user34941: How do I formulate a transaction with OP_RETURN to a particular address using the bitcoinj library?
SendRequest req;
Transaction transaction = new Transaction(Main.getNetWorkParameters());
transaction.addOutput(Coin.ZERO, ScriptBuilder.createOpReturnScript(
    "thanks for the coins".toString().getBytes()));

// add a receiving address for this transaction
req = SendRequest.forTx(transaction);


user34941: You can't make an OP_RETURN-based output out to any specific address, since the OP_RETURN opcode marks an output as invalid (thus provably unspendable). In fact, an OP_RETURN-based output will not even enter the UTXO.
A zero amount is okay (and even encouraged) for OP_RETURN.  The OP_RETURN is paid for via the fee; putting a non-zero amount in OP_RETURN would just destroy bitcoins, so the miners do not profit from mining it.
However, you can create a transaction that has multiple output scripts: One can be a standard P2PKH of the form OP_DUP OP_HASH160 <pubKeyHash> OP_EQUALVERIFY OP_CHECKSIG while the other can be an output with OP_RETURN. Just call addOutput twice, once with an address and the amount desired, and a second time with parameters for an OP_RETURN script (and a non-zero output value, I would presume).

34941: <p>How do I formulate a transaction with <code>OP_RETURN</code> to <em>a particular address</em> using the <em>bitcoinj</em> library?</p>

<pre><code>SendRequest req;
Transaction transaction = new Transaction(Main.getNetWorkParameters());
transaction.addOutput(Coin.ZERO, ScriptBuilder.createOpReturnScript(
    "thanks for the coins".toString().getBytes()));

// add a receiving address for this transaction
req = SendRequest.forTx(transaction);
</code></pre>
 34941: <p>You can't make an <code>OP_RETURN</code>-based output out to any specific address, since the <code>OP_RETURN</code> opcode marks an output as invalid (thus provably unspendable). In fact, an <code>OP_RETURN</code>-based output will not even enter the <code>UTXO</code>.</p>

<p>A zero amount is okay (and even encouraged) for <code>OP_RETURN</code>.  The <code>OP_RETURN</code> is paid for via the fee; putting a non-zero amount in <code>OP_RETURN</code> would just destroy bitcoins, so the miners do not profit from mining it.</p>

<p>However, you can create a transaction that has multiple output scripts: One can be a standard <code>P2PKH</code> of the form <code>OP_DUP OP_HASH160 &lt;pubKeyHash&gt; OP_EQUALVERIFY OP_CHECKSIG</code> while the other can be an output with <code>OP_RETURN</code>. Just call <code>addOutput</code> twice, once with an address and the amount desired, and a second time with parameters for an OP_RETURN script (and a non-zero output value, I would presume).</p>
