VS Code Ethers Mode

Ethers Mode allows you to explore and call Smart Contracts methods using Ethers.js and view the response directly in VS Code. It interacts with any EVM-compatible blockchain, e.g., Ethereum, Polygon, Avalanche, etc. It uses VS CodeLens to display contextual information about Contracts, Externally Owned Accounts and networks.

Main Features

• Call Smart Contract method by writing its Human-Readable ABI Signature
• Detect contract or EOA address and provide its balance
• Call multiple Smart Contract methods in a single file
• Send method arguments and autodetect argument types
• View return value as a notification (CHANGE)
• Provide network info
• Select multiple network in a single file networks (using net <network name | RPC URL>)
• Error reporting as you type
• Alias definitions with as and this
• Send and sign transactions using private keys
• Ether CashFlow report for block ranges and block contextual information
• Ethers language support
  • .ethers and .web3 file extensions
  • Syntax highlight of Human-Readable ABI Signatures if Solidity extension is installed
  • TODO Auto completion for method, url, header, custom/system variables, mime types and so on
  • Comments (line starts with #) support
  • Code snippets for several ERCs
  • TODO Support navigate to symbol definitions(request and file level custom variable) in open http file
  • CodeLens support to add an actionable link to call method
  • CHECK Fold/Unfold for request block

And more

• Auto detect language mode using net declaration

Usage

In a new editor, select a network, followed by a contract address and a method call

net fuji

0x5425890298aed601595a70AB815c96711a31Bc65
name() view returns (string)

Once you prepared a Smart Contract method call, click the Call Smart Contract Method link above the call (this will appear if the file's language is Ethers, by default .ethers and .web3 files are like this).

Features

Aliases

You can define aliases using the as keyword. These aliases can be used to reference the aliased address within another address. Moreover, you can use the this reference to use the address in the current scope.

Hovers & Decompile

Provide connection info and decompilation of smart contracts.

Sending and Signing Transactions

To send and sign transactions, you can provide a private key for an account. The address will be displayed as a code lens.

Display inferred types

When you omit the type of an argument, it will display an inlay with the inferred type.

Blocks and Ether CashFlow

Allows you display single block or block range information by proving a contextual hover. Moreover, you can calculate the Ether CashFlow of the entire block range. Use - as a block number separator to denote a block range.

Snippets

When you know that a contract implements a specific ERC, you can use snippets to insert its methods. The errors are caused because on methods that require sending a transaction without specifying a signer.

Error Reporting

Whenever there is a syntax error or the method call is inconsistent, e.g., trying to send a transaction without a signer, the extension will show provide diagnostics about them.

Language Auto Detection

Just write net <provider> at the beginning of the file and select Change Language Mode -> Auto Detect.

a

sdsd
net sdsd

net

Contributing

• Execute yarn install in terminal to install dependencies
• Execute the Run Extension target in the Debug View. This will:
  • Start a task npm: watch to compile the code
  • Run the extension in a new VS Code window

Typechecking and Building

To typecheck the extension using tsc, run

yarn compile

To build and package the extension we use the esbuild bundler. To bundle the extension into dist/main.js, run

yarn build

Unit Testing

Unit tests can be found under the test folder. Our test suite uses mocha to run the tests.

yarn test

VS Code Testing

TODO!

VS Code API Overview

languages module

The extension uses languages.registerCodeLensProvider to register the CodeLensProvider.