[BUG] stopTrackEvent requires property values to be strings

[50Wliu]

Description/Screenshot
The README says that properties accepts any type: https://github.com/microsoft/ApplicationInsights-JS/blob/HEAD/README.md#sending-telemetry-to-the-azure-portal
However, stopTrackEvent is typed to only accept a { [key: string]: string } which is in direct contradiction with the above.

Steps to Reproduce

• OS/Browser: Edge
• SDK Version [e.g. 22]:
• How you initialized the SDK: npm

Expected behavior
I can include anything I want in properties.

Additional context
Version 3.0.5.

[siyuniu-ms]

Hi @50Wliu Based on my local test, the following call was successful:

appInsights.startTrackEvent("test99"); 
appInsights.stopTrackEvent("test99", {"a":3.14, b:"TEST",c:{apple:"banana"}, d:80000})

I have verified in my Azure portal, and the telemetry appears as expected.

We will update the README accordingly to include this example. The current one may cause confusion as it contains "properties: {}".

Your feedback is greatly appreciated. If there are any edge cases or further suggestions, please let us know.

[50Wliu]

Hi @siyuniu-ms, thanks for looking into this. I'm referring to the TypeScript types which seem to be incorrect in this case.
See:

ApplicationInsights-JS/AISKU/src/AISku.ts

Line 668 in 6365dad

public stopTrackEvent(name: string, properties?: { [key: string]: string; }, measurements?: { [key: string]: number; }) {

[siyuniu-ms]

Hi @siyuniu-ms, thanks for looking into this. I'm referring to the TypeScript types which seem to be incorrect in this case. See:

ApplicationInsights-JS/AISKU/src/AISku.ts

Line 668 in 6365dad

public stopTrackEvent(name: string, properties?: { [key: string]: string; }, measurements?: { [key: string]: number; }) {

You are corret. This behavior is intentional. As you may have observed in the Azure portal, telemetry data is organized into two distinct tables: one for measurements and another for properties. When our telemetry is transmitted to Azure, we ensure that the fields are segregated based on their data types — numeric values are categorized as measurements, while strings and nested objects are categorized as properties.

While the current functionality has been validated through local testing, we acknowledge the importance of providing clarity on this process and ensuring consistency between different track function. As such, we plan to incorporate additional documentation and ensure consistency of converting customer properties.

[siyuniu-ms]

PS example in #2268 may help for better understanding

[50Wliu]

Thanks, but I'm still confused. I understand that numbers, nested objects, etc. can be transmitted, but my point is that the typings in this repo forbid that. In #2268 one of your examples is appInsights.stopTrackEvent("test",{property: {p1:3, p2:4}}).

If I try this, I get the following TypeScript error:

[siyuniu-ms]

interesting, I could run it on my side:

---

I also have a test on edge Version 121 using 3.0.5 version loaded from script and it works.

Could you provide a more detailed screenshot and also try to print out Microsoft.ApplicationInsights.ms$mod in dev tool?

[50Wliu]

I'm referring exclusively to the compile-time TypeScript types, not runtime behavior (which from your comments, I understand works correctly if you decide to ignore the TypeScript errors).

The following code snippet is sufficient to reproduce the issue when using @microsoft/applicationinsightsweb 3.0.8 and TypeScript 5.2.2.

import { ApplicationInsights } from "@microsoft/applicationinsights-web";
const appInsights = new ApplicationInsights({
  config: {
    connectionString: "the connection string",
  },
});
appInsights.loadAppInsights();
appInsights.stopTrackEvent("test", { property: { p1: 3, p2: 4 } }); // ts2332: Type '{ p1: number; p2: number; }' is not assignable to type 'string'.

E:\devprod.wave.analysis.ado [main ≡ +1 ~0 -0 !] ➜ npx tsc
src/Contributions/LinkProvider/test.ts:8:38 - error TS2322: Type '{ p1: number; p2: number; }' is not assignable to type 'string'.

8 appInsights.stopTrackEvent("test", { property: { p1: 3, p2: 4 } });
                                       ~~~~~~~~
Found 1 error in src/Contributions/LinkProvider/test.ts:8