Re: Deploying experimental versions of Guix

[david larsson <david.larsson@selfhosted.xyz>]

On 2023-05-02 15:44, Felix Lechner via "Development of GNU Guix and the 
GNU System distribution." wrote:
> Hi,
> 
> I'd like to test changes to (gnu system pam). How may I configure my
> system, preferably using "deploy," please, while also pulling from my
> custom channels?

Hi Felix,

I think creating a custom profile with a channels file containing a 
'guix channel pointing to your modified guix version, and more custom 
channels as you wish (add to the same list), should solve it:

#+begin_src bash
guix pull -C custom-channels.scm --profile=/tmp/myguix-and-channels 
--disable-authentication
#+end_src

See: 
https://guix.gnu.org/manual/en/html_node/Using-a-Custom-Guix-Channel.html

You can then source the profile, and after that either reconfigure your 
system as normal, or I suppose guix deploy will use the current profile 
so that should also work:

#+begin_src bash
GUIX_PROFILE="/tmp/my-guix-and-channels"
. "$GUIX_PROFILE/etc/profile"
which -a guix
# should print /tmp/my-guix-and-channels/bin/guix
#+end_src

> 
> I briefly considered shipping a customized (gnu system pam) under a
> different name in my own channel, but the module is being consumed in
> too many places. Ideally, I would somehow shadow the official (gnu
> system pam). Thanks!

I wish "shadowing" specific files was possible too. Would really make 
hacking on guix much easier via custom channels.

Best regards,
David