GuixSD distro detection during configuration

GuixSD distro detection during configuration

[phodina via]

Hi,
what is the best way to detect the GuixSD OS during the build?

I encountered the problem during build of realmd in the configure.ac [1].

Some distros have special file in /etc. So my first idea was to use /etc/config.scm. However, this is not visible during the package build.

Therefore I went with the /gnu/store. This works but I'm interested if there isn't even a better option.
[1] https://github.com/freedesktop/realmd/blob/master/configure.ac

Re: GuixSD distro detection during configuration

[Ricardo Wurmus]

phodina via <help-guix@gnu.org> writes:

> Hi,
> what is the best way to detect the GuixSD OS during the build?

Why is distro detection desirable?  I often found myself trying to 
work around buggy distro detection.

(BTW: it’s called “Guix System”, not “GuixSD”.)

> I encountered the problem during build of realmd in the 
> configure.ac [1].
>
> Some distros have special file in /etc. So my first idea was to 
> use /etc/config.scm. However, this is not visible during the 
> package build.

It is also not necessary to have /etc/config.scm.  I, for example, 
have all my system configurations in a different directory.

> Therefore I went with the /gnu/store. This works but I'm 
> interested if there isn't even a better option.
> [1] 
> https://github.com/freedesktop/realmd/blob/master/configure.ac

Guix is often used on top of other distros, so the presence of 
/gnu/store is not enough to be sure that the distro is Guix 
System.


-- 
Ricardo

Re: GuixSD distro detection during configuration

[phodina]

Hi Ricardo,

> phodina via help-guix@gnu.org writes:
>
> > Hi,
> >
> > what is the best way to detect the GuixSD OS during the build?
>
> Why is distro detection desirable? I often found myself trying to
>
> work around buggy distro detection.
>
> (BTW: it’s called “Guix System”, not “GuixSD”.)
>
Well it's not exactly desirable but the configure script wants to know in order to copy the correct files.

My idea was to create a patch with Guix System support and submit it upstream.

> > I encountered the problem during build of realmd in the
> >
> > configure.ac [1].
> >
> > Some distros have special file in /etc. So my first idea was to
> >
> > use /etc/config.scm. However, this is not visible during the
> >
> > package build.
>
> It is also not necessary to have /etc/config.scm. I, for example,
>
> have all my system configurations in a different directory.

True, I also have there just a symlink but it's not mandatory.
>
> > Therefore I went with the /gnu/store. This works but I'm
> >
> > interested if there isn't even a better option.
> >
> > [1]
> >
> > https://github.com/freedesktop/realmd/blob/master/configure.ac
>
> Guix is often used on top of other distros, so the presence of
>
> /gnu/store is not enough to be sure that the distro is Guix
>
> System.
>

Yes it can be the case it's installed on a foreign distro.
>
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> Ricardo

Well in that case I agree with you that it's not desirable to use buggy distro detection and the result will be therefore to keep the patch with the pkg definition.