Offline creation of signed contract transactions with web3js v1.2.11

Question

I'm attempting to sign a contract transaction offline using web3js v1.2.11.

signingAddr = //my eth address
signingPk = //my private key
// docs: The options object for the contract instance. from, gas and gasPrice are used as fallback values when sending transactions.
myContractInstance.options = {
  gas : 800000,
  gasPrice : 60000000000,
  value : 1000000000000000,
  from : signingAddr
}
//docs: Creates a transaction object for that method, which then can be called, send, estimated.
let tx = await myContractInstance.methods.myFunction(myParam1,myParam2)
//docs: "Signs an Ethereum transaction with a given private key."
let signedTx = await web3.eth.signTransaction(tx,signingPk)
console.log(signedtx)
//Error: The send transactions "from" field must be defined!

I've also tried with:

let tx = await myContractInstance.methods.myFunction(myParam1,myParam2).send({from:signingAddr})
//TypeError: Cannot read property 'filter' of undefined

Links to docs:

I get that the tx object returned by the contract method is different to the tx object required for signTransaction. I'm unsure as to whether this is possible with web3.js?

It seems in earlier versions of web3js there was a getData function to get the needed call data.

How can I create valid signed contract call transactions offline using webjs v1.2.11?

https://medium.com/@codetractio/inside-an-ethereum-transaction-fa94ffca912f — Lee, Jul 31 '20 at 12:09

score 2 · Accepted Answer · edited Oct 06 '21 at 07:41

2

The tx object is the following :

const tx = {
  nonce: nonce,
  gasPrice: gasPrice,
  gasLimit: gasLimit,
  to: contractAddress,
  value: value,
  data: contractData,
};

I think what you are looking for is the data parameter which is obtained using the enoceABI() web3 function (cf https://web3js.readthedocs.io/en/v1.2.11/web3-eth-contract.html#methods-mymethod-encodeabi):

contractData = myContractInstance.methods.myFunction(myParam1,myParam2).encodeABI();

edited Oct 06 '21 at 07:41

CoderApprentice

173
9

answered Jul 31 '20 at 12:25

clement

4,302
2
17
35

That's it, thanks! Now battling with unknown account error - perhaps I also have to initialise a wallet. – Lee Jul 31 '20 at 12:31
Yes, you need a valid pair of public/private keys. – clement Jul 31 '20 at 12:34
Yes I have that, I get error on web3.eth.signTransaction(tx,<my_valid_Pk>) – Lee Jul 31 '20 at 12:35
Perhaps the public address has to be added to web3.accounts object somehow, is what I meant. – Lee Jul 31 '20 at 12:37
1

Maybe related to this : https://ethereum.stackexchange.com/questions/38146/web3-eth-sendtransaction-unknown-account-error . – clement Jul 31 '20 at 12:38

Lee · Answer 2 · 2020-07-31T15:10:01.787

I had a number of things wrong:

To add to @clement's answer, tx should be:

  tx = {
    nonce: nonce,
    gasPrice: gasPrice,
    gasLimit: gasLimit,
    to: contractAddress,
    value: value,
    data: contractData,
    chainId : 1,
}); //add chainId

I also needed to create an account object:

let acc = await web3.eth.accounts.wallet.add(signingPrivateKey)

And then call signTransaction on that:

signedtx = await acc.signTransaction(tx,signingPrivateKey)

Offline creation of signed contract transactions with web3js v1.2.11

2 Answers2