Unable to access wallet using ethereum/client-go and --keystore *if* the wallet is a symbolic link

[DazWilkin]

System information

Geth version: instance=Geth/v1.8.9-unstable-415969f5/linux-amd64/go1.10.2

OS & Version: Linux

Summary

It appears (!) that symbolic links to wallets are treated differently (incorrectly). The reason this is an issue is that, when trying to run Ethereum on Kubernetes, it would be useful to represent wallet file(s) using Kubernetes Secrets|ConfigMaps. Secrets|ConfigMaps present encapsulated files as symbolic links. This is how I uncovered this issue. The repro works without Kubernetes, using Docker and flipping between underlying and symbolic links to a wallet.

Expected behaviour

Using Console, I expect personal to list my wallet

Actual behaviour

If the file in /keystore is a symbolic link to a wallet, it does not work:

personal
{
  listAccounts: [],
  listWallets: [],
...
}

if the single file in /keystore is the original file (backing the symbolic link), it works:

personal
{
  listAccounts: ["0x3df6..."],
  listWallets: [{
      accounts: [{...}],
      status: "Locked",
      url: "keystore:///keystore/UTC--2018-00-00T00-00-00.000000000Z--3df6..."
  }],

Steps to reproduce the behaviour

ls $PWD/keystore
UTC--2018-00-00T00-00-00.000000000Z--3df6...

mkdir $PWD/lnkeystore
ln -s $PWD/keystore/UTC--2018-00-00T00-00-00.000000000Z--3df6... $PWD/lnkeystore

ls $PWD/lnkeystore
UTC--2018-00-00T00-00-00.000000000Z--3df6...

Node-1: Works with $PWD/keystore

docker run \
--rm \
--interactive \
--net=host \
--tty \
--volume=$PWD/keystore:/keystore \
ethereum/client-go \
  --rinkeby \
  --keystore=/keystore  \
  --rpc \
  --rpcaddr=0.0.0.0 \
  --rpcapi="db,eth,net,personal,web3"

Node-1: Doesn't work with $PWD/lnkeystore

docker run \
--rm \
--interactive \
--net=host \
--tty \
--volume=$PWD/lnkeystore:/keystore \
ethereum/client-go \
  --rinkeby \
  --keystore=/keystore  \
  --rpc \
  --rpcaddr=0.0.0.0 \
  --rpcapi="db,eth,net,personal,web3"

Node-2: Console

docker run \
--rm \
--interactive \
--tty \
ethereum/client-go \
  attach http://localhost:8545 \
  console

Backtrace

[backtrace]

[karalabe]

Ping @fjl @holiman

[DazWilkin]

I have a workaround while this issue is repro'd/resolved:

I am able to use a Kubernetes init containers to copy the wallet file(s) out of the Secret|ConfigMap (/keystore) into an emptyDir volume (/cache) before the Ethereum node starts.

Then, when the Ethereum node starts, it is configured with --keystore to the copy and it works :-(

It would be preferable to access the wallet(s) directly (through symbolic links) but this hack permits me to continue working. Medium post "Ethereum on Google Cloud Platform" (feedback always welcome)

[rawfalafel]

hey @DazWilkin, can you try the fix in #17256 if you're still using the above workaround?

[DazWilkin]

I will try this today!

[DazWilkin]

Yes, this appears to work for me. Thank you!

[stale]

This issue has been automatically marked as stale because it has not had recent activity. It will be closed if no further activity occurs. Thank you for your contributions.