spectaQL directive breaks the GQL server when it's not defined

I’m trying to implement spectaQL for our orgs graphql server. I’m having quite a bit of trouble with getting any approach to adding metadata in. My preferred method would be to use the spectaQL directive as then I can add my documentation right in my schema, but the part I’m not understanding is that adding an undefined directive to your schema will break the server

/opt/myorg/node_modules/graphql/validation/validate.js:108
    throw new Error(errors.map(function (error) {
          ^
Error: Unknown directive "spectaql".

Unknown directive "spectaql".
    at assertValidSDL (/opt/myorg/node_modules/graphql/validation/validate.js:108:11)
    at Object.buildASTSchema (/opt/myorg/node_modules/graphql/utilities/buildASTSchema.js:71:34)
    at Object.buildSchemaFromTypeDefinitions (/opt/myorg/node_modules/apollo-server-express/node_modules/graphql-tools/src/generate/buildSchemaFromTypeDefinitions.ts:43:32)
    at Object.makeExecutableSchema (/opt/myorg/node_modules/apollo-server-express/node_modules/graphql-tools/src/makeExecutableSchema.ts:52:16)
    at ApolloServer.initSchema (/opt/myorg/node_modules/apollo-server-express/node_modules/apollo-server-core/src/ApolloServer.ts:493:27)
    at new ApolloServerBase (/opt/myorg/node_modules/apollo-server-express/node_modules/apollo-server-core/src/ApolloServer.ts:356:26)
    at new ApolloServer (/opt/myorg/node_modules/apollo-server-express/src/ApolloServer.ts:88:5)
    at Object.<anonymous> (/opt/myorg/app/src/index.ts:122:16)
    at Module._compile (internal/modules/cjs/loader.js:1068:30)
    at Module.m._compile (/opt/myorg/node_modules/ts-node/src/index.ts:858:23)
[nodemon] app crashed - waiting for file changes before starting...

I’ve tried defining the directive in my schema as well:

    input SpectaQLOption {
        key: String!
        value: String!
    }
    directive @spectaql(options: [SpectaQLOption]) on FIELD_DEFINITION

and this also doesn’t seem to get picked up when running spectaql. This is how I’m using the directive

    """this is documented"""
    type MyType {
        myField: String! @spectaql(options: [{ key: "example", value: "it looks like this" }]. # this is not generating anything with spectaQL)
        "this is anotherfield, which is documented and picked up by spectaQL"
        anotherField: String!
    }

The spectaQL docs say that it’s unnecessary to define the directive yourself, so I’m quite lost as to how that’s possible. As well as to why spectaQL isn’t picking up on the directive once it’s defined.

[newhouse]

Hi @jason-dahl I understand the use-case here and will have a look ASAP. I’m surprised to hear it’s not having an effect when you define the directive yourself in your SDL, but I’ll figure it out and get back to you.

[elijaholmos]

@newhouse the first suggestion worked, thank you 🙂 I like how it can be done programmatically for my SDL generation, and I may use that as my project progresses. thank you for the help.