bug#40977: --load-path does not honor ~

bug#40977: --load-path does not honor ~

[Hartmut Goebel]

Specifying the home directory using `~` (tilde) in `--load-path` does
not add the proper path to

Does not work (not who "mypackage":

  guix package --load-path=~/path/tp/my/project -A mypackage

Using $HOME (which si resolve by the shell works:

  guix package --load-path=$HOME/path/tp/my/project -A mypackage


I would expect ~ and ~username to work, too.

bug#40977: --load-path does not honor ~

[zimoun]

Dear,

On Thu, 30 Apr 2020 at 10:17, Hartmut Goebel
<h.goebel@crazy-compilers.com> wrote:
>
> Specifying the home directory using `~` (tilde) in `--load-path` does
> not add the proper path to
>
> Does not work (not who "mypackage":
>
>   guix package --load-path=~/path/tp/my/project -A mypackage

It seems related to long vs short options, not to the expansion.


The short option works:

  guix package -L ~/path/to/my/project -A mypackage

but not the long '--load-path='.


> I would expect ~ and ~username to work, too.

Same for '~username'.


Well, I think it is related to bug #40549, see [1].

[1] https://debbugs.gnu.org/cgi/bugreport.cgi?bug=40549#14


All the best,
simon

bug#40977: --load-path does not honor ~

[zimoun]

On Thu, 30 Apr 2020 at 17:31, zimoun <zimon.toutoune@gmail.com> wrote:
>
> Dear,
>
> On Thu, 30 Apr 2020 at 10:17, Hartmut Goebel
> <h.goebel@crazy-compilers.com> wrote:
> >
> > Specifying the home directory using `~` (tilde) in `--load-path` does
> > not add the proper path to
> >
> > Does not work (not who "mypackage":
> >
> >   guix package --load-path=~/path/tp/my/project -A mypackage
>
> It seems related to long vs short options, not to the expansion.

I am wrong. It is about the expansion. When using the short option,
then the expansion is done by the shell.

Note that it should be the same for '--manifest=~/path/to/manifests/'.
And all the '--long-options=~/path/to/something'.

Well, I do not find a function to expand tilde in Guile.


All the best,
simon

bug#40977: --load-path does not honor ~

[Hartmut Goebel]

Hi,

This is not related to #40549.

The short option "-L ~/…" works, since thin this case the shell resolves the tilde. Whereas for the long-option the shell does not revolve the tilde, since the tilde is in the middle of the argument. Yu can verify this yourself easily:

$ python -c 'import sys; print(sys.argv)' ~
['-c', '/home/hartmut']
$ python -c 'import sys; print(sys.argv)' -L ~
['-c', '-L', '/home/hartmut']
$ python -c 'import sys; print(sys.argv)' ---long=~
['-c', '---long=~']


Proposed solution:

After processing options, guix need to "expanduser()" (as it is called
in Python) on all arguments which are paths.


-- 
Regards
Hartmut Goebel

| Hartmut Goebel          | h.goebel@crazy-compilers.com               |
| www.crazy-compilers.com | compilers which you thought are impossible |

bug#40977: --load-path does not honor ~

[zimoun]

Dear Hartmut,

On Thu, 30 Apr 2020 at 18:42, Hartmut Goebel
<h.goebel@crazy-compilers.com> wrote:

> The short option "-L ~/…" works, since thin this case the shell resolves the tilde. Whereas for the long-option the shell does not revolve the tilde, since the tilde is in the middle of the argument. Yu can verify this yourself easily:

Yes, you have right.


> Proposed solution:
>
> After processing options, guix need to "expanduser()" (as it is called
> in Python) on all arguments which are paths.

I agree.
I am not aware of such function in Guile.

All the best,
simon

bug#40977: --load-path does not honor ~

[Danny Milosavljevic]

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> After processing options, guix need to "expanduser()" (as it is called
> in Python) on all arguments which are paths.  

Please don't do it.

UNIX has its warts, and this is a well-known one (use ${HOME} instead).

If we did expanduser, I'm sure we'd be seeing bug reports about paths where
there was a tilde in the actual file name, NOT as a expanduser mark.

UNIX tools do what they do, and this wart is here to stay in a lot of tools.
Then at least make it consistent across all the tools UNIX has.

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bug#40977: --load-path does not honor ~

[Leo Famulari]

On Thu, Apr 30, 2020 at 07:34:39PM +0200, Danny Milosavljevic wrote:
> UNIX has its warts, and this is a well-known one (use ${HOME} instead).
> 
> If we did expanduser, I'm sure we'd be seeing bug reports about paths where
> there was a tilde in the actual file name, NOT as a expanduser mark.
> 
> UNIX tools do what they do, and this wart is here to stay in a lot of tools.
> Then at least make it consistent across all the tools UNIX has.

If it's true that this behaviour is more or less consistent in UNIX /
POSIX, then I agree with Danny that we should leave it as is. And, I
have noticed that ${HOME} is the way to go.

bug#40977: --load-path does not honor ~

[zimoun]

On Thu, 30 Apr 2020 at 19:53, Leo Famulari <leo@famulari.name> wrote:

> > UNIX tools do what they do, and this wart is here to stay in a lot of tools.
> > Then at least make it consistent across all the tools UNIX has.

I do not have a clear opinion on the subject so I fall with the
Danny's wise opinion.

bug#40977: --load-path does not honor ~

[Ludovic Courtès]

Danny Milosavljevic <dannym@scratchpost.org> skribis:

>> After processing options, guix need to "expanduser()" (as it is called
>> in Python) on all arguments which are paths.  
>
> Please don't do it.
>
> UNIX has its warts, and this is a well-known one (use ${HOME} instead).

Seconded.

Tilde expansion is performed by the shell.  In the case of
‘--foo=~/bar’, tilde expansion does not happen because ~ is right in the
middle of a string.

It’s admittedly annoying, but it’s not something Guix itself should
paper over.  Doing that would open a can of worms, as illustrated by the
example Tobias gave.

Ludo’.

bug#40977: --load-path does not honor ~

[zimoun]

On Sat, 2 May 2020 at 15:14, Ludovic Courtès <ludo@gnu.org> wrote:

> It’s admittedly annoying, but it’s not something Guix itself should
> paper over.  Doing that would open a can of worms, as illustrated by the
> example Tobias gave.

Instead of 'notabug' , I propose to tag this bug as 'wontfix' and
retitle it as: "Tilde-expansion in --long-options=".

Is it ok?


Best regards,
simon

ps:
Quoting the 'wontfix' explanation [1]: ``this is a choice between two
arbitrary ways of doing things and the maintainer and submitter prefer
different ways of doing things``.
[1] https://debbugs.gnu.org/Developer.html#tags

bug#40977: --load-path does not honor ~

[Ludovic Courtès]

zimoun <zimon.toutoune@gmail.com> skribis:

> On Sat, 2 May 2020 at 15:14, Ludovic Courtès <ludo@gnu.org> wrote:
>
>> It’s admittedly annoying, but it’s not something Guix itself should
>> paper over.  Doing that would open a can of worms, as illustrated by the
>> example Tobias gave.
>
> Instead of 'notabug' , I propose to tag this bug as 'wontfix' and
> retitle it as: "Tilde-expansion in --long-options=".
>
> Is it ok?

Sure.

Ludo’.

bug#40977: --load-path does not honor ~

[Tobias Geerinckx-Rice via Bug reports for GNU Guix]

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Hartmut, Zimoun,

Hartmut Goebel 写道：
> After processing options, guix need to "expanduser()" (as it is 
> called
> in Python) on all arguments which are paths.

If any Python (or other) software does this, it's broken.  File a 
bug there.

This is the wrong thing to do and makes the GNU system an 
inconsistent mess.  …OK, *more* of an inconsistent, loveable, mess 
;-)

It also makes

  $ sudo guix system --load-path=~/path/tp/my/project …

and

  $ sudo guix system -L ~/path/to/my/project -A mypackage …

suddenly result in different file names.

Please don't do it.

Kind regards,

T G-R

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bug#40977: --load-path does not honor ~

[zimoun]

Hi Tobias,

On Thu, 30 Apr 2020 at 21:20, Tobias Geerinckx-Rice <me@tobias.gr> wrote:
>
> Hartmut, Zimoun,
>
> Hartmut Goebel 写道：
> > After processing options, guix need to "expanduser()" (as it is
> > called
> > in Python) on all arguments which are paths.
>
> If any Python (or other) software does this, it's broken.  File a
> bug there.
>
> This is the wrong thing to do and makes the GNU system an
> inconsistent mess.  …OK, *more* of an inconsistent, loveable, mess
> ;-)
>
> It also makes
>
>   $ sudo guix system --load-path=~/path/tp/my/project …
>
> and
>
>   $ sudo guix system -L ~/path/to/my/project -A mypackage …
>
> suddenly result in different file names.

Sorry to be slow. Naive questions.

Do you mean the issue comes from who expand '~' (user vs sudo)?
Or do you mean refer to subfolder named '~, i.e., $HOME/foo/~/bar?

I should miss a point... about what is less or more inconsistent. :-)
Because it seems more based on conventions than on consistent inconsistencies.

About expansion, is it not the same question with
'--load-path=$HOME/path/to/' vs '-L $HOME/path/to/'?
About naming, is it possible to create a folder named '~' directly in $HOME?

Well, I am surely not enough skilled to have an opinion but I have
learnt something. :-)


> Please don't do it.

The fact that Guile does not have a built-in ``expand-tilde`` is a
strong indication to not do it. ;-)


Cheers,
simon

bug#40977: --load-path does not honor ~

[Bengt Richter]

On +2020-04-30 22:54:47 +0200, zimoun wrote:
> Hi Tobias,
> 
> On Thu, 30 Apr 2020 at 21:20, Tobias Geerinckx-Rice <me@tobias.gr> wrote:
> >
> > Hartmut, Zimoun,
> >
> > Hartmut Goebel 写道：
> > > After processing options, guix need to "expanduser()" (as it is
> > > called
> > > in Python) on all arguments which are paths.
> >
> > If any Python (or other) software does this, it's broken.  File a
> > bug there.
> >
> > This is the wrong thing to do and makes the GNU system an
> > inconsistent mess.  …OK, *more* of an inconsistent, loveable, mess
> > ;-)
> >
> > It also makes
> >
> >   $ sudo guix system --load-path=~/path/tp/my/project …
> >
> > and
> >
> >   $ sudo guix system -L ~/path/to/my/project -A mypackage …
> >
> > suddenly result in different file names.
> 
> Sorry to be slow. Naive questions.
> 
> Do you mean the issue comes from who expand '~' (user vs sudo)?
> Or do you mean refer to subfolder named '~, i.e., $HOME/foo/~/bar?
> 
> I should miss a point... about what is less or more inconsistent. :-)
> Because it seems more based on conventions than on consistent inconsistencies.
> 
> About expansion, is it not the same question with
> '--load-path=$HOME/path/to/' vs '-L $HOME/path/to/'?
> About naming, is it possible to create a folder named '~' directly in $HOME?
> 
> Well, I am surely not enough skilled to have an opinion but I have
> learnt something. :-)
>

FYA:(Amusement): man bash to see what more ~ can lead to ;-)
(scroll down or search for the "Tilde Expansion" section)

> 
> > Please don't do it.
> 
> The fact that Guile does not have a built-in ``expand-tilde`` is a
> strong indication to not do it. ;-)
> 
> 
> Cheers,
> simon
> 
> 
> 

-- 
Regards,
Bengt Richter

bug#40977: --load-path does not honor ~

[zimoun]

Dear,

Sorry to be slow.


On Thu, 30 Apr 2020 at 21:20, Tobias Geerinckx-Rice <me@tobias.gr> wrote:

> Hartmut Goebel 写道：

> This is the wrong thing to do and makes the GNU system an
> inconsistent mess.  …OK, *more* of an inconsistent, loveable, mess
> ;-)

I still think that the behaviour of Guix could be considered as a bug
and inconsistent with other GNU tools, such as Emacs -- to pick one
but Emacs should be an exception in the GNU tools landscape
(inconsistent loveable mess :-))

Maybe what I am saying is irrelevant and only bikeshedding.
Like Saint-Thomas, I only believe that I see. ;-)


> It also makes
>
>   $ sudo guix system --load-path=~/path/tp/my/project …
>
> and
>
>   $ sudo guix system -L ~/path/to/my/project -A mypackage …
>
> suddenly result in different file names.

Emacs behaves differently; and it is what is expected (at least by me :-)).

--8<---------------cut here---------------start------------->8---
mkdir -p ${HOME}/tmp/foo
cat <<EOF > ${HOME}/tmp/foo/eg.el
(defun an-example ()
  (interactive)
  (message (car load-path))
  (message (expand-file-name  "kikoo" "~/foo/~/bar")))

(provide 'eg)
EOF

# ~ means /home/simon/
sudo emacs --batch -L ~/tmp/foo/ --eval "(require 'eg)" --eval "(an-example)"

# ~ mean /root/
sudo emacs --batch --directory=~/tmp/foo/ --eval "(require 'eg)"
--eval "(an-example)"
--8<---------------cut here---------------end--------------->8---

The first '~' is expanded by the shell so in the user's context. The
second '~' is expanded by Emacs so in the root's context.
Well, nothing new. :-)
This is not the issue, if I understand correctly.

This issue is about the subfolders named '~'.

--8<---------------cut here---------------start------------->8---
mkdir -p ${HOME}/tmp/foo/~/bar

cat <<EOF > ${HOME}/tmp/foo/~/bar/ex.el
(defun from-tilde ()
  (interactive)
  (message (car load-path))
  (message (expand-file-name  "yahoga" "~/foo/~/bar")))

(provide 'ex)
EOF

cd ${HOME}/tmp/foo

# ~ means /home/simon
emacs --batch --directory=~/bar/ --eval "(require 'ex)" --eval "(from-tilde)"

# protect ~
emacs --batch --directory=./~/bar/ --eval "(require 'ex)" --eval "(from-tilde)"
--8<---------------cut here---------------end--------------->8---

From the folder '${HOME}/foo', Emacs is run with prepending the
subfolder named '~'. The first line fails because the folder
'/home/simon/bar/' does not exist. The second '~' refers to the
correct subfolder because of the dot.

Now the behaviour of Emacs is inconsistent with the Guix's behaviour.

--8<---------------cut here---------------start------------->8---
cd ${HOME}/foo
guix show --load-path=~/bar from-tilde
--8<---------------cut here---------------end--------------->8---

This works. Because Guix uses the argument as it is. Note that
'--load-path=./~/bar/' works too.

And note that from the folder '$HOME/tmp/foo', the commands

    guix show -L ~/bar from-tilde

and

    guix show --load-path=~/bar from-tilde

refer to different file names. And it appears to me weirder than the
tilde expansion done as Emacs does.


--8<---------------cut here---------------s tart------------->8---
mkdir -p ${HOME}/tmp/foo/~/bar
cat <<EOF > ${HOME}/tmp/foo/~/bar/from-tilde.scm
(define-module (from-tilde)
  #:use-module (guix packages)
  #:use-module (gnu packages maths))

(pk (car %load-path))

(define-public from-tilde
  (package
    (inherit gmsh)
    (name "from-tilde")))
EOF
--8<---------------cut here---------------end--------------->8---


> Please don't do it.

Well, in summary.
I have no knowledge about GNU tools and how they expand '~'.
I agree that '~' could be considered as a wart. And I do not know if
considering '~' as shortcut for $HOME is a "good practise" or not.

But I use '~' as meaning $HOME more more often than I create an
obscure subfolder named '~' (well I never did :-)). And I treat with
care the filename when I use 'sudo' because it is context switch so so
error-prone.

Maybe wrong terminology has been used with 'expanduser' but Guix
should expand '~' in agreement with the GNU Bash tilde-expansion
section IMHO.

(And this is valid for any '--long-option=~'.)


Therefore does the "it" in the Danny's and Tobias's "don't do it" mean
tilde-expansion?


Sorry again to be slow or bikeshed.

Best regards,
simon