Blockchain

For the most part, you will likely interact with the blockchain using the Contracts API instead of this low-level API. But there may be rare instanced where you wish to query the blockchain directly.

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Accounts

^{ethers.blockchain} . getBalance ( address [ , blockTag ] )

Returns a Promise with the balance of address (in wei) at blockTag. An address may represent either an account or a contract.

default: blockTag=latest

^{ethers.blockchain} . getTransactionCount ( address [ , blockNumber ] )

Returns a Promise with the number of transactions address has ever sent at blockTag. This is the value required for the nonce in a transaction; both the Contracts API and Wallet API automatically populate this.

default: blockTag=latest

Examples

Balance

var address = '....';

var balancePromise = ethers.blockchain.getBalance(address, 'latest');
balancePromise.then(function(balance) {

    // The balance is in wei, as a BigNumber object

    // Convert wei to a string in ether
    var etherString = ethers.utils.formatEther(balance);

    console.log('Balance: ' + etherString);
});

Transaction Count

var transactionCount = ethers.blockchain.getTransactionCount(address, 'latest');

transactionCount.then(function(transactionCount) {
    // The transactionCount is a normal JavaScript Number

    console.log('Transactions Sent: ' + transactionCount);
});

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Blockchain State

^{ethers.blockchain} . getGasPrice ( )

Return a Promise with the current gas price, in wei.

^{ethers.blockchain} . getBlockNumber ( )

Return a Promise with the number of the most recent block.

^{ethers.blockchain} . getBlock ( blockhashOrNumber )

Return a Promise with the block details of blockhashOrNumber.

^{ethers.blockchain} . getTransaction ( transactionHash )

Return a Promise with the transaction details of transactionHash.

^{ethers.blockchain} . getTransactionReceipt ( transactionHash )

Return a Promise with the transaction receipt of hash. A transaction receipt includes information about a mined transaction, such as actualy gas costs.

Examples

@TODO

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Running Code

^{ethers.blockchain} . call ( transaction ):

Returns a Promise with the result of executing the read-only (constant) transaction.

^{ethers.blockchain} . estimateGas ( transaction ):

Returns a Promise with the estimated cost of executing transaction. This may be useful if you wish to override the gasLimit when calling ethers.sendTransaction().

Examples

Calling read-only (constant) Functions

var transaction = {

    // This is the address of Zen Messenger on Testnet
    to: "",

    // This is the name of the compiled function
    data: "",
}

var callPromise = ethers.blockchain.call(transaction);

callPromise.then(function(result) {
    console.log(result);
    // 0x....
    // This is the length-prefixed, UTF-8 encoded string of "Hello World"
});

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Events

^{ethers.blockchain} . onblock

This event callback is triggered everytime a new block has been mined.

Examples

ethers.blockchain.onblock = function(blockNumber) {
    console.log('New Block Mined: ' + blockNumber);
}

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