On Mon, Oct 23, 2023 at 12:43:10PM +1030, Rusty Russell via bitcoin-dev wrote: > Ethan Heilman via bitcoin-dev writes: > > Hi everyone, > > > > We've posted a draft BIP to propose enabling OP_CAT as Tapscript opcode. > > https://github.com/EthanHeilman/op_cat_draft/blob/main/cat.mediawiki > > This is really nice to see! > > AFAICT you don't define the order of concatenation, except in the > implementation[1]. I think if A is top of stack, we get BA, not AB? > > 520 feels quite small for script templates (mainly because OP_CAT itself > makes Script more interesting!). For example, using OP_TXHASH and > OP_CAT to enforce that two input amounts are equal to one output amount > takes about 250 bytes of Script[2] :( > > So I have to ask: > > 1. Do other uses feel like 520 is too limiting? In my view, 520 feels limiting provided that we lack rolling sha2 opcodes. If we had those, then arguably 65 bytes is enough. Without them, I'm not sure that any value is "enough". For CHECKSIGFROMSTACK emulation purposes ideally we'd want the ability to construct a full transaction on the stack, which in principle would necessitate a 4M limit. > 2. Was there a concrete rationale for maintaining 520 bytes? 10k is the current > script limit, can we get closer to that? :) But as others have said, 520 bytes is the existing stack element limit and minimizing changes seems like a good strategy to get consensus. (On the other hand, it's been a few days without any opposition so maybe we should be more agressive :)). > 3. Should we restrict elsewhere instead? After all, OP_CAT doesn't > change total stack size, which is arguably the real limit? > Interesting thought. Right now the stack size is limited to 1000 elements of 520 bytes each, which theoretically means a limit of 520k. Bitcoin Core doesn't explicitly count the "total stack size" in the sense that you're suggesting; it just enforces these two limits separately. I think trying to add a "total stack size limit" (which would have to live alongside the two existing limits; we can't replace them without a whole new Tapscript version) would add a fair bit of accounting complextiy and wind up touching almost every other opcode...probably not worth the added consensus logic. > Of course, we can increase this limit in future tapscript versions, too, > so it's not completely set in stone. > -- Andrew Poelstra Director of Research, Blockstream Email: apoelstra at wpsoftware.net Web: https://www.wpsoftware.net/andrew The sun is always shining in space -Justin Lewis-Webster