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[PATCH] doc: Clarify and consolidate modify-services documentation.


From: Chris Marusich
Subject: [PATCH] doc: Clarify and consolidate modify-services documentation.
Date: Mon, 07 Mar 2016 02:58:55 -0800

Hi,

I recently wanted to modify a service in GuixSD. I found the manual
helpful but lacking, so I've drafted a patch to improve the situation. I
hope it helps.

In particular, I found that the current recommended way to modify a
service (i.e., using 'modify-services') relies on the 'inherit' feature
of records that are created via the macros that 'define-record-type*'
produces. This is documented just fine in the (guix records) module, but
it is not documented in the manual. I wasn't sure where the right place
would be to put an explanation of 'define-record-type*', so I mentioned
it without providing a comprehensive explanation. I am content to supply
a reasonable explanation of why the magic word "inherit" is used when
invoking 'modify-services', even if it does not fully explain what
'define-record-type*' is.

It's easy to modify a service if you just copy the example. I wanted to
do more than just that, though: I wanted to understand what I was
typing. The existing manual was unsatisfactory for that purpose. I had
to go to the source to actually understand why the examples
worked. Hopefully this patch will help others to more quickly understand
how 'modify-services' works.

Chris

Attachment: 0001-doc-Clarify-and-consolidate-modify-services-document.patch
Description: Text Data


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