Ts-node: --project and --compilerOptions not working

[aj-r]

It seems like the --project and --compilerOptions flags have no effect.

I have a directory structure that looks like this:

project root
- scripts
  - exportTranslations.ts
  - tsconfig.json
- src
  - tscnofig.json
  - ...other files
- package.json

I've installed [email protected] globally. (Also tried with 4.1.0 and having the same issue.) I've also installed [email protected] both locally and globally.

I'm trying to use the new esModuleInpterop compiler option, so scripts/tsconfig.json looks like this:

{
    "compilerOptions": {
        "alwaysStrict": true,
        "esModuleInterop": true,
        "module": "commonjs",
        "noImplicitAny": true,
        "noImplicitReturns": true,
        "noImplicitThis": true,
        "noFallthroughCasesInSwitch": true,
        "skipLibCheck": true,
        "strict": true,
        "target": "es2017",
    },
    "include": [
        "**/*.ts"
    ]
}

exportTranslations.ts looks like this:

import path from "path";

const root = path.dirname(__dirname);
console.log(root);

When I run the command ts-node scripts/exportTranslations.ts --project scripts/tsconfig.json --no-cache, I get this error:

TypeError: Cannot read property 'dirname' of undefined

However, if I copy tsconfig.json from scripts into the root folder, it works fine. Also, if I cd into the scripts folder and run ts-node, it works fine. It seems like ts-node always uses tsconfig.json in the current working directory, and ignores whatever I pass for the --project parameter. Am I doing something wrong?

Other things I've tried that don't work (give the same error):

• ts-node scripts/exportTranslations.ts --no-cache --compilerOptions '{"esModuleInterop":true}'
• 
  SET TS_NODE_PROJECT=scripts/tsconfig.json ts-node scripts/exportTranslations.ts --project
• ts-node scripts/exportTranslations.ts --no-cache --esModuleInterop

Is this a bug? Or how am I supposed to use a tsconfig.json file that's not in the current directory?

[aj-r]

Finally figured it out - looks like I need to put the --project parameter BEFORE my input file, i.e.

ts-node --project scripts/tsconfig.json scripts/exportTranslations.ts 

[aj-r]

Would be nice if ts-node supported arguments after the input file, or at least warns you if you try to put an option like --project after your input file.

[blakeembrey]

That's not possible. Node.js works exactly the same way. I think you're neglecting the common use-case of people using a CLI with their own arguments which may or may not be named the same as ts-node arguments. Feel free to submit a PR if you'd like to clarify this in the documentation.