- CHANGELOG: add entries #47 (is_selected/is_valid fee bounds, extremes allowed) and #48 (merge_will crash fix on missing date_to_check) - HANDOFF: Electrum 4.7.2 and 4.8.0, current layout (qt.py, plugin.py, wallet_util/, docs/, bal_cli.py, 36-file ZIP), runtime/lint venv paths, standalone-script tests (427 collected), direct-to-main workflow, version history up to v0.6.1 - README: drop VERSION from layout, correct anticipate/expire/postpone behavior, update test commands - docs/manual/README.md: fix Tools menu label to Will-Executors, add BASIC/ADVANCED notes, extend chromatic status table (Partially signed, Updated) - docs/inheritance-options.md: add PARTIALLY_SIGNED status/transition/colour, version note to v0.6.1 - docs/README.md: make HTML-hosting instructions host-agnostic - bal/README.md: Prepare button lives on the WILL tab
149 lines
6.1 KiB
Markdown
149 lines
6.1 KiB
Markdown
# BAL — Bitcoin After Life (Electrum plugin)
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Free and decentralized **Bitcoin inheritance** support for the
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[Electrum](https://electrum.org) wallet. Build time-locked "will" transactions
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that transfer your funds to your heirs if you stop refreshing them
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(dead-man's switch), optionally relayed by will-executor servers.
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This repository contains a **behavior-preserving refactor** of the original
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plugin. The logic was kept byte-identical wherever possible; only the file
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layout was reorganized to cleanly separate **business logic** from the
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**PyQt GUI**.
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## Repository layout
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```
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bal/ the installable Electrum plugin package
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├── manifest.json plugin metadata (Electrum reads this)
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├── qt.py Qt entry-point shim (re-exports Plugin)
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├── core/ GUI-free logic (importable without Qt)
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│ ├── util.py
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│ ├── plugin_base.py
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│ ├── heirs.py
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│ ├── will.py
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│ └── willexecutors.py
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├── gui/qt/ PyQt6 presentation layer
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│ ├── theme.py status → color mapping
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│ ├── common.py shared imports / helpers
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│ ├── widgets.py leaf widgets
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│ ├── calendar.py calendar widget
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│ ├── dialogs.py dialog windows
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│ ├── lists.py tree/list views
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│ ├── window.py per-wallet GUI controller
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│ └── plugin.py Plugin (Electrum @hooks → GUI)
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├── icons/ wallet_util/ LICENSE README.md
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build_zip.py builds a clean, zipimport-friendly distribution zip
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tests/ smoke + external-zip regression tests
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```
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## Requirements
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- **Electrum 4.7.2 or 4.8.0** — the plugin detects which wallet-DB
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registration API is available (`json_db.register_dict` on 4.7.2,
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`stored_dict.register_name` on 4.8.0) and adapts automatically.
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- **PyQt6** (bundled with the Electrum desktop GUI).
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## Wallet compatibility
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BAL currently supports **standard (single-signature) wallets** and
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**hardware wallets** supported by Electrum. **Multisig wallets** and
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**Electrum TrustedCoin (2FA) wallets** are **not yet supported** — see
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[`COMPATIBILITY.md`](COMPATIBILITY.md) for the full compatibility matrix and
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current status.
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## Installation
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### Build the distribution archive
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```bash
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python3 build_zip.py
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# -> bal-electrum-plugin.zip (prints size + SHA-256 for integrity checks)
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```
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The builder writes a `zipimport`-friendly archive (files only, standard
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DEFLATE, deterministic order) to avoid loader errors seen on some Electrum
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portable builds.
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### Install as an external plugin (zip)
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1. Electrum → **Tools → Plugins** → install from file → pick the built zip.
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2. Enable **Bitcoin After Life** and restart Electrum.
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3. (Recommended) verify the downloaded zip's SHA-256 matches the value printed
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by `build_zip.py`.
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### Install as an internal plugin
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Copy the `bal/` directory into your Electrum installation's
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`electrum/plugins/` directory, so that `electrum/plugins/bal/manifest.json`
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exists, then enable it from **Tools → Plugins**.
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## Inheritance safety: anticipate / postpone
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A will transaction is signed with a **fixed, immutable locktime** and then
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optionally sent to will-executor servers, which are economically incentivised
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to broadcast it (they collect fees). Because the locktime is baked into the
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signed transaction, simply changing the delivery time later is **not enough**:
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the old, already-signed transaction keeps living on the will-executors.
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The plugin handles the cases as follows (triggered when you press
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**Prepare** on the **WILL** tab):
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* **Anticipate** (new delivery time *earlier* than the signed locktime, still
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in the future): a plain **rebuild** — the transactions are re-created with
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the new, earlier locktime. **No on-chain invalidation and no Bitcoin fee**,
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even if the will was already signed/sent: moving the date earlier only makes
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the inheritance available *sooner*, so there is no early-execution risk.
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* **Expire** (new delivery time now in the **past**): the will is genuinely
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expired and you are asked to **invalidate** the old transaction on-chain,
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then rebuild.
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* **Postpone** (new delivery time *later* than the signed locktime) on a will
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that was already **signed and/or pushed**: the previously committed coins
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must be invalidated on-chain **first**, otherwise a will-executor could
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broadcast the old (earlier-locktime) transaction and execute the inheritance
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*too early*. The plugin detects this by comparing the requested locktime with
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the locktime **frozen inside the signed transaction** (`tx.locktime`), and
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asks you to sign and broadcast an invalidation transaction. After it is
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broadcast, press **Prepare** again to rebuild, re-sign and re-send the new
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(postponed) inheritance. Postponing a will that was *never* signed/sent just
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rebuilds it (no on-chain fee).
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## Transaction list: the "Server" column
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The will transaction list shows a dedicated **Server** column so you always
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know whether each inheritance transaction is actually stored on the
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will-executor servers, independently of the row colour:
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| Label | Meaning |
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| --- | --- |
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| `Confirmed on server` | the will-executor confirmed it stored the transaction |
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| `Sent (not checked)` | pushed to the will-executor, not yet re-checked |
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| `Send failed` / `Not on server` | push failed or the server no longer has it |
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| `Signed (not sent)` | signed locally, not sent to any will-executor |
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| `Not sent` | not signed/sent yet |
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Hovering the cell shows a tooltip with the will-executor URL and the current
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state.
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## Testing
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Run the tests with the **runtime environment** active (see `HANDOFF.md` §3 for
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the two venvs and how to activate them):
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```bash
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# imports + behavior
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QT_QPA_PLATFORM=offscreen python3 tests/smoke_test.py electrum.plugins.bal
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# external-zip loading regression (run after build_zip.py)
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QT_QPA_PLATFORM=offscreen python3 tests/external_zip_test.py bal-electrum-plugin.zip
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```
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## ⚠️ Safety
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This plugin builds real Bitcoin inheritance transactions with time-locks. Test
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on **testnet** or a fund-less wallet first, and review the generated
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transactions before broadcasting.
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## License
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MIT — see [`bal/LICENSE`](bal/LICENSE).
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