--- title: Implementing the lottery state - Enum _Follow along with this video:_ --- ### Introduction to the Concept of Enum In Solidity, `enum` stands for Enumerable. It is a user-defined data type that restricts a variable to have only one of the predefined values listed within the enum declaration. These predefined values are internally treated as unsigned integers, starting from 0 up to the count of elements minus one. Enums are useful for improving code readability and reducing potential errors by limiting the range of acceptable values for a variable. Read more about enums [here](https://docs.soliditylang.org/en/v0.8.26/types.html#enums). **How can we use enums in our Project?** Let's think about all the possible states of our Raffle. We deploy the contract and the raffle is started, the participants buy a ticket to register. Let's call this state `OPEN`. After this, we have a period when we need to wait at least 3 blocks for Chainlink VRF to send us the random number this means that we have at least 36 seconds (12 seconds/block) of time when our Raffle is processing the winner. Let's call this state `CALCULATING`. Let's code all these! Paste the following code between the errors definition section and the state variables section: ```solidity // Type declarations enum RaffleState { OPEN, // 0 CALCULATING // 1 } // Put this one in `Raffle related variables` RaffleState private s_raffleState; ``` Amazing, let's default our raffle state to open inside the constructor. Add the following inside your constructor: ```solidity s_raffleState = RaffleState.OPEN; ``` Amazing! But what's the reason we did all this? Security! The thing we love the most! Chainlink VRF has an [interesting page](https://docs.chain.link/vrf/v2-5/security) where they provide Security Considerations you should always implement when interacting with their service. One of these is called `Don't accept bids/bets/inputs after you have made a randomness request`, in our case this translates to `Don't let people buy tickets while we calculate the final winner`. I strongly encourage you to give that whole page a read, it will save you a lot of headaches. Let's implement this in the code: ```solidity function enterRaffle() external payable { if(msg.value < i_entranceFee) revert Raffle__NotEnoughEthSent(); if(s_raffleState != RaffleState.OPEN) revert Raffle__RaffleNotOpen(); // If not open you don't enter. s_players.push(payable(msg.sender)); emit EnteredRaffle(msg.sender); } ``` Make sure to also define the new `Raffle__RaffleNotOpen()` error. Great, now let's also change the state of the Raffle when we commence the process of picking the winner. ```solidity function pickWinner() external { // check to see if enough time has passed if (block.timestamp - s_lastTimeStamp < i_interval) revert(); s_raffleState = RaffleState.CALCULATING; } ``` The last thing we need to do is to reopen the Raffle after we pick the winner inside `fulfillRandomWords` function. ```solidity function fulfillRandomWords(uint256 requestId, uint256[] memory randomWords) internal override { uint256 indexOfWinner = randomWords[0] % s_players.length; address payable winner = s_players[indexOfWinner]; s_recentWinner = winner; s_raffleState = RaffleState.OPEN; (bool success,) = winner.call{value:address(this).balance}(""); if (!success) { revert Raffle__TransferFailed(); } } ``` I know you thought about it: `But why are we opening the Raffle again? We've selected a winner but the s_players array is still full!` And you are right! We will take care of this in the next lesson!