I would like to use Bitcoin ABC. However I'd like to avoid it that ABC has to download the whole blockchain again. The last time I did this with core it took almost a week.
Can I just import or copy the current chain from a bitcoin core instance which I have running? Note that my core instance has already caught up past Aug. 1st. Would this be a problem?
Thanks!
I think you can. That is what I was planning to do. As long as you running a Bitcoin Core full node, I think any version would do, at the end of the day it's the same blockchain, the format of the files have been always the same, but ideally you want to export it from the most recent Bitcoin Core version.
Just copy paste the block files on Bitcoin ABC client, when you open it, you will have to validate the entire chain, but without having to download it. I still didn't try but im afraid it will be insanely slow on my computer, you will need a strong CPU to validate in a reasoanble amount of time.