[ANN] txtool: Advanced transaction building

[jgarzik]

URL: https://github.com/jgarzik/txtool

txtool is a command line tool written in node.js that interfaces with Bitcoin-Qt/bitcoind, to automate or assist in building interesting, unusual, complicated or just plain odd transactions.  The goal is to demonstrate advanced bitcoin features, and make it easier for users to experiment.  The intended audience has a basic awareness of how bitcoin transactions look and work.

The theory of operation and full list of commands may be reviewed at https://github.com/jgarzik/txtool/blob/master/README

Initially, two working examples are presented:

• Easy multi-signature transaction building, spending: https://github.com/jgarzik/txtool/blob/master/examples/multisig.txt
• Passing around transactions (possibly multi-signature) for signing: https://github.com/jgarzik/txtool/blob/master/examples/tx-signing.txt

Further examples such as decentralized crowdfunding and atomic coin swapping will be demonstrated soon.

[Remember remember the 5th of November]

Nodejs seems to be getting popular these days.

[bittheodds]

This is really, really cool. Thanks for making it available.

[Mike Hearn]

Cool, awesome utility!

[xeroc]

great stuff .. was waiting for things like that ..

let's get started with crazy txs

[fellowtraveler]

Great work, and thanks very much.

jgarzik == great help/support for OT project :-)

[Financisto]

Very nice open source collaborative project.

Congratulations!

Keep up the good work

Cheers!

[Steve]

For non-nodejs people, you should now be able to install this as follows:
a) install nodejs (from nodejs.org)
b) run: $ npm install -g txtool

After that, you should be able run txtool from the shell:
$ txtool

This installs the nodejs txtool package with all dependencies in your global nodejs environment and then creates a symlink to the executable in your $PATH (usually /usr/local/bin).

[WSDN]

Thanks for this excellent job!

[jgarzik]

Warning:  Please avoid using bitcoinj-based wallets, with this tool.

The bitcoinj Java library does not support the P2SH feature (BIP 16).

[KawalGrover]

For non-nodejs people, you should now be able to install this as follows:
a) install nodejs (from nodejs.org)
b) run: $ npm install -g txtool

After that, you should be able run txtool from the shell:
$ txtool

This installs the nodejs txtool package with all dependencies in your global nodejs environment and then creates a symlink to the executable in your $PATH (usually /usr/local/bin).

It would be a good idea to put these instructions in the README on github. Will save non-nodejs people like me some time.

But that aside, thank you! This tool is aWeSoMe!!

[techhead]

Thank you!

[s2]

Excellent work!  Thanks for sharing as was getting stuck on this.

[jgarzik]

Bitcoin Core now has "bitcoin-tx" which may be used in this manner.  Command line summary:

Code:

Bitcoin Core bitcoin-tx utility version v0.9.99.0-83f5daf

Usage:
  bitcoin-tx [options] <hex-tx> [commands]  Update hex-encoded bitcoin transaction
  bitcoin-tx [options] -create [commands]   Create hex-encoded bitcoin transaction

Options:
  -?                      This help message
  -create                 Create new, empty TX.
  -json                   Select JSON output
  -regtest                Enter regression test mode, which uses a special chain in which blocks can be solved instantly.
  -testnet                Use the test network

Commands:
  delin=N                Delete input N from TX
  delout=N               Delete output N from TX
  in=TXID:VOUT           Add input to TX
  locktime=N             Set TX lock time to N
  nversion=N             Set TX version to N
  outaddr=VALUE:ADDRESS  Add address-based output to TX
  outscript=VALUE:SCRIPT Add raw script output to TX
  sign=SIGHASH-FLAGS     Add zero or more signatures to transaction
      This command requires JSON registers:
      prevtxs=JSON object
      privatekeys=JSON object
      See signrawtransaction docs for format of sighash flags, JSON objects.

Register Commands:
  load=NAME:FILENAME     Load JSON file FILENAME into register NAME
  set=NAME:JSON-STRING   Set register NAME to given JSON-STRING