Fast `guix environment --container' switch

[Pierre Neidhardt]

Hi Guix!

`guix environment --container ... -- my-foo-program` is great but a bit
slow to start.

Is there a way to speed this up?

I know that without --container, one can use --root to create a link and
source the etc/profile from there.

Is it possible to switch to such a root in a container?

Alternatively, how do you load a etc/profile purely, i.e. without
inheriting from the parent environment, just like --pure does?

Cheers!

-- 
Pierre Neidhardt
https://ambrevar.xyz/


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Re: Fast `guix environment --container' switch

[zimoun]

Hi Pierre,

On Wed, 09 Dec 2020 at 10:40, Pierre Neidhardt  wrote:

> `guix environment --container ... -- my-foo-program` is great but a bit
> slow to start.
>
> Is there a way to speed this up?

I get, cold cache:

--8<---cut here---start->8---
$ sudo sh -c 'echo 3 > /proc/sys/vm/drop_caches'
$ time guix environment --container --ad-hoc hello -- hello
Hello, world!

real0m2.815s
user0m1.852s
sys 0m0.238s

$ sudo sh -c 'echo 3 > /proc/sys/vm/drop_caches'
$ time guix environment --pure --ad-hoc hello -- hello
Hello, world!

real0m2.656s
user0m1.733s
sys 0m0.240s
--8<---cut here---end--->8---

and warm cache:

--8<---cut here---start->8---
$ time guix environment --container --ad-hoc hello -- hello
Hello, world!

real0m1.399s
user0m1.544s
sys 0m0.104s

$ time guix environment --pure --ad-hoc hello -- hello
Hello, world!

real0m1.250s
user0m1.492s
sys 0m0.094s
--8<---cut here---end--->8---


Do you have examples where the difference is significant?


All the best,
simon

Re: Fast `guix environment --container' switch

[Pierre Neidhardt]

Hi Simon,

Maybe a misunderstanding, the question is not about --pure.  I'd like a
`containerized hello' to start about as fast as non-containerized
`hello', without the 1 s overhead.

Cheers!

-- 
Pierre Neidhardt
https://ambrevar.xyz/


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Re: Fast `guix environment --container' switch

[zimoun]

Hi,

On Wed, 09 Dec 2020 at 11:13, Pierre Neidhardt  wrote:

> Maybe a misunderstanding, the question is not about --pure.  I'd like a
> `containerized hello' to start about as fast as non-containerized
> `hello', without the 1 s overhead.

Which 1s overhead?

The overhead between --pure and --container is 0.2s in both cases, which
is linux namespace creation and co.

Thereofore, on my machine, «“containerized hello” starts as fast as
“non-containerized hello”», with a 0.2s overhead.  So I am missing what
you are asking. :-)

I guess, in some case, this overhead is bigger.  That’s why I asked if
you have examples.


Cheers,
simon

Re: Fast `guix environment --container' switch

[Pierre Neidhardt]

`guix environment` incurs an overhead:

--8<---cut here---start->8---
time /gnu/store/a462kby1q51ndvxdv3b6p0rsixxrgx1h-hello-2.10/bin/hello
Hello, world!

real0m0.002s
user0m0.002s
sys 0m0.000s
--8<---cut here---end--->8---

--8<---cut here---start->8---
$ time guix environment --ad-hoc hello -- hello
Hello, world!

real0m0.921s
user0m1.003s
sys 0m0.091s
--8<---cut here---end--->8---

It's possible to bypass this overhead by using --root:

--8<---cut here---start->8---
$ guix environment --ad-hoc hello --root=foo
[env]$ exit

$ source foo/etc/profile && time hello
Hello, world!

real0m0.003s
user0m0.003s
sys 0m0.000s
--8<---cut here---end--->8---

The above `source' is of course not containerized.

So is it possible to use a similar trick to run something containerized
"instantly", i.e.  with less than, say, 100ms overhead?

-- 
Pierre Neidhardt
https://ambrevar.xyz/


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Re: Fast `guix environment --container' switch

[zimoun]

On Wed, 09 Dec 2020 at 11:55, Pierre Neidhardt  wrote:
> `guix environment` incurs an overhead:
>
> --8<---cut here---start->8---
> time /gnu/store/a462kby1q51ndvxdv3b6p0rsixxrgx1h-hello-2.10/bin/hello
> Hello, world!
>
> real  0m0.002s
> user  0m0.002s
> sys   0m0.000s
> --8<---cut here---end--->8---
>
> --8<---cut here---start->8---
> $ time guix environment --ad-hoc hello -- hello
> Hello, world!
>
> real  0m0.921s
> user  0m1.003s
> sys   0m0.091s
> --8<---cut here---end--->8---
>
> It's possible to bypass this overhead by using --root:

It by-passes the computations of derivations and profiles.  Somehow,
using --root is using a precomputed profile. IIUC.

> So is it possible to use a similar trick to run something containerized
> "instantly", i.e.  with less than, say, 100ms overhead?

I see, you would like to be able to run a profile in container, right?
Somehow, it is similar to the wanted [1], IIUC.

1: 


Cheers,
simon

Re: NAS drive

[Roy Lemmon]

Hi,

So I'm afraid it still doesn't work. Though with the following there are at
least no errors.

Here is the top section of the .scm file.

Cheers
Roy


config.scm
***

(use-modules (gnu))
(use-package-modules nfs emacs-xyz)
(use-service-modules desktop networking ssh xorg mail docker)

(operating-system

  (setuid-programs
   (cons*
(file-append nfs-utils "/sbin/mount.nfs")
%setuid-programs))

 (locale "en_GB.utf8")
 (host-name "parton")
 (timezone "Europe/London")

 (keyboard-layout (keyboard-layout "gb" "extd"))

  (bootloader
(bootloader-configuration
  (bootloader grub-efi-bootloader)
  (target "/boot/efi")
  (keyboard-layout keyboard-layout)))

 cont.

On Tue, Dec 8, 2020 at 6:46 PM Tobias Geerinckx-Rice  wrote:

> Roy Lemmon 写道：
> > Sorry but it's been a long day ...
>
> Here too :-)
>
> > I have to specify the nfs package don't I ?
>
> The ‘NFS package’ in
>
>   (file-append nfs-utils "/sbin/mount.nfs")
>
> is nfs-utils, which is a variable defined in the (gnu packages
> nfs) Guile module.
>
> As you note, modules need to be imported first, which is what
>
> > (use-modules (gnu packages nfs))
> > (use-service-modules desktop networking ssh xorg mail)
>
> does.  This is the correct variant for your use case: you care
> only about the package which provides mount.nfs to clients, not
> about the server which is what (gnu services nfs) provides.
>
> Aside: the above snippet is completely equivalent to both:
>
>   (use-modules (gnu packages nfs))
>   (use-modules (gnu services desktop)
>(gnu services networking)
>(gnu services ssh)
>(gnu services xorg)
>(gnu services mail))
>
> and
>
>   (use-package-modules nfs)
>   (use-service-modules desktop networking ssh xorg mail)
>
> USE-{PACKAGE,SERVICE}-MODULES is Guix-specific syntactic sugar
> that saves a lot of space and typing when you're importing many
> package & service modules, as most people do.
>
> Kind regards,
>
> T G-R
>


-- 

Roy Lemmon
STFC Daresbury Laboratory
United Kingdom

Can I easily install GNU Emacs 27.1.50 via Guix?

[Jorge P. de Morais Neto]

Hi.  For GNU Emacs I manually compile the latest code from the emacs-27
branch (and install it with GNU Stow).  That's because I want the latest
features and fixes, but I fear that the master branch could be
unreliable when used together with certain external packages such as
Notmuch.  When there's a pretest version of emacs-28, I intend to switch
to it---before it is stable---but first I'll ask on the Notmuch mailing
list.

The problem with locally compiling Emacs is that it doesn't see
Guix-installed Elisp packages.  I currently get packages from ELPA (GNU,
Org, Melpa and Melpa-Stable) but the last two have ethical problems, so
I would prefer to get my packages via Guix.  I haven't yet studied Guix
packaging, however, so I need an easy solution.  So is it possible and
easy to get Emacs 27.1.50 via Guix?

Regards

-- 
- 
- If an email of mine arrives at your spam box, please notify me.
- Please adopt free/libre formats like PDF, ODF, Org, LaTeX, Opus, WebM and 7z.
- Free/libre software for Replicant, LineageOS and Android: https://f-droid.org
- [[https://www.gnu.org/philosophy/free-sw.html][What is free software?]]

Re: NAS hardware recommendations

[david larsson]

On 2020-12-08 16:51, Pierre Neidhardt wrote:

Hi Guix!

Has anyone had luck installing Guix on a NAS?
If so, which one?

If not, which NAS hardware would you recommend?
I'm looking for

- something as open as possible;
- 3-4 bays;
- lowest consumption possible;
- Btrfs support.

Any tips?

Cheers!


Ive always wanted a GnuBee which is very open. Idle power is 11.64 W. 
There is both a 3.5" and 2.5" version - it has a MIPS processor though. 
Also, I don't know if you can actually still order them anywhere:


https://www.crowdsupply.com/gnubee/personal-cloud-1

Guix has some old support for installing on MIPS:

https://lists.gnu.org/archive/html/guix-devel/2015-08/msg00500.html


Otherwise, the very open Vikings D8, has 6 SATA 300mb/s slots, but 
perhaps not really what you are looking for and it's pretty expensive.


https://store.vikings.net/libre-friendly-hardware/d8ryf



Best regards,
David

Re: NAS drive

[Tobias Geerinckx-Rice]

Roy,

Roy Lemmon 写道：

So I'm afraid it still doesn't work.


That's unfortunate :-(


Here is the top section of the .scm file.


I'm recompiling my kernel with NFS support to test you command for 
myself.


I wonder if it's because we configure util-linux with:

 "--enable-fs-paths-default=/run/current-system/profile/sbin"

If so the attached patch might help, but it's merely a total 
guess.


Kind regards,

T G-R

From 7d481e79076d8feb9e69fe0ca3a9eb1b3bb26573 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Tobias Geerinckx-Rice 
Date: Wed, 9 Dec 2020 22:03:47 +0100
Subject: [PATCH] gnu: util-linux: Support setuid mount helpers on Guix System.

* gnu/packages/linux.scm (util-linux)[argument]: Add /run/setuid-programs
to --enable-fs-paths-default.
---
 gnu/packages/linux.scm | 4 +++-
 1 file changed, 3 insertions(+), 1 deletion(-)

diff --git a/gnu/packages/linux.scm b/gnu/packages/linux.scm
index 3d36468172..03a1bcbf71 100644
--- a/gnu/packages/linux.scm
+++ b/gnu/packages/linux.scm
@@ -1513,7 +1513,9 @@ providing the system administrator with some help in common tasks.")
"static"))   ;2.9 MiB static .a libraries
 (arguments
  `(#:configure-flags (list "--disable-use-tty-group"
-   "--enable-fs-paths-default=/run/current-system/profile/sbin"
+   (string-append "--enable-fs-paths-default="
+  "/run/setuid-programs:"
+  "/run/current-system/profile/sbin")
;; Don't try to chown root:root mount and umount
"--disable-makeinstall-chown"
"--localstatedir=/var"
-- 
2.29.2



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help with emacs package

[Adam Kandur via]

hi everyone!
i'm trying to pack this https://melpa.org/#/roguel-ike
to do this, i wrote this package:
---
(define-public emacs-roguel-ike
  ;; tagged branch is outdated.
  (let ((revision "0")
    (commit "706dcb0687e8016d7d776f9d9e5ace9fdbbca43c"))
    (package
  (name "emacs-roguel-ike")
  (version (git-version "0.1.0" revision commit))
  (source
   (origin
 (method git-fetch)
 (uri (git-reference
       (url "https://github.com/stevenremot/roguel-ike";)
       (commit "master")))
 (file-name (git-file-name name version))
 (sha256
  (base32 "0rgv4y9aa5cc2ddz3y5z8d22xmr8kf5c60h0r3g8h91jmcw3rb4z"
  (build-system emacs-build-system)
  (home-page "https://github.com/stevenremot/roguel-ike.git";)
  (synopsis "Coffee-break roguelike for Emacs")
  (description "The goal of this project was to develop a coffee-break 
roguelike for Emacs.  
The complete game would allow the player to create various characters and to 
make them fulfill challenges like arena fight and short dungeon explorations.")
  (license license:gpl3
---

so, when i'm trying to build it i get this error:
---
starting phase `build'
Checking 
/gnu/store/fgzyhpkf1ysf7z4nynyqky8yp1idn5yc-emacs-roguel-ike-0.1.0-0.706dcb0/share/emacs/site-lisp/...
Compiling 
/gnu/store/fgzyhpkf1ysf7z4nynyqky8yp1idn5yc-emacs-roguel-ike-0.1.0-0.706dcb0/share/emacs/site-lisp/roguel-ike-autoloads.el...
Compiling 
/gnu/store/fgzyhpkf1ysf7z4nynyqky8yp1idn5yc-emacs-roguel-ike-0.1.0-0.706dcb0/share/emacs/site-lisp/roguel-ike.el...
../../../../../../tmp/guix-build-emacs-roguel-ike-0.1.0-0.706dcb0.drv-0/source/roguel-ike/hero-data.el:
 Obsolete name arg "Hero data" to constructor rlk--hero-data
Creating directory: Permission denied, /homeless-shelter
command 
"/gnu/store/k826y34z8zzjj57jv2nldmpw6vsdd145-emacs-minimal-27.1/bin/emacs" 
"--quick" "--batch" "--eval=(eval '(progn (setq byte-compile-debug t) 
(byte-recompile-directory (file-name-as-directory 
\"/gnu/store/fgzyhpkf1ysf7z4nynyqky8yp1idn5yc-emacs-roguel-ike-0.1.0-0.706dcb0/share/emacs/site-lisp\")
 0 1)) t)" failed with status 255
builder for 
`/gnu/store/c44xk4nzrmif59xqiwxmnb6w3vds9zsi-emacs-roguel-ike-0.1.0-0.706dcb0.drv'
 failed with exit code 1
build of 
/gnu/store/c44xk4nzrmif59xqiwxmnb6w3vds9zsi-emacs-roguel-ike-0.1.0-0.706dcb0.drv
 failed
View build log at 
'/var/log/guix/drvs/c4/4xk4nzrmif59xqiwxmnb6w3vds9zsi-emacs-roguel-ike-0.1.0-0.706dcb0.drv.bz2'.
guix build: error: build of 
`/gnu/store/c44xk4nzrmif59xqiwxmnb6w3vds9zsi-emacs-roguel-ike-0.1.0-0.706dcb0.drv'
 failed---

maybe somebody had same problem?