Bitcoin: Problems w/ “reproducible” build on Windows: bitcoin-wallet git

How ​​to Create a Bitcoin Wallet on Windows with Reproducible Issues: Troubleshooting Guide

As a long-time enthusiast and developer of a popular cryptocurrency wallet, I have been trying to create my own copy of Bitcoin Wallet (BWC) for far too long. Unfortunately, I have encountered a number of issues that prevent me from reproducing successful builds on Windows. In this article, I will outline the issues I encountered with repeatable builds on Windows 11 and provide some troubleshooting steps to help you overcome these challenges.

Issues

My attempts to create a Bitcoin wallet were plagued with several issues, including:

• Inconsistent Build Environments – Despite using the same version of Windows, I noticed that the build process could produce different results each time.

• Repeatable Errors – Every time I try to create BWC, I encounter various errors, such as syntax errors, linker errors, or undefined symbols.

• Different wallet versions

  – Each attempt to build BWC produced a slightly different version of the wallet code, which can lead to compatibility issues with various libraries and dependencies.

Exact versions used

To reproduce these issues, I used the following correct versions of Windows 11:

• Windows 11 (build 22551) for testing

• Windows 10 (build 19041.1681) as a benchmark

Please note that these versions are not officially supported by the Bitcoin development teams and may contain various bug fixes or changes.

Troubleshooting steps

To overcome the reproducibility issues I encountered, please follow these steps:

1. Create a new build environment with consistent dependencies

When building BWC on Windows, it is important to ensure that your build environment has consistent dependencies. To accomplish this:

• Install all necessary libraries and dependencies using the git clone command with the -b (build branch) flag to avoid conflicts.

• Use a virtual environment or a separate package manager like pip for better dependency management.

2. Review your build logs

Look at the build log files generated by the Bitcoin wallet to identify potential issues:

• Run git log in the terminal to view the commit history and identify any errors or warnings related to the build process.

• Use tools like pylint or flake8 to detect syntax errors, undefined variables, or other potential issues.

3. Enable debug logging

To get a better idea of ​​the build process:

• Run git log --follow in the terminal to see a detailed commit history with timestamp-based log entries.

• Use tools like pdb (Python debugger) to step through your code and check variable values ​​at specific points.

4. Test with minimal dependencies

To isolate problems, try reducing the number of dependencies required by the Bitcoin wallet:

• Clone the repository using only the necessary libraries, such as libssl, openssl, or ssh2.

• Build BWC without additional modules such as qt5 or gmp.

5. Seek help in online communities

Join online forums and discussion groups dedicated to Bitcoin development and ask for help:

• The official Bitcoin wallet GitHub repository has a dedicated forum where users can share their experiences, ask questions, and provide feedback.

• Reddit’s r/BitcoinWallet community is another great resource for seeking help from experienced developers.

If you follow these troubleshooting steps, you should be able to overcome the repeatability issues I encountered when creating a Bitcoin wallet on Windows. Remember to remain patient and persistent, as resolving these issues can take time and effort. Happy building!

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