TypeORM Entity in NESTJS - Cannot use import statement outside a module

Question

Started new project with \'nest new\' command. Works fine until I add entity file to it.

Got following error:

import { Entity, Column, Primary

Answer 1

I was using Node.js with Typescript and TypeORM when I faced this issue. Configuring in ormconfig.json file worked for me.

entities: ['dist/**/*.entity.js']

My full code of ormconfig.json file:

{
  "type": "mysql",
  "host": "localhost",
  "port": 3306,
  "username": "xxxxxxxx",
  "password": "xxxxxxxx",
  "database": "typescript_orm",
  "synchronize": true,
  "logging": false,
  "migrationTableName": "migrations",
  "entities": [
    "dist/**/*.entity.js"
  ],
  "migrations": [
    "src/migration/**/*.{ts, js}"
  ],
  "suscribers": [
    "src/suscriber/**/*.{ts, js}"
  ],
  "cli": {
    "entitiesDir": "src/model",
    "migrationDir": "src/migration",
    "suscribersDir": "src/suscriber"
  }
}

Answer 2

Configuration to support migrations:

// FILE: src/config/ormconfig.ts

const connectionOptions: ConnectionOptions = {
  
  // Other configs here

  // My ormconfig isn't in root folder
  entities: [`${__dirname}/../**/*.entity.{ts,js}`],
  synchronize: false,
  dropSchema: false,
  migrationsRun: false,
  migrations: [getMigrationDirectory()],
  cli: {
    migrationsDir: 'src/migrations',
  }
}

function getMigrationDirectory() {
    const directory = process.env.NODE_ENV === 'migration' ? 'src' : `${__dirname}`;
    return `${directory}/migrations/**/*{.ts,.js}`;
}

export = connectionOptions;

// FILE package.json

{
  // Other configs here

  "scripts": {
    "typeorm": "NODE_ENV=migration ts-node -r tsconfig-paths/register ./node_modules/typeorm/cli.js --config src/config/database.ts",
    "typeorm:migrate": "npm run typeorm migration:generate -- -n",
    "typeorm:run": "npm run typeorm migration:run",
    "typeorm:revert": "npm run typeorm migration:revert"
  }
}

Answer 3

My assumption is that you have a TypeormModule configuration with an entities property that looks like this:

entities: ['src/**/*.entity.{ts,js}']

or like

entities: ['../**/*.entity.{ts,js}']

The error you are getting is because you are attempting to import a ts file in a js context. So long as you aren't using webpack you can use this instead so that you get the correct files

entities: [join(__dirname, '**', '*.entity.{ts,js}`)]

where join is imported from the path module. Now __dirname will resolve to src or dist and then find the expected ts or js file respectively. let me know if there is still an issue going on.

EDIT 1/10/2020

The above assumes the configuration is done is a javascript compatible file (.js or in the TypeormModule.forRoot() passed parameters). If you are using an ormconfig.json instead, you should use

entities: ["dist/**/*.entity.js"]

so that you are using the compiled js files and have no chance to use the ts files in your code.

Answer 4

I changed in tsconfig.json file next:

"module": "es6"

To:

"module": "commonjs",

It helps me