field typings for `create`

[masonk]

protobuf.js version: 6.6

Thanks for a fantastic package. This is an enhancement request, something I would only make because I care!

I'm using protobufjs to generate TS definition files, but I've noticed that the various creation methods such as create, fromObject and new, aren't typed with the allowable fields. This is important to me, because those fields are exactly the ones that I want intellisense for.

Are there any plans to add this? If not, would you accept a patch for them? (Would you be willing to guide me if I commit to adding this patch?)

[dcodeIO]

Still rather basic: This now documents an interface named like the message with a trailing "$Properties" and makes the message implement the new interface. Additionally, it references the new interface as the type of the parameters to the constructor and .create.

However, parameter types of .fromObject and .verify are still plain objects because these methods are actually intended to be used with plain objects but their types could be changed to reference both (MyMessage$Properties|Object.<string,*>)= instead if that helps. Let me know!

[masonk]

Can't wait to try this out tonight! Will let you know.

[tamird]

a75625d didn't quite do the right thing - for instance, it doesn't do objects-all-the-way-down. I get this generated definition:

            type EventsResponse$Properties = {
                events?: cockroach.server.serverpb.EventsResponse.Event[];
            };

Where it should probably be:

            type EventsResponse$Properties = {
                events?: cockroach.server.serverpb.EventsResponse.Event$Properties[];
            };

Note the $Properties on the inner array.

[dcodeIO]

Does that solve it?

[tamird]

Yes, but there is now also #723.

[masonk]

I was able to drop in the new changes with "$Properties all the way down" without compilation issues. My app still compiles and runs fine, and the intellisense works beautifully now. It's a huge boon not to have to look up field names or types and to be incapable of misspelling them.

I'm not familiar enough with the pbjs runtime to identify any mismatches between the typings and the runtime reality (but if I discover any in due course I will be sure to raise them).

I'm blown away by how fast you made these changes too. Thanks again.