Re: Reuse package output for new package

[jbranso@dismail.de]

September 13, 2022 12:28 AM, "phodina via" <help-guix@gnu.org> wrote:

> Hi,
> 
> is there a way to create a new package by reusing the output of the original derivation and just
> add files to the new package into the new output?
> 
> The usecase is PhotoGimp [1] which is set of files which are added to an already built gimp
> package.
> 

Huh, I've never heard of this.  But that's an awesome use case!

> There standard way is to inherit the package and add these files but that will result in rebuilt,
> right?

I believe that it would, but I'm not the genius guix hacker that
*insert the name of a genius guix hacker here*.

> Alternative idea is to use copy-build-system and copy the already created package files into the
> output. Then just add additional files.
> 
> However, there's also a draw back if the original package contains hardcoded variable. But this
> would be only problem if I specify something in the #:phases, correct?
> 
> The main idea here is to save the computing resources on packages that take long time and their
> behviour can be changed by plugins/config files etc.
> 
> Of course the simplest way to use [1] it is to unpack the content of the home dir but IMHO that's
> not the correct way how to package this program.
> 
> [1] https://github.com/Diolinux/PhotoGIMP
> 
> ----
> Petr

I say give one of your methods a try.  Post some code back here when you run into
trouble.  :)

Joshua