* nix-store, nix-instantiate: added an option `--add-root' to

  immediately add the result as a permanent GC root.  This is the only
  way to prevent a race with the garbage collector.  For instance, the
  old style

    ln -s $(nix-store -r $(nix-instantiate foo.nix)) \
      /nix/var/nix/gcroots/result

  has two time windows in which the garbage collector can interfere
  (by GC'ing the derivation and the output, respectively).  On the
  other hand,

    nix-store --add-root /nix/var/nix/gcroots/result -r \
      $(nix-instantiate --add-root /nix/var/nix/gcroots/drv \
        foo.nix)

  is safe.

* nix-build: use `--add-root' to prevent GC races.

1 files changed, 4 insertions, 0 deletions

diff --git a/src/libmain/shared.hh b/src/libmain/shared.hh
index 76b639e3785d..82da7550626f 100644
--- a/src/libmain/shared.hh
+++ b/src/libmain/shared.hh
@@ -17,6 +17,10 @@ void run(Strings args);
 /* Should print a help message to stdout and return. */
 void printHelp();
 
+/* Ugh.  No better place to put this. */
+Path makeRootName(const Path & gcRoot, int & counter);
+void printGCWarning();
+
 
 extern string programId;