CODEWITHSUNDEEP
javascriptvisual-studio-2013typescript
Serberuss
Serberuss

Reputation: 2387

Can't compile .d.ts TypeScript files in Visual Studio 2013

I'm trying out TypeScript for the first time and I've downloaded the angularjs.TypeScript.DefinitelyTyped package from nuget but I cannot generate JavaScript files from it.

I've tried deleting the file, creating a new TypeScript file (called angular.ts) and this generates a JavaScript absolutely fine with the exact same code. I could keep this file and do the same with the others but it seems like I should be able to compile these sorts of files.

I've also looked into the Properties of my project and under TypeScript Build I have the following options activated:

  1. ECMAScript version: ECMAScript 5
  2. Compile on Save
  3. Allow implicit 'any' types
  4. Module system: none
  5. Keep comments in JavaScript output
  6. Generate source maps

I don't have any errors when I build my project and all of my other .ts files that I have added all generate JavaScript files without an issue. I've looked to see if this is a known Visual Studio issue but I can't seem to find much about it. Is there a setting for this or should it happen automatically?

Upvotes: 1

Views: 1142

Answers (2)

Clark
Clark

Reputation: 2678

Sorry if I misunderstood the question but you cannot compile d.ts files. When you see a d.ts file, you can think of it like a interface for a project that was not written in TypeScript.

For example, I use phaser game engine. So like everyone else, I go and get the phaser.js file. At this point, my TypeScript cannot understand this phaser.js file. So, I go and grab the phaser.d.ts file and it is that which contains the full API of the phaser.js.

So basically, .ts files will always compile to JavaScript, whereas .d.ts are the definition files providing the bridge to using a .js file!

Upvotes: 1

codeepic
codeepic

Reputation: 4122

We are using Typescript with Visual Studio in our app, but we also had some problems when trying to coerce VS 2013 to compile TypeScript to JavaScript. We opted out for Grunt plugin and no longer rely on VS. I suggest you do the same. One caveat: don't use watch in typescript Grunt task. It will trigger VS into infinite loop when you will be building your project. Instead when you apply changes to your .ts files, tab switch to command line and run grunt task for ts->js compilation.

Upvotes: 1

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