScriptRemoveComments>False</TypeScriptRemoveComments> <TypeScriptGeneratesDeclarations>False</TypeScriptGeneratesDeclarations> <TypeScriptNoEmitOnError>True</TypeScriptNoEmitOnError> <TypeScriptSourceMap>True</TypeScriptSourceMap> <TypeScriptExperimentalDecorators>true</TypeScriptExperimentalDecorators> <TypeScriptModuleResolution>NodeJs</TypeScriptModuleResolution> <TypeScriptEmitDecoratorMetadata>true</TypeScriptEmitDecoratorMetadata> </PropertyGroup>

It seems like the module resolution should always be "node" instead of "NodeJs", so I'm not sure if this is a VS bug, or an msbuild bug, or a TypeScript compiler bug but I figure I would start here. Please let me know if you need any more info.

[mhegazy]

That is a bug. will get this fixed asap.

[mhegazy]

The change requires an update to the VS plugin in. it should be available with the next public release of TS.

[ehamai]

Wow. Thanks for the quick turnaround! :)

[stasberkov]

Until this is released you can use the following workaround

  <PropertyGroup>      
    <TypeScriptModuleResolution>NodeJs</TypeScriptModuleResolution>
  </PropertyGroup>
   ...
  <Target Name="FixTsBuildConfiguration" BeforeTargets="CompileTypeScript" >
    <PropertyGroup>
      <TypeScriptBuildConfigurations>$(TypeScriptBuildConfigurations.Replace("--moduleResolution NodeJs", "--moduleResolution node"))</TypeScriptBuildConfigurations>
   </PropertyGroup>
  </Target>

[carvadero]

Thanks for the quick turnaround @mhegazy and thank you for the workaround @stasberkov :)

[petrelselina]

@stasberkov Hi, I am using typescript 1.7.6 and vs2015 14.0.24720.00 Update1, and I use your workaround but this error still showing, but someone resolve it with the same project and same workaroud, that confused me. Is there something let this workaround no effect? Seems it didn't excuse. I set it like this:

<PropertyGroup>
    <TypeScriptTarget>ES5</TypeScriptTarget>
    <TypeScriptRemoveComments>false</TypeScriptRemoveComments>
    <TypeScriptSourceMap>true</TypeScriptSourceMap>
    <!--<TypeScriptModuleKind>AMD</TypeScriptModuleKind>-->
    <TypeScriptModuleKind>System</TypeScriptModuleKind>
    <TypeScriptJSXEmit>None</TypeScriptJSXEmit>
    <TypeScriptCompileOnSaveEnabled>True</TypeScriptCompileOnSaveEnabled>
    <TypeScriptNoImplicitAny>False</TypeScriptNoImplicitAny>
    <TypeScriptOutFile />
    <TypeScriptOutDir />
    <TypeScriptGeneratesDeclarations>True</TypeScriptGeneratesDeclarations>
    <TypeScriptNoEmitOnError>False</TypeScriptNoEmitOnError>
    <TypeScriptMapRoot />
    <TypeScriptSourceRoot />
    <TypeScriptExperimentalDecorators>true</TypeScriptExperimentalDecorators>
    <TypeScriptModuleResolution>NodeJs</TypeScriptModuleResolution>
    <TypeScriptAllowUnreachableCode>true</TypeScriptAllowUnreachableCode>
  </PropertyGroup>_

...
  <Import Project="$(VSToolsPath)\TypeScript\Microsoft.TypeScript.targets" Condition="Exists('$(VSToolsPath)\TypeScript\Microsoft.TypeScript.targets')" />
  <PropertyGroup>
    <PostBuildEvent>"$(ProjectDir)tools\tsdocx.exe" "$(ProjectDir)wijmo.tsdocx.xml" "/cfg:$(ConfigurationName)"
if %25errorlevel%25 NEQ 0 exit %25errorlevel%25
"$(ProjectDir)tools\xml2html.exe" "$(ProjectDir)wijmo.tsdocx.xml"
</PostBuildEvent>
  </PropertyGroup>
  <PropertyGroup>
    <PreBuildEvent>copy /B /Y "$(ProjectDir)wijmo.angular2\node_modules\wijmo\ControlMetaFactory_ExternalHeader.ts"+"$(ProjectDir)wijmo.interop\ControlMetaFactory.ts"+"$(ProjectDir)wijmo.angular2\node_modules\wijmo\ControlMetaFactory_External.ts" "$(ProjectDir)wijmo.angular2\node_modules\wijmo\wijmo.metaFactory.ts"</PreBuildEvent>
  </PropertyGroup>
<Target Name="FixTsBuildConfiguration" BeforeTargets="CompileTypeScript">
    <PropertyGroup>
      <TypeScriptBuildConfigurations>$(TypeScriptBuildConfigurations.Replace("--moduleResolution NodeJs", "--moduleResolution node"))</TypeScriptBuildConfigurations>
    </PropertyGroup>
  </Target>

[stasberkov]

@petrelselina make sure you reloaded project/solution after changes. Try close-open visual studio.

[petrelselina]

@stasberkov Yes, I try a lot, even uninstall vs and reinstall it, and still got this error.

[stasberkov]

@petrelselina typescript 1.8 is released, you don't need this workaround anymore.