"Microsoft JScript runtime error: '$' is undefined" when using Typescript and jQuery

Question

I'm getting this error trying a simple jQuery sample with Typescript:

"tsc.js(23915, 17) Microsoft JScript runtime error: '$' is undefined"

My entire .ts file:

/// <reference path="scripts/jquery-1.8.d.ts" />

$(document).ready(function () {});

The jquery-1.8.d.ts is from DefinitelyTyped, but I get the same error if I use the standard jquery.d.ts. I'm not getting any errors on the reference tag, it's correct and is finding the .d.ts file.

I'm obviously missing something basic here, I can't figure out why I'm getting this error. I've got the VS 2012 extension installed and am getting full autocomplete on jQuery... so when I type '$' I do get autcomplete popups. The generated .js file is correct, nothing wrong there. A much more complex .ts file is compiling correctly and the output .js file is perfectly fine, so this is more of an annoyance than an error, I suppose. Or am I missing other errors because of this runtime error??

I'm compiling by adding an "External Tool" in VS with command: C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft SDKs\TypeScript\0.8.1.1\tsc.exe arguments: -e "$(ItemPath)" --sourcemap

Answer 1

I believe the issue is with the command that you are using itself, or at least one of the options you are passing in. "-e" tells the compiler to "Execute the script after compilation". So what you see, "Microsoft JScript runtime error: '$' is undefined", is not a compile error, but rather a runtime error that is showing up after the file is compiled and is in the process of being executed.

Hope that helps!