Typescript compile on save setting in Visual studio is not honored

[rkavalap]

Repro steps:
Edit a typescript file.

Expected behavior:
If Tools -> Text Editor -> Typescript -> Project -> General
If Compile on Save option unchecked
equivalent js file should not be generated at the current location.

Current behavior:
Generating a js file.

Earlier versions of ntvs had this in the project file for the behavior

<EnableTypeScript>true</EnableTypeScript>
<TypeScriptSourceMap>true</TypeScriptSourceMap>
<TypeScriptModuleKind>CommonJS</TypeScriptModuleKind>
<ToolsVersionPromptShown>1.7</ToolsVersionPromptShown>

Which was automatically generating the js file.

When I open a nodejs solution, I currently see it's automatically edited. But I don't see above setting changes getting added in the edit.
I am currently not sure where it is getting controlled from.

Issue redirected from
microsoft/nodejstools#832

[pebezo]

You need to add { "compileOnSave": true } to your tsconfig.json file. However, it doesn't seem to always follow it, or there are hidden errors... not sure; it's very flaky.

[mhegazy]

If you are using a tsconfig, set "compileOnSave": true in it. see http://www.typescriptlang.org/docs/handbook/tsconfig.json.html#compileonsave

If you are not using a tsconfig.json file, then the project property pages should would be the place to set CompileOnSave.

If you do not have a project file, i.e. open a ts file and start editing, then use Tools -> Text Editor -> Typescript -> Project -> General
to turn compile on save on.

hope that helps.

[mhegazy]

not sure; it's very flaky.

@pebezo, we would love to get to the bottom of any issues you are running into. can you share more infromaiton

[pebezo]

If I can come up with a repro I'll make sure to post it -- unfortunately it seems rather random. Sometimes right-clicking on the project and choosing "rebuild" works when just saving doesn't. Just "build" doesn't seem to work...

[mhegazy]

@pebezo what you are saying makes me think it could be #7247. i am assuming you have a tsconfig.json, if so, then build will work iff you touched the tsconfig.json, otherwise a rebuild is required.

[rkavalap]

@mhegazy @pebezo
I neither have a tsconfig.json nor a compile on save option in my project properties.
It's a nodejs tools project. A sample project
https://github.com/rkavalap/NightWatchTest
Project itself doesn't have .njsproj file checked in. But you can try this one as a reference.

I use gulp to transpile my typescript files to javascript. I am not sure how this a compiler issue.
The setting I was referring earlier to is in the visual studio options which created the above referred xml fragment in my project file

[EDIT]: I just re-read the wording of the checkbox, the expected behavior is different to what I am reporting. From the wording I believe files not included in the project file should be transpiled or not.

For my issue:
But the edited files get transpiled on the fly which are already part of project as well.

[mhegazy]

this setting only controls loose files, i.e. open a random .ts file and save it. if you have project, ntvs or other, you need to set this in your project.

[davlinski]

This was working perfectly before VS2015 Update 2 (TS 1.8). Now it's not working at all. Only way I can get it to transpile is by performing a build/rebuild. No bueno.

[mhegazy]

@davlinski can you share more information about your project/setup.

[davlinski]

@mhegazy Sorry 'bout that! I restarted Visual Studio and it started working again. I added the setting mentioned above ("compileOnSave": true) to my tsconfig.json file and it wasn't working. I spoke (typed) before adhering to the cardinal rule of Windows; when all else fails...restart. Thank you!

[rkavalap]

@mhegazy Is there a setting that is currently exposed to not compile the ts file I just edited and saved. Below is my current my vs setup. I am unable to track this setting down.

Microsoft Visual Studio Enterprise 2015
Version 14.0.25123.00 Update 2
Microsoft .NET Framework
Version 4.6.01038

Installed Version: Enterprise

Architecture and Modeling Tools 00322-90000-92003-AA742
Microsoft Architecture and Modeling Tools

UML® and Unified Modeling Language™ are trademarks or registered trademarks of the Object Management Group, Inc. in the United States and other countries.

LightSwitch for Visual Studio 2015 00322-90000-92003-AA742
Microsoft LightSwitch for Visual Studio 2015

Visual Basic 2015 00322-90000-92003-AA742
Microsoft Visual Basic 2015

Visual C# 2015 00322-90000-92003-AA742
Microsoft Visual C# 2015

Visual C++ 2015 00322-90000-92003-AA742
Microsoft Visual C++ 2015

Visual F# 2015 00322-90000-92003-AA742
Microsoft Visual F# 2015

Windows Phone SDK 8.0 - ENU 00322-90000-92003-AA742
Windows Phone SDK 8.0 - ENU

ASP.NET and Web Tools 2015 (RC1 Update 1) 14.1.20203.0
ASP.NET and Web Tools 2015 (RC1 Update 1)

ASP.NET Web Frameworks and Tools 2012.2 4.1.41102.0
For additional information, visit http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkID=309563

ASP.NET Web Frameworks and Tools 2013 5.2.40314.0
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Azure App Service Tools v2.7.1 14.0.11112.0
Azure App Service Tools v2.7.1

Common Azure Tools 1.7
Provides common services for use by Azure Mobile Services and Microsoft Azure Tools.

HideMenu 1.0
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JavaScript Language Service 2.0
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JetBrains ReSharper Ultimate 2015.2 Build 103.0.20150818.200216
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Microsoft Azure HDInsight HQL Service 2.0.2900.0
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Microsoft Azure HDInsight Tools for Visual Studio 2.0.2900.0
An integrated development environment for HDInsight application development.

Microsoft Azure Mobile Services Tools 1.4
Microsoft Azure Mobile Services Tools

Microsoft Azure Tools 2.8
Microsoft Azure Tools for Microsoft Visual Studio 2015 - v2.8.40211.2

Microsoft Team Foundation Server 2015 Power Tools 14.0
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Microsoft Visual Studio Process Editor 1.0
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Node.js Tools 1.1.40329.04
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Node.js Tools - Profiling 1.1.40329.04
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NPM Task Runner 1.3.59
Adds support for package.json's NPM scripts in the Task Runner Explorer

NuGet Package Manager 3.4.3
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Office Developer Tools for Visual Studio 2015 ENU 14.0.23025
Microsoft Office Developer Tools for Visual Studio 2015 ENU

PreEmptive Analytics Visualizer 1.2
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Python Tools for Visual Studio 2.2.40315.00
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SQL Server Data Tools 14.0.60311.1
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TypeScript 1.8.29.0
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Visual Studio Tools for Universal Windows Apps 14.0.25123.00
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Windows Installer XML Toolset 3.10.2.2516
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Workflow Manager Tools 1.0 1.0
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Xamarin.iOS 9.3.99.33 (ea30b32)
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[mhegazy]

@rkavalap can you share your project? or at least the project file.

[rkavalap]

@mhegazy here you go.
Github doesn't support the nodejs project file. So copy pasting it below. I can repro this with my sample project on github. https://github.com/rkavalap/NightWatchTest

Earlier I was under the assumption of Task runner explorer was causing an issue. But I uninstalled the extention and still find the issue to repro

I find this issue to be closely related
#5638

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<Project DefaultTargets="Build" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/developer/msbuild/2003">
  <PropertyGroup>
    <Configuration Condition=" '$(Configuration)' == '' ">Debug</Configuration>
    <SchemaVersion>2.0</SchemaVersion>
    <ProjectGuid>{09e167bc-f3de-4c00-8b25-01239456b211}</ProjectGuid>
    <ProjectHome />
    <ProjectView>ShowAllFiles</ProjectView>
    <StartupFile>node_modules/nightwatch/bin/runner.js</StartupFile>
    <WorkingDirectory>.</WorkingDirectory>
    <OutputPath>.</OutputPath>
    <ProjectTypeGuids>{3AF33F2E-1136-4D97-BBB7-1795711AC8B8};{349c5851-65df-11da-9384-00065b846f21};{9092AA53-FB77-4645-B42D-1CCCA6BD08BD}</ProjectTypeGuids>
    <VisualStudioVersion Condition="'$(VisualStudioVersion)' == ''">11.0</VisualStudioVersion>
    <VSToolsPath Condition="'$(VSToolsPath)' == ''">$(MSBuildExtensionsPath32)\Microsoft\VisualStudio\v$(VisualStudioVersion)</VSToolsPath>
    <ScriptArguments>-t buildOutput/JavaScript1.js --env devtest-chrome-win8</ScriptArguments>
    <StartWebBrowser>True</StartWebBrowser>
  </PropertyGroup>
  <PropertyGroup Condition="'$(Configuration)' == 'Debug'" />
  <PropertyGroup Condition="'$(Configuration)' == 'Release'" />
  <ItemGroup>
    <Content Include="configs\capabilities.json5" />
    <Content Include="configs\defaults.json5" />
    <Content Include="configs\deployments.json5" />
    <Content Include="configs\TestConfigData\ci.json5" />
    <Content Include="configs\TestConfigData\devtest.json5" />
    <Content Include="configs\TestConfigData\pprod.json5" />
    <Content Include="nightwatch.conf.js" />
    <Content Include="package.json" />
    <Content Include="README.md" />
    <TypeScriptCompile Include="globalsModule.js" />
    <TypeScriptCompile Include="tests\JavaScript1.ts" />
    <TypeScriptCompile Include="tests\JavaScript2.ts" />
    <TypeScriptCompile Include="tests\JavaScript3.ts" />
    <TypeScriptCompile Include="tests\JavaScript4.ts" />
    <TypeScriptCompile Include="typings\nightwatch-custom\custom-assertions.d.ts" />
    <TypeScriptCompile Include="typings\nightwatch-custom\custom-commands.d.ts" />
    <TypeScriptCompile Include="typings\nightwatch-custom\custom-reporters.d.ts" />
    <TypeScriptCompile Include="typings\nightwatch\nightwatch.d.ts" />
    <TypeScriptCompile Include="typings\nightwatch-custom\page-objects.d.ts" />
    <TypeScriptCompile Include="typings\node\node.d.ts" />
    <TypeScriptCompile Include="typings\tsd.d.ts" />
  </ItemGroup>
  <ItemGroup>
    <Folder Include="configs\" />
    <Folder Include="configs\TestConfigData\" />
    <Folder Include="lib\" />
    <Folder Include="lib\common\" />
    <Folder Include="lib\common\utils\" />
    <Folder Include="lib\custom-assertions\" />
    <Folder Include="lib\custom-commands\" />
    <Folder Include="lib\custom-reporters\" />
    <Folder Include="lib\page-objects\" />
    <Folder Include="tests" />
    <Folder Include="typings\" />
    <Folder Include="typings\nightwatch-custom\" />
    <Folder Include="typings\nightwatch\" />
    <Folder Include="typings\node\" />
  </ItemGroup>
  <ItemGroup>
    <Compile Include="lib\custom-reporters\reporter.js" />
  </ItemGroup>
  <Import Project="$(MSBuildToolsPath)\Microsoft.Common.targets" Condition="Exists('$(MSBuildExtensionsPath)\$(MSBuildToolsVersion)\Microsoft.Common.props')" />
  <!--Do not delete the following Import Project.  While this appears to do nothing it is a marker for setting TypeScript properties before our import that depends on them.-->
  <Import Project="$(MSBuildExtensionsPath32)\Microsoft\VisualStudio\v$(VisualStudioVersion)\TypeScript\Microsoft.TypeScript.targets" Condition="False" />
  <Import Project="$(VSToolsPath)\Node.js Tools\Microsoft.NodejsTools.targets" />
  <ProjectExtensions>
    <VisualStudio>
      <FlavorProperties GUID="{349c5851-65df-11da-9384-00065b846f21}">
        <WebProjectProperties>
          <UseIIS>False</UseIIS>
          <AutoAssignPort>True</AutoAssignPort>
          <DevelopmentServerPort>0</DevelopmentServerPort>
          <DevelopmentServerVPath>/</DevelopmentServerVPath>
          <IISUrl>http://localhost:48022/</IISUrl>
          <NTLMAuthentication>False</NTLMAuthentication>
          <UseCustomServer>True</UseCustomServer>
          <CustomServerUrl>http://localhost:1337</CustomServerUrl>
          <SaveServerSettingsInUserFile>False</SaveServerSettingsInUserFile>
        </WebProjectProperties>
      </FlavorProperties>
      <FlavorProperties GUID="{349c5851-65df-11da-9384-00065b846f21}" User="">
        <WebProjectProperties>
          <StartPageUrl>
          </StartPageUrl>
          <StartAction>CurrentPage</StartAction>
          <AspNetDebugging>True</AspNetDebugging>
          <SilverlightDebugging>False</SilverlightDebugging>
          <NativeDebugging>False</NativeDebugging>
          <SQLDebugging>False</SQLDebugging>
          <ExternalProgram>
          </ExternalProgram>
          <StartExternalURL>
          </StartExternalURL>
          <StartCmdLineArguments>
          </StartCmdLineArguments>
          <StartWorkingDirectory>
          </StartWorkingDirectory>
          <EnableENC>False</EnableENC>
          <AlwaysStartWebServerOnDebug>False</AlwaysStartWebServerOnDebug>
        </WebProjectProperties>
      </FlavorProperties>
    </VisualStudio>
  </ProjectExtensions>
</Project>

[mhegazy]

@rkavalap the fix is in rkavalap/NightWatchTest@a3066a4

The better fix is to add a tsconfig.json to your project.

{
    "compileOnSave": false,
    "compilerOptions": {
        "module": "commonjs",
        "target": "es5"
    }
}

you can find the full documentation for the properties in http://www.typescriptlang.org/docs/handbook/compiler-options-in-msbuild.html