TypeScript definition file for JavaScript class without having to declare all members

Question

I would like to create a typescript definition for a big JavaScript class without adding all its members, I would like it to be of type "any". For example:

ContainerSurface.d.ts:

declare class ContainerSurface {
}
export = ContainerSurface;

And just use the class and call any members on it without having them "declared", like:

MyClass.ts:

import ContainerSurface = require('ContainerSurface');

class MyClass extends ContainerSurface {
    constructor(options) {
        super(options);
        var a: ContainerSurface({option: "test"});
        a.add("test");
    }
}

export = MyClass;

Why have a class if you're not going to give it an interface? This pretty much goes against what TypeScript is all about. — JLRishe
– JLRishe, Commented Feb 6, 2015 at 18:14
If you want to use a javascript library (in our case famo.us), but don't have the time and knowledge to generate .d.ts files for it, and need to inherit using typescript from a javascript class you want this... believe me... — Serge van den Oever
– Serge van den Oever, Commented Feb 6, 2015 at 22:01

Fenton · Accepted Answer · 2015-02-07 07:57:19Z

2

You can achieve this using the following:

declare var ContainerSurface: any;

export = ContainerSurface;

This is the first step in my Definition Files Made Easy process - so you can gradually add types over time using this as the starting point.

Step two is to loosely specify properties and methods:

declare class ContainerSurface {
    myMethod: any;
    myProperty: any;
}

export = ContainerSurface;

Grab any quick wins, like primitive types, and just add the stuff you actually use to start off with.

edited Feb 7, 2015 at 7:57

answered Feb 6, 2015 at 19:20

Fenton

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4 Comments

Serge van den Oever Over a year ago

This didn't work for me... I'm using AMD modules, could it be that this is the problem? It works for me the way I described, but then I must include all functions I call. Using your approach I get the error: "super can only be referenced in a derived class', 'extends of exported class '...' has or is using private name '...'.

Fenton Over a year ago

You can't extend any. You'll have to supply more type information if you want to use inheritance, but you can do it gradually as per the article I linked.

Serge van den Oever Over a year ago

I did this in my current code base, I declared: declare class ContainerSurface { prototype(opts:any); add(s:string); } export = ContainerSurface; But what if there are a whole set of other functions, but that I don't want to declare them (for example del(), prev(), next()), is there a way to do this, or should I declare all functions that I actually use?

Fenton Over a year ago

Each property you need to access can be declared on the class as any until you are ready to add more precise definitions. i.e. myMethod : any;

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