* A utility script `nix-build' that builds Nix expressions and prints

their output paths (and only that) on standard output.

scripts/Makefile.am

@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 bin_SCRIPTS = nix-collect-garbage \
   nix-pull nix-push nix-prefetch-url \
- nix-install-package nix-channel
+  nix-install-package nix-channel nix-build
 
 noinst_SCRIPTS = nix-profile.sh
 
@@ -21,4 +21,5 @@ EXTRA_DIST = nix-collect-garbage.in \
   nix-pull.in nix-push.in nix-profile.sh.in \
   nix-prefetch-url.in nix-install-package.in \
   nix-channel.in \
- prebuilts.conf readmanifest.pm.in
+  prebuilts.conf readmanifest.pm.in \
+  nix-build.in

scripts/nix-build.in

@@ -0,0 +1,23 @@
+#! @shell@ -e
+
+nixExpr=$1
+
+if test -z "$nixExpr"; then
+    echo "syntax: $0 NIX-EXPR..." >&2
+    exit 1
+fi
+
+extraArgs=
+
+for i in "$@"; do
+    case "$i" in
+        -*)
+            extraArgs="$extraArgs $i"
+            ;;
+        *)
+            storeExpr=$(nix-instantiate "$i")
+            echo "store expression is $storeExpr" >&2
+            nix-store -qnfv $extraArgs $storeExpr
+            ;;
+    esac
+done