Mini Block

About this project

In this project voting system is implemented using blockchain. A cloud simulation is available in democloud directory, UI is implemented in ui directory. Some test dummy data is given in democloud/rawdata. This project uses mongodb as its primary dataset for sotring cloud data for which a helper utility file is given [democloud/excel2mongo.py] which can be used to initialize mongodb dataset with raw data present in excel files. for the first time converting raw-data into mongodb is mandatory step.

How to use this project

Step 1

Install prerequistes (Anaconda environment is advised as most of these comes pre installed)

• Python Packages
  • flask
  • flask_cors
  • requests
  • Crypto
  • pymongo
• MongoDB

Step 2

After installation the first thing we need to do is host a mongodb server which can be done as follows:

Run batch file democloud/hostDatabase.bat if your MongoDB is installed on default paths and you can skip rest of step 2.

In case the above method doesnt work for you path to your mongodb installation may be different for which you can follow along putting appropriate paths.

Open command prompt in your machine and traverse to mongodb directory using cd command default path will be

C:\Program Files\MongoDB\Server\4.0\bin

Then enter the following command in command prompt

mongod.exe --dbpath "...\Mini Block\democloud\cloud-data"

Make sure to add root path before Mini Block directory.

This step will make sure MongoDB server is on and data directory is set to democloud/cloud-data.

You can minimize this prompt for remainder of the time. Also it is not adviseable to mess with the newly created files on democloud/cloud-data directory.

Step 3

This step is mandatory for the first time and optional thereafter.

Now we will create database and insert raw data present in form of excel sheets in democloud/raw-data directory.

All we need to do is run python file democloud/excel2mongo.py in any python supported prompt.

../democloud>python excel2mongo.py

This will insert all the data present in excel file into newly created dataset in mongodb which can ve verifies by using mongo shell.

Step 4

Now we need to start cloud server democloud/server.py in any python supported prompt.

../democloud>python server.py

for the remainder of this tutorial this terminal has to be kept open in background.

Step 5

In the last step of this tutorial we will run main.py file with specifying port with -p or --port argument in prompt. If not specified by default files opens on port 5000 .

../MiniBlock>python main.py

By default this will be hosted on localhost:5000.

../MiniBlock>python main.py -p 5001
../MiniBlock>python main.py --port 5001

Any number of instances with diffrent ports can be created instantiated from any one of the code shown above.

This created instances can be seen in any browser with url localhost:port

Final Notes

Voting Machine Intializer Smart Card has been simulated any of the following card secret will work and appropriate data will be loaded.

• 123001
• 123002
• 123003
• 123004
• 123005

To observing broadcasting nature of blockchain add all the peers created to each others network under network tab.

To get information about Constituency go to profile tab and load data.

Before doing any transaction creating node is nessasary and once created it can be loaded whenever needed with loaf button

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