From mboxrd@z Thu Jan 1 00:00:00 1970 From: Zachary Kanfer Subject: Is there a beginner's guide to using Guix with Scheme files? Date: Sun, 17 Apr 2016 00:15:12 -0400 Message-ID: Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary=001a113c55c0b0fb420530a67e87 Return-path: Received: from eggs.gnu.org ([2001:4830:134:3::10]:51946) by lists.gnu.org with esmtp (Exim 4.71) (envelope-from ) id 1are7S-0002Ti-6u for help-guix@gnu.org; Sun, 17 Apr 2016 00:15:35 -0400 Received: from Debian-exim by eggs.gnu.org with spam-scanned (Exim 4.71) (envelope-from ) id 1are7Q-0001Qy-Vz for help-guix@gnu.org; Sun, 17 Apr 2016 00:15:34 -0400 Received: from mail-yw0-x230.google.com ([2607:f8b0:4002:c05::230]:36300) by eggs.gnu.org with esmtp (Exim 4.71) (envelope-from ) id 1are7Q-0001Qu-Jb for help-guix@gnu.org; Sun, 17 Apr 2016 00:15:32 -0400 Received: by mail-yw0-x230.google.com with SMTP id o66so172938581ywc.3 for ; Sat, 16 Apr 2016 21:15:32 -0700 (PDT) List-Id: List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: List-Post: List-Help: List-Subscribe: , Errors-To: help-guix-bounces+gcggh-help-guix=m.gmane.org@gnu.org Sender: "Help-Guix" To: help-guix@gnu.org --001a113c55c0b0fb420530a67e87 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8 I recently installed Guix, and I must admit I'm feeling somewhat lost. My goal is to not run `guix package -i` manually, but have a scheme file with my entire system configuration in it, and run `guix package -f /path/to/that/file` to install the programs I want on my computer. I think what I want to start with is here ( http://www.gnu.org/software/guix/manual/guix.html#Programming-Interface), but I'm not sure. Looking at it is somewhat confusing, for a few reasons. I'm going to list what I see when reading this in hopes that the documentation can be improved. 1. It starts by discussing how to "define new packages". I would expect that I would only want to *use* packages, and that this would be done by the person adding the package to the software repository. 2. The example given looks like a very complicated way of installing a simple package. There are many properties I don't care about when I'm installing software (homepage, synopsis /and/ description), and things I don't want to care about (arguments, inputs, build-system). To install a package on the command line, it's something simple like "apt-get install emacs". To use Guix, I have to write a 20-line program with a bunch of settings? 3. It goes on to discuss importing other people's package definitions ( http://www.gnu.org/software/guix/manual/guix.html#Invoking-guix-import). But it doesn't say how to do this in a Scheme file. I want my setup to be in a Scheme file, not in a bunch of commands I have to manually run. 4. It discusses running `guix build` to use the package definitions. This appears to be different than `guix package -i`, but I'm at a loss to say how. Am I missing a useful page somewhere in the documentation? Do I have some wrong assumptions about how Guix is used? Thanks for any help. -Zachary --001a113c55c0b0fb420530a67e87 Content-Type: text/html; charset=UTF-8 Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
I recently installed Gu= ix, and I must admit I'm feeling somewhat lost. My goal is to not run `= guix package -i` manually, but have a scheme file with my entire system con= figuration in it, and run `guix package -f /path/to/that/file` to install t= he programs I want on my computer.

I think what I want to star= t with is here (http://www.gnu.org/software/guix/manual/guix.html#= Programming-Interface), but I'm not sure. Looking at it is somewhat= confusing, for a few reasons. I'm going to list what I see when readin= g this in hopes that the documentation can be improved.

<= /div>1. It starts by discussing how to "define new packages". I w= ould expect that I would only want to *use* packages, and that this would b= e done by the person adding the package to the software repository.

=
2. The example given looks like a very complicated way of installing = a simple package. There are many properties I don't care about when I&#= 39;m installing software (homepage, synopsis /and/ description), and things= I don't want to care about (arguments, inputs, build-system). To insta= ll a package on the command line, it's something simple like "apt-= get install emacs". To use Guix, I have to write a 20-line program wit= h a bunch of settings?

3. It goes on to discuss importing othe= r people's package definitions (http://www.gnu.org/software/gui= x/manual/guix.html#Invoking-guix-import). But it doesn't say how to= do this in a Scheme file. I want my setup to be in a Scheme file, not in a= bunch of commands I have to manually run.

4. It discusses run= ning `guix build` to use the package definitions. This appears to be differ= ent than `guix package -i`, but I'm at a loss to say how.

= Am I missing a useful page somewhere in the documentation? Do I have some w= rong assumptions about how Guix is used? Thanks for any help.

= -Zachary
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