<p>Ok.....</p>

<p>Since nobody answered. After smashing my head against the wall for a day, I finally figured out that since I am developing right now, and I am using testnet, the private keys generated for testnet and the private keys generated for "real net" are not interchangeable. So I had to switch BitAddress over to testnet mode to get keys that would work for my transaction.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-08-16T16:28:27.847Z
I know it's old, but for anyone interested, the private key is interchangeable, it's just the encoded version that's not because mainnet and testnet use a different prefix byte. See https://en.bitcoin.it/wiki/Wallet_import_format.
JBaczuk
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-02-23T00:21:07.860Z
2014-02-23T00:21:07.860Z
Bitcoin Dev Wannabee
<p>I am trying to do multisignature addresses and when it comes time to spend the funds, I am getting stuck.</p>

<p>If I create a 2 of 3 multisignature address using 3 public keys that I generate locally, then dump their private keys and use those to sign and spend the funds, it works without issue. </p>

<p>But, when I generate public/private key pairs from BitAddress.org (Wallet Details) there are multiple types of private keys with different lengths. </p>

<ul>
<li><p>Private Key WIF 51 characters base58, starts with a '5'</p></li>
<li><p>Private Key Hexadecimal Format (64 characters [0-9A-F])</p></li>
<li><p>Private Key Base64 (44 characters)</p></li>
<li><p>Private Key 52 characters base58, starts with a 'K' or 'L'</p></li>
</ul>

<p>When I do <strong>dumpprivkey</strong> for one of the keypairs generated locally, it spits out a 52 character key. So I thought maybe the 52 character base58 private key was the one I should enter, but it returns "Invalid Private Key". </p>

<p>The key that <strong>dumpprivkey</strong> spits out does not follow any of the rules of any of the above private keys provided by BitAddress.org generation. So how do I generate this private key that I can use in <strong>signrawtransaction</strong> ? </p>

<p>I want users to be able to generate and supply their own private keys for a multisignature escrow, so generating the addresses locally is not an option. </p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-02-23T10:31:59.303Z
Also, fyi, new comments don't bump questions up in the list, just edits or new answers do.
Murch
<transactions><private-key><multi-signature><signature>
signrawtransaction - Which private key from BitAddress.org?
Bitcoin Dev Wannabee
# signrawtransaction - Which private key from BitAddress.org?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2014-02-21)

I am trying to do multisignature addresses and when it comes time to spend the funds, I am getting stuck.

If I create a 2 of 3 multisignature address using 3 public keys that I generate locally, then dump their private keys and use those to sign and spend the funds, it works without issue.

But, when I generate public/private key pairs from BitAddress.org (Wallet Details) there are multiple types of private keys with different lengths.

* Private Key WIF 51 characters base58, starts with a '5'
* Private Key Hexadecimal Format (64 characters [0-9A-F])
* Private Key Base64 (44 characters)
* Private Key 52 characters base58, starts with a 'K' or 'L'

When I do **dumpprivkey** for one of the keypairs generated locally, it spits out a 52 character key. So I thought maybe the 52 character base58 private key was the one I should enter, but it returns "Invalid Private Key".

The key that **dumpprivkey** spits out does not follow any of the rules of any of the above private keys provided by BitAddress.org generation. So how do I generate this private key that I can use in **signrawtransaction** ?

I want users to be able to generate and supply their own private keys for a multisignature escrow, so generating the addresses locally is not an option.

**Tags:** transactions, private-key, multi-signature, signature

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: Also, fyi, new comments don't bump questions up in the list, just edits or new answers do.  

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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_0 on 2014-02-23. Score: 1

Ok.....

Since nobody answered. After smashing my head against the wall for a day, I finally figured out that since I am developing right now, and I am using testnet, the private keys generated for testnet and the private keys generated for "real net" are not interchangeable. So I had to switch BitAddress over to testnet mode to get keys that would work for my transaction.

> **Comments:**
> **username_2**: I know it's old, but for anyone interested, the private key is interchangeable, it's just the encoded version that's not because mainnet and testnet use a different prefix byte. See https://en.bitcoin.it/wiki/Wallet_import_format.  

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