running bitcoin from the command line

[calkob]

i am looking to learn more about running bitcoin from the command line, although i am having some problems.

1st: i am not sure if it is bitcoind i run or bitcoin-cli

when i run bitcoind nothing happens it jumps tp the next line and just waits and if i run bitcoin-cli i get help messages.

do i need a conf file? i have been running the GUI for over 9 months

anyhelp would be great thanks 

[achow101]

You have to have two terminals.

The first one you run bitcoind. It should do nothing. You should not see anything, it should just look like it hangs. Don't worry, nothing is wrong, that is what is supposed to happen. If there is any output, that is usually a problem.

The second terminal you use bitcoin-cli to interact with the bitcoind you started in the other terminal. This one is where you do all of your commands.

[calkob]

Cheers Knight, works like a treat  

why is this so hard to find out, ive been google searching this for an hour....lol  

[tspacepilot]

You have to have two terminals.

The first one you run bitcoind. It should do nothing. You should not see anything, it should just look like it hangs. Don't worry, nothing is wrong, that is what is supposed to happen. If there is any output, that is usually a problem.

The second terminal you use bitcoin-cli to interact with the bitcoind you started in the other terminal. This one is where you do all of your commands.

You should be able to use the same terminal.  Just kick off bitcoind so that it will run in the background and your shell will give you the prompt back.  Ie, run:

Code:

$ bitcoind &

Instead of just

Code:

$ bitcoind