rpc: add ability to export/import descriptor files in `listdescriptors` and `importdescriptors` #25747

pull w0xlt wants to merge 5 commits into bitcoin:master from w0xlt:desc_file changing 6 files +201 −27
  1. w0xlt commented at 5:30 AM on July 30, 2022: contributor

    This PR adds a new parameter save_to_file to listdescriptors RPC, allowing the user to save the descriptors directly to a file and also adds a new parameter desriptor_file to importdescriptors RPC, allowing the user to import the descriptors directly from a file.

    The first and second commits add the options parameter in a way that maintains compatibility with the previous private parameter.

    With this PR, exporting / importing descriptors and creating watch-only wallet is as simple as:

    $ bitcoin-cli -rpcwallet="cold_wallet"  listdescriptors "{\"save_to_file\": \"/home/user/Downloads/desc.json\"}"
$ bitcoin-cli -rpcwallet="watch_only_wallet"  importdescriptors "{\"descriptor_file\": \"/home/user/Downloads/desc.json\"}"

    Without this PR, the user can manually create a file from the listdescriptors output or use jq to extract the descriptor field from listdescriptors but the idea here is to make things more automated and standardized.

    And this also opens the way to add the functionality of importing descriptors from files in the GUI,

  2. RPC: Support specifying different types for param aliases
    author: Luke Dashjr <luke-jr+git@utopios.org>
    f7337ff6e6
  3. rpc: change `listdescriptors` to accept `options` parameter
    This changes `listdescriptors` to accept `options` parameter
but retains compatibility with the previous `private` parameter.
    9569ff9273
  4. DrahtBot added the label RPC/REST/ZMQ on Jul 30, 2022
  5. kristapsk commented at 6:45 AM on July 30, 2022: contributor

    What's the point? Why can't you just redirect bitcoin-cli output to the file?

  6. DrahtBot commented at 2:03 PM on July 30, 2022: contributor

    <!--e57a25ab6845829454e8d69fc972939a-->

    The following sections might be updated with supplementary metadata relevant to reviewers and maintainers.

    <!--174a7506f384e20aa4161008e828411d-->

    Conflicts

    Reviewers, this pull request conflicts with the following ones:

    • #26156 (test: check that listdescriptors descriptor strings are sorted by theStack)
    • #26074 (refactor: Set RPCArg options with designated initializers by MarcoFalke)
    • #22838 (descriptors: Be able to specify change and receiving in a single descriptor string by achow101)

    If you consider this pull request important, please also help to review the conflicting pull requests. Ideally, start with the one that should be merged first.

  7. DrahtBot cross-referenced this on Jul 30, 2022 from issue mempool, refactor: add `MemPoolBypass` by w0xlt
  8. w0xlt force-pushed on Jul 31, 2022
  9. w0xlt cross-referenced this on Jul 31, 2022 from issue rpc: add a new parameter `desriptor_file` to `importdescriptors` RPC by w0xlt
  10. w0xlt commented at 5:44 AM on July 31, 2022: contributor

    @kristapsk with #25757, perhaps the purpose of this PR has become clearer.

    From the #25757 description: With these PRs, exporting / importing descriptors and creating watch-only wallet is as simple as:

    $ bitcoin-cli -rpcwallet="cold_wallet"  listdescriptors "{\"save_to_file\": \"/home/user/Downloads/desc.json\"}"
$ bitcoin-cli -rpcwallet="watch_only_wallet"  importdescriptors "{\"descriptor_file\": \"/home/user/Downloads/desc.json\"}"

    Without these PRs, the user can manually create a file from the listdescriptors output or use jq to extract the descriptor field from listdescriptors but the idea here is to make things more automated and standardized.

    And this also opens the way to add the functionality of importing descriptors from files in the GUI,

  11. w0xlt cross-referenced this on Jul 31, 2022 from issue ci: `AssertionError: 1759238429.9936483` <= 1759238430 in `wallet_encryption.py --descriptors` by w0xlt
  12. aureleoules commented at 9:01 AM on August 2, 2022: member

    Concept ACK considering #25757 exists. I think you should add the other PR's commits to this one. I believe this makes exporting and importing descriptors easier.

  13. in test/functional/wallet_listdescriptors.py:90 in c8840eb855 outdated 
      85 | +            'descriptor_file': desc_file
  86 | +            }, wallet.listdescriptors({'save_to_file': desc_file}))
  87 | +
  88 | +        with open(desc_file, encoding="utf8") as json_file:
  89 | +            assert_equal(expected['descriptors'], json.load(json_file))
  90 |
    aureleoules commented at 9:10 AM on August 2, 2022:

    maybe add a case when the file already exists?

  14. aureleoules commented at 9:27 AM on August 2, 2022: member

    I was able to save the descriptor file with ./src/bitcoin-cli -regtest -rpcwallet=test listdescriptors '{"save_to_file": "my_desc"}' But I feel like the syntax is a bit much, is there a way to simplify it?

    In this case, it would be simplier to just do ./src/bitcoin-cli -regtest -rpcwallet=test listdescriptors > my_desc

  15. rpc: add `save_to_file` option to `listdescriptors` dd96b3d96b
  16. rpc: change `importdescriptors` to accept `options` parameter
    This changes `importdescriptors` to accept `options` parameter
but maintains compatibility with the previous `requests` parameter.
    9c129d1ff8
  17. rpc: add `descriptor_file` option to `importdescriptors` 28b26c4687
  18. w0xlt force-pushed on Aug 2, 2022
  19. w0xlt renamed this:
    rpc: add a new parameter `save_to_file` to `listdescriptors` RPC
    rpc: add ability to export/import descriptor files in `listdescriptors` and `importdescriptors`
    on Aug 2, 2022
  20. w0xlt commented at 7:20 PM on August 2, 2022: contributor

    @aureleoules As suggested, I merged the other PR's commit to this one.

    Note that ./src/bitcoin-cli -regtest -rpcwallet=test listdescriptors > my_desc does not create a descriptor file, but a file whose content is the RPC response. You cannot directly import the content of this file into importdescriptors.

    The save_to_file option writes in the file only the descriptors attribute of the response.

  21. DrahtBot cross-referenced this on Aug 4, 2022 from issue descriptors: Be able to specify change and receiving in a single descriptor string by achow101
  22. S3RK commented at 7:52 AM on August 8, 2022: contributor

    Concept NACK. Using shell redirection is enough for CLI. Probably this change is better fitting with the GUI.

  23. luke-jr commented at 11:30 PM on August 9, 2022: member

    Concept NACK. I think we're trying to eliminate file-based RPC methods? At the very least, we shouldn't make RPC methods that do both file-based and non-file-based access...

  24. w0xlt commented at 2:28 AM on August 10, 2022: contributor

    This PR assumes that using descriptor files is a less error-prone and less manual way of creating watch-only wallets than the current way.

    If it is not the case, what is the current workflow to create a watch-only wallet ?

  25. luke-jr commented at 8:09 PM on August 10, 2022: member

    For that use case, I would suggest a RPC method that makes a watch-only copy of a loaded wallet.

  26. DrahtBot cross-referenced this on Sep 8, 2022 from issue refactor: Run type check against RPCArgs (1/2) by maflcko
  27. DrahtBot cross-referenced this on Sep 14, 2022 from issue refactor: Set RPCArg options with designated initializers by maflcko
  28. DrahtBot cross-referenced this on Sep 26, 2022 from issue test: check that `listdescriptors` descriptor strings are sorted by theStack
  29. DrahtBot added the label Needs rebase on Sep 27, 2022
  30. DrahtBot commented at 10:02 AM on September 27, 2022: contributor

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    🐙 This pull request conflicts with the target branch and needs rebase.

    <sub>Want to unsubscribe from rebase notifications on this pull request? Just convert this pull request to a "draft".</sub>

  31. achow101 commented at 7:54 PM on October 12, 2022: member

    This PR does not seem to have conceptual support. Please leave a comment if you would like this to be reopened.

  32. achow101 closed this on Oct 12, 2022
  33. bitcoin locked this on Oct 12, 2023
Contributors
w0xltkristapskDrahtBotaureleoulesS3RKluke-jrachow101
Labels
RPC/REST/ZMQNeeds rebase
Linked (view graph)
#25757 rpc: add a new parameter `desriptor_file` to `importdescriptors` RPC#25758 ci: `AssertionError: 1759238429.9936483` <= 1759238430 in `wallet_encryption.py --descriptors`
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