TEST network, for experimental development and hacking

[EricJ2190]

So if I run bitcoind in testnet mode and it downloads the block chain, and then I switch to the live chain, what happens?  What do I need to delete/reset/watch out for?

And vice versa - what if I've already downloaded the live block chain and switch to testnet mode.

Bitcoin uses a different default location for the testnet blockchain and wallet, so you can switch between networks freely.

[Furyan]

So if I run bitcoind in testnet mode and it downloads the block chain, and then I switch to the live chain, what happens?  What do I need to delete/reset/watch out for?

And vice versa - what if I've already downloaded the live block chain and switch to testnet mode.

Bitcoin uses a different default location for the testnet blockchain and wallet, so you can switch between networks freely.

Awesome, thanks.  Pool's all set up... testing now.

Only took one day. Not bad.

[Furyan]

Hmm.. odd but testnet won't work for me:

Code:

./bitcoind -daemon -testnet -rpcuser=hungry -rpcpassword=forfood -rpcport=8332

results in the following log:

Code:

Bitcoin version 0.3.25-beta
Default data directory /home/randomuser/.bitcoin
Bound to port 18333
Loading addresses...
dbenv.open strLogDir=/home/randomuser/.bitcoin/testnet/database strErrorFile=/home/randomuser/.bitcoin/testnet/db.log
Loaded 0 addresses
 addresses                28ms
Loading block index...
LoadBlockIndex(): hashBestChain=00000007199508e34a9f  height=0
 block index               0ms
Loading wallet...
nFileVersion = 32500
fGenerateBitcoins = 0
nTransactionFee = 0
fMinimizeToTray = 0
fMinimizeOnClose = 0
fUseProxy = 0
addrProxy = 127.0.0.1:9050
 wallet                   44ms
Done loading
mapBlockIndex.size() = 1
nBestHeight = 0
setKeyPool.size() = 101
mapPubKeys.size() = 102
mapWallet.size() = 0
mapAddressBook.size() = 1
0 addresses found from DNS seeds
ThreadRPCServer started
sending: version (85 bytes)
pv4 eth0: MYSERVERIP
addrLocalHost = MYSERVERIP:18333
ThreadSocketHandler started
ThreadIRCSeed started
ThreadOpenConnections started
ThreadMessageHandler started
connect() failed after select(): No route to host
IRC connect failed
IRC waiting 71 seconds to reconnect
ThreadRPCServer method=getinfo
keypool reserve 2
keypool return 2

at which point bitcoind simply hangs and no blocks are ever downloaded.

The sticky part appears to be the inability to connect to MYSERVERIP:18333.  I've just replace MYSERVERIP there.  No, that doesn't show up as 127.0.0.1 or localhost.

What is going on here?

[error]

Hmm.. odd but testnet won't work for me:

Code:

./bitcoind -daemon -testnet -rpcuser=hungry -rpcpassword=forfood -rpcport=8332

results in the following log:

Code:

Bitcoin version 0.3.25-beta
Default data directory /home/randomuser/.bitcoin
Bound to port 18333
Loading addresses...
dbenv.open strLogDir=/home/randomuser/.bitcoin/testnet/database strErrorFile=/home/randomuser/.bitcoin/testnet/db.log
Loaded 0 addresses
 addresses                28ms
Loading block index...
LoadBlockIndex(): hashBestChain=00000007199508e34a9f  height=0
 block index               0ms
Loading wallet...
nFileVersion = 32500
fGenerateBitcoins = 0
nTransactionFee = 0
fMinimizeToTray = 0
fMinimizeOnClose = 0
fUseProxy = 0
addrProxy = 127.0.0.1:9050
 wallet                   44ms
Done loading
mapBlockIndex.size() = 1
nBestHeight = 0
setKeyPool.size() = 101
mapPubKeys.size() = 102
mapWallet.size() = 0
mapAddressBook.size() = 1
0 addresses found from DNS seeds
ThreadRPCServer started
sending: version (85 bytes)
pv4 eth0: MYSERVERIP
addrLocalHost = MYSERVERIP:18333
ThreadSocketHandler started
ThreadIRCSeed started
ThreadOpenConnections started
ThreadMessageHandler started
connect() failed after select(): No route to host
IRC connect failed
IRC waiting 71 seconds to reconnect
ThreadRPCServer method=getinfo
keypool reserve 2
keypool return 2

at which point bitcoind simply hangs and no blocks are ever downloaded.

The sticky part appears to be the inability to connect to MYSERVERIP:18333.  I've just replace MYSERVERIP there.  No, that doesn't show up as 127.0.0.1 or localhost.

What is going on here?

The important part being:

connect() failed after select(): No route to host

So either your network is down, or something is blocking your connection to IRC.

[etotheipi]

EDIT: Okay I didn't realize this thread was started a year ago... I thought Gavin was proposing a NEW test network, a third one on top of the production and test networks already there.  Please ignore this message.

As someone interested in developing a new client soon, can you tell me what is the difference between this new network, and the previous test-network?  I mean, I thought that's what the test network was for... right?

In other words, what are the use cases for the two networks?
-Eto

[Furyan]

The important part being:

connect() failed after select(): No route to host

So either your network is down, or something is blocking your connection to IRC.

I checked the log and the IRC connection fails even for the live connection.  However, the key part actually seems to be this:

Code:

0 addresses found from DNS seeds

For the live connection, this list is not empty (it has 48 addresses). If I operate on the assumption that the live connection was NEVER able to connect to IRC, then it got that seed list from somewhere.

[gim]

Code:

0 addresses found from DNS seeds

For the live connection, this list is not empty (it has 48 addresses). If I operate on the assumption that the live connection was NEVER able to connect to IRC, then it got that seed list from somewhere.

There is no DNS seeding available for the testnet work. Current options are IRC connection or using static --addnodes.

[Furyan]

Code:

0 addresses found from DNS seeds

For the live connection, this list is not empty (it has 48 addresses). If I operate on the assumption that the live connection was NEVER able to connect to IRC, then it got that seed list from somewhere.

There is no DNS seeding available for the testnet work. Current options are IRC connection or using static --addnodes.

Fantastic, that's what I was missing, thanks!

[haydent]

ive had my client in testnet mode for some time and it says 14 connections but the initial 1000 blocks hasn't changed...

does it normally take ages at moment ??

[haydent]

restarting it worked, its away now

[piotr_n]

testnet seems to be pretty useless ATM because it doesn't introduce new blocks with a reasonable intervals.
you want to test something and you have no idea how long you will need to wait for a new block.