Re: Guix as remote dev machine

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

On 2022-03-21 15:09, t@fullmeta.me wrote:
> Hi Guix.
> 
> I'm trying to come up with a reasonable way to use my Guix machine
> sitting in the attic as my remote development server. This presents
> several challenges. Locally I would typically follow these steps:
> 1. Create a project dir with guix.scm describing (possibly empty) 
> package
> 2. `guix shell` or start a container, with entire system if I need to
> e.g. run a db
> 3. start emacs from that shell or container forwarding to my main 
> DISPLAY
> 
> When attempting to do something similar remotely, you very quickly run
> into issues. X forwarding to a Linux machine kinda works, but sadly on
> OSX, which I have to use as a client, XQuartz X server implementation
> can't deal with hi DPI and the end result is miserable. Then there're
> potential rendering issues when your remote server doesn't even have a
> graphics card. We're sadly left with ssh + terminal Emacs. However,
> just ssh and then follow the above steps won't be enough. When your
> ssh session goes down, it'll take everything with it.
> 
> I hear you say `tmux`. I thought so too, but fresh `guix package -i
> tmux` gives me `Incorrect locale LC_all, LC_CTYPE or LANG` when I try
> to run it. Weird, seeing how this is attempted on Guix SD. No matter.
> Lets just go with `screen`, which seems to work. Then follow the above
> steps.
> 
> This sort of works and how I would imagine most people attempting this
> would end up with. It leaves me itchy though. I mean, do I even need
> that `screen` there when `emacs --daemon=name` exist? Latter will
> happily detach itself from your tty and persist across ssh sessions.
> Problem of course is the 2nd step above, which assumes we spawn a
> shell (possibly run a container, maybe even the entire system). I
> wonder if there's a way to avoid the intermediate `screen` or `tmux`
> completely. Way I understand it, `guix shell`, `guix shell -c` and
> `guix system --container` are Unix processes. Could they be detached
> or put under some group or smth? I mean, screen works ok, but I
> wonder.
> 
> Thanks

Hello Mr t!

I suggest checking out: guix search xpra

Then the Arch linux wiki has pretty good usage tutorial that could most 
likely work for forwarding of individual application windows. Im 
uncertain how it works for full desktop forwarding on Guix.

Best regards and good luck,
David