Manual example for building Emacs with packages does not build
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Description
Describe the problem
I was trying to use "Example 7. Nix expression to build Emacs with packages (emacs.nix)" from the NixOS manual as a example for my own configuration, and when it didn't work, I did a sanity check and tried building the example code. I copied and pasted it into a file named "emacs.nix" and ran nix-build emacs.nix as recommended by the manual.
Here are the errors that I got:
error:
… while calling the 'derivationStrict' builtin
at <nix/derivation-internal.nix>:37:12:
36|
37| strict = derivationStrict drvAttrs;
| ^
38|
… while evaluating derivation 'emacs-with-packages-30.1'
whose name attribute is located at /nix/store/nrfgfqpdc5rdx8dd4h7y60c3h0qi100y-nixos-25.05/nixos/pkgs/stdenv/generic/make-derivation.nix:480:13
… while evaluating attribute 'deps' of derivation 'emacs-with-packages-30.1'
at /nix/store/nrfgfqpdc5rdx8dd4h7y60c3h0qi100y-nixos-25.05/nixos/pkgs/applications/editors/emacs/build-support/wrapper.nix:63:5:
62| # one path to the load lists
63| deps =
| ^
64| runCommand "emacs-packages-deps"
(stack trace truncated; use '--show-trace' to show the full, detailed trace)
error: undefined variable 'undo-tree'
at /home/jjramsey/test-emacs-build/emacs.nix:40:5:
39| ++ (with epkgs.melpaPackages; [
40| undo-tree # ; <C-x u> to show the undo tree
| ^
41| zoom-frm # ; increase/decrease font size for all buffers %lt;C-x C-+>
Interestingly enough, this was similar to the error I got (except I was trying to install kdl-mode from melpaPackages), but got the same complaint about missing documentation
Proposed solution
Notify maintainers
Note for maintainers: Please tag this issue in your pull request description. (i.e. Resolves #ISSUE.)
I assert that this issue is relevant for Nixpkgs
- I assert that this request is not already implemented in the latest NixOS or Nixpkgs manuals.
- I assert that this is not a duplicate of an existing documentation issue.
- I assert that I have read the NixOS Code of Conduct and agree to abide by it.
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Contributor guide
First steps
- Read the whole issue, then the project's contributing guide.
- Comment on the issue to say you are picking it up — it saves two people doing the same work.
- Fork the repository and make your change on a branch.
- Open a pull request that references the issue number.
Research direction
Start with Example 7, “Nix expression to build Emacs with packages (emacs.nix),” in the NixOS manual and reproduce the failure by copying it to emacs.nix and running nix-build emacs.nix. Check why the documented undo-tree package is undefined, then verify that the example builds successfully.
Written by the indexing model from the issue text.
Assessment
- Domain
- build-system, documentation
- Issue type
- Bug
- Difficulty
- 2/5
- Estimated time
- 1-3 hours
- Activity status
- Stale
- Clarity
- Mostly clear
- Newbie friendliness
- 42/100