Topic: MultiBit - page 90. (Read 336103 times)

This might be a little too 'noisy' but I thought I would try mentioning what is going into the MultiBit builds as it goes in.

The code and downloads are all on github at:
https://github.com/jim618/multibit

At the moment the stable release is Multibit 0.1.3 so there is a download for that.   That is the one to use if you want to keep off the bleeding edge.

I have just uploaded a daily build called : multibit-20110913-noblockchain.zip   
(I haven't bothered putting the blockchain in so it is 3MB - just copy the multibit.blockchain file in from another MultiBit install).

What's gone in today:

Copy address button as icon on the 'Receive bitcoin' screen.
http://multibit.org/postImages/20110913-copyButton.png

Copy and paste buttons as icons on the 'Send bitcoin' screen.
http://multibit.org/postImages/20110913-copyAndPaste.png

Current transaction fee added to 'Send bitcoin confirmation' screen
http://multibit.org/postImages/20110913-fee.png

LONG ANSWER
----------------
The wallet rescan not being done is more to do with the interaction with bitcoinj and the P2P network.
I'll try to explain - forgive me if this is old news to you.
Normally you have the following:
1) Wallet A receives a zero-confirmation notification of a transaction.
2) After a few minutes, the next block appears with Wallet A's transaction in it and the client knows the transaction is on the block chain.   Everything is good.

Imagine you swap to Wallet B after the zero-confirmation arrives but before the next block arrives.  
You work with Wallet B and then the block arrives confirming Wallet A's transaction.
Wallet B ignores this block as it isn't interested in it.

When you later switch back to Wallet A it 'never heard' about the Wallet A transaction confirmation.   The transaction get stuck at zero confirmations.   To rescan, or I like to think of it as 'replay', the blockchain you have to go back along the blockchain to before the unconfirmed transaction and redo things.   You kind of replay the tape and then Wallet A hears about its transactions being confirmed.

There is a bit more work to do in MultiBit and bitcoinj before I can program this up as there is no API to do the blockchain replay.

SHORT ANSWER
------------------
You can avoid the whole 'wallet rescan issue' by:
o Always waiting for a blockchain confirmation before switching wallets.
or
(simpler and less errorprone)
o Copy the whole MultiBit directory (it's < 20MB) and use one copy of MultiBit for each wallet you use. This is the 'slightly clumsy but safe' way of avoiding any problems.

Can you add an auto-update feature that "asks" the user if he wants to update it?
Something like a little message somewhere on the status bar.

I am pleased to announce the release of a new bitcoin client called MultiBit.

This is a desktop client for Windows, Mac and Linux.   It is written in Java and uses bitcoinj for talking to the bitcoin network.

The main website with screen shots, download details and help is:
   http://multibit.org


MultiBit's main features are:
1) Completely open source.   MIT licence.
2) Easy to use.   Easy to run from a USB drive.
3) Support for multiple wallets (though automatic rescan is not done yet).
4) Small footprint - the current blockchain is less than 16MB from the genesis block.
5) You can create QR codes of addresses in the bitcoin URI format.  You can drag and drop these to and from the app.


Important Limitations:
MultiBit is experimental code - do not use it for large amounts of bitcoin.  
The wallets are not encrypted. (This is a planned development).


I hope you like it.   Please use this thread for feedback and any questions you may have.