TypeScript VS 2012 plugin is not generating JavaScript for this specific code

Question

I'm writing this code in the editor

 ///<reference path='../node/express3.d.ts' />
 ///<reference path='../node/node.d.ts' />
import http = module('http');
var reqRecieved = function (req, res): void {
    res.end();
};
var server = http.createServer(reqRecieved);
server.listen("1337");
console.log("server started");

And the problem is that the TypeScript vs2012 plugin is not generating the JavaScript code for the same. but if I change line:

import http = module('http');

to line

var http = require('http');

then it generates fine.

what am I doing wrong here?

Answer 1

I would check you have the latest version of WebEssentials 2012 installed, as there were some issues with module import code not generating in builds 1.8.*

Also, there's an oddity in TS where imports inside a module generate no code:

export module test {
    import myMod = module("MyMod"); // Generates no JS output
    var class = myMod.someClass;
}

But:

import myMod = module("MyMod"); // Outside the module. Generates JS as expected.

export module test {
     var class = myMod.someClass;
}

Answer 2

If you aren't getting an explanation via Visual Studio, it can sometimes help to hit the command line and see that is going on:

tsc --debug c:\path\to\yourfile.ts

This may give you more detailed errors.