[PATCH] monitoraddress/blocks

[Gavin Andresen]

Keeping the patch file up-to-date is another couple of steps, and I could/should automate it.

I automated updating/patching the monitorreceived patch, and just updated to Satoshi's latest:
  http://gist.github.com/604574
(use the "raw" link there for a link to latest version of the patch)

And I fixed the bug reported by doublec.

[mizerydearia]

Just a quick note that this patch is not compatible with http://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=724.msg8053#msg8053

<gavinandresen> I reimplemented getblock in the monitor* patch
<gavinandresen> (so it returned the same JSON data structures as monitorblock )
<necrodearia> Ah, so your patch makes getblock patch deprecated, right?
<gavinandresen> Yup
<necrodearia> Yay! ^_^

[jgarzik]

Just a quick note that this patch is not compatible with http://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=724.msg8053#msg8053

Incorrect.  See response at link.

[mizerydearia]

• monitoraddress <bitcoinaddress> <url> [monitor=true]
  When coins are sent to <bitcoinaddress> POST JSON transaction info to <url>.
  If <bitcoinaddress> is 'allwallet' then monitor coins sent to all of your addresses.
  Pass false as third param to stop monitoring.
• monitorblocks <url> [monitor=true] [startblockcount=0]
  POST block information to <url> as blocks are added to the block chain.
  [monitor] true will start monitoring, false will stop.
  Pass [startblockcount] to start monitoring at/after block with given blockcount.

My preferred arrangement would be a 'monitorall' command, which POSTs each incoming transaction to a URL, regardless of bitcoinaddress, as long as it's a wallet transaction.

I agree.  A "monitorall" command would be quite useful.

This should show the data that is passed along.

Code:

<?php file_get_contents('php://input'); ?>

[doublec]

Does any data get passed to the POST request?  From my observations it appear no data is passed along.

From my tests, the data is passed as the body of the POST request. For example, the following Perl code using the Mojolicious web framework will extract data from the POST:

Code:

my @blocks;

any '/receive' => sub {
  my $self = shift;
  my $body = $self->req->body;
  my $json = Mojo::JSON->new;
  my $data = $json->decode($body);
  my $params = $json->{params};
  ...do something with $params...
  $self->render(json => {result => undef, error => undef, id => undef });
};

Here the $params variable contains the decoded JSON data equivalent to what 'getblock' returns if this was posted as a result of 'monitorblocks'. It will return the equivalent of what 'gettransaction' returns if it was posted as a result of 'monitoraddresses'. I wasn't sure what it expected as a result so I just return an empty JSON method result.

[Gavin Andresen]

My preferred arrangement would be a 'monitorall' command, which POSTs each incoming transaction to a URL, regardless of bitcoinaddress, as long as it's a wallet transaction.

I agree.  A "monitorall" command would be quite useful.

Pass "allwallet" to monitoraddress and you'll get all transactions that put coins in your wallet.

RE: getting the data POSTed in PHP:  Try:

json_string = http_get_request_body();

Also, POSTing to www.postbin.org (create a postbin there first) is really useful for debugging.

[mizerydearia]

Fatal error: Call to undefined function http_get_request_body()

I apparently don't have the HTTP extension and am uncertain how to provide it.

Workaround is: file_get_contents('php://input')

[mizerydearia]

jgarzik's getblock patch has some extra information that your patch doesn't have.  Is it possible you could add them to your patch, particularly nBits?  For now I wrote some lines to patch your patch.

This is line from jgarzik's patch for nBits:

Code:

+    obj.push_back(Pair("bits", (uint64_t)block.nBits));

It would be nice for both of your patches to be merged into one.

[Gavin Andresen]

nBits is difficulty in 'compact' format?  (if I recall correctly...)

It should be reported as floating-point 'difficulty', like you get from the 'getinfo' rpc command.

I will add that.

[strip4bit]

old topic, old patch. But i need this.
Is it possible to merge this patch? (impossible after the long time)
Or do i have to use this old bitcoind version?

[Gavin Andresen]

See -blocknotify and -walletnotify command-line options in the latest code, which will run an arbitrary command when new blocks happen or transactions hit your wallet (and that arbitrary command can be "POST information to this URL...").