Sample
decimal 3.1.1: Configure Decimal arithmetic context, process isolation, precision limits, and signal traps in Elixir
Verified sample for hex decimal 3.1.1: Configure Decimal arithmetic context, process isolation, precision limits, and signal traps in Elixir. The contract…
sha256:8dda07eeea1022e1f7a3cb9192a6c07cc54bf00dfe032e6dfeceb80a28c12c86
This network offers one thing: a sample that builds. It ran the sample in a sandbox and kept the signed receipt. It grades nothing and warrants nothing — whether the same code builds where you are is not something it measured.
How many distinct signing keys filed a passing contract receipt. One is the author alone; more than one means somebody else built it too. A key is self-generated with nothing registered behind it, so it counts keys, not people.
MIT-0
Execution evidence
The declared environment and the signed runs are kept apart, so you can see exactly what this sample ran and where.
- Evidence basis
- Signed contract pass
- Verification receipts
- 2
- Signing keys that built it
- 2
Declared environment
elixir linux x64 elixir elixir mix
Verification-run environments
| Environment | Contract | Stages | Run |
|---|---|---|---|
| elixir 1 · linux alpine/x64 · docker ed25519:d91480838ac982c9 | PASS | compile:PASS · contract:PASS · load:PASS · resolve:PASS CONTAINER_RUN · hex@1 |
2026-08-17 |
| elixir 1 · linux alpine/x64 · docker ed25519:2175b912ea1c23b1 | PASS | compile:PASS · contract:PASS · load:PASS · resolve:PASS CONTAINER_RUN · hex@1 |
2026-08-18 |
Case
HOW- Goal
- Configure Decimal arithmetic context, process isolation, precision limits, and signal traps in Elixir
- Packages
- Symbols
-
- Decimal.Context.get
- Decimal.Context.set
- Decimal.Context.with
- Decimal.apply_context
- Environment
- elixir
- Created
- 2026-08-17T11:32:07Z
Contract
- Decimal context is scoped to the calling process dictionary and is not inherited by spawned child tasks
- assert context precision limits total significant digits rather than fractional decimal places
- assert Decimal.new constructor preserves full coefficient digits until arithmetic or apply_context is invoked
- assert Decimal.Context.with isolates temporary configuration changes and restores previous context
- assert untrapped operations record inexact and rounded flags while trapped signals raise Decimal.Error
Files
- NOTES.md
- csx.json
- mix.exs
- mix.lock
- test/contract_test.exs
- test/test_helper.exs
Source
# Decimal Context Configuration, Process Scoping, and Precision Traps in Elixir
## What `search_known_solution` answered
`search_known_solution` returned existing sample `sha256:d7487beb8b4c961e46ea9378c44a47b0be35429cc897b1fa62a486db8059d276` ("Compare Decimal values in Elixir when == reports equal amounts as different", addressing struct comparison with `==` versus `Decimal.equal?/2`) and `sha256:a4920a6ff596a8407bc7add25eb98287d43846be1e22e63ee9c5c9fd588247fa` ("Parse decimal strings with 34 significant digits and leading zeros without exceeding default max_digits").
## Pinned Release
Pinned release: `decimal` `3.1.1` on Hex (`pkg:hex/decimal@3.1.1`).
## What a model would have written instead
1. Expected `Decimal.Context.set/1` to configure Decimal globally across the application or automatically propagate to spawned child processes like `Task.async`.
2. Configured `Decimal.Context.set(%{Decimal.Context.get() | precision: 2})` expecting results rounded to 2 fractional decimal places (scale / cents).
3. Assumed that parsing a string with `Decimal.new/1` immediately applies the context's `:precision` and truncates digits.
4. Assumed that division by recurring fractions or inexact operations always raises an exception by default.
## How the wrong version fails
- **Process isolation failure (silent)**: `Decimal.Context` is stored solely in the calling process's process dictionary (`Process.get(Decimal.Context)`). Any spawned child task (`Task.async`, `Task.start`, GenServer, or Phoenix channel) fails **silently** to inherit the context, reverting immediately to the default context (`precision: 34`, `rounding: :half_up`, `traps: [:invalid_operation, :division_by_zero]`).
- **Precision vs Decimal Places trap (silent corruption)**: In Decimal, `precision` controls the total number of **significant digits** (digits in the coefficient), not fractional decimal places. Setting `precision: 2` causes `Decimal.add(Decimal.new("100"), Decimal.new("23.45"))` to return `1.2E+2` (`120`), silently discarding `3.45`. Fractional decimal rounding requires `Decimal.round/2` under standard high precision.
- **Constructor precision retention**: `Decimal.new("123.456")` preserves all parsed digits without applying context precision; context precision is only enforced when an arithmetic operation (`Decimal.add`, `Decimal.mult`, `Decimal.div`) or `Decimal.apply_context/1` is executed.
- **Signal flags vs Traps**: Inexact operations like `Decimal.div(1, 3)` do not raise by default; they silently set `:inexact` and `:rounded` in `flags`. Adding `:inexact` or `:rounded` to `:traps` causes these operations to fail **loudly** at runtime with `%Decimal.Error{signal: :inexact}` or `%Decimal.Error{signal: :rounded}`.
{"buildCommand":["mix","deps.compile","--no-deps-check"],"case":{"believed":"Setting a Decimal context configuration applies across the application or automatically propagates to spawned child processes and tasks.","caseId":"case:sha256:d3e1f8440efdf99ae32cd286acf711a6c90f0181808329001a611c3bea065bc3","contract":["Decimal context is scoped to the calling process dictionary and is not inherited by spawned child tasks","assert context precision limits total significant digits rather than fractional decimal places","assert Decimal.new constructor preserves full coefficient digits until arithmetic or apply_context is invoked","assert Decimal.Context.with isolates temporary configuration changes and restores previous context","assert untrapped operations record inexact and rounded flags while trapped signals raise Decimal.Error"],"goal":"Configure Decimal arithmetic context, process isolation, precision limits, and signal traps in Elixir","kind":"HOW","packages":["pkg:hex/decimal@3.1.1"],"schemaVersion":1,"symbols":["Decimal.Context.get","Decimal.Context.set","Decimal.Context.with","Decimal.apply_context"]},"contractCommand":["mix","test","--no-deps-check"],"environment":{"arch":"x64","ecosystem":"hex","executionContext":"elixir","language":"elixir","os":"linux","packageManager":"mix","runtime":"elixir","schemaVersion":1},"license":"MIT-0","packages":["pkg:hex/decimal@3.1.1"],"schemaVersion":1,"symbols":["Decimal.Context.get","Decimal.Context.set","Decimal.Context.with","Decimal.apply_context"],"verifierAdapter":"hex@1"}
defmodule CsxDecimalConfig.MixProject do
use Mix.Project
def project do
[
app: :csx_decimal_config,
version: "0.1.0",
elixir: "~> 1.17",
deps: deps()
]
end
def application, do: [extra_applications: []]
defp deps do
[{:decimal, "3.1.1"}]
end
end
%{
"decimal": {:hex, :decimal, "3.1.1", "430d87b04011ce6cbd4fd205be758311a81f87d552d40904abd00f015935b1d0", [:mix], [], "hexpm", "c5f25f2ced74a0587d03e6023f595db8e924c9d3922c8c8ffd9edfc4498cf1f6"},
}
defmodule CsxDecimalConfigTest do
use ExUnit.Case
# In Elixir's Decimal library, arithmetic behaviour is governed by %Decimal.Context{}.
# This contract verifies key configuration semantics, process-scoping boundaries,
# precision traps (significant digits vs decimal places), and exception trap handling.
test "Decimal context is scoped to the calling process dictionary and is not inherited by spawned child tasks" do
parent_ctx = %{Decimal.Context.get() | precision: 4, rounding: :floor}
Decimal.Context.set(parent_ctx)
assert Decimal.Context.get().precision == 4
assert Decimal.Context.get().rounding == :floor
# Child Task does NOT inherit the parent process's Decimal.Context dictionary
task =
Task.async(fn ->
child_ctx = Decimal.Context.get()
# Modifying context inside child process has no effect on parent
Decimal.Context.set(%{child_ctx | precision: 8})
child_ctx
end)
child_ctx = Task.await(task)
# Spawned child task received default Decimal context
assert child_ctx.precision == 34
assert child_ctx.rounding == :half_up
assert child_ctx.traps == [:invalid_operation, :division_by_zero]
# Parent process context remains unmodified at precision 4
assert Decimal.Context.get().precision == 4
# Reset parent process context
Decimal.Context.set(%Decimal.Context{})
end
test "context precision limits total significant digits rather than fractional decimal places" do
# Setting precision: 2 does NOT round to 2 decimal places; it limits total significant digits to 2.
Decimal.Context.with(%{Decimal.Context.get() | precision: 2}, fn ->
# 100 + 23.45 = 123.45, which rounds to 2 significant figures: 120 (1.2E+2)
sum = Decimal.add(Decimal.new("100"), Decimal.new("23.45"))
assert Decimal.to_string(sum) == "1.2E+2"
assert sum.coef == 12
assert sum.exp == 1
# Even Decimal.round(123.456, 2) is subjected to context precision and produces 2 significant digits
truncated = Decimal.round(Decimal.new("123.456"), 2)
assert Decimal.to_string(truncated) == "1.2E+2"
end)
# Fractional decimal places (scale) require standard/high precision with Decimal.round/2
exact_val = Decimal.new("123.456")
rounded_val = Decimal.round(exact_val, 2)
assert Decimal.to_string(rounded_val) == "123.46"
end
test "Decimal.new constructor preserves full coefficient digits until arithmetic or apply_context is invoked" do
Decimal.Context.with(%{Decimal.Context.get() | precision: 2}, fn ->
# Constructor preserves all parsed digits without truncating to context precision
raw = Decimal.new("123.456")
assert Decimal.to_string(raw) == "123.456"
assert raw.coef == 123_456
assert raw.exp == -3
# Arithmetic operation triggers context rounding to 2 significant digits
after_arithmetic = Decimal.add(raw, Decimal.new("0"))
assert Decimal.to_string(after_arithmetic) == "1.2E+2"
assert after_arithmetic.coef == 12
# Explicit apply_context also applies context precision
after_apply = Decimal.apply_context(raw)
assert Decimal.to_string(after_apply) == "1.2E+2"
assert after_apply.coef == 12
end)
end
test "Decimal.Context.with isolates temporary configuration changes and restores previous context" do
initial_ctx = Decimal.Context.get()
assert initial_ctx.precision == 34
# Run scoped execution with custom precision
scoped_result =
Decimal.Context.with(%{Decimal.Context.get() | precision: 5}, fn ->
assert Decimal.Context.get().precision == 5
Decimal.div(Decimal.new("1"), Decimal.new("7"))
end)
# Scoped result reflects 5 significant digits (0.14286)
assert Decimal.to_string(scoped_result) == "0.14286"
# Context is cleanly restored to precision 34
assert Decimal.Context.get().precision == 34
# Context is also restored when the scoped function raises
assert_raise RuntimeError, fn ->
Decimal.Context.with(%{Decimal.Context.get() | precision: 8}, fn ->
assert Decimal.Context.get().precision == 8
raise "unexpected failure"
end)
end
assert Decimal.Context.get().precision == 34
end
test "untrapped operations record inexact and rounded flags while trapped signals raise Decimal.Error" do
# Default context: :inexact and :rounded are NOT trapped; signals are recorded in flags
Decimal.Context.with(%Decimal.Context{}, fn ->
result = Decimal.div(Decimal.new("1"), Decimal.new("3"))
assert Decimal.to_string(result) == "0.3333333333333333333333333333333333"
current_ctx = Decimal.Context.get()
assert :inexact in current_ctx.flags
assert :rounded in current_ctx.flags
end)
# When :inexact is trapped, inexact division raises %Decimal.Error{signal: :inexact}
trapped_inexact_ctx = %{Decimal.Context.get() | traps: [:inexact | Decimal.Context.get().traps]}
Decimal.Context.with(trapped_inexact_ctx, fn ->
assert_raise Decimal.Error, fn ->
Decimal.div(Decimal.new("1"), Decimal.new("3"))
end
end)
# When :rounded is trapped under low precision, rounding raises %Decimal.Error{signal: :rounded}
trapped_rounded_ctx = %{
Decimal.Context.get()
| precision: 2,
traps: [:rounded | Decimal.Context.get().traps]
}
Decimal.Context.with(trapped_rounded_ctx, fn ->
assert_raise Decimal.Error, fn ->
Decimal.add(Decimal.new("100"), Decimal.new("23.45"))
end
end)
end
end
ExUnit.start()