BlockGen / Synchronizer improvements

BlockGenerator will now attempt to generate a new block if none of its
peers have a recent block either (in case of network stall). BlockGenerator
still needs a minimum number of peers before generating though.

Reduce BlockGenerator workload and use of blockchain lock if it
can't generate a block.

Reduce Synchronizer logging output.

Unify calculating timestamp threshold for 'recent' block into Controller.

src/main/java/org/qora/block/Block.java

@@ -730,6 +730,20 @@ public class Block {
 		}
 	}
 
+	/**
+	 * Returns timestamp based on previous block and this block's generator.
+	 * <p>
+	 * For qora-core, we'll using the minimum from BlockChain config.
+	 */
+	public static long calcMinimumTimestamp(BlockData parentBlockData, byte[] generatorPublicKey) {
+		long minBlockTime = BlockChain.getInstance().getMinBlockTime(); // seconds
+		return parentBlockData.getTimestamp() + (minBlockTime * 1000L);
+	}
+
+	public long calcMinimumTimestamp(BlockData parentBlockData) {
+		return calcMinimumTimestamp(parentBlockData, this.generator.getPublicKey());
+	}
+
 	/**
 	 * Recalculate block's generator and transactions signatures, thus giving block full signature.
 	 * <p>

src/main/java/org/qora/block/BlockGenerator.java

@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ import org.qora.data.account.ProxyForgerData;
 import org.qora.data.block.BlockData;
 import org.qora.data.transaction.TransactionData;
 import org.qora.network.Network;
+import org.qora.network.Peer;
 import org.qora.repository.BlockRepository;
 import org.qora.repository.DataException;
 import org.qora.repository.Repository;
@@ -78,16 +79,30 @@ public class BlockGenerator extends Thread {
 					return;
 				}
 
+				List<Peer> peers = Network.getInstance().getUniqueHandshakedPeers();
+				BlockData lastBlockData = blockRepository.getLastBlock();
+
+				// Disregard peers that have "misbehaved" recently
+				peers.removeIf(Controller.hasPeerMisbehaved);
+
 				// Don't generate if we don't have enough connected peers as where would the transactions/consensus come from?
-				if (Network.getInstance().getUniqueHandshakedPeers().size() < Settings.getInstance().getMinBlockchainPeers())
+				if (peers.size() < Settings.getInstance().getMinBlockchainPeers())
 					continue;
 
-				// Don't generate if it looks like we're behind
+				final long minLatestBlockTimestamp = Controller.getMinimumLatestBlockTimestamp();
-				if (!Controller.getInstance().isUpToDate())
+
+				// Disregard peers that don't have a recent block
+				peers.removeIf(peer -> peer.getPeerData().getLastBlockTimestamp() == null || peer.getPeerData().getLastBlockTimestamp() < minLatestBlockTimestamp);
+
+				// If we have any peers with a recent block, but our latest block isn't recent
+				// then we need to synchronize instead of generating.
+				if (!peers.isEmpty() && lastBlockData.getTimestamp() < minLatestBlockTimestamp)
 					continue;
 
+				// There are no peers with a recent block and/or our latest block is recent
+				// so go ahead and generate a block if possible.
+
 				// Check blockchain hasn't changed
-				BlockData lastBlockData = blockRepository.getLastBlock();
 				if (previousBlock == null || !Arrays.equals(previousBlock.getSignature(), lastBlockData.getSignature())) {
 					previousBlock = new Block(repository, lastBlockData);
 					newBlocks.clear();
@@ -95,6 +110,10 @@ public class BlockGenerator extends Thread {
 
 				// Do we need to build any potential new blocks?
 				List<ForgingAccountData> forgingAccountsData = repository.getAccountRepository().getForgingAccounts();
+				// No forging accounts?
+				if (forgingAccountsData.isEmpty())
+					continue;
+
 				List<PrivateKeyAccount> forgingAccounts = forgingAccountsData.stream().map(accountData -> new PrivateKeyAccount(repository, accountData.getSeed())).collect(Collectors.toList());
 
 				// Discard accounts we have blocks for
@@ -112,6 +131,10 @@ public class BlockGenerator extends Thread {
 					}
 				}
 
+				// No potential block candidates?
+				if (newBlocks.isEmpty())
+					continue;
+
 				// Make sure we're the only thread modifying the blockchain
 				ReentrantLock blockchainLock = Controller.getInstance().getBlockchainLock();
 				if (!blockchainLock.tryLock())

src/main/java/org/qora/controller/Controller.java

@@ -1008,39 +1008,30 @@ public class Controller extends Thread {
 
 	/** Returns whether we think our node has up-to-date blockchain based on our info about other peers. */
 	public boolean isUpToDate() {
-		// Is our blockchain too old?
 		final long minLatestBlockTimestamp = getMinimumLatestBlockTimestamp();
 		BlockData latestBlockData = getChainTip();
+
+		// Is our blockchain too old?
 		if (latestBlockData.getTimestamp() < minLatestBlockTimestamp)
 			return false;
 
 		List<Peer> peers = Network.getInstance().getUniqueHandshakedPeers();
 
+		// Disregard peers that have "misbehaved" recently
+		peers.removeIf(hasPeerMisbehaved);
+
 		// Check we have enough peers to potentially synchronize/generator
 		if (peers.size() < Settings.getInstance().getMinBlockchainPeers())
 			return false;
 
-		// Disregard peers that have "misbehaved" recently
-		peers.removeIf(hasPeerMisbehaved);
-
-		// Disregard peers with unknown height, lower height or same height and same block signature (unless we don't have their block signature)
-		// peers.removeIf(hasShorterBlockchain());
-
-		// Disregard peers that within 1 block of our height (actually ourHeight + 1)
-		// final int maxHeight = getChainHeight() + 1;
-		// peers.removeIf(peer -> peer.getPeerData().getLastHeight() <= maxHeight );
-
 		// Disregard peers that don't have a recent block
 		peers.removeIf(peer -> peer.getPeerData().getLastBlockTimestamp() == null || peer.getPeerData().getLastBlockTimestamp() < minLatestBlockTimestamp);
 
-		// If we have any peers left, then they would be candidates for synchronization therefore we're not up to date.
-		// return peers.isEmpty();
-
 		// If we don't have any peers left then can't synchronize, therefore consider ourself not up to date
 		return !peers.isEmpty();
 	}
 
-	public long getMinimumLatestBlockTimestamp() {
+	public static long getMinimumLatestBlockTimestamp() {
 		return NTP.getTime() - BlockChain.getInstance().getMaxBlockTime() * 1000L * MAX_BLOCKCHAIN_TIP_AGE;
 	}
 

src/main/java/org/qora/controller/Synchronizer.java

@@ -9,7 +9,6 @@ import org.apache.logging.log4j.LogManager;
 import org.apache.logging.log4j.Logger;
 import org.qora.block.Block;
 import org.qora.block.Block.ValidationResult;
-import org.qora.block.BlockChain;
 import org.qora.data.block.BlockData;
 import org.qora.data.network.BlockSummaryData;
 import org.qora.data.transaction.TransactionData;
@@ -28,7 +27,6 @@ import org.qora.repository.Repository;
 import org.qora.repository.RepositoryManager;
 import org.qora.transaction.Transaction;
 import org.qora.transaction.Transaction.ApprovalStatus;
-import org.qora.utils.NTP;
 
 public class Synchronizer {
 
@@ -38,8 +36,6 @@ public class Synchronizer {
 	private static final int MAXIMUM_BLOCK_STEP = 500;
 	private static final int MAXIMUM_HEIGHT_DELTA = 300; // XXX move to blockchain config?
 	private static final int MAXIMUM_COMMON_DELTA = 60; // XXX move to blockchain config?
-	/** Maximum age for our latest block before we consider ditching our fork. */
-	private static final long MAXIMUM_TIP_AGE = BlockChain.getInstance().getMaxBlockTime() * 1000L * 10; // XXX move to blockchain config?
 	private static final int SYNC_BATCH_SIZE = 200;
 
 	private static Synchronizer instance;
@@ -103,9 +99,9 @@ public class Synchronizer {
 					byte[] peersLastBlockSignature = peer.getPeerData().getLastBlockSignature();
 					byte[] ourLastBlockSignature = ourLatestBlockData.getSignature();
 					if (peerHeight == ourHeight && (peersLastBlockSignature == null || !Arrays.equals(peersLastBlockSignature, ourLastBlockSignature)))
-						LOGGER.info(String.format("Synchronizing with peer %s at height %d, our height %d, signatures differ", peer, peerHeight, ourHeight));
+						LOGGER.debug(String.format("Synchronizing with peer %s at height %d, our height %d, signatures differ", peer, peerHeight, ourHeight));
 					else
-						LOGGER.info(String.format("Synchronizing with peer %s at height %d, our height %d", peer, peerHeight, ourHeight));
+						LOGGER.debug(String.format("Synchronizing with peer %s at height %d, our height %d", peer, peerHeight, ourHeight));
 
 					List<byte[]> signatures = findSignaturesFromCommonBlock(peer, ourHeight);
 					if (signatures == null) {
@@ -134,9 +130,9 @@ public class Synchronizer {
 					// If common block is peer's latest block then we simply have the same, or longer, chain to peer, so exit now
 					if (commonBlockHeight == peerHeight) {
 						if (peerHeight == ourHeight)
-							LOGGER.info(String.format("We have the same blockchain as peer %s", peer));
+							LOGGER.debug(String.format("We have the same blockchain as peer %s", peer));
 						else
-							LOGGER.info(String.format("We have the same blockchain as peer %s, but longer", peer));
+							LOGGER.debug(String.format("We have the same blockchain as peer %s, but longer", peer));
 
 						return SynchronizationResult.NOTHING_TO_DO;
 					}
@@ -151,9 +147,9 @@ public class Synchronizer {
 					// If we have blocks after common block then decide whether we want to sync (lowest block signature wins)
 					int highestMutualHeight = Math.min(peerHeight, ourHeight);
 
-					// XXX This might be obsolete now
 					// If our latest block is very old, we're very behind and should ditch our fork.
-					if (ourInitialHeight > commonBlockHeight && ourLatestBlockData.getTimestamp() < NTP.getTime() - MAXIMUM_TIP_AGE) {
+					final long minLatestBlockTimestamp = Controller.getMinimumLatestBlockTimestamp();
+					if (ourInitialHeight > commonBlockHeight && ourLatestBlockData.getTimestamp() < minLatestBlockTimestamp) {
 						LOGGER.info(String.format("Ditching our chain after height %d as our latest block is very old", commonBlockHeight));
 						highestMutualHeight = commonBlockHeight;
 					}