Cannot use classes in protos

[orgads]

Environment details

• Programming language: Typescript
• OS: Linux
• Language runtime version: 20
• Package version: 4.2.0

Steps to reproduce

When esm output is used, the import from protos.js is using import type, and this doesn't allow using the concrete classes in the namespaces, or other values that are not types.

This is example is based on @google-cloud/speech package, in which I only replaced the following line in index.d.ts to import type *...:

import * as protos from '../protos/protos';

Then in my code I have:

import { v1, v1p1beta1, protos as googleProtos } from '@google-cloud/speech';
// An import alias cannot reference a declaration that was imported using 'import type'.ts(1380)
import protos = googleProtos.google.cloud.speech;
function test() {
  // 'protos' cannot be used as a value because it was imported using 'import type'.ts(1361)
  const foo = new protos.v1.SpeechContext();
  // 'protos' cannot be used as a value because it was imported using 'import type'.ts(1361)
  return protos.v1.RecognitionConfig.AudioEncoding.LINEAR16;
}

Is there a reason not to use a simple import instead?

[alexander-fenster]

@sofisl can you take a look at this issue please?

[sofisl]

Hi @orgads, what do you mean by when esm output is used? We don't currently publish our packages in esm, although we do have plans to do so soon! In order to publish in esm, we need to do a lot of changes, and we're about to experiment with @google-cloud/tasks.

I'm not sure I understand what this means either: Is there a reason not to use a simple import instead? Where are you referring to?

[orgads]

I refer to the templates. See #1498 for my fix.

I only used @google-cloud/speech as a reference. I generated another package using esm output, and in index.d.ts the import of protos is import type. This is also wrong, since the js/cjs files do import the protos, while import type discards it in the js output.

[sofisl]

Gotcha! I think this is tied to another change that we made to the compileProtos step, which generates protos.js as es6 (vs. amd).

In your experiment, try changing this line to:

compileProtos esm/src --esm

Could you let me know if that works for you?

[orgads]

Once again, there is no problem with the google speech package. Please refer to my PR #1498 and my previous comment.

[sofisl]

Hi @orgads, that line doesn't change anything in the speech package, it changes how the protos are compiled. It compiles the protos.js file into es6.

[orgads]

I know that. My problem is that the generated code is incorrect. Forget about the speech package.