API does not return ATXs until epoch 2

[lrettig]

Description

In epoch 0, there are no ATXs and no blocks. In epoch 1, there are ATXs published but no blocks. From epoch 2, there are both ATXs and blocks. Right now the API returns ATXs only as part of a Layer object. Since there are no layers in epochs 0-1, there's currently no way to read ATXs from epoch 1 using the API.

Affected code

• API MeshService

Possible fixes

• Create a new API endpoint that returns ATXs outside the Layer data structure, maybe per epoch
• Fix the API to stream ticked layers for epochs 0-1 regardless of whether they contain blocks (epochs 0, 1) or ATXs (epoch 0)

This issue appears in commit hash: f76c8b99427a4a9f559da87fced6cf5aa3219266

[leonanos8]

@lrettig can I work on this one? This will be my first touch with the project. I am trying to understand the problem by reading the code and the docs on the spacemesh protocol.

As I understand the problem is inside /api/grpcserver/mesh_service/LayersQuery. Am I right?

[avive]

I think that the most reasonable solution is to hack a layer number data-item to epoch 1 ATXs based on the time they are added. Should be most consistent with standard epochs, so an ATX will always have a layer number associated with it.

[lrettig]

@leonanos8 welcome and thanks for offering to contribute - sorry for the slow reply here. See @avive's suggestion. A good first step would be to post an implementation plan so we can review it and offer feedback.

[avive]

Listing ATX related api methods:

• GlobalStateService::AccountDataQuery()
• MeshService::AccountMeshDataQuery()
• GlobalState::SmesherDataQuery()

[leonanos8]

Thanks for the welcome and the analysis. I'll start with the implementation plan and post it here when ready for review.