# Cert-issuer Error

**URL:** <https://community.blockcerts.org/t/cert-issuer-error/250>\
**Category:** Support\
**Created:** [July 30, 2017, 3:35pm UTC](https://community.blockcerts.org/t/cert-issuer-error/250 "2017-07-30T15:35:14Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 9\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![noah](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/a87d85/32.png) [@noah](https://community.blockcerts.org/u/noah)\
**Post date:** [July 30, 2017, 3:35pm UTC](https://community.blockcerts.org/t/cert-issuer-error/250/1 "2017-07-30T15:35:14Z")

</div>

Hi there,

I’m trying to use the cert-issuer program to issue some certificates on the testnet but I get this error

`raise UnableToSignTxError('Unable to sign transaction') cert_issuer.errors.UnableToSignTxError: Unable to sign transaction`

The inputs generated before signing the transaction are:

```
inputs : [Spendable<325 mbtc "e92ddcc3f675bcde9724927f1ed05637251e1bc64ef902580a4a010cdc84da63:0" 0/0/0>]

```

The decoded transaction

```
    {
   "lock_time":0,
   "size":128,
   "inputs":[
      {
         "prev_out":{
            "index":0,
            "hash":"e92ddcc3f675bcde9724927f1ed05637251e1bc64ef902580a4a010cdc84da63"
         },
         "script":""
      }
   ],
   "version":1,
   "vin_sz":1,
   "hash":"750173e73e662706f5044222aa8b04ac7cfe968d177b457ad1e81631584a78ff",
   "vout_sz":2,
   "out":[
      {
         "script_string":"OP_DUP OP_HASH160 7c7b8163753242da521c5919a6f4cd9deb62658c OP_EQUALVERIFY OP_CHECKSIG",
         "address":"1CMCk6U6dtTtozexvhw3SgZU55mVpTjw3b",
         "value":32440000,
         "script":"76a9147c7b8163753242da521c5919a6f4cd9deb62658c88ac"
      },
      {
         "script_string":"OP_RETURN b592c04d71dc553b2835e353532e3439f353fd13d569b9ef8ce6183c98eb8530",
         "value":0,
         "script":"6a20b592c04d71dc553b2835e353532e3439f353fd13d569b9ef8ce6183c98eb8530"
      }
   ]
}

```

UPDATE

I decided to use a different address and somehow it worked. I am not to sure why but it is something to look into.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![kim](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/community.blockcerts.org/kim/32/307_2.png) [@kim](https://community.blockcerts.org/u/kim)\
**Post date:** [July 30, 2017, 11:06pm UTC](https://community.blockcerts.org/t/cert-issuer-error/250/2 "2017-07-30T23:06:21Z")

</div>

Hi Noah,  
This happens if the private key for the transaction input you’re trying to spend isn’t available. The signing process signs all the inputs it can, but if it detects a transaction input couldn’t be signed, it fails with that message.

What happened mostly likely is that the private key for the address you tried to spend was not in the right (file) location.

Thanks,  
Kim

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![noah](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/a87d85/32.png) [@noah](https://community.blockcerts.org/u/noah)\
**Post date:** [July 30, 2017, 11:27pm UTC](https://community.blockcerts.org/t/cert-issuer-error/250/3 "2017-07-30T23:27:27Z")

</div>

Woops 🙂 I was looking in the wrong area. I probably lost the key when I restarted the docker image.

Thanks for the answer!

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![AlhaddadM](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e99b99/32.png) [@AlhaddadM](https://community.blockcerts.org/u/AlhaddadM)\
**Post date:** [September 9, 2018, 1:26pm UTC](https://community.blockcerts.org/t/cert-issuer-error/250/4 "2018-09-09T13:26:07Z")

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where should i put the private key ?

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Julian](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/community.blockcerts.org/julian/32/446_2.png) [@Julian](https://community.blockcerts.org/u/Julian)\
**Post date:** [September 9, 2018, 2:16pm UTC](https://community.blockcerts.org/t/cert-issuer-error/250/5 "2018-09-09T14:16:12Z")

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There is txt file (Pk\_issuer.txt) in the cert-issuer folder, you should paste the PK there

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![AlhaddadM](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e99b99/32.png) [@AlhaddadM](https://community.blockcerts.org/u/AlhaddadM)\
**Post date:** [September 9, 2018, 2:30pm UTC](https://community.blockcerts.org/t/cert-issuer-error/250/6 "2018-09-09T14:30:59Z")

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This is the config file

![10%20PM](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/uploads/blockcerts/original/1X/705fde24fa512cbc10ef02eaac574cd80c446104.png)

when i try to look for this file … i didn’t find it 😓

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![AlhaddadM](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e99b99/32.png) [@AlhaddadM](https://community.blockcerts.org/u/AlhaddadM)\
**Post date:** [September 9, 2018, 2:40pm UTC](https://community.blockcerts.org/t/cert-issuer-error/250/7 "2018-09-09T14:40:22Z")

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don’t worry … i solved the problem

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Julian](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/community.blockcerts.org/julian/32/446_2.png) [@Julian](https://community.blockcerts.org/u/Julian)\
**Post date:** [September 9, 2018, 2:41pm UTC](https://community.blockcerts.org/t/cert-issuer-error/250/8 "2018-09-09T14:41:37Z")

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That is the config.ini file, in the Cert-Issuer Folder there should be a Pk\_issuer.txt file.  
 ![](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/uploads/blockcerts/original/1X/b27701c8c8c655e4d4544d2f8487fe6fd94bb40c.png)

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![AlhaddadM](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e99b99/32.png) [@AlhaddadM](https://community.blockcerts.org/u/AlhaddadM)\
**Post date:** [September 9, 2018, 2:48pm UTC](https://community.blockcerts.org/t/cert-issuer-error/250/9 "2018-09-09T14:48:56Z")

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when i look in the [https://live.blockcypher.com/](https://live.blockcypher.com/) using my public key…

i see the transaction … do i need to wait until it is confirmed then i can use the verify button in cert-viewer ?