Installing system with packages, sysconfig.scm syntax

Installing system with packages, sysconfig.scm syntax

[白い熊 @相撲道]

I'm trying to understand the sysconfig.scm syntax to specify when clean installing the system or running “guix system reconfigure”. 

In the manual I've seen the example with Emacs. But I don't understand why there's: 

(use-modules (gnu)
             (gnu packages emacs)

and then in the operating-system section

(packages (cons emacs %base-packages))

Let's just say I want to reconfigure the system with packages emacs, mc, xmodmap, and xterm installed for user joe. What do I put in the sysconfig.scm? I've tried many combinations, but can't accomplish this simple task. 

I understand I can install the system with a working sysconfig.scm and then install the packages manually via “guix package -i” but I think they all can be defined in sysconfig.scm, just can't figure out how, even though I'm trying to get hints in the manual. Or am I wrong in this? 

Also, when installing from the USB, after booting the USB, can I “guix pull” and then install the system? Or do I have to first install, then boot it, then “guix pull”, meaning I couldn't maybe put all package definitions in the install sysconfig.scm, as the packages might not be available before “guix pull”? 


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白い熊 @相撲道

Re: Installing system with packages, sysconfig.scm syntax

[Ludovic Courtès]

"白い熊 @相撲道" <guix-devel_gnu.org@sumou.com> skribis:

> I'm trying to understand the sysconfig.scm syntax to specify when clean installing the system or running “guix system reconfigure”. 
>
> In the manual I've seen the example with Emacs. But I don't understand why there's: 
>
> (use-modules (gnu)
>              (gnu packages emacs)
>
> and then in the operating-system section
>
> (packages (cons emacs %base-packages))
>
> Let's just say I want to reconfigure the system with packages emacs, mc, xmodmap, and xterm installed for user joe. What do I put in the sysconfig.scm? I've tried many combinations, but can't accomplish this simple task. 

The ‘packages’ field describes packages that will be in the global
profile–i.e., /run/current-system/profile.  These are visible from every
user account.

There’s currently no way to describe how to populate a specific user’s
profile.  It would be hard to integrate with the ‘guix package -i’
approach anyway.

> Also, when installing from the USB, after booting the USB, can I “guix pull” and then install the system? Or do I have to first install, then boot it, then “guix pull”, meaning I couldn't maybe put all package definitions in the install sysconfig.scm, as the packages might not be available before “guix pull”? 

Both should work.  On the USB image, make sure to start the ‘cow-store’
service to avoid storing everything in RAM.

HTH,
Ludo’.