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diff --git a/doc/manual/src/expressions/arguments-variables.md b/doc/manual/src/expressions/arguments-variables.md deleted file mode 100644 index 12198c879..000000000 --- a/doc/manual/src/expressions/arguments-variables.md +++ /dev/null @@ -1,80 +0,0 @@ -# Arguments and Variables - -The [Nix expression for GNU Hello](expression-syntax.md) is a -function; it is missing some arguments that have to be filled in -somewhere. In the Nix Packages collection this is done in the file -`pkgs/top-level/all-packages.nix`, where all Nix expressions for -packages are imported and called with the appropriate arguments. Here -are some fragments of `all-packages.nix`, with annotations of what -they mean: - -```nix -... - -rec { ① - - hello = import ../applications/misc/hello/ex-1 ② { ③ - inherit fetchurl stdenv perl; - }; - - perl = import ../development/interpreters/perl { ④ - inherit fetchurl stdenv; - }; - - fetchurl = import ../build-support/fetchurl { - inherit stdenv; ... - }; - - stdenv = ...; - -} -``` - -1. This file defines a set of attributes, all of which are concrete - derivations (i.e., not functions). In fact, we define a *mutually - recursive* set of attributes. That is, the attributes can refer to - each other. This is precisely what we want since we want to “plug” - the various packages into each other. - -2. Here we *import* the Nix expression for GNU Hello. The import - operation just loads and returns the specified Nix expression. In - fact, we could just have put the contents of the Nix expression - for GNU Hello in `all-packages.nix` at this point. That would be - completely equivalent, but it would make `all-packages.nix` rather - bulky. - - Note that we refer to `../applications/misc/hello/ex-1`, not - `../applications/misc/hello/ex-1/default.nix`. When you try to - import a directory, Nix automatically appends `/default.nix` to the - file name. - -3. This is where the actual composition takes place. Here we *call* the - function imported from `../applications/misc/hello/ex-1` with a set - containing the things that the function expects, namely `fetchurl`, - `stdenv`, and `perl`. We use inherit again to use the attributes - defined in the surrounding scope (we could also have written - `fetchurl = fetchurl;`, etc.). - - The result of this function call is an actual derivation that can be - built by Nix (since when we fill in the arguments of the function, - what we get is its body, which is the call to `stdenv.mkDerivation` - in the [Nix expression for GNU Hello](expression-syntax.md)). - - > **Note** - > - > Nixpkgs has a convenience function `callPackage` that imports and - > calls a function, filling in any missing arguments by passing the - > corresponding attribute from the Nixpkgs set, like this: - > - > ```nix - > hello = callPackage ../applications/misc/hello/ex-1 { }; - > ``` - > - > If necessary, you can set or override arguments: - > - > ```nix - > hello = callPackage ../applications/misc/hello/ex-1 { stdenv = myStdenv; }; - > ``` - -4. Likewise, we have to instantiate Perl, `fetchurl`, and the standard - environment. |