Documentation

# Zoe Contract Facet

Zoe v0.24.0. Last updated August 25, 2022.

A Zoe Contract Facet is an API object for a running contract instance to access the Zoe state for that instance. A Zoe Contract Facet is accessed synchronously from within the contract, and usually is referred to in code as zcf.

The contract instance is launched by E(Zoe).startInstance(), and is given access to the zcf object during that launch (see Contract Requirements). In the operations below, instance is the handle for the running contract instance.

# zcf.makeZCFMint(keyword, assetKind?, displayInfo?)

Creates a synchronous Zoe mint, allowing users to mint and reallocate digital assets synchronously instead of relying on an asynchronous ERTP Mint. The optional displayInfo parameter takes values like decimalPlaces: 16 that tell the UI how to display values associated with the created mint's brand. It defaults to undefined.

Important: ZCFMints do not have the same methods as an ERTP Mint. Do not try to use ERTP methods on a ZCFMint or vice versa.

Important: On the other hand, the Issuer and Brand associated with a zcfMint do have the same methods as their ERTP-derived counterparts. Assets created by a zcfMint are treated the same as assets created by ERTP Mint methods.

The following demonstrates zcf.makeZCFMint:

Note: The call to make the ZCFMint is asynchronous, but calls to the resulting ZCFMint are synchronous.

const mySynchronousMint = await zcf.makeZCFMint('MyToken', AssetKind.COPY_SET);
const { brand, issuer } = mySynchronousMint.getIssuerRecord();
mySynchronousMint.mintGains({ myKeyword: amount }, seat);

# zcf.getInvitationIssuer()

Returns the InvitationIssuer for the Zoe instance.

const invitationIssuer = await zcf.getInvitationIssuer();

# zcf.saveIssuer(issuer, keyword)

Informs Zoe about an Issuer and returns a promise for acknowledging when the Issuer is added and ready. The keyword is the one associated with the new Issuer. This method returns a promise for an IssuerRecord of the new Issuer

This saves an Issuer in Zoe's records for this contract instance. It also has saved the Issuer information such that Zoe can handle offers involving this Issuer and ZCF can provide the IssuerRecord synchronously on request.

An IssuerRecord has two fields, each of which holds the namesake object associated with the Issuer value of the record: IssuerRecord.brand and IssuerRecord.issuer.

await zcf.saveIssuer(secondaryIssuer, keyword);

# zcf.makeInvitation(offerHandler, description, customDetails?, proposalShape?)

  • offerHandler: (seat: ZCFSeat, offerArgs?: CopyRecord) => any
  • description: String
  • customDetails: Object - Optional.
  • proposalShape: Pattern (opens new window) - Optional.
  • Returns: Promise<Invitation>

Uses the Zoe InvitationIssuer to mint a credible Invitation for a smart contract. The returned Invitation's amount specifies:

  • The specific contract instance.
  • The Zoe installation.
  • A unique Handle.

offerHandler is a required function accepting a ZCFSeat and offerArgs (which will be present if and only if provided to E(Zoe).offer(...)) and returning arbitrary offer results.

description is a required string describing the Invitation, and should include whatever information is needed for a potential recipient of the Invitation to distinguish among this contract's invitations. Each description should be a string literal that is unique within the source text of its contract and used only as the argument to make invitations of a particular kind.

The optional customDetails argument is included in the Invitation's amount and not otherwise relied on by Zoe.

The optional proposalShape argument can be used to describe the required and allowed components of each proposal. Proposals that don't match the pattern will be rejected by Zoe without even being sent to the contract.

Patterns are constructed using the M (opens new window) (for 'Matcher') object. proposalShapes are usually built from M.splitRecord(required, optional, rest) (opens new window).

  M.splitRecord({
    give: {
      Collateral: makeNatAmountShape(collateralBrand),
    },
    want: {
      Minted: makeNatAmountShape(debtBrand),
    },
  }),

import { M } from "@endo/patterns";

const waivedExitProposalShape = M.splitRecord(
  // required properties
  { exit: { waived: null } },
  // optional properties
  { give: M.record(), want: M.record() },
  // unknown properties
  M.record(),
);
const creatorInvitation =
  zcf.makeInvitation(makeCallOption, 'makeCallOption', undefined, waivedExitProposalShape);

# zcf.makeEmptySeatKit()

Returns an empty ZCFSeat and a Promise for a UserSeat

Zoe uses seats to represent offers, and has two seat facets (a particular view or API of an object; there may be multiple such facets per object) a ZCFSeat and a UserSeat.

const { zcfSeat: mySeat } = zcf.makeEmptySeatKit();

# zcf.getInstance()

The contract code can request its own current instance, so it can be sent elsewhere.

# zcf.getBrandForIssuer(issuer)

Returns the Brand associated with the issuer.

# zcf.getIssuerForBrand(brand)

Returns the Issuer of the brand argument.

# zcf.getAssetKind(brand)

Returns the AssetKind associated with the brand argument.

const quatloosAssetKind = zcf.getAssetKind(quatloosBrand);

# zcf.stopAcceptingOffers()

  • Returns: None.

The contract requests Zoe to not accept offers for this contract instance. It can't be called from outside the contract unless the contract explicitly makes it accessible.

# zcf.shutdown(completion)

  • completion: Usually (but not always) a String
  • Returns: None.

Shuts down the entire vat and contract instance and gives payouts.

All open seats associated with the current instance have fail() called on them.

Call when:

  • You want nothing more to happen in the contract, and
  • You don't want to take any more offers

The completion argument is usually a String, but this is not required. It is used for the notification sent to the contract instance's done() function. Any still open seats or other outstanding promises are closed with a generic 'vat terminated' message.

zcf.shutdown();

# zcf.shutdownWithFailure(reason)

  • reason: Error
  • Returns: None.

Shuts down the entire vat and contract instance due to an error.

All open seats associated with the current instance have fail() called on them.

The reason argument is a JavaScript error object. It is used for the notification sent to the contract instance's done() function. Any still open seats or other outstanding promises are closed with the relevant error message.

zcf.shutdownWithFailure();

# zcf.getTerms()

  • Returns: Object

Returns the Issuers, Brands, and custom terms the current contract instance was instantiated with.

The returned values look like:

{ brands, issuers, customTermA, customTermB ... }
// where brands and issuers are keywordRecords, like:

{
  brands: { A: moolaKit.brand, B: simoleanKit.brand },
  issuers: { A: moolaKit.issuer, B: simoleanKit.issuer },
  customTermA: 'something',
  customTermB: 'something else'
};

Note that there is also an E(zoe).getTerms(instance). Often the choice of which to use is not which method to use, but which of Zoe Service or ZCF you have access to. On the contract side, you more easily have access to zcf, and zcf already knows what instance is running. So in contract code, you use zcf.getTerms(). From a user side, with access to Zoe Service, you use E(zoe).getTerms().

const { brands, issuers, maths, terms } = zcf.getTerms()

# zcf.getZoeService()

This is the only way to get the user-facing Zoe Service API to the contract code as well.

// Making an offer to another contract instance in the contract.
const zoeService = zcf.getZoeService();
E(zoeService).offer(creatorInvitation, proposal, paymentKeywordRecord);

# zcf.assertUniqueKeyword(keyword)

  • keyword: Keyword
  • Returns: Undefined

Checks if a Keyword is valid and not already used as a Brand in this Instance (i.e., unique) and could be used as a new Brand to make an Issuer. Throws an appropriate error if it's not a valid Keyword, or is not unique.

zcf.assertUniqueKeyword(keyword);

# zcf.setOfferFilter(strings)

  • strings: Array<String>
  • Returns: None.

Prohibit invocation of invitatations whose description include any of the strings. Any of the strings that end with a colon (:) will be treated as a prefix, and invitations whose description string begins with the string (including the colon) will not be processed if passed to E(Zoe).offer(). Instead, an exception will be thrown.

It is expected that most contracts will never invoke this function directly. It is intended to be used by governance in a legible way, so that the contract's governance process can take emergency action in order to stop processing when necessary.

Note that blocked strings can be re-enabled by calling this method again and simply not including that string in the strings argument.

# zcf.getOfferFilter()

  • Returns: Array<String>

Returns all the strings that have been disabled for use in invitations, if any. A contract's invitations may be disabled using the zcf.setOfferFilter() method when governance determines that they provide a vulnerability.

DEPRECATED

# zcf.reallocate(seats)

  • seats: ZCFSeats[] (at least two)
  • Returns: None.

zcf.reallocate() commits the staged allocations for each of its seat arguments, making their staged allocations their current allocations. zcf.reallocate() then transfers the assets escrowed in Zoe from one seat to another. Importantly, the assets stay escrowed, with only the internal Zoe accounting of each seat's allocation changed.

There must be at least two ZCFSeats in the array argument. Every ZCFSeat with a staged allocation must be included in the argument array or an error is thrown. If any seat in the argument array does not have a staged allocation, an error is thrown.

On commit, the staged allocations become the seats' current allocations and the staged allocations are deleted.

Note: reallocate() is an atomic operation. To enforce offer safety, it will never abort part way through. It will completely succeed or it will fail before any seats have their current allocation changed.

The reallocation only succeeds if it:

  1. Conserves rights (the specified Amounts have the same total value as the current total amount)
  2. Is 'offer-safe' for all parties involved.

The reallocation is partial, only applying to the seats in the argument array. By induction, if rights conservation and offer safety hold before, they hold after a safe reallocation.

This is true even though we only re-validate for seats whose allocations change. A reallocation can only effect offer safety for those seats, and since rights are conserved for the change, overall rights are unchanged.

zcf.reallocate() throws this error:

  • reallocating must be done over two or more seats
sellerSeat.incrementBy(buyerSeat.decrementBy({ Money: providedMoney }));
buyerSeat.incrementBy(sellerSeat.decrementBy({ Items: wantedItems }));
zcf.reallocate(buyerSeat, sellerSeat);

Note: This method has been deprecated. Use atomicRearrange() instead.

← ZCFSeat Object →