[Alby Hub] Enable selection of local LND or phoenixd as backend

[tlindi]

Alby Hub App needs to be manually configured to use local LND. And process is really cumbersome.

Please implement AlbyHub selectable default to use local LND or Manual Configuration

Examples how automatic configuration is done with env variables (on start9 and Umbrel)
#878 (comment)

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[tlindi]

Umbrel sets these on docker-compose

    environment:
      LN_BACKEND_TYPE: "LND"
      LND_ADDRESS: $APP_LIGHTNING_NODE_IP:$APP_LIGHTNING_NODE_GRPC_PORT
      LND_CERT_FILE: "/lnd/tls.cert"
      LND_MACAROON_FILE: "/lnd/data/chain/bitcoin/$APP_BITCOIN_NETWORK/admin.macaroon"
      WORK_DIR: "/data/albyhub"
      COOKIE_SECRET: ${APP_SEED}
      LOG_EVENTS: "true"

Start9 code sniplet from their install script is:

# Set up environment variables based on LN_VALUE
if [ "$LN_VALUE" = "lnd" ]; then
    export LN_BACKEND_TYPE="LND"
    export LND_ADDRESS="lnd.embassy:10009"             # the LND gRPC address
    export LND_CERT_FILE="/mnt/lnd/tls.cert"           # the location where LND's tls.cert file can be found
    export LND_MACAROON_FILE="/mnt/lnd/admin.macaroon" # the location where LND's admin.macaroon file can be found
    export ENABLE_ADVANCED_SETUP=false
else
    # Default to Alby/LDK if lightning value is not "lnd"
    export LN_BACKEND_TYPE="LDK"
    unset LND_ADDRESS
    unset LND_CERT_FILE
    unset LND_MACAROON_FILE
fi

[tehelsper]

OK, I think these values should work then but they would need to get set in the container. That should be able to be done via args in the docker run command in the service file.

export LN_BACKEND_TYPE="LND"
export LND_ADDRESS="host.docker.internal:10009"
export LND_CERT_FILE="/mnt/lnd/tls.cert" # the location where LND's tls.cert file can be found
export LND_MACAROON_FILE="/mnt/lnd/admin.macaroon" # the location where LND's admin.macaroon file can be found
export ENABLE_ADVANCED_SETUP=false

[tehelsper]

And then add a volume mount to give Alby access to LND data at /mnt/lnd

[tlindi]

And then add a volume mount to give Alby access to LND data at /mnt/lnd

Sounds like a plan for LND integration part.

How would be possible then enable option to run Alby Hub with Custom Config for Advanced users? like I would like to use it with phoenixd.

Should App Info Page have button "Config Alby Hub Automatically", which would enable this automatic LND integration?
Or opposite, "Disable Alby Hub Automatic LND integration" ("Disconnect Alby Hub from LND"). Then advance user would be able to run Alby Hub "intro" and make Custom Config?

[tlindi]

OK, I think these values should work then but they would need to get set in the container. That should be able to be done via args in the docker run command in the service file.

---snip--
Should there be setting file eg /mnt/hdd/mynode/albyhub/albyhub_custom_config_enabled in case of user uses manual config?

This way backup and restore processes could handle the information of configuration type (Auto/Custom).

[tehelsper]

A strategy like that is possible. I'd prefer if it was a setting within AlbyHub though. Is that possible? Set it up by default, but then can you change settings within albyHub once it launches? It seems like config for that app should be manageable within the app.

[tlindi]

A strategy like that is possible. I'd prefer if it was a setting within AlbyHub though. Is that possible? Set it up by default, but then can you change settings within albyHub once it launches? It seems like config for that app should be manageable within the app.

Afaik after AlbuHub is set up, the backend change is impossible without complete re-configuration.

[tlindi]

Thanks for straigth forward install and config of Alby Hub to LND of MyNode.

Seems to work. But...

If one wants to run Alby Hub with custom setup - say my phoenixd Community app as a backend, how would that be possible? Some Switch on Settings page - "Disable Alby Hub Autoconfig"?

Or do you not like alternative Lightning implementations - asking for a friend ;-)

[tehelsper]

I'd be open to a PR for that. To manually change it though, you can just edit the albyhub.service file to remove the environment variables that preconfigure LND. It would revert back to the built in setup screen.

Basically:

• Edit service file
• Run "sudo systemctl daemon-reload"
• Delete albyhub data (if it was previously setup)
• Restart albyhub

[tehelsper]

Here's the change. Try removing the new "--env" lines and leave WORK_DIR.

374b5af

[tlindi]

Very clean. I will test.

Would it be completely out of the question to create switch eg to Apps Infopage
and eg /home/bitcoin/.mynode/albyhub_manual_config file to save config type?

And Delete albyhub data would be needed do used during switching.

If such would be implemented, .service file could skip --env's and so both worlds would be happy.