* nix-env: allow ~/.nix-defexpr to be a directory. If it is, then the

  Nix expressions in that directory are combined into an attribute set
  {file1 = import file1; file2 = import file2; ...}, i.e. each Nix
  expression is an attribute with the file name as the attribute
  name.  Also recurses into directories.

* nix-env: removed the "--import" (-I) option which set the
  ~/.nix-defexpr symlink.

* nix-channel: don't use "nix-env --import", instead symlink
  ~/.nix-defexpr/channels.  So finally nix-channel --update doesn't
  override any default Nix expressions but combines with them.

  This means that you can have (say) a local Nixpkgs SVN tree and use
  it as a default for nix-env:

  $ ln -s .../path-to-nixpkgs-tree ~/.nix-defexpr/nixpkgs_svn

  and be subscribed to channels (including Nixpkgs) at the same time.
  (If there is any ambiguity, the -A flag can be used to
  disambiguate, e.g. "nix-env -i -A nixpkgs_svn.pan".)

1 files changed, 4 insertions, 43 deletions

diff --git a/doc/manual/nix-env.xml b/doc/manual/nix-env.xml
index 247471d9bd7d..9c9114a90119 100644
--- a/doc/manual/nix-env.xml
+++ b/doc/manual/nix-env.xml
@@ -142,14 +142,14 @@ linkend="sec-common-options" />.</para>
 <variablelist>
 
   <varlistentry><term><filename>~/.nix-defexpr</filename></term>
+
+  <!-- !!! .nix-defexpr can be a directory now -->
   
     <listitem><para>The default Nix expression used by the
     <option>--install</option>, <option>--upgrade</option>, and
     <option>--query --available</option> operations to obtain
-    derivations.  It is generally a symbolic link to some other
-    location set using the <option>--import</option> operation.  The
-    <option>--file</option> option may be used to override this
-    default.</para></listitem>
+    derivations.  The <option>--file</option> option may be used to
+    override this default.</para></listitem>
     
   </varlistentry>
 
@@ -1061,43 +1061,4 @@ error: no generation older than the current (91) exists</screen>
 
 
   
-<!--######################################################################-->
-
-<refsection><title>Operation <option>--import</option></title>
-
-<refsection><title>Synopsis</title>
-
-<cmdsynopsis>
-  <command>nix-env</command>
-  <group choice='req'>
-    <arg choice='plain'><option>--import</option></arg>
-    <arg choice='plain'><option>-I</option></arg>
-  </group>
-  <arg choice='req'><replaceable>path</replaceable></arg>
-</cmdsynopsis>
-
-</refsection>
-
-
-<refsection><title>Description</title>
-            
-<para>This operation makes <replaceable>path</replaceable> the default
-active Nix expression for the user.  That is, the symlink
-<filename>~/.nix-userenv</filename> is made to point to
-<replaceable>path</replaceable>.</para>
-
-</refsection>
-
-
-<refsection><title>Examples</title>
-
-<screen>
-$ nix-env -I ~/nixpkgs-0.5/</screen>
-
-</refsection>
-    
-</refsection>
-
-
-  
 </refentry>