Make FindBlockByHeight constant-time.

Remove the pnext pointer in CBlockIndex, and replace it with a
vBlockIndexByHeight vector (no effect on memory usage). pnext can
now be replaced by vBlockIndexByHeight[nHeight+1], but
FindBlockByHeight becomes constant-time.

This also means the entire mapBlockIndex structure and the block
index entries in it become purely blocktree-related data, and
independent from the currently active chain, potentially allowing
them to be protected by separate mutexes in the future.

contrib/test-patches/bitcoind-comparison.patch

@@ -3,9 +3,9 @@ index 04a8618..519429a 100644
 --- a/src/main.cpp
 +++ b/src/main.cpp
 @@ -31,8 +31,8 @@ CTxMemPool mempool;
- unsigned int nTransactionsUpdated = 0;
  
  map<uint256, CBlockIndex*> mapBlockIndex;
+ std::vector<CBlockIndex*> vBlockIndexByHeight;
 -uint256 hashGenesisBlock("0x000000000019d6689c085ae165831e934ff763ae46a2a6c172b3f1b60a8ce26f");
 -static CBigNum bnProofOfWorkLimit(~uint256(0) >> 32);
 +uint256 hashGenesisBlock("0x0f9188f13cb7b2c71f2a335e3a4fc328bf5beb436012afca590b1a11466e2206");

src/main.cpp

@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@ CTxMemPool mempool;
 unsigned int nTransactionsUpdated = 0;
 
 map<uint256, CBlockIndex*> mapBlockIndex;
+std::vector<CBlockIndex*> vBlockIndexByHeight;
 uint256 hashGenesisBlock("0x000000000019d6689c085ae165831e934ff763ae46a2a6c172b3f1b60a8ce26f");
 static CBigNum bnProofOfWorkLimit(~uint256(0) >> 32);
 CBlockIndex* pindexGenesisBlock = NULL;
@@ -1036,19 +1037,9 @@ bool GetTransaction(const uint256 &hash, CTransaction &txOut, uint256 &hashBlock
 static CBlockIndex* pblockindexFBBHLast;
 CBlockIndex* FindBlockByHeight(int nHeight)
 {
-    CBlockIndex *pblockindex;
+    if (nHeight >= (int)vBlockIndexByHeight.size())
-    if (nHeight < nBestHeight / 2)
+        return NULL;
-        pblockindex = pindexGenesisBlock;
+    return vBlockIndexByHeight[nHeight];
-    else
-        pblockindex = pindexBest;
-    if (pblockindexFBBHLast && abs(nHeight - pblockindex->nHeight) > abs(nHeight - pblockindexFBBHLast->nHeight))
-        pblockindex = pblockindexFBBHLast;
-    while (pblockindex->nHeight > nHeight)
-        pblockindex = pblockindex->pprev;
-    while (pblockindex->nHeight < nHeight)
-        pblockindex = pblockindex->pnext;
-    pblockindexFBBHLast = pblockindex;
-    return pblockindex;
 }
 
 bool CBlock::ReadFromDisk(const CBlockIndex* pindex)
@@ -1231,7 +1222,7 @@ void static InvalidBlockFound(CBlockIndex *pindex) {
     pblocktree->WriteBlockIndex(CDiskBlockIndex(pindex));
     setBlockIndexValid.erase(pindex);
     InvalidChainFound(pindex);
-    if (pindex->pnext) {
+    if (pindex->GetNextInMainChain()) {
         CValidationState stateDummy;
         ConnectBestBlock(stateDummy); // reorganise away from the failed block
     }
@@ -1271,7 +1262,7 @@ bool ConnectBestBlock(CValidationState &state) {
             if (pindexBest == NULL || pindexTest->nChainWork > pindexBest->nChainWork)
                 vAttach.push_back(pindexTest);
 
-            if (pindexTest->pprev == NULL || pindexTest->pnext != NULL) {
+            if (pindexTest->pprev == NULL || pindexTest->GetNextInMainChain()) {
                 reverse(vAttach.begin(), vAttach.end());
                 BOOST_FOREACH(CBlockIndex *pindexSwitch, vAttach) {
                     boost::this_thread::interruption_point();
@@ -1849,15 +1840,10 @@ bool SetBestChain(CValidationState &state, CBlockIndex* pindexNew)
     // At this point, all changes have been done to the database.
     // Proceed by updating the memory structures.
 
-    // Disconnect shorter branch
+    // Register new best chain
-    BOOST_FOREACH(CBlockIndex* pindex, vDisconnect)
+    vBlockIndexByHeight.resize(pindexNew->nHeight + 1);
-        if (pindex->pprev)
-            pindex->pprev->pnext = NULL;
-
-    // Connect longer branch
     BOOST_FOREACH(CBlockIndex* pindex, vConnect)
-        if (pindex->pprev)
+        vBlockIndexByHeight[pindex->nHeight] = pindex;
-            pindex->pprev->pnext = pindex;
 
     // Resurrect memory transactions that were in the disconnected branch
     BOOST_FOREACH(CTransaction& tx, vResurrect) {
@@ -2609,12 +2595,12 @@ bool static LoadBlockIndexDB()
     nBestHeight = pindexBest->nHeight;
     nBestChainWork = pindexBest->nChainWork;
 
-    // set 'next' pointers in best chain
+    // register best chain
     CBlockIndex *pindex = pindexBest;
-    while(pindex != NULL && pindex->pprev != NULL) {
+    vBlockIndexByHeight.resize(pindexBest->nHeight + 1);
-         CBlockIndex *pindexPrev = pindex->pprev;
+    while(pindex != NULL) {
-         pindexPrev->pnext = pindex;
+         vBlockIndexByHeight[pindex->nHeight] = pindex;
-         pindex = pindexPrev;
+         pindex = pindex->pprev;
     }
     printf("LoadBlockIndexDB(): hashBestChain=%s  height=%d date=%s\n",
         hashBestChain.ToString().c_str(), nBestHeight,
@@ -2683,7 +2669,7 @@ bool VerifyDB() {
         CBlockIndex *pindex = pindexState;
         while (pindex != pindexBest) {
             boost::this_thread::interruption_point();
-            pindex = pindex->pnext;
+            pindex = pindex->GetNextInMainChain();
             CBlock block;
             if (!block.ReadFromDisk(pindex))
                 return error("VerifyDB() : *** block.ReadFromDisk failed at %d, hash=%s", pindex->nHeight, pindex->GetBlockHash().ToString().c_str());
@@ -2859,7 +2845,7 @@ void PrintBlockTree()
         vector<CBlockIndex*>& vNext = mapNext[pindex];
         for (unsigned int i = 0; i < vNext.size(); i++)
         {
-            if (vNext[i]->pnext)
+            if (vNext[i]->GetNextInMainChain())
             {
                 swap(vNext[0], vNext[i]);
                 break;
@@ -3440,10 +3426,10 @@ bool static ProcessMessage(CNode* pfrom, string strCommand, CDataStream& vRecv)
 
         // Send the rest of the chain
         if (pindex)
-            pindex = pindex->pnext;
+            pindex = pindex->GetNextInMainChain();
         int nLimit = 500;
         printf("getblocks %d to %s limit %d\n", (pindex ? pindex->nHeight : -1), hashStop.ToString().c_str(), nLimit);
-        for (; pindex; pindex = pindex->pnext)
+        for (; pindex; pindex = pindex->GetNextInMainChain())
         {
             if (pindex->GetBlockHash() == hashStop)
             {
@@ -3483,14 +3469,14 @@ bool static ProcessMessage(CNode* pfrom, string strCommand, CDataStream& vRecv)
             // Find the last block the caller has in the main chain
             pindex = locator.GetBlockIndex();
             if (pindex)
-                pindex = pindex->pnext;
+                pindex = pindex->GetNextInMainChain();
         }
 
         // we must use CBlocks, as CBlockHeaders won't include the 0x00 nTx count at the end
         vector<CBlock> vHeaders;
         int nLimit = 2000;
         printf("getheaders %d to %s\n", (pindex ? pindex->nHeight : -1), hashStop.ToString().c_str());
-        for (; pindex; pindex = pindex->pnext)
+        for (; pindex; pindex = pindex->GetNextInMainChain())
         {
             vHeaders.push_back(pindex->GetBlockHeader());
             if (--nLimit <= 0 || pindex->GetBlockHash() == hashStop)

src/main.h

@@ -69,6 +69,7 @@ extern CScript COINBASE_FLAGS;
 
 extern CCriticalSection cs_main;
 extern std::map<uint256, CBlockIndex*> mapBlockIndex;
+extern std::vector<CBlockIndex*> vBlockIndexByHeight;
 extern std::set<CBlockIndex*, CBlockIndexWorkComparator> setBlockIndexValid;
 extern uint256 hashGenesisBlock;
 extern CBlockIndex* pindexGenesisBlock;
@@ -1589,10 +1590,8 @@ enum BlockStatus {
 
 /** The block chain is a tree shaped structure starting with the
  * genesis block at the root, with each block potentially having multiple
- * candidates to be the next block.  pprev and pnext link a path through the
+ * candidates to be the next block. A blockindex may have multiple pprev pointing
- * main/longest chain.  A blockindex may have multiple pprev pointing back
+ * to it, but at most one of them can be part of the currently active branch.
- * to it, but pnext will only point forward to the longest branch, or will
- * be null if the block is not part of the longest chain.
  */
 class CBlockIndex
 {
@@ -1603,9 +1602,6 @@ public:
     // pointer to the index of the predecessor of this block
     CBlockIndex* pprev;
 
-    // (memory only) pointer to the index of the *active* successor of this block
-    CBlockIndex* pnext;
-
     // height of the entry in the chain. The genesis block has height 0
     int nHeight;
 
@@ -1643,7 +1639,6 @@ public:
     {
         phashBlock = NULL;
         pprev = NULL;
-        pnext = NULL;
         nHeight = 0;
         nFile = 0;
         nDataPos = 0;
@@ -1664,7 +1659,6 @@ public:
     {
         phashBlock = NULL;
         pprev = NULL;
-        pnext = NULL;
         nHeight = 0;
         nFile = 0;
         nDataPos = 0;
@@ -1733,7 +1727,11 @@ public:
 
     bool IsInMainChain() const
     {
-        return (pnext || this == pindexBest);
+        return nHeight < (int)vBlockIndexByHeight.size() && vBlockIndexByHeight[nHeight] == this;
+    }
+
+    CBlockIndex *GetNextInMainChain() const {
+        return nHeight+1 >= (int)vBlockIndexByHeight.size() ? NULL : vBlockIndexByHeight[nHeight+1];
     }
 
     bool CheckIndex() const
@@ -1762,9 +1760,9 @@ public:
         const CBlockIndex* pindex = this;
         for (int i = 0; i < nMedianTimeSpan/2; i++)
         {
-            if (!pindex->pnext)
+            if (!pindex->GetNextInMainChain())
                 return GetBlockTime();
-            pindex = pindex->pnext;
+            pindex = pindex->GetNextInMainChain();
         }
         return pindex->GetMedianTimePast();
     }
@@ -1779,7 +1777,7 @@ public:
     std::string ToString() const
     {
         return strprintf("CBlockIndex(pprev=%p, pnext=%p, nHeight=%d, merkle=%s, hashBlock=%s)",
-            pprev, pnext, nHeight,
+            pprev, GetNextInMainChain(), nHeight,
             hashMerkleRoot.ToString().c_str(),
             GetBlockHash().ToString().c_str());
     }

src/rpcblockchain.cpp

@@ -65,8 +65,9 @@ Object blockToJSON(const CBlock& block, const CBlockIndex* blockindex)
 
     if (blockindex->pprev)
         result.push_back(Pair("previousblockhash", blockindex->pprev->GetBlockHash().GetHex()));
-    if (blockindex->pnext)
+    CBlockIndex *pnext = blockindex->GetNextInMainChain();
-        result.push_back(Pair("nextblockhash", blockindex->pnext->GetBlockHash().GetHex()));
+    if (pnext)
+        result.push_back(Pair("nextblockhash", pnext->GetBlockHash().GetHex()));
     return result;
 }
 

src/wallet.cpp

@@ -780,7 +780,7 @@ int CWallet::ScanForWalletTransactions(CBlockIndex* pindexStart, bool fUpdate)
                 if (AddToWalletIfInvolvingMe(tx.GetHash(), tx, &block, fUpdate))
                     ret++;
             }
-            pindex = pindex->pnext;
+            pindex = pindex->GetNextInMainChain();
         }
     }
     return ret;