Solana: BigInt error when transferring NFT

Solana: BigInt Error During NFT Transfer

As a Solana developer, you may have encountered issues when transferring NFTs (non-fungible tokens) using the SPL-TOKEN program on your local Solana network. In this article, we will explore the cause and solution for a common issue that can arise during NFT transfers: BigInt errors.

The Problem:

When transferring an NFT from one account to another, the “transfer” function may throw an error due to a BigInt (a type of large integer) mismatch between the two accounts. This can happen when the “transfer” function attempts to transfer the NFT without properly handling the “amount” parameter of the transaction.

The error:

Here is an example of what the error might look like in your code:

const {Connection, PublicKey, Transaction, KeyPair} = require ('@solana/web3.js');
// Create a new key pair for the sender
const senderKeypair = Keypair.generate();
// Define the connection and keys for the SPL-TOKEN program
const connection = new Connection(');
const splTokenProgramId = 'YOUR_SPL_TOKEN_PROGRAM_ID';
const splTokenAccountId = 'YOUR_SPL_TOKEN_ACCOUNT_ID';
// Create a transaction to transfer an NFT
constant transaction = new Transaction()
.add( .add( .add)
[
// Set the transfer parameters
{
account0: splTokenAccountId,
amount: BigInt(1),
publicKey: splTokenProgramId.toPublicKey(),
publicKey: sendPublicKeyPair to Base58().
},
],
);
// Try to transfer the NFT without error
signTransaction(senderKeypair);
connection.sendTransaction(transaction);
// If this line throws an error, it means there was a BigInt mismatch

The solution:

To fix the BigInt error, you need to make sure that both accounts have sufficient balance and that the “amount” parameter is valid. Here are some steps to resolve the issue:

• Check account balances: Make sure that both accounts have enough Balances (BNA) for the transfer amount.

• Validate the amount parameter:

  Verify that the amount value is a valid BigInt and does not exceed the maximum allowed value (e.g. 2^256 – 1).

• Update transaction parameters: Change the amount parameter to a valid BigInt or update it to a smaller amount if necessary.

Here is an updated example that addresses these issues:

const {Connection, PublicKey, Transaction, KeyPair} = require('@solana/web3.js');
// Create a new key pair for the sender
const senderKeypair = Keypair.generate();
// Define the connection and keys for the SPL-TOKEN program
const connection = new Connection(');
const splTokenProgramId = 'YOUR_SPL_TOKEN_PROGRAM_ID';
const splTokenAccountId = 'YOUR_SPL_TOKEN_ACCOUNT_ID';
// Calculate the required amount in BigInts
const amount required = 1n;
let availableBalance = splTokenAccountId.balances.get(splTokenAccountId.publicKey).amount;
// Check if there is enough balance available for the transfer
if (availableBalance < requiredAmount) {
throw new Error('Insufficient Balance');
} }
// Create a transaction with the updated parameters
constant transaction = new Transaction()
.add( .add( .add)
[
// Set the transfer parameters
{
account0: splTokenAccountId,
amount: BigInt (required amount).
publicKey: splTokenProgramId.toPublicKey(),
publicKey: send publicKeyPair to Base58().
},
],
);
// Try to transfer the NFT without error
signTransaction(senderKeypair);
connection.sendTransaction(transaction);
// If this line does not throw any error, it means everything is valid

If you follow these steps and update your code accordingly, you should be able to resolve the BigInt error during NFT transfers.