Here is a script to timestamp or search for a timestamp in the block chain.
#!/bin/bash
#
# timestamp.sh : Bitcoin timestamping script
#
# This script timestamps or search timestamps into bitcoin's block chain
blockexplorer="http://blockexplorer.com"
# reads data sent on stdin and hash it
sha256=$(openssl dgst -sha256)
# converts hash into a valid bitcoin address
address=$(wget -O - $blockexplorer/q/hashtoaddress/${sha256::40})
shopt -s extglob
case "$@" in
-s|--search)
# just search the bitcoin address in the block chain
w3m -dump "$blockexplorer/address/$address" ;;
0.+([0-9])|"")
fee=${1:-0.01}
if bitcoind getinfo >dev/null
then bitcoind sendtoaddress $address $fee
else echo "Please check bitcoind is running"
fi ;;
*)
echo "
usage : $0 [-s] [amount]
options :
-s|--search : only search for a timestamp in bitcoin's block chain
" ;;
esac
The first data I've timestamped using this code is this code itself (or more precisely my signature of it).
You can check it by running :
$ bash ./timestamp.sh -s < ./timestamp.sh.asc
where timestamp.sh.asc is :
-----BEGIN PGP MESSAGE-----
Version: GnuPG v1.4.10 (GNU/Linux)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=ecN3
-----END PGP MESSAGE-----
PS. An other version using rmd160 instead of sha256 (so that we don't have to truncate the hash) :
#!/bin/bash
#
# timestamp.sh : Bitcoin timestamping script
#
# This script timestamps or search timestamps into bitcoin's block chain
blockexplorer="http://blockexplorer.com"
# reads data sent on stdin, hash it, and converts hash into a valid bitcoin address
address=$(wget -q -O - $blockexplorer/q/hashtoaddress/$(openssl dgst -rmd160))
shopt -s extglob
case "$@" in
-s|--search)
# just search the bitcoin address in the block chain
wget -q -O - "$blockexplorer/address/$address" |
if grep -q "First seen.*Never used in the network"
then echo no timestamp found; exit 1
else echo timestamp found : $blockexplorer/address/$address
fi ;;
0.+([0-9])|"")
# timestamps data by sending a small amount to $address
fee=${1:-0.01}
if bitcoind getinfo >dev/null
then bitcoind sendtoaddress $address $fee
else echo "Please check bitcoind is running"
fi ;;
*)
# usage information
echo "
usage : $0 [-s] [amount]
options :
-s|--search : only search for a timestamp in bitcoin's block chain
" ;;
esac
