4abd2e508f
Networking (anti-freeze):
- Add check_transactions_parallel: pressing "Check" now contacts will-executors
concurrently with a fast-fail timeout (CHECK_TIMEOUT=8, 1 retry) and a global
deadline (CHECK_GLOBAL_DEADLINE=30), so a single dead server no longer freezes
the "checking transaction" dialog for ~140s (old default 10s x 10 retries).
- check_transaction now accepts timeout/max_retries/retry_sleep kwargs.
- Rewrite BalWindow.check_transactions_task to use the parallel helper with live
progress + an elapsed-time counter "Checking transactions: 2/5 (4s / 30s)".
Reliable elapsed-time counters (Xs / DEADLINEs):
- Replace the unreliable raw heartbeat thread (whose pyqtSignal emissions were
not marshalled and never repainted) with an on_tick callback driven from the
CALLING thread in push/ping/check parallel helpers.
- Show the maximum wait too (e.g. "3s / 30s") so the user knows when the
operation will give up, in the wizard Broadcasting, Ping and Check dialogs.
- Expose networking constants (PUSH_*/CHECK_*/DEFAULT_TIMEOUT) as Willexecutors
class attributes for a single source of truth in the GUI.
GUI:
- Add hover tooltips: Wizard ("Wizard - Build your will"), Delivery time (truck),
Check Alive (siren), Calendar, Check (refresh).
- Reorder the Will toolbar to: Wizard | Delivery time | Check Alive | Calendar |
Check; tighten layout margins so it all fits the Will window.
Tests:
- parallel_ping_test.py: add coverage for check_transactions_parallel (parallel
timing, global deadline, on_tick from the calling thread) and static checks
that check_transactions_task/loop_push use the parallel helpers + on_tick
counter with the 'Xs / Ns' format.
Verified: ruff (0 new issues), 182 official tests pass, parallel/smoke/gui_fixes/
windows_overflow/external_zip tests pass.
BAL — Bitcoin After Life (Electrum plugin)
Free and decentralized Bitcoin inheritance support for the Electrum wallet. Build time-locked "will" transactions that transfer your funds to your heirs if you stop refreshing them (dead-man's switch), optionally relayed by will-executor servers.
This repository contains a behavior-preserving refactor of the original plugin. The logic was kept byte-identical wherever possible; only the file layout was reorganized to cleanly separate business logic from the PyQt GUI.
Repository layout
bal/ the installable Electrum plugin package
├── manifest.json plugin metadata (Electrum reads this)
├── qt.py Qt entry-point shim (re-exports Plugin)
├── core/ GUI-free logic (importable without Qt)
│ ├── util.py
│ ├── plugin_base.py
│ ├── heirs.py
│ ├── will.py
│ └── willexecutors.py
├── gui/qt/ PyQt6 presentation layer
│ ├── theme.py status → color mapping
│ ├── common.py shared imports / helpers
│ ├── widgets.py leaf widgets
│ ├── calendar.py calendar widget
│ ├── dialogs.py dialog windows
│ ├── lists.py tree/list views
│ ├── window.py per-wallet GUI controller
│ └── plugin.py Plugin (Electrum @hooks → GUI)
├── icons/ wallet_util/ LICENSE VERSION README.md
build_zip.py builds a clean, zipimport-friendly distribution zip
tests/ smoke + external-zip regression tests
Requirements
- Electrum 4.7.2 — the last stable release exposing
json_db.register_dict, which this plugin relies on. Newer versions removed it. - PyQt6 (bundled with the Electrum desktop GUI).
Installation
Build the distribution archive
python3 build_zip.py
# -> bal-electrum-plugin.zip (prints size + SHA-256 for integrity checks)
The builder writes a zipimport-friendly archive (files only, standard
DEFLATE, deterministic order) to avoid loader errors seen on some Electrum
portable builds.
Install as an external plugin (zip)
- Electrum → Tools → Plugins → install from file → pick the built zip.
- Enable Bitcoin After Life and restart Electrum.
- (Recommended) verify the downloaded zip's SHA-256 matches the value printed
by
build_zip.py.
Install as an internal plugin
Copy the bal/ directory into your Electrum installation's
electrum/plugins/ directory, so that electrum/plugins/bal/manifest.json
exists, then enable it from Tools → Plugins.
Testing
# imports + behavior
QT_QPA_PLATFORM=offscreen PYTHONPATH=<electrum-src> \
python3 tests/smoke_test.py electrum.plugins.bal
# external-zip loading regression
QT_QPA_PLATFORM=offscreen PYTHONPATH=<electrum-src> \
python3 tests/external_zip_test.py bal-electrum-plugin.zip
⚠️ Safety
This plugin builds real Bitcoin inheritance transactions with time-locks. Test on testnet or a fund-less wallet first, and review the generated transactions before broadcasting.
License
MIT — see bal/LICENSE.