<refentry xmlns="http://docbook.org/ns/docbook" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" xmlns:xi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XInclude" xml:id="sec-nix-install-package"> <refmeta> <refentrytitle>nix-install-package</refentrytitle> <manvolnum>1</manvolnum> <refmiscinfo class="source">Nix</refmiscinfo> <refmiscinfo class="version"><xi:include href="version.txt" parse="text"/></refmiscinfo> </refmeta> <refnamediv> <refname>nix-install-package</refname> <refpurpose>install a Nix Package file</refpurpose> </refnamediv> <refsynopsisdiv> <cmdsynopsis> <command>nix-install-package</command> <arg><option>--non-interactive</option></arg> <arg> <group choice='req'> <arg choice='plain'><option>--profile</option></arg> <arg choice='plain'><option>-p</option></arg> </group> <replaceable>path</replaceable> </arg> <sbr /> <group choice='req'> <arg choice='req'> <option>--url</option> <arg choice='plain'><replaceable>url</replaceable></arg> </arg> <arg choice='req'> <arg choice='plain'><replaceable>file</replaceable></arg> </arg> </group> </cmdsynopsis> </refsynopsisdiv> <refsection><title>Description</title> <para>The command <command>nix-install-package</command> interactively installs a Nix Package file (<filename>*.nixpkg</filename>), which is a small file that contains a store path to be installed along with the URL of a <link linkend="sec-nix-push"><command>nix-push</command> manifest</link>. The Nix Package file is either <replaceable>file</replaceable>, or automatically downloaded from <replaceable>url</replaceable> if the <option>--url</option> switch is used.</para> <para><command>nix-install-package</command> is used in <link linkend="sec-one-click">one-click installs</link> to download and install pre-built binary packages with all necessary dependencies. <command>nix-install-package</command> is intended to be associated with the MIME type <literal>application/nix-package</literal> in a web browser so that it is invoked automatically when you click on <filename>*.nixpkg</filename> files. When invoked, it restarts itself in a terminal window (since otherwise it would be invisible when run from a browser), asks the user to confirm whether to install the package, and if so downloads and installs the package into the user’s current profile.</para> <para>To obtain a window, <command>nix-install-package</command> tries to restart itself with <command>xterm</command>, <command>konsole</command> and <command>gnome-terminal</command>.</para> </refsection> <refsection><title>Options</title> <variablelist> <varlistentry><term><option>--non-interactive</option></term> <listitem><para>Do not open a new terminal window and do not ask for confirmation.</para></listitem> </varlistentry> <varlistentry><term><option>--profile</option></term> <term><option>-p</option></term> <listitem><para>Install the package into the specified profile rather than the user’s current profile.</para></listitem> </varlistentry> </variablelist> </refsection> <refsection><title>Examples</title> <para>To install <filename>subversion-1.4.0.nixpkg</filename> into the user’s current profile, without any prompting: <screen> $ nix-install-package --non-interactive subversion-1.4.0.nixpkg</screen> </para> <para>To install the same package from some URL into a different profile: <screen> $ nix-install-package --non-interactive -p /nix/var/nix/profiles/eelco \ --url http://nix.cs.uu.nl/dist/nix/nixpkgs-0.10pre6622/pkgs/subversion-1.4.0-i686-linux.nixpkg</screen> </para> </refsection> <refsection><title>Format of <literal>nixpkg</literal> files</title> <para>A Nix Package file consists of a single line with the following format: <screen> NIXPKG1 <replaceable>manifestURL</replaceable> <replaceable>name</replaceable> <replaceable>system</replaceable> <replaceable>drvPath</replaceable> <replaceable>outPath</replaceable></screen> The elements are as follows: <variablelist> <varlistentry><term><literal>NIXPKG1</literal></term> <listitem><para>The version of the Nix Package file.</para></listitem> </varlistentry> <varlistentry><term><replaceable>manifestURL</replaceable></term> <listitem><para>The manifest to be pulled by <command>nix-pull</command>. The manifest must contain <replaceable>outPath</replaceable>.</para></listitem> </varlistentry> <varlistentry><term><replaceable>name</replaceable></term> <listitem><para>The symbolic name and version of the package.</para></listitem> </varlistentry> <varlistentry><term><replaceable>system</replaceable></term> <listitem><para>The platform identifier of the platform for which this binary package is intended.</para></listitem> </varlistentry> <varlistentry><term><replaceable>drvPath</replaceable></term> <listitem><para>The path in the Nix store of the derivation from which <replaceable>outPath</replaceable> was built. Not currently used.</para></listitem> </varlistentry> <varlistentry><term><replaceable>outPath</replaceable></term> <listitem><para>The path in the Nix store of the package. After <command>nix-install-package</command> has obtained the manifest from <replaceable>manifestURL</replaceable>, it performs a <literal>nix-env -i</literal> <replaceable>outPath</replaceable> to install the binary package.</para></listitem> </varlistentry> </variablelist> </para> <para>An example follows: <screen> NIXPKG1 http://.../nixpkgs-0.10pre6622/MANIFEST subversion-1.4.0 i686-darwin \ /nix/store/4kh60jkp...-subversion-1.4.0.drv \ /nix/store/nkw7wpgb...-subversion-1.4.0</screen> (The line breaks (<literal>\</literal>) are for presentation purposes and not part of the actual file.) </para> </refsection> </refentry>