Deprecate defaulting 'from' address to coinbase

CHANGELOG

@@ -1,3 +1,8 @@
+3.7.0  (unreleased)
+-----
+
+* deprecate `eth.defaultAccount` defaulting to the coinbase account.
+
 3.6.2
 -----
 

README.md

@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@ uses `web3.py`.
 
 ### Setting defaults
 ```python
-web3.eth.defaultAccount = <your (unlocked) account>
+web3.eth.defaultAccount = <default from address>
 web3.eth.defaultBlock = "latest"
 # Can also be an integer or one of "latest", "pending", "earliest"
 ```

docs/web3.eth.rst

@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ The following properties are available on the ``web3.eth`` namespace.
 .. py:attribute:: Eth.defaultAccount
 
     The ethereum address that will be used as the default ``from`` address for
-    all transactions.  This defaults to ``web3.eth.coinbase``.
+    all transactions.
 
 
 .. py:attribute:: Eth.defaultBlock

tests/contracts/test_contract_transact_interface.py

@@ -7,6 +7,9 @@ from eth_utils import (
     force_bytes,
 )
 
+from web3.utils.empty import (
+    empty,
+)
 from web3.utils.transactions import (
     wait_for_transaction_receipt,
 )
@@ -64,11 +67,11 @@ def test_transacting_with_contract_with_arguments(web3,
     assert final_value - initial_value == 5
 
 
-def test_deploy_when_default_account_is_different_than_coinbase(web3,
-                                                                wait_for_transaction,
-                                                                STRING_CONTRACT):
+def test_deploy_when_default_account_is_set(web3,
+                                            wait_for_transaction,
+                                            STRING_CONTRACT):
     web3.eth.defaultAccount = web3.eth.accounts[1]
-    assert web3.eth.defaultAccount != web3.eth.coinbase
+    assert web3.eth.defaultAccount is not empty
 
     StringContract = web3.eth.contract(**STRING_CONTRACT)
 
@@ -78,11 +81,11 @@ def test_deploy_when_default_account_is_different_than_coinbase(web3,
     assert txn_after['from'] == web3.eth.defaultAccount
 
 
-def test_transact_when_default_account_is_different_than_coinbase(web3,
-                                                                  wait_for_transaction,
-                                                                  math_contract):
+def test_transact_when_default_account_is_set(web3,
+                                              wait_for_transaction,
+                                              math_contract):
     web3.eth.defaultAccount = web3.eth.accounts[1]
-    assert web3.eth.defaultAccount != web3.eth.coinbase
+    assert web3.eth.defaultAccount is not empty
 
     txn_hash = math_contract.transact().increment()
     wait_for_transaction(web3, txn_hash)

tests/eth-module/test_defaultAccount_api.py

@@ -0,0 +1,50 @@
+import pytest
+
+
+@pytest.fixture(autouse=True)
+def wait_for_first_block(web3, wait_for_block):
+    wait_for_block(web3)
+
+
+def test_uses_defaultAccount_when_set(web3, extra_accounts,
+                                      wait_for_transaction):
+    web3.eth.defaultAccount = extra_accounts[2]
+
+    txn_hash = web3.eth.sendTransaction({
+        "to": extra_accounts[1],
+        "value": 1234,
+    })
+
+    wait_for_transaction(web3, txn_hash)
+
+    txn = web3.eth.getTransaction(txn_hash)
+    assert txn['from'] == extra_accounts[2]
+
+
+def test_raises_warning_and_defaults_to_coinbase_when_not_set(web3, extra_accounts,
+                                                              wait_for_transaction):
+    with pytest.warns(DeprecationWarning):
+        txn_hash = web3.eth.sendTransaction({
+            "to": extra_accounts[1],
+            "value": 1234,
+        })
+
+    wait_for_transaction(web3, txn_hash)
+
+    txn = web3.eth.getTransaction(txn_hash)
+    assert txn['from'] == web3.eth.coinbase
+
+
+def test_uses_given_from_address_when_provided(web3, extra_accounts,
+                                               wait_for_transaction):
+    web3.eth.defaultAccount = extra_accounts[2]
+    txn_hash = web3.eth.sendTransaction({
+        "from": extra_accounts[5],
+        "to": extra_accounts[1],
+        "value": 1234,
+    })
+
+    wait_for_transaction(web3, txn_hash)
+
+    txn = web3.eth.getTransaction(txn_hash)
+    assert txn['from'] == extra_accounts[5]

web3/contract.py

@@ -402,7 +402,8 @@ class Contract(object):
 
         if self.address:
             estimate_transaction.setdefault('to', self.address)
-        estimate_transaction.setdefault('from', self.web3.eth.defaultAccount)
+        if self.web3.eth.defaultAccount is not empty:
+            estimate_transaction.setdefault('from', self.web3.eth.defaultAccount)
 
         if 'to' not in estimate_transaction:
             if isinstance(self, type):
@@ -466,7 +467,8 @@ class Contract(object):
 
         if self.address:
             call_transaction.setdefault('to', self.address)
-        call_transaction.setdefault('from', self.web3.eth.defaultAccount)
+        if self.web3.eth.defaultAccount is not empty:
+            call_transaction.setdefault('from', self.web3.eth.defaultAccount)
 
         if 'to' not in call_transaction:
             if isinstance(self, type):
@@ -544,7 +546,8 @@ class Contract(object):
 
         if self.address is not None:
             transact_transaction.setdefault('to', self.address)
-        transact_transaction.setdefault('from', self.web3.eth.defaultAccount)
+        if self.web3.eth.defaultAccount is not empty:
+            transact_transaction.setdefault('from', self.web3.eth.defaultAccount)
 
         if 'to' not in transact_transaction:
             if isinstance(self, type):

web3/eth.py

@@ -16,6 +16,9 @@ from web3.contract import (
 from web3.utils.blocks import (
     is_predefined_block_number,
 )
+from web3.utils.empty import (
+    empty,
+)
 from web3.utils.encoding import (
     to_decimal,
 )
@@ -38,20 +41,7 @@ class Eth(object):
         self.iban = Iban
         # self.sendIBANTransaction = lambda: raise NotImplementedError()
 
-    _defaultAccount = None
-
-    @property
-    @coerce_return_to_text
-    def defaultAccount(self):
-        if self._defaultAccount is not None:
-            return self._defaultAccount
-        # TODO: deprecate defaulting to the coinbase for the from address.
-        return self.coinbase
-
-    @defaultAccount.setter
-    def defaultAccount(self, value):
-        self._defaultAccount = value
-
+    defaultAccount = empty
     defaultBlock = "latest"
 
     def namereg(self):

web3/formatters.py

@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 from __future__ import absolute_import
 
+import warnings
 import functools
 import operator
 
@@ -22,6 +23,9 @@ from eth_utils import (
 
 from web3.iban import Iban
 
+from web3.utils.empty import (
+    empty,
+)
 from web3.utils.encoding import (
     from_decimal,
     to_decimal,
@@ -92,9 +96,23 @@ def input_filter_params_formatter(filter_params):
 @coerce_args_to_text
 @coerce_return_to_text
 def input_transaction_formatter(eth, txn):
-    defaults = {
-        'from': eth.defaultAccount,
-    }
+    if 'from' not in txn and eth.defaultAccount is empty:
+        warnings.warn(DeprecationWarning(
+            "web3.py will no longer default the `from` address to the coinbase "
+            "account.  Please update your code to either explicitely provide a "
+            "`from` address or to explicitely populate the `eth.defaultAccount` "
+            "address."
+        ))
+        defaults = {
+            'from': eth.coinbase,
+        }
+    elif eth.defaultAccount is not empty:
+        defaults = {
+            'from': eth.defaultAccount,
+        }
+    else:
+        defaults = {}
+
     formatters = {
         'from': input_address_formatter,
         'to': input_address_formatter,