Web3.js – Balance Returns Zero But Shows Ether with web3.eth.getBalance on Testrpc

balancescommand-linesolidityweb3js

Issue:
Using an account on testrpc I get 0 as my balance from within a program but I get the correct amount when I query balance at web3 command prompt:

//here I'm calling a function (shown below) from command line

contractInstance.queryBalance("0xf24qf4b3ae667a23f296f48eb92fa619310c95fd")
{ [String: '0'] s: 1, e: 0, c: [ 0 ] }

//here's I'm listing my accounts, just showing the first one to save space

web3.eth.accounts
[ '0xf24qf4b3ae667a23f296f48eb92fa619310c95fd',
…

//here I am querying the balance directly at the command prompt

web3.eth.getBalance('0xf24qf4b3ae667a23f296f48eb92fa619310c95fd')
{ [String: '99999999999984495002'] s: 1, e: 19, c: [ 999999, 99999984495002 ] }

Here is the function call I'm making in my program:

function queryBalance(address addr) public constant returns (uint balance) {
    return balances[addr];
    }

What else I've tried
contractInstance.queryBalance("0xf24qf4b3ae667a23f296f48eb92fa619310c95fd", {from: web3.eth.accounts[0], gas: 4500000})
{ [String: '0'] s: 1, e: 0, c: [ 0 ] }
and

Environment:
web3.js environment on Mac with testrpc running

Thanks

Best Answer

We have that web3.eth.getBalance returns the balance in ethers of your address.

But in your function 

function queryBalance(address addr) public constant returns (uint balance) {
    return balances[addr];
}

You are returning the value you have stored in the balances mapping. If you didn't store anything the default value is zero.

To obtain the balance in ether of your address in solidity

function queryBalance(address addr) public constant returns (uint balance) {
    return addr.balance;
}
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