Conflict with Chai assert / changing a keyword

[miohtama]

This is not strictly espower-typescript specific issue, but maybe you can help.

I am using truffle-typing package to bring some TypeScript definitions into my tests. However, these definitions already declare assert from Chai.

If I try to add import assert = require('assert'); in my test.ts, TypeScript compiler will balk.

TSError: ⨯ Unable to compile TypeScript:
test/Token.spec.ts:4:7 - error TS2451: Cannot redeclare block-scoped variable 'assert'.

4 const assert = require("assert"); // Power assert https://github.com/power-assert-js/espower-typescript
        ~~~~~~

  node_modules/truffle-typings/index.d.ts:10:15
    10 declare const assert: Chai.AssertStatic;
                     ~~~~~~
    'assert' was also declared here.

I was thinking a workaround of using some different symbol for assert from power-assert, e.g.

 asrt = require("assert"); // Power assert aliased

...but I am not sure if this is going to work due to transpiling.

Can I change the keyword power-assert is using in TypeScript somehow?

Namely, the following does not give me power-assert output:

// test/test.ts
import asrt = require('assert'); // If I rename assert -> asrt power-assert is no longer triggered

describe('Array#join', () => {
  it('joins all elements into a string with separator', () => {
    asrt(['a', 'b', 'c'].join(':') === 'a:b:c:');
  });
});

[miohtama]

The issue on truffle-typings is open here dethcrypto/truffle-typings#17