[tor-dev] New Fallback Directory File Format

[teor]

Hi all,

Some time in the next few weeks, the Tor fallback directory mirror file
format will change. This affects stem and Relay Search, which parse this
file.


Change Description

Here is a list of changes to the file format:
* the "weight" line has been removed, and replaced with a Tor config
  default (#24679, #24681)
* the comma that separates fallback C strings is now on its own line
* a "nickname" comment has been added (#24600)
* an optional "extrainfo" comment has been added (#22759)

The added fields will be populated with placeholders until the list is
rebuilt (#22271). This will hopefully happen some time in the next few
weeks.


Requesting More Extra Info Caches

There are only a few fallbacks that cache extra-info documents.
I checked 67, and only 4 cached extra-info documents.

atagar, do you want me to ask some fallback operators to set
DownloadExtraInfo 1?

What number or proportion would you like?

(We allow approximately 25% of fallbacks to go down before we start to rebuild
the list. In the worst case, this can mean that ~40% are down at some point.)


Example Entries

A sample entry in the new format, using actual relay info:

"5.9.110.236:9030 orport=9001 id=0756B7CD4DFC8182BE23143FAC0642F515182CEB"
" ipv6=[2a01:4f8:162:51e2::2]:9001"
/* nickname=rueckgrat */
/* extrainfo=1 */
,

The current fallback file in the new format, with placeholders:
https://github.com/teor2345/tor/blob/ticket22759_tree/src/or/fallback_dirs.inc

A small sample fallback file in the new format, with actual relay info:
https://trac.torproject.org/projects/tor/attachment/ticket/22759/fallback_dirs_new_format.inc

Please let me know if you would like any changes to the format.

T

--
Tim Wilson-Brown (teor)

teor2345 at gmail dot com
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xmpp: teor at torproject dot org
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