return values not working as expected

[boid-com]

@table("payrolls")
export class Payroll extends Table {
  constructor(
    /** unique id of this payroll */
    public id:u64 = 0,
    /** the total amount that will be paid out by this payroll */
    public total:Asset = new Asset(),
    /** the total amount that has been paid by this payroll, when finished will be equal to `total` */
    public paid:Asset = new Asset(),
    /** when payments should start being available to claim */
    public startTime:TimePointSec = new TimePointSec(),
    /** when the total amount should be released to the reciver */
    public finishTime:TimePointSec = new TimePointSec(),
    /** the last time this payroll was paid */
    public lastPayout:TimePointSec = new TimePointSec(),
    /** the minimum amount of time the reciver needs to wait in between claming funds from this payroll */
    public minClaimFrequencySec:u32 = 0,
    /** the chain account that will be able to withdraw the funds */
    public receiverAccount:Name = new Name(),
    /** the account holding funds for thie payroll, if this is an external account then the payroll contract will need to have authority to withdraw funds from it. */
    public treasuryAccount:Name = new Name(),
    /** when paused the payroll can't be claimed */
    public paused:bool = false
  ) {
    super()
  }

  @primary
  get primary():u64 {
    return this.id
  }
}

  @action("payroll.rm")
  payrollRm(payrollId:u64):Payroll {
    requireAuth(this.receiver)
    const existing = this.payrollsT.requireGet(payrollId, "payroll not found")
    this.payrollsT.remove(existing)
    return existing
  }

I'm getting compile errors when trying to return a class structure from an action result. I get similar errors if it's just a packer class (not a table) and I also get an error if I try to return a class that does not derive from packer. Returning basic types like boolean seems to work.

WARNING AS201: Conversion from type 'usize' to 'i32' will require an explicit cast when switching between 32/64-bit.

             size += ret_value.getSize();

[learnforpractice]

Well, an action is not meant to return a value. The following link may help improve your understanding of writing contracts in AssemblyScript
https://learnforpractice.github.io/ascdk-book

[boid-com]

action return values is a feature now supported by antelope in the c++ CDT, I thought this feature was available?
https://github.com/pinax-network/action-return-value

[learnforpractice]

Use setActionReturnValue to set the return value of an action.

https://github.com/uuosio/ascdk/blob/3a47b0ea170e69da4a0aaf7ca30aa4abdfa80916/as-packages/chain/assembly/action.ts#L59C17-L59C37

[boid-com]

@learnforpractice can you explain how to use setActionReturnValue or show an example? I'm confused about the actual usage.

[learnforpractice]

import {
    Name,
    check,
    Encoder,
    setActionReturnValue,
    Contract,
    printString,
} from "asm-chain";

@packer
class MyData {
    constructor(
        public name: string
    ){}
}

@contract
class MyContract extends Contract{
    @action("test")
    test(): void {
        let data = new MyData("Hello,World");
        setActionReturnValue(Encoder.pack(data));
    }
}

[boid-com]

I'm getting this error from the Encoder.pack()
Argument of type 'MyData' is not assignable to parameter of type 'Packer'.
Type 'MyData' is missing the following properties from type 'Packer': pack, unpack, getSizets(2345)

[learnforpractice]

Part of the code is generated by the compiler, so ignore such warnings if the code can be compiled.

[boid-com]

Is it possible to improve that? it's not very clear as a developer.

[learnforpractice]

Yes, you can implement pack, unpack, and getSize manually. Also, You can take the generated code at target directory as a reference.