Block.Ops

A steem blockchain block operations analysis tool.

To install locally

Required packages

Block.Ops requires Node.js, npm, and MongoDB. If you do not already have these packages installed you can read more about their installation here:

• Node.js and npm: https://nodejs.org/en/
• MongoDB: https://www.mongodb.com/download-center#production

Production testing used Node.js v10.9.0 (this 'Latest Features' version is required) and MongoDB version v4.0.0. Run on macOS High Sierra.

Block.Ops files

• Download all files to your local computer using the "Clone of download" ---> "Download ZIP" buttons on the block.ops repository of github.
• Move the downloaded files to the directory of your choice.

npm module installations

Block.Ops requires several npm modules. Set up package.json in your chosen directory and install the following npm modules:

• request and request-promise-native (for API calls to the steem blockchain): https://www.npmjs.com/package/request-promise-native versions used: request@2.88.0 and request-promise-native@1.0.5
• mongodb (the official MongoDB driver for Node.js): https://www.npmjs.com/package/mongodb version used: mongodb@3.1.4

Set-up Block.Ops blocknumber index

Block.Ops is run with node.js via the command line.

• Launch MongoDB.
• Run setup using => $ node blockOps setup
• Test succesful setup of blockDates list => $ node blockOps checkBlockDates

Block.Ops functions

Processing

Once the blocknumber index has been created the following commands can be used for Block.Ops functionality: $ node blockOps ...

• filloperations < date or block number > < date or number of blocks >

  e.g. $ node blockOps filloperations "2018-09-03" 10 ---> processes the first 10 blocks of 3rd September e.g. $ node blockOps filloperations 20000000 10 ---> processes 10 blocks starting with block number 20million

Runs through loop of blocks (starting from first block of first date parameter) to analyse operations and add the data to MongoDB.

• patchoperations

  A specific fix for picking up virtual operation of block 26038153 from the long blockchain stoppage on Sep 17 2018.

• remove < nameOfCollectionToRemove >

Removes all records from a collection (handle with care!).

Checking blocks loaded

Once blocks have been processed the following commands can be used to check the status of those blocks: $ node blockOps ...

• reportblocks < date or block number > < date or number of blocks >

  e.g. $ node blockOps reportblocks "2018-09-02" "2018-09-04"

Reports on status of blocks processed for date range. Blocks can have three different statuses: 'OK', error', or 'processing' (the latter means that the block failed to finish adding all the operations and complete validation).

Blocks with 'error' / 'processing' status can be picked up and rerun simply by rerunning the range of blocks previously processed ('OK' status blocks are not rerun). Typically around 1% of blocks will fail to process correctly simply due to API call failures. 1 or 2 reruns to pick up these blocks can be processed very quickly.

• validate < date or block number > < date or number of blocks >

Runs a number of consistency tests on the loaded blocks.

• showblock < block number >

Shows the blocksProcessed status report for a single block.

Analyses

• reportcomments < date or block number > < date or number of blocks >

Reports on post numbers per application (currently for all blocks processed)

• findcurator < date or block number > < date or number of blocks > < user >

Reports on ratio of vests to rshares (i.e. vote payout to vote size) and finds highest ratios (i.e. best curation reward). Adding a user name returns only those votes from the individual user.

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Road map: (still fluid!)

1. Complete processing of desired operations - First stage complete - All operations and virtual operation related to comments, votes, rewards, transfers, delegation, follows, reblogs, account creation, power ups/downs included.
2. Add a user-friendly front-end
3. Add charts
4. Realtime / forward processing

Future consideration

• Consider other operations to be analysed from the list below: 'claim_reward_balance',

  'transfer_to_savings', 'transfer_from_savings', 'fill_transfer_from_savings', // virtual operation that shows completion of transfers to / from savings after 3 days 'cancel_transfer_from_savings'

  'set_withdraw_vesting_route', 'return_vesting_delegation',

  'producer_reward', 'account_witness_vote', 'account_witness_proxy', 'witness_set_properties', 'witness_update',

  'feed_publish', 'comment_options', 'account_update',

  'limit_order_cancel', 'limit_order_create', 'limit_order_create2', 'fill_order',

  'convert', 'fill_convert_request',

  'delete_comment'

  'request_account_recovery', 'recover_account'

To be completed