blockchain.info new interface/API functionality issue

[alexmr]

Guys, is it just me or the new interface doesn't allow us to send money from a single bitcoin address within the wallet?

This functionality was essential to me when there was the old interface, I was able to choose a specific address to send BTC from using 'Advanced send'.

Now I only found this functionality described at Blockchain Wallet API v3 spec:

http://localhost:3000/merchant/$guid/payment?password=$main_password&second_password=$second_password&to=$address&amount=$amount&from=$from&fee=$fee

    $main_password Your Main Blockchain Wallet password
    $second_password Your second Blockchain Wallet password if double encryption is enabled.
    $to Recipient Bitcoin Address.
    $amount Amount to send in satoshi.
   $from Send from a specific Bitcoin Address (Optional)
    $fee Transaction fee value in satoshi (Must be greater than default fee) (Optional)

Ok I've installed the software and tried it, making an outgoing transaction using 'from' parameter results into an error:

Error signing and pushing transaction
[timestamp] - error: ERR_PUSHT

Now I searched some githubs and a developer jtormey tells that 'from' is now used for xKEY Pub just to specify the wallet you want to send from, not the bitcoin address.
Source: https://github.com/blockchain/service-my-wallet-v3/issues/105#issuecomment-218461807

[...]
To spend from the xpub used with our receive payments API, you need to include from=[YOUR_XPUB].
There isn't a way to spend from a specific receive address.
[...]

So, the quoted description of a 'from' parameter from their site is a typo or just outdated info appeared due to copy/paste?

[KenR]

Have you tried reaching out to their developers ? The from parameter should be defined in any of the sample Jsons if you checked them out ? To access their full fledged API,you need a key which granted on case by case basis.Just saying,could be a thing.Their support team and devs are super active on the facebook-page.Send them a PM.

[alexmr]

Yes, and here is the answer:

Mandrik (Blockchain)
Dec 7, 10:39 EST

Hello,

The new HD format of the wallet doesn't allow for choosing which address funds are being sent from. This is part of how HD wallets work and is not specific to Blockchain.info wallets. The only way to send from a specific address is via an imported private key.

 

So I've asked whether I can export the private key somehow:

Sorry, but there isn't any way to export individual private keys from an HD wallet. If you wanted a backup of the wallet then you can read over our Security Center guide - [blockchain]/hc/en-us/articles/209564506.

So sad.

[uanode]

I've stopped using blockchain.info exactly due to lack of this option and other missing features that were available on the old wallet, such as exporting your private keys.

Not allowing us to export private keys means you don't own your funds using their wallet, while it was possible before.
Actually there are no ways to make a wallet backup, you can only backup a secret recovery phrase to restore access to web wallet which makes you lose all your money in case their project goes down.

I think many actual users must be aware of this:
When you have a backup of your private key, you can restore your money using other wallet software in case blockchain.info goes offline temporary or forever.
It's impossible in the current version of blockchain.info wallet!

[neochiny]

I don't even know why anyone would keep using it. Cannot export your own private keys? It's basically become like coinbase and xapo.
Why not just use Electrum? It doesn't need a lot of space on your drive(about 50mb) and you get more functions. You're paying your own fees anyway.