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Topic: compressed/uncompressed public key addresses (Read 3033 times)

legendary
Activity: 3416
Merit: 1912
The Concierge of Crypto
October 23, 2013, 08:07:39 PM
#11
I think one concern is, you can't tell if you don't own it and it has not yet spent. Since the public key will not be in the blockchain. You can only tell, if it has spent any amount.
legendary
Activity: 1176
Merit: 1280
May Bitcoin be touched by his Noodly Appendage
Dump your wallet contents, the public keys are inside it
member
Activity: 79
Merit: 10
You can tell by analyzing the public key in the block chain after it has spent something. Compressed keys are shorter. Uncompressed keys are longer. Block Explorer might show the public key I think.

Yea, I realized that too after posting the question.
legendary
Activity: 3416
Merit: 1912
The Concierge of Crypto
You can tell by analyzing the public key in the block chain after it has spent something. Compressed keys are shorter. Uncompressed keys are longer. Block Explorer might show the public key I think.
member
Activity: 79
Merit: 10
OK, thanks again, dserrano5.
legendary
Activity: 1974
Merit: 1029
I have both types of addresses in my wallet, but I now prefer to use the compressed ones because of the free faucets.

You should always be using new addresses anyway, and recent software doesn't create uncompressed keys anymore so don't worry about this. The fact that some uncompressed keys lie in your wallet isn't any problem at all. The "problem" (increased blockchain usage) happens only when spending from those keys, but you won't do that again as long as you receive payments on new, compressed ones.
member
Activity: 79
Merit: 10
How can I tell if an address is created with a compressed or uncompressed public key?
Of course, if I know its private key, I can distinguish with the prefix (K/L or 5).

For what purpose would you want to know?

I have both types of addresses in my wallet, but I now prefer to use the compressed ones because of the free faucets.
member
Activity: 79
Merit: 10
How can I tell if an address is created with a compressed or uncompressed public key?
Of course, if I know its private key, I can distinguish with the prefix (K/L or 5).

You can't tell the pubkey knowing only the address, so AFAIK you can't figure this out.

Thanks, dserrano5. That's what I've expected.
legendary
Activity: 3472
Merit: 4801
How can I tell if an address is created with a compressed or uncompressed public key?
Of course, if I know its private key, I can distinguish with the prefix (K/L or 5).

For what purpose would you want to know?
legendary
Activity: 1974
Merit: 1029
How can I tell if an address is created with a compressed or uncompressed public key?
Of course, if I know its private key, I can distinguish with the prefix (K/L or 5).

You can't tell the pubkey knowing only the address, so AFAIK you can't figure this out.
member
Activity: 79
Merit: 10
How can I tell if an address is created with a compressed or uncompressed public key?
Of course, if I know its private key, I can distinguish with the prefix (K/L or 5).
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