TypeScript 0.8.2 importing Node.js modules in internal modules

Question

Okay, as I can see you would like to use internal modules in your project. Well, there was a workaround in TypeScript 0.8.1.1, you could define non exported module (internal) and add imports above it. In 0.8.2 it seems that this doesn't work anymore. Only option I see here would be to completely omit import syntax and use standard require for node modules. I don't know if this is a good idea but please, share your opinions. I know that using import syntax will make module external (language specification), but that wasn't true in 0.8.1.1, bug maybe?

In TypeScript 0.8.1.1 this worked and doesn't work in 0.8.2 anymore:

import path = module('path');
import fs = module('fs');
module SomeNamespace.Controller {
    export class Index {
        ...
    }
}

I could reference file including above code using reference syntax on top of file in other internal modules and normally call:

var ctrl = new SomeNamespace.Controller.Index;
ctrl.index();

It seems that in 0.8.2 this is the only way what it works for internal modules:

var path = require('path');
var fs = require('fs');
module SomeNamespace.Controller {
    export class Index {
        ...
    }
}

Are there any other possibilities to mix internal modules with Node.js modules? Is there something wrong with above require usage (it compiles and runs okay ...)?

Answer 1

I think that TypeScript 0.8.2 takes us closer to the specification.

The syntax:

import x = module('SomeModule');

Is specifically an ExternalModuleReference in the TypeScript Language Specification.

An internal module would be imported using:

///<reference path="SomeModule.ts" />
import x = SomeModule;

But importing an internal module won't generate you a require statement in your JavaScript.

Taken from TypeScript Language Specification 0.8 - 9.2.2 Import Declarations

ImportDeclaration:

import Identifier = ModuleReference ;

ModuleReference:

ExternalModuleReference
ModuleName

ExternalModuleReference:

module ( StringLiteral )