In the Nix language, given a drv path, we should be able to construct
another string referencing to one of its output. We can do this today
with `(import drvPath).output`, but this only works for derivations we
already have.
With dynamic derivations, however, that doesn't work well because the
`drvPath` isn't yet built: importing it like would need to trigger IFD,
when the whole point of this feature is to do "dynamic build graph"
without IFD!
Instead, what we want to do is create a placeholder value with the right
string context to refer to the output of the as-yet unbuilt derivation.
A new primop in the language, analogous to `builtins.placeholder` can be
used to create one. This will achieve all the right properties. The
placeholder machinery also will match out the `outPath` attribute for CA
derivations works.
In 60b7121d2c we added that type of
placeholder, and the derived path and string holder changes necessary to
support it. Then in the previous commit we cleaned up the code
(inspiration finally hit me!) to deduplicate the code and expose exactly
what we need. Now, we can wire up the primop trivally!
Part of RFC 92: dynamic derivations (tracking issue #6316)
Co-authored-by: Robert Hensing <roberth@users.noreply.github.com>
We want to be able to write down `foo.drv^bar.drv^baz`:
`foo.drv^bar.drv` is the dynamic derivation (since it is itself a
derivation output, `bar.drv` from `foo.drv`).
To that end, we create `Single{Derivation,BuiltPath}` types, that are
very similar except instead of having multiple outputs (in a set or
map), they have a single one. This is for everything to the left of the
rightmost `^`.
`NixStringContextElem` has an analogous change, and now can reuse
`SingleDerivedPath` at the top level. In fact, if we ever get rid of
`DrvDeep`, `NixStringContextElem` could be replaced with
`SingleDerivedPath` entirely!
Important note: some JSON formats have changed.
We already can *produce* dynamic derivations, but we can't refer to them
directly. Today, we can merely express building or example at the top
imperatively over time by building `foo.drv^bar.drv`, and then with a
second nix invocation doing `<result-from-first>^baz`, but this is not
declarative. The ethos of Nix of being able to write down the full plan
everything you want to do, and then execute than plan with a single
command, and for that we need the new inductive form of these types.
Co-authored-by: Robert Hensing <roberth@users.noreply.github.com>
Co-authored-by: Valentin Gagarin <valentin.gagarin@tweag.io>
When loading a derivation from a JSON, malformed input would trigger
cryptic "assertion failed" errors. Simply replacing calls to `operator []`
with calls to `.at()` was not enough, as this would cause json.execptions
to be printed verbatim.
Display nice error messages instead and give some indication where the
error happened.
*Before:*
```
$ echo 4 | nix derivation add
error: [json.exception.type_error.305] cannot use operator[] with a string argument with number
$ nix derivation show nixpkgs#hello | nix derivation add
Assertion failed: (it != m_value.object->end()), function operator[], file /nix/store/8h9pxgq1776ns6qi5arx08ifgnhmgl22-nlohmann_json-3.11.2/include/nlohmann/json.hpp, line 2135.
$ nix derivation show nixpkgs#hello | jq '.[] | .name = 5' | nix derivation add
error: [json.exception.type_error.302] type must be string, but is object
$ nix derivation show nixpkgs#hello | jq '.[] | .outputs = { out: "/nix/store/8j3f8j-hello" }' | nix derivation add
error: [json.exception.type_error.302] type must be object, but is string
```
*After:*
```
$ echo 4 | nix derivation add
error: Expected JSON of derivation to be of type 'object', but it is of type 'number'
$ nix derivation show nixpkgs#hello | nix derivation add
error: Expected JSON object to contain key 'name' but it doesn't
$ nix derivation show nixpkgs#hello | jq '.[] | .name = 5' | nix derivation add
error: Expected JSON value to be of type 'string' but it is of type 'number'
$ nix derivation show nixpkgs#hello | jq '.[] | .outputs = { out: "/nix/store/8j3f8j-hello" }' | nix derivation add
error:
… while reading key 'outputs'
error: Expected JSON value to be of type 'object' but it is of type 'string'
```
Over the last year or so I've run into several use cases where I need to
parse and/or serialize URLs for use by `builtins.fetchTree` or
`builtins.getFlake`, largely in order to produce _lockfile-like_ files
for lang2nix frameworks or tools which use `nix` internally to drive
builds.
I've gone through the painstaking process of emulating
`nix::FlakeRef::fromAttrs` and `nix::parseFlakeRef` several times with
mixed success; but these are difficult to create and even harder to
maintain if I hope to stay aligned with changes to the real
parser/serializer.
I understand why adding new `builtins` isn't something we want to do
flagrantly. I'm recommending this addition simply because I keep
encountering use cases where I need to parse/serialize these URIs in
`nix` expressions, and I want a reliable solution.
Co-authored-by: Eelco Dolstra <edolstra@gmail.com>
Co-authored-by: John Ericson <git@JohnEricson.me>
* clarify wording on args@ default handling
Most importantly use shorter sentences and emphasize the key point that defaults aren't taken into account
Co-authored-by: Robert Hensing <roberth@users.noreply.github.com>
Co-authored-by: John Ericson <git@JohnEricson.me>
this is a how-to guide which should not be in the reference manual.
it also refers to `nix-env`, which should not be the first thing readers
of the reference manual encounter, as it behaves very differently in
spirit from the rest of Nix.
slightly reword the documentation to be more concise and informative.
Grouping our tests should make it easier to understand the intent than
one long poorly-arranged list. It also is convenient for running just
the tests for a specific component when working on that component.
We need at least one test group so this isn't dead code; I decided to
collect the tests for the `ca-derivations` and `dynamic-derivations`
experimental features in groups. Do
```bash
make ca.test-group -jN
```
and
```bash
make dyn-drv.test-group -jN
```
to try running just them.
I originally did this as part of #8397 for being able to just the local
overlay store alone. I am PRing it separately now so we can separate
general infra from new features.
Co-authored-by: Valentin Gagarin <valentin.gagarin@tweag.io>
Robert Hensing