1. Use the `mnemonic` library for handling BIP39 mnemonic phrases. 2. Implement a solution that fills in missing words by verifying the generated address from the completed seed phrase. First, you'll need to install the `mnemonic` and `bip32utils` lib
To correctly use the provided Python code that fills in missing words in a BIP39 mnemonic phrase, you must ensure proper setup and understand the context of use. Below is a step-by-step guide to implementing the code, as well as an explanation of how to use it effectively.
### Step-by-Step Guide
1. **Install the Required Libraries**:
Ensure you have `mnemonic` and `bip32utils` installed. You can do this using the command below:
```bash
pip install mnemonic bip32utils
```
2. **Understand the Code**:
The script defines two main functions:
- `generate_address_from_mnemonic(mnemonic_phrase)`: Takes a complete mnemonic phrase, generates a seed, derives a Bitcoin address using BIP32, and returns that address.
- `find_complete_seed_phrase(incomplete_phrase, target_address)`: Takes an incomplete mnemonic phrase and a target Bitcoin address. It finds all possible combinations of missing words (represented by '...') until it creates a complete mnemonic that matches the target address.
3. **Set Up Your Environment**:
In your Python environment, create a new file (e.g., `find_mnemonic.py`) and copy the provided code into it.
4. **Replace Placeholder Values**:
Modify the `incomplete_seed` and `target_address` variables in the example usage:
```python
incomplete_seed = "apple banana cherry ..."
target_address = "your_target_address_here"
```
- Replace `"..."` with your actual missing word placeholders.
- Replace `"your_target_address_here"` with the Bitcoin address you expect from the complete mnemonic.
5. **Run the Script**:
Execute the script in your Python environment:
```bash
python find_mnemonic.py
```
### Example Usage
Here is an example with a hypothetical situation:
```python
incomplete_seed = "apple banana cherry ..."
target_address = "1A2B3C4D5E6F7G8H9I0J" # Replace with the expected address
```
Assuming that the actual missing word(s) would yield the `target_address`, the script will output either the completed mnemonic seed phrase or indicate that no valid phrase was found.
### Important Notes
- **Address Matching**: The script uses a specific BIP44 derivation path (m/44'/0'/0'/0/0) to derive the address. Make sure this matches the path used in your wallet software.
- **Performance**: Depending on the number of missing words, the script may take a long time to run due to the combinatorial nature of missing words. Each missing word increases the search space exponentially.
- **Correctness**: Ensure that your incomplete phrase uses the correct words from BIP39 wordlists, and that your target address is valid and corresponds to a likely candidate derived from a complete mnemonic.
This approach is a useful tool for recovering mnemonic phrases when they are partially missing, given access to the target Bitcoin address.