diff --git a/chainlib/eth/runnable/count.py b/chainlib/eth/runnable/count.py
index 88384d6..c285c97 100644
--- a/chainlib/eth/runnable/count.py
+++ b/chainlib/eth/runnable/count.py
@@ -8,6 +8,14 @@ import json
 import logging
 import select
 
+# external imports
+from chainlib.settings import ChainSettings
+from chainlib.chain import ChainSpec
+from chainlib.jsonrpc import IntSequenceGenerator
+from funga.eth.keystore.dict import DictKeystore
+from funga.eth.signer import EIP155Signer
+from hexathon import add_0x
+
 # local imports
 import chainlib.eth.cli
 from chainlib.eth.cli.arg import (
@@ -23,17 +31,18 @@ from chainlib.eth.cli.log import process_log
 from chainlib.eth.address import AddressChecksum
 from chainlib.eth.connection import EthHTTPConnection
 from chainlib.eth.tx import count
-from chainlib.chain import ChainSpec
-from chainlib.jsonrpc import IntSequenceGenerator
-from funga.eth.keystore.dict import DictKeystore
-from funga.eth.signer import EIP155Signer
-from hexathon import add_0x
+from chainlib.eth.settings import process_settings
 
 logg = logging.getLogger()
 
 script_dir = os.path.dirname(os.path.realpath(__file__)) 
 config_dir = os.path.join(script_dir, '..', 'data', 'config')
 
+
+def process_config_local(config, arg, args, flags):
+    config.add(args.address, '_RECIPIENT', False)
+    return config
+
 argparser = chainlib.eth.cli.ArgumentParser()
 arg_flags = ArgFlag()
 arg = Arg(arg_flags)
@@ -48,22 +57,21 @@ logg.debug('flags {} {} {}'.format(flags, arg_flags.SEQ, flags & arg_flags.SEQ))
 
 config = Config()
 config = process_config(config, arg, args, flags)
+config = process_config_local(config, arg, args, flags)
 logg.debug('config loaded:\n{}'.format(config))
 
-holder_address = args.address
-wallet = chainlib.eth.cli.Wallet()
-wallet.from_config(config)
-if wallet.get_signer_address() == None and holder_address != None:
-    wallet.from_address(holder_address)
-
-rpc = chainlib.eth.cli.Rpc(wallet=wallet)
-conn = rpc.connect_by_config(config)
+settings = ChainSettings()
+settings = process_settings(settings, config)
+logg.debug('settings loaded:\n{}'.format(settings))
 
 
 def main():
     # TODO: should tolerate if address not prefixed with 0x 
-    o = count(add_0x(holder_address), id_generator=rpc.id_generator)
-    r = conn.do(o)
+    o = count(
+            settings.get('RECIPIENT'),
+            id_generator=settings.get('RPC_ID_GENERATOR'),
+            )
+    r = settings.get('CONN').do(o)
     count_result = None
     try:
         count_result = int(r, 16)
diff --git a/chainlib/eth/runnable/decode.py b/chainlib/eth/runnable/decode.py
index 283ad28..cfd408f 100644
--- a/chainlib/eth/runnable/decode.py
+++ b/chainlib/eth/runnable/decode.py
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ import select
 # external imports
 import chainlib.eth.cli
 from chainlib.eth.tx import unpack
+from chainlib.settings import ChainSettings
 from chainlib.chain import ChainSpec
 
 # local imports
@@ -26,6 +27,7 @@ from chainlib.eth.cli.config import (
         process_config,
         )
 from chainlib.eth.cli.log import process_log
+from chainlib.eth.settings import process_settings
 
 
 logging.basicConfig(level=logging.WARNING)
@@ -35,9 +37,14 @@ script_dir = os.path.dirname(os.path.realpath(__file__))
 config_dir = os.path.join(script_dir, '..', 'data', 'config')
 
 
+def process_config_local(config, arg, args, flags):
+    config.add(args.tx_data, '_TX_DATA', False)
+    return config
+
+
 arg_flags = ArgFlag()
 arg = Arg(arg_flags)
-flags = arg_flags.VERBOSE | arg_flags.CHAIN_SPEC | arg_flags.RAW | arg_flags.ENV
+flags = arg_flags.VERBOSE | arg_flags.CHAIN_SPEC | arg_flags.RAW | arg_flags.ENV | arg_flags.SEQ
 
 argparser = chainlib.eth.cli.ArgumentParser()
 argparser = process_args(argparser, arg, flags)
@@ -48,13 +55,20 @@ logg = process_log(args, logg)
 
 config = Config()
 config = process_config(config, arg, args, flags)
+config = process_config_local(config, arg, args, flags)
 logg.debug('config loaded:\n{}'.format(config))
 
+settings = ChainSettings()
+settings = process_settings(settings, config)
+logg.debug('settings loaded:\n{}'.format(settings))
 
-chain_spec = ChainSpec.from_chain_str(config.get('CHAIN_SPEC'))
 
 def main():
-    decode_for_puny_humans(args.tx_data, chain_spec, sys.stdout)
+    decode_for_puny_humans(
+            config.get('_TX_DATA'),
+            settings.get('CHAIN_SPEC'),
+            sys.stdout,
+            )
 
 if __name__ == '__main__':
     main()
diff --git a/chainlib/eth/settings.py b/chainlib/eth/settings.py
index 42c1ea7..ac6d0e4 100644
--- a/chainlib/eth/settings.py
+++ b/chainlib/eth/settings.py
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 # external imports
 from chainlib.settings import process_settings as base_process_settings
+from chainlib.error import SignerMissingException
 from hexathon import add_0x
 
 # local imports
@@ -16,6 +17,8 @@ def process_settings_rpc(settings, config):
         settings.set('SENDER_ADDRESS', add_0x(sender_address))
     except AttributeError:
         pass
+    except SignerMissingException:
+        pass
 
     gas_oracle = rpc.get_gas_oracle()
     settings.set('GAS_ORACLE', gas_oracle)