Use typings in vscode without reference path for each d.ts - angularjs

Question

I have TypeScript and Typings working in vs2015 with the Web Analyzer plugin. I've resolved all vs2015 errors. Now I am trying to set it up in vscode. I've setup a gulp task and vscode reports:
error TS2304: Cannot find name 'angular'
I can resolve it with the following line, but is there a simpler way than listing out each file individually? I.e., vs2015 compiles the TypeScript without issue and knows how to use the Typings files.
/// <reference path="../typings/browser/ambient/angular/index.d.ts" />
I started with gulp-tsc and also tried gulp-typescript, but both require this.
var tsc = require("gulp-tsc");
var typescript = require("gulp-typescript");
var $ = require("gulp-load-plugins")({ lazy: true });
gulp.task("ts-watcher", function() {
gulp.watch("./app/**/*.ts", ["ts-compile"]);
});
gulp.task("ts-compile", function() {
var tsProject = typescript.createProject('tsconfig.json');
return gulp.src(config.allts) //["./app/**/*.ts"]
.pipe(typescript(tsProject))
.pipe(gulp.dest("dest/"));
});
gulp.task("default", ["ts-watcher"]);
{
"compilerOptions": {
"module": "amd",
"rootDir": "src",
"sourceMap": true,
"target": "es5",
"removeComments": true,
"outFile": "./build/build.js"
},
"compileOnSave": true,
"exclude": [
"node_modules",
"typings/main",
"typings/main.d.ts",
"packages"
]
}
My typings folder is in the same folder as tsconfig.json.
Restarting VSCode did not help.
This is similar to Including d.ts type definition files in VSCode, but I am 1) including more information, 2) using VSCode 1.1.0, and 3) I have a TSconfig, not a JSconfig. Would a jsconfig help?

Answer 1

Add a main.d.ts file in your app folder. (Or the src folder where all your ts file resides) with below content, (check the relative path based upon your project structure)
/// <reference path="../typings/main.d.ts" />
you might have to restart VS code.

Answer 2

Maybe you shouldn't exclude typings/main.d.ts as you seem to do. This file is the entry point that includes all registered type defs and hence also angular.

Answer 3

A tsconfig (or jsconfig) in your workspace root is required for vscode to automatically pick up type definitions from typings directory in your workspace root.
In the following example only browser .d.ts-files are used.
tsconfig.json
{
"compilerOptions": {
"target": "es5",
"sourceMap": true
},
"exclude": [
"typings/main.d.ts",
"typings/main",
"node_modules"
]
}
To install additional typings you can use the following typings command
typings install --ambient jquery --save
or use one of the following vscode extensions:
typings-installer
typings-autoinstaller