[Round #5] Final Testing Release Before Armory v0.88

[jl2012]

This is one of the two major upgrades I need in order for Armory to be usable to users with shorter attention spans.  When this is working properly, you will never need to run Bitcoin-Qt/bitcoind again.  Just start Armory and it will do the rest.  

The other major upgrade is the resource usage and load time.  Those are both getting knocked out with the blockchain management/DB stuff.  That is top priority after this (including not rescanning every time).

I finally have a testing version in Windows (64-bit only).  This really is a remarkable P.I.T.A. ... and this is still quite a bit rough around the edges, but it's at least demo-ready.  A lot of time was spent making the download-and-run window for when you click "Install for me!".  Especially if you are running an old version of Bitcoin-Qt (not 0.8.1), please uninstall it and then run Armory and let it install it for you.  And don't worry, there is cryptographic verification of the installer before it runs it!  (see the top of versions.txt)

Linux users can still help test, but you have to use the "managesatoshi" branch and compile it yourself.


What I've done:

If you are running Bitcoin-Qt when you start Armory, it will now tell you to stop.  "Let Armory manage the Bitcoin software" is the default.  You will be told to either close Bitcoin-Qt, or change your settings (with a convenient button in the middle of the dashboard).   You can go into your settings and uncheck the box to carry on using Armory exactly as you used to.  Or you can leave it checked and just close Bitcoin-Qt/bitcoind.

If you do not have bitcoind installed or it is in a non-standard location, it will tell you to install it, or change your settings to point to where it is located.  I just spent a fair amount of time not only producing instructions for installing in Linux, but a "Do it for me!" button for the PPA.  It's experimental, but so far it has worked for me in two environments.  Please try this feature!  I want to find out if it is actually reliable (I actually don't know why it wouldn't be; it simply executes the 3 commands using gksudo, but I suppose it could choke if your package manager is broken, in which case I have no clue what happens).  (EDIT: yes I know gksudo is a gnome thing ... but if you are not using gnome, i.e. default Ubuntu, then you probably can handle setting up the PPA yourself or manually installing it).

I need help testing, especially from the Linux folks, because they're the ones most likely to have non-standard configurations that will break this.  I also need testing in non-Ubuntu environments.  I've done a lot of testing, but somehow I'm confident it won't be enough.  And I know there's still some things missing (like the count-down timer on the initial blockchain sync).   Also, bear in mind this version has a lot of debugging output left on, to help me figure out the code flow.  I'm sorry if it's annoying (it sometimes annoys me, too).


To use 0.87.8 (which will be 0.88 when it's released):

Linux:
-- Pull and switch branches: "git checkout managesatoshi"
-- Must install python-psutil package.  This is a new dependency to help with managing the background process.  It will be added to the next offline bundle.
-- Recompile

Windows:
-- http://dl.dropbox.com/u/1139081/ArmoryTestingReleases/armory_0.87.8-testing_win64.msi

Please mention everything that doesn't look right.  Most likely, configurations/combinations of options that lead to a dashboard that doesn't say the right thing, or buttons missing that should be there, etc.  Try out the new settings (renamed from "preferences").   One thing I threw on top was added a permanent "--skip-online-check" to the settings.  Try that out, too.

It doesn't work for me. I'm running Windows Server 2008 R2 64bit. bitcoind is launched automatically, blockchain is synchanized, but armory keeps saying "initializing bitcoin engine". I change it to the traditional mode but it keeps saying offline while bitcoin-qt is running. I have moved back to 0.87.2 and everything work as usual

[etotheipi]

It doesn't work for me. I'm running Windows Server 2008 R2 64bit. bitcoind is launched automatically, blockchain is synchanized, but armory keeps saying "initializing bitcoin engine". I change it to the traditional mode but it keeps saying offline while bitcoin-qt is running. I have moved back to 0.87.2 and everything work as usual

Man, this is not going smoothly!  Are you using an non-standard configuration of any sort?  Can you send me a log file? 

[etotheipi]

Okay, I fixed a big bug that had to do with non-standard --satoshi-datadir settings.  Hopefully that is resolved in both Linux and Windows.  And a ton of other fixes, so I at least have more information if there are failures.  I still have not tested it in WinXP, so it probably won't work there, or any other XP-like OS.  But otherwise, it's starting to really come together.

The top post has been updated with the latest information.  Please try it out, in both Linux and Windows!  

[jl2012]

It's even worse

Error: "The specified module could not be found. LoadLibrary(pythondll) failed"

Error: "C:\Program Files (x86)\Armory\Armory Bitcoin Client\PYTHON27.DLL

[etotheipi]

It's even worse

Error: "The specified module could not be found. LoadLibrary(pythondll) failed"

Error: "C:\Program Files (x86)\Armory\Armory Bitcoin Client\PYTHON27.DLL

That's happened before when there's been some kind of messup in the install directory.  Can you completely uninstall it and remove the C:\Program Files (x86)\Armory directory.  Then reinstall.  It should go away. 

I never quite figured out what conditions cause that...

[jl2012]

It's even worse

Error: "The specified module could not be found. LoadLibrary(pythondll) failed"

Error: "C:\Program Files (x86)\Armory\Armory Bitcoin Client\PYTHON27.DLL

That's happened before when there's been some kind of messup in the install directory.  Can you completely uninstall it and remove the C:\Program Files (x86)\Armory directory.  Then reinstall.  It should go away. 

I never quite figured out what conditions cause that...

I reinstall using the "repair" and it works now. However, it still can't detect bitcoin-qt in "traditional mode"

[jl2012]

The automatic mode calls bitcoind successfully, but stopped at inititalizing bitcoin engine. Nothing interesting in log.

[etotheipi]

The automatic mode calls bitcoind successfully, but stopped at inititalizing bitcoin engine. Nothing interesting in log.

Strange question:  is your clock UTC or local?  I ran into an infinite-initializing problem when my clock was set wrong.  Now that I bring it up myself, I guess I should actually make it clock-independent.

I've conceded that some OS will just have to do manual mode (OSX, probably XP).  But I'm not sure why that broke for you.  Can you check the log after trying it in manual mode?

[jl2012]

The automatic mode calls bitcoind successfully, but stopped at inititalizing bitcoin engine. Nothing interesting in log.

Strange question:  is your clock UTC or local?  I ran into an infinite-initializing problem when my clock was set wrong.  Now that I bring it up myself, I guess I should actually make it clock-independent.

I've conceded that some OS will just have to do manual mode (OSX, probably XP).  But I'm not sure why that broke for you.  Can you check the log after trying it in manual mode?

Local. Nothing interesting in log:

Code:

2013-04-02 01:07 (INFO) -- ArmoryQt.py:1104 - Setting up networking...
2013-04-02 01:07 (INFO) -- ArmoryQt.py:1149 - Internet connection is Available: True
2013-04-02 01:07 (INFO) -- ArmoryQt.py:1150 - Bitcoin-Qt/bitcoind is Available: 0
2013-04-02 01:07 (INFO) -- ArmoryQt.py:1207 - loadBlockchainIfNecessary
2013-04-02 01:07 (INFO) -- ArmoryQt.py:1253 - Setting netmode: 0
2013-04-02 01:07 (INFO) -- ArmoryQt.py:3505 - Switching Armory state text to Mgmt:User, State:OfflineNoSatoshi
2013-04-02 01:07 (INFO) -- ArmoryQt.py:3447 - Switching Armory functional mode to "Offline"
2013-04-02 01:07 (INFO) -- ArmoryQt.py:530 - Usermode: Expert
2013-04-02 01:07 (INFO) -- ArmoryQt.py:951 - Changing usermode:
2013-04-02 01:07 (INFO) -- ArmoryQt.py:952 -    From: Expert
2013-04-02 01:07 (INFO) -- ArmoryQt.py:960 -      To: Expert
2013-04-02 01:07 (INFO) -- armoryengine.pyc:10196 - Signature on signed data block is GOOD!
2013-04-02 01:07 (INFO) -- ArmoryQt.py:1087 - You are running the latest version!
2013-04-02 01:07 (INFO) -- armoryengine.pyc:10539 - Called stopBitcoind
2013-04-02 01:07 (INFO) -- armoryengine.pyc:10541 - ...but bitcoind is not running, to be able to stop
2013-04-02 01:07 (INFO) -- ArmoryQt.py:4586 - Attempting to close the main window!
2013-04-02 01:07 (INFO) -- ArmoryQt.py:4690 - Resetting BlockDataMgr, freeing memory
2013-04-02 01:07 (INFO) -- armoryengine.pyc:711 - 
2013-04-02 01:07 (INFO) -- armoryengine.pyc:712 - 

Just moved back to 0.87.2 and everything is fine

[etotheipi]

Code:

2013-04-02 01:07 (INFO) -- ArmoryQt.py:1104 - Setting up networking...
2013-04-02 01:07 (INFO) -- ArmoryQt.py:1149 - Internet connection is Available: True
2013-04-02 01:07 (INFO) -- ArmoryQt.py:1150 - Bitcoin-Qt/bitcoind is Available: 0

That 0 is returned when it can't communicate with Bitcoin-Qt/bitcoind (it normally returns the port number on which it was found, though by default it only searches one port).  Is it possible that you are using different command line arguments for it?  Bitcoin.conf file?

I'm really at a loss for this one...

[jl2012]

Code:

2013-04-02 01:07 (INFO) -- ArmoryQt.py:1104 - Setting up networking...
2013-04-02 01:07 (INFO) -- ArmoryQt.py:1149 - Internet connection is Available: True
2013-04-02 01:07 (INFO) -- ArmoryQt.py:1150 - Bitcoin-Qt/bitcoind is Available: 0

That 0 is returned when it can't communicate with Bitcoin-Qt/bitcoind (it normally returns the port number on which it was found, though by default it only searches one port).  Is it possible that you are using different command line arguments for it?  Bitcoin.conf file?

I'm really at a loss for this one...

No command line qrguments for bitcoinqt. bitcoin.conf is

Code:

rpcuser=generated_by_armory
rpcpassword=hidden

[etotheipi]

Code:

2013-04-02 01:07 (INFO) -- ArmoryQt.py:1104 - Setting up networking...
2013-04-02 01:07 (INFO) -- ArmoryQt.py:1149 - Internet connection is Available: True
2013-04-02 01:07 (INFO) -- ArmoryQt.py:1150 - Bitcoin-Qt/bitcoind is Available: 0

That 0 is returned when it can't communicate with Bitcoin-Qt/bitcoind (it normally returns the port number on which it was found, though by default it only searches one port).  Is it possible that you are using different command line arguments for it?  Bitcoin.conf file?

I'm really at a loss for this one...

No command line qrguments for bitcoinqt. bitcoin.conf is

Code:

rpcuser=generated_by_armory
rpcpassword=hidden

Can you PM me the top of the log file so I can see what directories and ports it's choosing.  This isn't adding up...

[oakpacific]

Okay Alan, I compiled 0.87.94-beta, after startup it prompted me that the bitcoind installation cannot be found, I tried to point it to the location of the installation, by clicking the "Change Settings" button in the dashboard, or the "Settings" item in the menu, both gave no response, no window popped up, instead, the console showed the following error message whenever I tried:

Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "ArmoryQt.py", line 716, in openSettings
    dlgSettings = DlgSettings(self, self)
  File "/home/****/BitcoinArmory/BitcoinArmory/qtdialogs.py", line 9913, in __init__
    'specified format.' % exampleStr )
  File "/home/****/BitcoinArmory/BitcoinArmory/qtdefines.py", line 203, in __init__
    self.setText(txt, **kwargs)
  File "/home/****/BitcoinArmory/BitcoinArmory/qtdefines.py", line 206, in setText
    text = str(text)
UnicodeEncodeError: 'ascii' codec can't encode character u'\u5e74' in position 232: ordinal not in range(128)

So it seem like a encoding support problem(FYI u+5e74 is the unicode representation for the Chinese character meaning year), I don't know how difficult it's to sort this out, if you can't please just tell me what configurations I should change on my part to make it work.

[etotheipi]

Okay Alan, I compiled 0.87.94-beta, after startup it prompted me that the bitcoind installation cannot be found, I tried to point it to the location of the installation, by clicking the "Change Settings" button in the dashboard, or the "Settings" item in the menu, both gave no response, no window popped up, instead, the console showed the following error message whenever I tried:

Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "ArmoryQt.py", line 716, in openSettings
    dlgSettings = DlgSettings(self, self)
  File "/home/****/BitcoinArmory/BitcoinArmory/qtdialogs.py", line 9913, in __init__
    'specified format.' % exampleStr )
  File "/home/****/BitcoinArmory/BitcoinArmory/qtdefines.py", line 203, in __init__
    self.setText(txt, **kwargs)
  File "/home/****/BitcoinArmory/BitcoinArmory/qtdefines.py", line 206, in setText
    text = str(text)
UnicodeEncodeError: 'ascii' codec can't encode character u'\u5e74' in position 232: ordinal not in range(128)

So it seem like a encoding support problem(FYI u+5e74 is the unicode representation for the Chinese character meaning year), I don't know how difficult it's to sort this out, if you can't please just tell me what configurations I should change on my part to make it work.

Yeah, Armory has no unicode support yet.  It would've been trivial if I had known from the beginning what "unicode" is and how to support it... but I didn't.  I haven't been able to upgrade it, because I didn't want to risk breaking the wallet code (fixed-width fields overflow with unicode characters).

However, I'm totally revamping wallets in the near future, so I will go through and upgrade all of Armory with it.  It shouldn't be too hard, I just don't want to risk coin-losing bugs by upgrading the old wallets in a hurry, and they're going to be obsolete soon, anyway.

For now, let's see if I can get around this for you.  Is it failing because of a custom bitcoind installation path?  Or does it fail anyway?  In the ArmorySettings.txt file, do you see fields with non-ASCII characters?  I can probably work around a specific instance of unicode problems, I just can't upgrade the whole app, yet.

[oakpacific]

Okay Alan, I compiled 0.87.94-beta, after startup it prompted me that the bitcoind installation cannot be found, I tried to point it to the location of the installation, by clicking the "Change Settings" button in the dashboard, or the "Settings" item in the menu, both gave no response, no window popped up, instead, the console showed the following error message whenever I tried:

Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "ArmoryQt.py", line 716, in openSettings
    dlgSettings = DlgSettings(self, self)
  File "/home/****/BitcoinArmory/BitcoinArmory/qtdialogs.py", line 9913, in __init__
    'specified format.' % exampleStr )
  File "/home/****/BitcoinArmory/BitcoinArmory/qtdefines.py", line 203, in __init__
    self.setText(txt, **kwargs)
  File "/home/****/BitcoinArmory/BitcoinArmory/qtdefines.py", line 206, in setText
    text = str(text)
UnicodeEncodeError: 'ascii' codec can't encode character u'\u5e74' in position 232: ordinal not in range(128)

So it seem like a encoding support problem(FYI u+5e74 is the unicode representation for the Chinese character meaning year), I don't know how difficult it's to sort this out, if you can't please just tell me what configurations I should change on my part to make it work.

Yeah, Armory has no unicode support yet.  It would've been trivial if I had known from the beginning what "unicode" is and how to support it... but I didn't.  I haven't been able to upgrade it, because I didn't want to risk breaking the wallet code (fixed-width fields overflow with unicode characters).

However, I'm totally revamping wallets in the near future, so I will go through and upgrade all of Armory with it.  It shouldn't be too hard, I just don't want to risk coin-losing bugs by upgrading the old wallets in a hurry, and they're going to be obsolete soon, anyway.

For now, let's see if I can get around this for you.  Is it failing because of a custom bitcoind installation path?  Or does it fail anyway?  In the ArmorySettings.txt file, do you see fields with non-ASCII characters?  I can probably work around a specific instance of unicode problems, I just can't upgrade the whole app, yet.

I don't see any non-ASCII characters in the setting file, to test it for the bitcoind installation path I think I should use command-line options as the GUI is not working right now?

EDIT: Now after I installed the version of bitcoind from the official Ubuntu repository Armory can see it, but I still can not open the settings window, so I guess it's an independent problem.

[etotheipi]

EDIT: Now after I installed the version of bitcoind from the official Ubuntu repository Armory can see it, but I still can not open the settings window, so I guess it's an independent problem.

I'm fairly certain it's a unicode issue.  The installation path or datadir have a unicode character in them, and it's breaking the settings.  This is one reason I'm anxious to do the new wallets and just clear this up once and for all.  Do you still see a unicode error in the log file?

[oakpacific]

EDIT: Now after I installed the version of bitcoind from the official Ubuntu repository Armory can see it, but I still can not open the settings window, so I guess it's an independent problem.

I'm fairly certain it's a unicode issue.  The installation path or datadir have a unicode character in them, and it's breaking the settings.  This is one reason I'm anxious to do the new wallets and just clear this up once and for all.  Do you still see a unicode error in the log file?

Ah, sure, now to clarify I didn't have any bitcoind installed before, I was under the impression that bitcoin-qt should be bundled with bitcoind until I installed it, the same error message still show up in the log file, I don't have any unicode character in my bitcoind/data path, and consider that the character in question is Chinese character for "year", it may have something to do with the date, which is actually represented in Chinese in my system.(Ubuntu 12.04).

[etotheipi]

You can always do a "factory reset" to clear all your settings via the Help menu, "Revert All Settings".  Start over and work through settings one-by-one until it breaks   I can probably put in temporary unicode fixes for particular things, as long as they don't ever touch the wallet.

[etotheipi]

Please check top post for updates!  This is starting to look like a real release!  Finally!

https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=156250.msg1655941#msg1655941

I can only spend so much time polishing and trying to catch all the little things.  I think a lot of people are actually having problems with resources, not the auto-bitcoind (and a few with auto-bitcoind). 

Last thing before starting down the resource-reduction path:  OSX packages! 
Then persistent blockchain stuff.

[etotheipi]

Non-US Users.  Please help me test!  Need unicode/non-en-us users to try it.

The new auto-bitcoind stuff came with a host of critical unicode issues.  In the past, such issues were simply annoying, but didn't actually prevent users from using Armory.  Now it did.  I have upgraded the critical paths to handle unicode, and added warnings for everything else.   One exception to unicode handling is that you cannot use unicode in your bitcoin.conf username or password, and only in Windows!  (it works fine in Linux)  Otherwise, I'm hoping this will go a lot better than before!

See the top post for details!
https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=156250.msg1655941#msg1655941