aboutsummaryrefslogtreecommitdiffstats
path: root/docs
diff options
context:
space:
mode:
authorChris Ward <chriswhward@gmail.com>2018-07-12 20:47:29 +0800
committerChris Ward <chriswhward@gmail.com>2018-08-15 21:40:35 +0800
commit5ba2fddb5406658ffdd7ba07585b53c0f501f985 (patch)
tree6b0df932d8fe0072eefd6ef8137f328f9ce1e277 /docs
parentfa8102880f87c5a2806d59f959fd3e8a62dd4dc9 (diff)
downloaddexon-solidity-5ba2fddb5406658ffdd7ba07585b53c0f501f985.tar
dexon-solidity-5ba2fddb5406658ffdd7ba07585b53c0f501f985.tar.gz
dexon-solidity-5ba2fddb5406658ffdd7ba07585b53c0f501f985.tar.bz2
dexon-solidity-5ba2fddb5406658ffdd7ba07585b53c0f501f985.tar.lz
dexon-solidity-5ba2fddb5406658ffdd7ba07585b53c0f501f985.tar.xz
dexon-solidity-5ba2fddb5406658ffdd7ba07585b53c0f501f985.tar.zst
dexon-solidity-5ba2fddb5406658ffdd7ba07585b53c0f501f985.zip
Move contract related FAQ points
Updates from feedback Changes from feedback Further changes from review Changes from review Changes from review Changes from review
Diffstat (limited to 'docs')
-rw-r--r--docs/contracts.rst64
-rw-r--r--docs/frequently-asked-questions.rst29
2 files changed, 54 insertions, 39 deletions
diff --git a/docs/contracts.rst b/docs/contracts.rst
index 862ec54d..5742de06 100644
--- a/docs/contracts.rst
+++ b/docs/contracts.rst
@@ -24,8 +24,8 @@ Creating contracts programmatically on Ethereum is best done via using the JavaS
As of today it has a method called `web3.eth.Contract <https://web3js.readthedocs.io/en/1.0/web3-eth-contract.html#new-contract>`_
to facilitate contract creation.
-When a contract is created, its constructor (a function declared with the
-``constructor`` keyword) is executed once.
+When a contract is created, its constructor_ (a function declared with the ``constructor`` keyword) is executed once.
+
A constructor is optional. Only one constructor is allowed, and this means
overloading is not supported.
@@ -262,7 +262,37 @@ it is evaluated as a state variable. If it is accessed externally
}
}
-The next example is a bit more complex:
+If you have a `public` state variable of array type, then you can only retrieve
+single elements of the array via the generated getter function. This mechanism
+exists to avoid high gas costs when returning an entire array. You can use
+arguments to specify which individual element to return, for example
+``data(0)``. If you want to return an entire array in one call, then you need
+to write a function, for example:
+
+::
+
+ pragma solidity ^0.4.0;
+ contract arrayExample {
+ // public state variable
+ uint[] public myArray;
+
+ // Getter function generated by the compiler
+ /*
+ function myArray(uint i) returns (uint) {
+ return myArray[i];
+ }
+ */
+
+ // function that returns entire array
+ function getArray() returns (uint[] memory) {
+ return myArray;
+ }
+ }
+
+Now you can use ``getArray()`` to retrieve the entire array, instead of
+``myArray(i)``, which returns a single element per call.
+
+The next example is more complex:
::
@@ -277,16 +307,16 @@ The next example is a bit more complex:
mapping (uint => mapping(bool => Data[])) public data;
}
-It will generate a function of the following form::
+It generates a function of the following form. The mapping in the struct is omitted
+because there is no good way to provide the key for the mapping:
+
+::
function data(uint arg1, bool arg2, uint arg3) public returns (uint a, bytes3 b) {
a = data[arg1][arg2][arg3].a;
b = data[arg1][arg2][arg3].b;
}
-Note that the mapping in the struct is omitted because there
-is no good way to provide the key for the mapping.
-
.. index:: ! function;modifier
.. _modifiers:
@@ -990,12 +1020,26 @@ virtual method lookup.
.. index:: ! constructor
+.. _constructor:
+
Constructors
============
-A constructor is an optional function declared with the ``constructor`` keyword which is executed upon contract creation.
-Constructor functions can be either ``public`` or ``internal``. If there is no constructor, the contract will assume the
-default constructor: ``contructor() public {}``.
+A constructor is an optional function declared with the ``constructor`` keyword
+which is executed upon contract creation, and where you can run contract
+initialisation code.
+
+Before the constructor code is executed, state variables are initialised to
+their specified value if you initialise them inline, or zero if you do not.
+
+After the final code of the contract is returned. The final deployment of
+the code costs additional gas linear to the length of the code. If you did not
+supply enough gas to initiate the state variables declared in the constructor,
+then an "out of gas" exception is generated.
+
+Constructor functions can be either ``public`` or ``internal``. If there is no
+constructor, the contract will assume the default constructor, which is
+equivalent to ``constructor() public {}``. For example:
::
diff --git a/docs/frequently-asked-questions.rst b/docs/frequently-asked-questions.rst
index e64849ea..efe7d530 100644
--- a/docs/frequently-asked-questions.rst
+++ b/docs/frequently-asked-questions.rst
@@ -333,13 +333,6 @@ The key point is that the calling contract needs to know about the function it i
See `ping.sol <https://github.com/fivedogit/solidity-baby-steps/blob/master/contracts/45_ping.sol>`_
and `pong.sol <https://github.com/fivedogit/solidity-baby-steps/blob/master/contracts/45_pong.sol>`_.
-Get contract to do something when it is first mined
-===================================================
-
-Use the constructor. Anything inside it will be executed when the contract is first mined.
-
-See `replicator.sol <https://github.com/fivedogit/solidity-baby-steps/blob/master/contracts/50_replicator.sol>`_.
-
How do you create 2-dimensional arrays?
=======================================
@@ -507,28 +500,6 @@ Is it possible to return an array of strings (``string[]``) from a Solidity func
Not yet, as this requires two levels of dynamic arrays (``string`` is a dynamic array itself).
-If you issue a call for an array, it is possible to retrieve the whole array? Or must you write a helper function for that?
-===========================================================================================================================
-
-The automatic :ref:`getter function<getter-functions>` for a public state variable of array type only returns
-individual elements. If you want to return the complete array, you have to
-manually write a function to do that.
-
-
-What could have happened if an account has storage value(s) but no code? Example: http://test.ether.camp/account/5f740b3a43fbb99724ce93a879805f4dc89178b5
-==========================================================================================================================================================
-
-The last thing a constructor does is returning the code of the contract.
-The gas costs for this depend on the length of the code and it might be
-that the supplied gas is not enough. This situation is the only one
-where an "out of gas" exception does not revert changes to the state,
-i.e. in this case the initialisation of the state variables.
-
-https://github.com/ethereum/wiki/wiki/Subtleties
-
-After a successful CREATE operation's sub-execution, if the operation returns x, 5 * len(x) gas is subtracted from the remaining gas before the contract is created. If the remaining gas is less than 5 * len(x), then no gas is subtracted, the code of the created contract becomes the empty string, but this is not treated as an exceptional condition - no reverts happen.
-
-
What does the following strange check do in the Custom Token contract?
======================================================================