[FR]: Support for proto in aspect configure?

[antspy]

What is the current behavior?

Hi,

I have a repo using I am using py_proto_library and ts_proto_library.

My python library imports the proto using
from src import types_pb2

When I run aspect configure, the CLI complains that it's an unknown dependency.

Describe the feature

Is there some documentation or examples that explain how to make aspect configure understand the proto generated code, and therefore add a dependency on the py_proto_library and ts_proto_library whenever it encounters a proto import?

Thank you!

[jbedard]

Which configure languages do you have enabled? The js plugin should generate ts_proto_library for each proto_library, then imports from .ts files should resolve to that.

I'm not as certain for the python and it might not be supported: bazel-contrib/rules_python#1703

[antspy]

Thank you for your answer!

I have enabled js, python and proto:

# .aspect/cli/config.yaml
configure:
  languages:
    javascript: true
    protobuf: true
    python: true

the js plugin should generate ts_proto_library for each proto_library, then imports from .ts files should resolve to that.

A ts_proto_library is indeed generated for each proto_library, but importing the file from my .ts file does not result in aspect configure adding the ts_proto_library to the BUILD dependency.

Although I guess this might depend on how I imported the file in ts - what is the right import statement for asepct configure to understand the dependency? Without editor support, I am not sure what the right syntax is meant to be. Which file should I import?

[jbedard]

Simple relative imports of the generated file should work fine, see the tests as an example: https://github.com/aspect-build/aspect-cli/tree/main/gazelle/js/tests/ts_proto_library_imported

[antspy]

Uhm that doesn't seem to work, but regardless of this - how does the editor integration is meant to work?

Even if bazel configure understands the types_pb import, the editor still knows nothing about the types and validity of the import.

Does it mean that I have to rely on copying the generated files back to the source tree? And if so, then why would I depend on the ts_proto_library target, instead of adding a dependency on the ts_library which includes the generated files?

[antspy]

Btw, is there a way I can disable the generation of the ts_proto_library target?

I don't want to disable support for js/ts or protos, but I would like to avoid the ts_proto_library to be added. Is there a gazelle directive I can add that would prevent this from being generated?

[jbedard]

That's what the # gazelle:js_proto disabled directive should do..?

[antspy]

@jbedard Ah yes, thank you! I had asked this question before I knew about that proto directive :)

About the aspect configure and editor support: I think it's still a non-trivial problem requiring some custom solution.

My solution is that, since editor support requires copying files into the source tree anyway, I also add BUILD files there to make them proper bazel targets, so that aspect configure can add dependency on them.

This is a bit weird - I am depending on the generated code, not on the proto target itself. In fact, no one depends on the ts_proto_library or py_proto_library target - those target are there only to allow for code generation, but they are otherwise unused.

The setup is working, but I am also wondering how everyone else is handling this. Is this the intended solution?