Re: [Nix-dev] Problem installing vim-7.2-huge-X11-python-tcl.drv

[Michael Raskin]

> I'm running the nix-env (Nix) 0.12pre12474 and am trying to install vim

I really hope that exact Nix version is irrelevant..

> - and it fails :(
>  
> Configure works fine, but make fails with
> the following error.
>  
>         touch: setting times of `src/auto/link.sed': Function not
> implemented

What is your exact kernel version? peti on IRC has mentioned that he 
has some patches for glibc on RHEL kernel that he has applied, but 
hasn't yet prepared for submitting (even as option). Maybe that could 
help you. Also read the "gcc broken for FORTRAN build" thread 
(2008-08-05 .. 2008-08-08) in nix-dev archives. 
 
> however, if I go inspect the downloaded sources and run the same
> commands NIX is attempting to run it all works fine.

You are probably using RHEL-patched coreutils that way. Nix tries to 
build and use coreutils much closer to vanilla.

> I'm currently using RHEL 5 (if that makes a difference).

I think it does.

> Any help/pointers on where I can debug this issue will be much
> appreciated. If you haven't already guessed - I'm a newbie nix user.

Maybe you technically could try to edit your 
nixpkgs/pkgs/stdenv/default.nix and in the line that says 
".. then stdenvLinux else" replace stdenvLinux with stdenvNative.
It has the natural drawback of being impure and unpredictable
(RH patches really a lot), but will allow you to use Nix 
before the real solution is working. Don't forget to do svn revert
after some patches are proposed..