I started to use swagger with **swagger-ui-express** and **swagger-jsdoc** to auto document my existing API, which is written with *nodejs* and express (like described here - [example](http://www.acuriousanimal.com/2018/10/20/express-swagger-doc.html)).

I came across a problem when I tried to add a `$ref` to an existing *JSON Schema* file (that sits inside my project on the same directory as all my js files) on my annotation.

[My directory looks like this](https://i.stack.imgur.com/GPON2.png)

I tried to write the local path (`./schema.json`) and the absolute path, tried to use `#`, using many syntaxes and nothing worked.

My annotation looks like this: 

```
/**
 * @swagger
 * /testing:
 *    get:
 *      description: This should show the json schema
 *      responses:
 *          200:
 *              description: "successful operation"
 *              schema:
 *                 $ref: "./schema.json"
 */

```

I expected the swagger ui to show me the JSON schema in my request section by. I get the following error - 

```
Resolver error at paths./testing.get.responses.200.schema.$ref
Could not resolve reference: Tried to resolve a relative URL, without having a basePath. path: './schema.json' basePath: 'undefined'.

```

I looked the problem up online and couldn’t find any clear answer. I saw a solution that suggested I should put my schema on a server and access it with an URL address but I prefer not to do it on this point.

Also, at some point, I saved the scheme in a variable and then put it in the `$ref` and it worked fine. The only problem was that the scheme included some inner refs to an element in the same file and *Swagger* couldn't resolve them.

Is there a way to work properly with `$ref` in **swagger-ui-express**?