No safeTransferFrom function in ethers.js contract instance?

Question

I created a contract instance in hardhat console like so:

const contract_fac = await ethers.getContractFactory("ContractName");
const contract = await contract_fac.attach("CONTRACTADDR...");

Contract object has all public/external functions except safeTransferFrom. Why?

When I call it with contract.safeTransferFrom(…) it throws JavaScript Error “safeTransferFrom is not a function”. Is this a bug or do I not understand something? safeTransferFrom function is listed in the ABI.

I use OpenZeppelin (v. 4.2) 721 token template without changes, Ethers.js (v. 5.4.1) and hardhat (v. 2.4.1).

Update: Problem solved. safeTransferFrom is a overloaded function. In ethers, the syntax to call an overloaded contract function is different from the non-overloaded function. Ethers.js doc

Wrong:

contract.safeTransferFrom(addr1, addr2, 1);

Correct:

contract["safeTransferFrom(address,address,uint256)"](addr1, addr2, 1);

Answer 1

(copying from @Lightstorm's edit for answer clarity)

---

safeTransferFrom is a overloaded function. In ethers.js, the syntax to call an overloaded contract function is different from the syntax to call a non-overloaded function.

Overloaded functions need to be called by specifying the function signature.

From the ethers.js docs:

// ethers
const abi = [
  "function getMessage(string) public view returns (string)",
  "function getMessage() public view returns (string)"
]
const contract = new ethers.Contract(address, abi, signer);

// for ambiguous functions (two functions with the same
// name), the signature must also be specified
message = await contract['getMessage(string)']('nice');

So for the example in the question:

Wrong:

contract.safeTransferFrom(addr1, addr2, 1);

Correct:

contract["safeTransferFrom(address,address,uint256)"](addr1, addr2, 1);

Answer 2

On hardhat, we face similar issue, due to overloading

Solution:

    // Send NFT to another contract
    const basicTransferTx = await basicNFTInstance['safeTransferFrom(address,address,uint256)'](
        owner.address,
        otherContract.address,
        0 // token id
    ); // syntax is as such due to overloaded function

keep in mind that it could fail if you have spaces. i.e (address, address, uint256)