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getDefaultSubstituters() failing to open a store should warn with context #1034

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opened 2025-11-16 00:49:51 +00:00 by raito · 1 comment
raito commented 2025-11-16 00:49:51 +00:00
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Describe the bug

If, for some reason, a substituer cannot be opened, we emit a logWarning(e.info()), but this warning has no context.

Steps To Reproduce

  1. Render .cache impossible to write, by having HOME=/var/empty
  2. Try to substitute from https://cache.nixos.org
  3. See /var/empty/.cache: Read-only filesystem with no context.
  4. Spend 5 hours like Raito on this.

Expected behavior

Warning should occur with a clear context.

nix --version output

2.93.3, 2.94.0-dev affected. (probably all Lix versions)

## Describe the bug If, for some reason, a substituer cannot be opened, we emit a `logWarning(e.info())`, but this warning has no context. ## Steps To Reproduce 1. Render `.cache` impossible to write, by having `HOME=/var/empty` 2. Try to substitute from `https://cache.nixos.org` 3. See `/var/empty/.cache: Read-only filesystem` with no context. 4. Spend 5 hours like Raito on this. ## Expected behavior Warning should occur with a clear context. ## `nix --version` output 2.93.3, 2.94.0-dev affected. (probably all Lix versions)
lix-bot commented 2025-11-24 11:43:33 +00:00
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This issue was mentioned on Gerrit on the following CLs:

  • commit message in cl/4640 ("libstore/getDefaultSubstituters: Add information when a substituters cannot be setup")
<!-- GERRIT_LINKBOT: {"cls": [{"backlink": "https://gerrit.lix.systems/c/lix/+/4640", "number": 4640, "kind": "commit message"}], "cl_meta": {"4640": {"change_title": "libstore/getDefaultSubstituters: Add information when a substituters cannot be setup"}}} --> This issue was mentioned on Gerrit on the following CLs: * commit message in [cl/4640](https://gerrit.lix.systems/c/lix/+/4640) ("libstore/getDefaultSubstituters: Add information when a substituters cannot be setup")
raito added this to the 2.95 milestone 2025-12-01 14:59:44 +00:00
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Affects/CppNix

Probably affects CppNix. This is a best-effort tag for troubles in old code; it exists to inform the CppNix team about problems they might care about also.

  
Affects/Nightly

Found in Lix nightly.

  
Affects/Only nightly

Tag for regressions in Lix nightly. We intend to fix all of these prior to releases.

  
Affects/Stable

Affects the stable release of Lix. Usually such issues affect nightly too but there is no guarantee.

  
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regarding the building or packaging of Lix itself

  
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The command line interface of Lix

  
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libexpr and anything else related to the evaluation of Nix expressions

  
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Fetching sources or other materials from the World Wide Web in Lix

  
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language design, features, extensions, etc

  
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Lix's own CI and deployment pipeline

  
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nix-eval-jobs for Lix

  
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profiles: nix-env, nix profile, and installer flavors all alike

  
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remote builds

  
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This issue contains all the necessary information to do a drive-by contribution: that is, you don't have to talk with anyone at all to successfully solve it!

  
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crash 💥

Lix crashes (possibly bad error handling)

  
Cross Compilation

   
devx

development experience issues

  
diagnostics

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docs

requires or is about documentation changes

  
Downstream Dependents

regarding an external tool's usage with Lix (e.g. nix-eval-jobs)

  
E/easy

bug is relatively simple and could simply be fixed with some minor effort

  
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this issue should probably be solved with close involvement of an expert

  
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maintainers may not get to this soon, but we want it fixed

  
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this bug cannot be fixed properly without fixing a known architectural flaw

  
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Issue imported from upstream nix (please do not remove this label, it will cause dupes if import is rerun)

  
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We can't get to this until we implement language versioning

  
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Affects specifically Lix on Linux

  
OS/macOS

Affects specifically Lix on macOS

  
performance

make lix go faster

  
regression

This is a regression since some previous version of Lix

  
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We can't finish a release without this, but HEAD is okay

  
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Disruptive AND blocking release. Something must be done!

  
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Fixing this makes the software more stable

  
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We chose not to change this (see issue comments for more detail).

  
testing

Tests that should be added

  
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Tests that are unreliable/flakey (not to be confused with flakes that test)

  
Topic/Large Scale Installations

Large scale installations of Lix, e.g. NixOS Hydra, Lix CI, big corporate installations etc.

  
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ux

makes the user experience better :)

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lix-project/lix#1034
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