BIP 39 mnemonic-to-seed pw option requires ICU build

[skaht]

Using install.sh build mechanism on a Mac last night, built configuration 99cfc47c86eb10f849f2c9b028e4933618b68563. Tried the BIP 39 Example #3.

./install.sh --disable-shared --prefix=/Users/XXX/Projects/BX/version2 --build-dir=/Users/XXX/Projects/BX/version2/build --build-icu --build-boost

Results with password:

echo 'enable load garage hard diagram trim nothing exclude fantasy gold ramp fiber wise ball have hero toddler spy excite glue maze drill else sell' | bx mnemonic-to-seed -p TREZOR

The passphrase option requires an ICU build. 

Results without password:

echo 'enable load garage hard diagram trim nothing exclude fantasy gold ramp fiber wise ball have hero toddler spy excite glue maze drill else sell' | bx mnemonic-to-seed

bc1aaed38d43d973ca33907a89fc2f10f525c77bc6398af6cd51632f286ab9a19006fa4ab9a2142904b1c88e36ba75d0b9d337c2e1ccbe0121c5080c75dd8bc3

Also, is BIP 38 ek command functionality support to remain a master/version3 capability?

[evoskuil]

Also, is BIP 38 ek command functionality support to remain a master/version3 capability?

yes

[evoskuil]

The passphrase option requires an ICU build.

This is correct behavior.

[SCBuergel]

Currently the binaries on the Downloads page do not seem to be shipping with ICU (I tested the Mac version). That is a bit annoying as mnemonics cannot be used with passwords. I'd suggest changing that unless there are good reasons to not do so.

[thecodefactory]

@SCBuergel See https://github.com/libbitcoin/libbitcoin-system/issues/1029 for some relevant details.

[SCBuergel]

For an end-to-end workflow in BX the use of a password is of central importance - I do not find it acceptable to only work with mnemonics without passphrase. If that is only possible through a custom build process which requires custom parameters, a range of non-standard dependencies and then takes about 15 minutes to build and test (just did that on Mac), then the utility of BX is severely limited.

I do not see much movement on the issue that you referenced. I'd be happy to chip in to a Gitcoin bounty if we have a well-defined issue that makes sense for a bounty.

[thecodefactory]

@SCBuergel The current requirement for the proper use of BIP-39 passphrases includes a dependency that (at the moment) can't be provided for all platforms in binary form. If you're able to make traction on Windows, pull requests are welcome, as are the third-party boost builds (if that's the better way to go). In the meantime, everything is available, including an easy to use install script. Acceptable to you or not, it's what it is (at the moment).

[evoskuil]

The precompiled binaries are not intended for production use.