proto files nested files?

I would like to split my proto file as follows:

syntax = "proto3";

option csharp_namespace = "GrpcService2";

package greet;
import "pkg1/greet.proto";

// The greeting service definition.
service Greeter {
  // Sends a greeting
  rpc SayHello (greet_types.HelloRequest) returns (greet_types.HelloReply);
}

and

syntax = "proto3";

option csharp_namespace = "GrpcService2";

package greet_types;

// The request message containing the user's name.
message HelloRequest {
  string name = 1;
}

// The response message containing the greetings.
message HelloReply {
  string message = 1;
}

So in the file system it looks as follows

But when I build the project there is an error:

I have also prepared a repo with this issue (https://github.com/MihailsKuzmins/GrpcService2) Basically it is the standard project, but only greet.proto is split.

So, is it possible to accomplish what I want (split generation rpc and models). My goal: generate models in the base project; generate client / server in child projects.

If it is not possible I will simply change gRPC models with other models, but I would like to keep gRPC models (less duplication) Any help is much appreciated 🙏

[MihailsKuzmins]

@chwarr, thank you for the example, I have applied it in my final solution. I think it helped me solve the problem

@JamesNK looks like I have managed to get it working by changing the file name to greet_types.proto. When files have the same names nothing worked on my PC even after clean-rebuild and after deleting bin and obj folders

after several hours of brainstorming (cleaning, rebuilding, reopening my IDE) I have finally achieved what I wanted. Indeed after I split proto files Visual Studio started to complain about compiling, but restarting the IDE solved these errors

GrpcBase.csproj - proto files, generate base types

<ItemGroup>
	<Protobuf Include="messages\base\*.proto" GrpcServices="None" />
</ItemGroup>

GrpcMediatr.csproj - generate MediatR implementations

<ItemGroup>
	<Protobuf Include="..\GrpcBase\messages\*.proto" GrpcServices="None" ProtoRoot="..\GrpcBase">
		<Link>Protobufs\%(RecursiveDir)%(FileName)%(Extension)</Link>
	</Protobuf>
</ItemGroup>

GrpcService.csproj - gRPC server

<ItemGroup>
	<Protobuf Include="..\GrpcBase\*.proto" GrpcServices="Server" ProtoRoot="..\GrpcBase">
		<Link>Protobufs\%(RecursiveDir)%(FileName)%(Extension)</Link>
	</Protobuf>
</ItemGroup>

And my protos

greet.proto

syntax = "proto3";

option csharp_namespace = "GrpcService2";

package greet;
import "messages/greet_types.proto";

// The greeting service definition.
service Greeter {
  // Sends a greeting
  rpc SayHello (greet_types.HelloRequest) returns (greet_types.HelloReply);
}

greet_types.proto

syntax = "proto3";

option csharp_namespace = "GrpcService2";

package greet_types;
import "messages/base/base_types.proto";

// The request message containing the user's name.
message HelloRequest {
	string name = 1;
	.base_types.TestEnum test = 2;
}

// The response message containing the greetings.
message HelloReply {
	string message = 1;
}

base_types.proto

syntax = "proto3";

option csharp_namespace = "GrpcService2";

package base_types;

// The request message containing the user's name.
message TestEnum {
	string name = 1;
}

@JamesNK, please carry on with the awesome gRPC stuff. I really appreciate what you are doing for the community

[JamesNK]

@JamesNK, does not seem to work 😢

You might need to clean the solution and rebuild. I needed to do that when I tested your scenario out.