How to check if a mapping has not been written yet?

Question

I have this mapping:

mapping (uint256 => string ) private storedData;

I am trying to do this:

modifier dataNotStored(uint256 _index) {
        require( keccak256(abi.encodePacked(storedData[_index])) == keccak256(abi.encodePacked('')) );
        _;
    }

    function set(uint _index, string calldata _data_to_store) external dataNotStored(_index) {
        storedData[_index] = _data_to_store;
    }

My goal is to allow only one write for each entry of the mapping.

I think it is working, because from Remix IDE I get error only when trying a rewrite.

Is there a more efficient and intelligent way to avoid to overwrite a mapping?

score 2 · Accepted Answer · answered Jan 22 '20 at 16:50

2

You can avoid the modifier and the hashing. It is simpler to do:

function set(uint _index, string calldata _data_to_store) external {
    require(bytes(storedData[_index]).length == 0);
    storedData[_index] = _data_to_store;
}

Checking the length of the bytes was inspired by this answer.

answered Jan 22 '20 at 16:50

Shane Fontaine

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Side question: is more efficient a require or a modifier – realtebo Jan 22 '20 at 17:03
1

@realtebo: modifier is just sugar-syntax. It has no impact on the output byte-code, hence no impact on gas-cost performance. – goodvibration Jan 22 '20 at 17:17

How to check if a mapping has not been written yet?

1 Answers1