title: Proto files using google.protobuf imports - causing issues in NodeJS
body: <p>I have google.profobuf.* imports in a proto file (used by GRPC server written in go). When the same proto file is used to implement a GRPC client in NodeJS - I run into issues.</p>
  
  <p>Details:</p>
  
  <p>proto file used by the GRPC server (written in go):</p>
  
  <p>tech.proto</p>
  
  <pre><code>syntax = "proto3";
  
  package api;
  
  import "google/protobuf/duration.proto";
  import "google/protobuf/empty.proto";
  
  message Info {
      string desc = 1;
      google.protobuf.Duration ttl = 2;
  }
  
  service Tech {
      rpc BasicInfo(google.protobuf.Empty) returns (Info) {}
  }
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>When this is used by the GRPC client written in NodeJs:</p>
  
  <p>getTechInfo.js (first few lines)</p>
  
  <pre><code>'use strict';
  
  const PROTO_PATH = __dirname + '/../../api/tech.proto';
  const grpc = require('grpc');
  const apiProto = grpc.load(PROTO_PATH).api;
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>I get the following error:</p>
  
  <pre><code>/Users/././node_modules/protobufjs/dist/protobuf.js:4720
                              throw Error("failed to import '"+importFilename+"' in '"+filename+"': file not found");
                              ^
  
  Error: failed to import '/Users/././api/google/protobuf/duration.proto' in '/Users/././api/register.proto': file not found
      at Builder.ProtoBuf.Builder.BuilderPrototype.import (/Users/././node_modules/protobufjs/dist/protobuf.js:4720:35)
      at Object.ProtoBuf.loadJson (/Users/././node_modules/protobufjs/dist/protobuf.js:5225:26)
      at Object.ProtoBuf.loadProto (/Users/././node_modules/protobufjs/dist/protobuf.js:5128:25)
      at Object.ProtoBuf.loadProtoFile (/Users/././node_modules/protobufjs/dist/protobuf.js:5174:52)
      at Object.load (/Users/././node_modules/grpc/index.js:135:26)
      at Object.&lt;anonymous&gt; (/Users/././src/api/getTechInfo.js:5:23)
      at Module._compile (module.js:643:30)
      at Object.Module._extensions..js (module.js:654:10)
      at Module.load (module.js:556:32)
      at tryModuleLoad (module.js:499:12)
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>The issue is with the imports in the proto file:</p>
  
  <pre><code>import "google/protobuf/duration.proto";
  import "google/protobuf/empty.proto";
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>What is the recommended method to resolve these imports? Thanks in advance.</p>
  
  <p>Using:</p>
  
  <pre><code>Node v8.9.4
  "google-protobuf": "^3.5.0",
  "grpc": "^1.10.1",
  </code></pre>