Re: What's the difference between a shell environment and a profile?

[Simon Tournier <zimon.toutoune@gmail.com>]

Hi Konrad,

On Fri, 08 Dec 2023 at 17:24, Konrad Hinsen <konrad.hinsen@fastmail.net> wrote:

> First, I tested some Python 2 scripts in a shell environment:
>
>     guix time-machine -C ./channels.scm \
>         -- shell --container \
>            python2 python2-mmtk python2-matplotlib \
>            --with-input=python2-numpy=python2-numpy@1.8.2 \
>            -- python
>
> Works fine. Next, I wanted to create a Guix profile with the same
> software, mainly to keep it in the store for long-term future use,
> surviving garbage collection:
>
>     guix time-machine -C ./channels.scm \
>         -- package -p ./python2-profile \
>            -i python2 python2-mmtk python2-matplotlib \
>            --with-input=python2-numpy=python2-numpy@1.8.2
>
> Guix wasn't happy at all with this:

Guix is not happy with ’shell’ but pass silently the collision; from my
understanding.

Somehow, then the Python script works but by chance, I guess.


>   guix package: error: profile contains conflicting entries for glib
>   guix package: error:   first entry: glib@2.70.2 /gnu/store/64bdjb3nwdkadmy5z2wph9cgqr0bwijm-glib-2.70.2
>   guix package: error:    ... propagated from cairo@1.16.0
>   guix package: error:    ... propagated from python2-pycairo@1.18.2
>   guix package: error:    ... propagated from python2-matplotlib@2.2.5
>   guix package: error:   second entry: glib@2.73.3 /gnu/store/kf488k7v0lc48ylbs4xxpam0dbl3r4jl-glib-2.73.3
>   guix package: error:    ... propagated from gobject-introspection@1.73.1
>   guix package: error:    ... propagated from python2-matplotlib@2.2.5
>   hint: You cannot have two different versions or variants of `python2-matplotlib' in
> the same profile.
>
> In the end I did:
>
>     guix time-machine -C ./channels.scm \
>         -- shell --container -r ./python2-profile \
>            python2 python2-mmtk python2-matplotlib \
>            --with-input=python2-numpy=python2-numpy@1.8.2 \
>            -- python
>
> which should have the effect I am looking for, but I don't understand
> how this differs from the "guix package" attempt that failed. The
> difference seems to be related to the –with-input transform, because
> I don't see what else could cause the "two different versions of
> python2-matplotlib" to be around.

It does not differ.  What differs is that “guix shell” raises nothing
for the collision – maybe “guix shell” does not check the collision, I
do not remember – when “guix package” raises an error for the same
collision.

Well, since it is a past Guix revision provided by the file
channels.scm, I do not know if this collision could now be fixed.

Cheers,
simon