Subject: Re: [bug#57809] [PATCH] gnome-boxes: Patch 'qemu-img' path

From: Maxime Devos <[email-masked]>
Date: Sun, 18 Sep 2022 23:14:12 +0200

On 18-09-2022 23:05, Jacob Hrbek wrote:
> isn't that going to break if the user invokes `guix cg -D` though?

No, "guix gc" only deletes things that aren't (indirectly) referred to 
by a root (being a garbage collector), and by adding that substitution, 
the compiled gnome-boxes refers to qemu(-minimal).

(Unless the reference is obfuscated, but Vala has a C-like compilation 
model, so I wouldn't expect that.)

> +                              (substitute* "src/installed-media.vala"
> +                                (("qemu-img")
> +                                 (search-input-file %build-inputs "/bin/qemu-img"))))))))

I find (search-input-file inputs "/bin/qemu-img") clearer -- 'inputs' / 
'native-inputs' is sufficiently complicated on its own, no need to bring 
%build-inputs and friends in the equation when it can be avoided.

> +;; NOTE(Krey): src/util-app.vala might need patched paths

(1) the convention is TODO or FIXME, not NOTE
(2) who discovered the potential problem, does not need to be mentioned 
-- there is still "git blame" (which can be used for other things than 
blaming) and "git log" if it turns out to be somehow useful information 
after all (e.g. for attribution).

Greetings,
Maxime.