Do not require global nix installation

[Profpatsch]

Based on the discussion in #54, we should enable rules_nixpkgs to use a local installation of nix that is bound to the bazel workspace somehow.

Other relevant issues: NixOS/nix#1973, bazelbuild/bazel#6994

[reddaly]

What makes this hard?

For my use case, all I want to use nix for is to pull in the pg_dump binary from postgresql. This binary is needed by a Go library that dumps the schema of a database.

[facundominguez]

Hello! Someone shared a contribution to clodl (tweag/clodl#48) to make it work with a non-global nix installation.

I don't have much of an opinion on how it should be implemented, but as a user of rules_nixpgs I would prefer for it to be handled upstream (I'm the typical user, aren't I? 😛).

If you have a clue, your input would be welcome. Is this something possible and desirable to do in rules_nixpkgs?

[aherrmann]

I've added a comment to the clodl PR tweag/clodl#48 (comment)

[filmil]

Hello! Someone shared a contribution to clodl (tweag/clodl#48) to make it work with a non-global nix installation.

Hi. I'm that someone. :)

This now seems to work on Linux and does not seem too onerous, see tweag/clodl#48 (comment) for details.
While the contribution is for clodl this should work on any other project that uses rules_nixpkgs.

Sorry folks, mac is not supported, because nix-portable, which is the main workhorse, doesn't seem to support mac.
And that showstopper may be hiding more issues.

Do give it a test drive on Linux if so inclined.
It's not overly user-friendly at the moment, so I ask for your patience if you do decide to try it.
There are some rough edges that I am aware of, but do send your findings.

[uri-canva]

Sorry folks, mac is not supported, because nix-portable, which is the main workhorse, doesn't seem to support mac.
And that showstopper may be hiding more issues.

https://github.com/nixie-dev/nixie exists for macOS, but I haven't tried it. Not sure if it's a viable path forward, or if it's not, if it can help shake out some of those hidden issues, though it might not be worth addressing any hidden issues if there's no viable path forward on macOS.

[filmil]

Patches are most welcome. You may want to start by adding a mac presubmit check, to ensure that things keep working.

…

On Wed, May 22, 2024 at 8:51 AM Uri Baghin ***@***.***> wrote: Sorry folks, mac is not supported, because nix-portable <https://github.com/DavHau/nix-portable>, which is the main workhorse, doesn't seem to support mac. And that showstopper may be hiding more issues. https://github.com/nixie-dev/nixie exists for macOS, but I haven't tried it. Not sure if it's a viable path forward, or if it's not, if it can help shake out some of those hidden issues, though it might not be worth addressing any hidden issues if there's no viable path forward on macOS. — Reply to this email directly, view it on GitHub <#75 (comment)>, or unsubscribe <https://github.com/notifications/unsubscribe-auth/AAB4GMHLG3ZQQGKRXDLO5R3ZDS5I7AVCNFSM4G5BQIEKU5DIOJSWCZC7NNSXTN2JONZXKZKDN5WW2ZLOOQ5TEMJSGUYTGNJZGE4A> . You are receiving this because you commented.Message ID: ***@***.***>