Hi! I'm new to NixOS, but want to try out Colmena as a means to set up some computers in my home. One of them is a Microsoft Surface Pro 3, which needs <nixos-hardware/microsoft/surface-pro/3> to function properly. However, I'm struggling to use that with Colmena.

What I have now is something like this:

flake.nix
machines

• surface-configuration.nix
• surface-hardware-configuration.nix

In flake.nix:

inputs = { nixpkg.s.url = ... };

In reply to @sivertism:matrix.org

Hi! I'm new to NixOS, but want to try out Colmena as a means to set up some computers in my home. One of them is a Microsoft Surface Pro 3, which needs <nixos-hardware/microsoft/surface-pro/3> to function properly. However, I'm struggling to use that with Colmena.

What I have now is something like this:

flake.nix
machines

• surface-configuration.nix
• surface-hardware-configuration.nix

In flake.nix:

inputs = { nixpkg.s.url = ... };

Hi! I'm new to NixOS, but want to try out Colmena as a means to set up some computers in my home. One of them is a Microsoft Surface Pro 3, which needs <nixos-hardware/microsoft/surface-pro/3> to function properly. However, I'm struggling to use that with Colmena.

What I have now is something like this:

flake.nix
machines

• surface-configuration.nix
• surface-hardware-configuration.nix

In flake.nix:

inputs = { nixpkg.s.url = ... };
outputs = {nixpkgs, ...} : {
  colmena = {
    meta = // default from examples
    
  surface = {name, nodes, pkgs, ... } : {
    deployment = { targetHost = name; targetUser="nixos"; };
    networking.hostName = name;
    imports = [
      <nixos-hardware/microsoft/surface-pro/3>
      ./machines/surface-configuration.nix
    ]
  };
};

And machines/surface-configuration.nix is the /etc/nixos/configuration.nix file copied from the surface after a fresh install. It, in turn, imports machines/surface-hardware-configuration.nix, which I've also left as default.

Hi! I'm new to NixOS, but want to try out Colmena as a means to set up some computers in my home. One of them is a Microsoft Surface Pro 3, which needs <nixos-hardware/microsoft/surface-pro/3> to function properly. However, I'm struggling to use that with Colmena.

What I have now is something like this:

flake.nix
machines

• surface-configuration.nix
• surface-hardware-configuration.nix

In flake.nix:

inputs = { nixpkg.s.url = ... };
outputs = {nixpkgs, ...} : {
  colmena = {
    meta = // default from examples
    
  surface = {name, nodes, pkgs, ... } : {
    deployment = { targetHost = name; targetUser="nixos"; };
    networking.hostName = name;
    imports = [
      <nixos-hardware/microsoft/surface-pro/3>
      ./machines/surface-configuration.nix
    ]
  };
};

And machines/surface-configuration.nix is the /etc/nixos/configuration.nix file copied from the surface after a fresh install. It, in turn, imports machines/surface-hardware-configuration.nix, which I've also left as default.

From this, I first get an error error: cannot look up '<nixos-hardware/microsoft/surface-pro/3>' in pure evaluation mode (use '--impure' to override), so I use --impure, but then get error: file 'nixos-hardware/microsoft/surface-pro/3' was not found in the Nix search path (add it using $NIX_PATH or -I. I should probably add it the proper way with a url to nixos-hardware as shown in the nixos-hardware section on flakes, but I'm not sure where to stick in those modules ref: (nixos-hardware#flakes)[https://github.com/NixOS/nixos-hardware#using-nix-flakes-support].

Does anyone know how I should proceed?

In reply to @sivertism:matrix.org

Hi! I'm new to NixOS, but want to try out Colmena as a means to set up some computers in my home. One of them is a Microsoft Surface Pro 3, which needs <nixos-hardware/microsoft/surface-pro/3> to function properly. However, I'm struggling to use that with Colmena.

What I have now is something like this:

flake.nix
machines

• surface-configuration.nix
• surface-hardware-configuration.nix

In flake.nix:

inputs = { nixpkg.s.url = ... };

hit enter too soon... hold on

Done :)

Hi! I'm new to NixOS, but want to try out Colmena as a means to set up some computers in my home. One of them is a Microsoft Surface Pro 3, which needs <nixos-hardware/microsoft/surface-pro/3> to function properly. However, I'm struggling to use that with Colmena.

What I have now is something like this:

flake.nix
machines
    /surface-configuration.nix
    /surface-hardware-configuration.nix

In flake.nix:

inputs = { nixpkg.s.url = ... };
outputs = {nixpkgs, ...} : {
  colmena = {
    meta = // default from examples
    
  surface = {name, nodes, pkgs, ... } : {
    deployment = { targetHost = name; targetUser="nixos"; };
    networking.hostName = name;
    imports = [
      <nixos-hardware/microsoft/surface-pro/3>
      ./machines/surface-configuration.nix
    ]
  };
};

And machines/surface-configuration.nix is the /etc/nixos/configuration.nix file copied from the surface after a fresh install. It, in turn, imports machines/surface-hardware-configuration.nix, which I've also left as default.

From this, I first get an error error: cannot look up '<nixos-hardware/microsoft/surface-pro/3>' in pure evaluation mode (use '--impure' to override), so I use --impure, but then get error: file 'nixos-hardware/microsoft/surface-pro/3' was not found in the Nix search path (add it using $NIX_PATH or -I. I should probably add it the proper way with a url to nixos-hardware as shown in the nixos-hardware section on flakes, but I'm not sure where to stick in those modules ref: (nixos-hardware#flakes)[https://github.com/NixOS/nixos-hardware#using-nix-flakes-support].

Does anyone know how I should proceed?

In reply to @sivertism:matrix.org

Hi! I'm new to NixOS, but want to try out Colmena as a means to set up some computers in my home. One of them is a Microsoft Surface Pro 3, which needs <nixos-hardware/microsoft/surface-pro/3> to function properly. However, I'm struggling to use that with Colmena.

What I have now is something like this:

flake.nix
machines
    /surface-configuration.nix
    /surface-hardware-configuration.nix

In flake.nix:

inputs = { nixpkg.s.url = ... };
outputs = {nixpkgs, ...} : {
  colmena = {
    meta = // default from examples
    
  surface = {name, nodes, pkgs, ... } : {
    deployment = { targetHost = name; targetUser="nixos"; };
    networking.hostName = name;
    imports = [
      <nixos-hardware/microsoft/surface-pro/3>
      ./machines/surface-configuration.nix
    ]
  };
};

And machines/surface-configuration.nix is the /etc/nixos/configuration.nix file copied from the surface after a fresh install. It, in turn, imports machines/surface-hardware-configuration.nix, which I've also left as default.

From this, I first get an error error: cannot look up '<nixos-hardware/microsoft/surface-pro/3>' in pure evaluation mode (use '--impure' to override), so I use --impure, but then get error: file 'nixos-hardware/microsoft/surface-pro/3' was not found in the Nix search path (add it using $NIX_PATH or -I. I should probably add it the proper way with a url to nixos-hardware as shown in the nixos-hardware section on flakes, but I'm not sure where to stick in those modules ref: (nixos-hardware#flakes)[https://github.com/NixOS/nixos-hardware#using-nix-flakes-support].

Does anyone know how I should proceed?

In reply to @sivertism:matrix.org

Hi! I'm new to NixOS, but want to try out Colmena as a means to set up some computers in my home. One of them is a Microsoft Surface Pro 3, which needs <nixos-hardware/microsoft/surface-pro/3> to function properly. However, I'm struggling to use that with Colmena.

What I have now is something like this:

flake.nix
machines
    /surface-configuration.nix
    /surface-hardware-configuration.nix

In flake.nix:

inputs = { nixpkg.s.url = ... };
outputs = {nixpkgs, ...} : {
  colmena = {
    meta = // default from examples
    
  surface = {name, nodes, pkgs, ... } : {
    deployment = { targetHost = name; targetUser="nixos"; };
    networking.hostName = name;
    imports = [
      <nixos-hardware/microsoft/surface-pro/3>
      ./machines/surface-configuration.nix
    ]
  };
};

And machines/surface-configuration.nix is the /etc/nixos/configuration.nix file copied from the surface after a fresh install. It, in turn, imports machines/surface-hardware-configuration.nix, which I've also left as default.

From this, I first get an error error: cannot look up '<nixos-hardware/microsoft/surface-pro/3>' in pure evaluation mode (use '--impure' to override), so I use --impure, but then get error: file 'nixos-hardware/microsoft/surface-pro/3' was not found in the Nix search path (add it using $NIX_PATH or -I. I should probably add it the proper way with a url to nixos-hardware as shown in the nixos-hardware section on flakes, but I'm not sure where to stick in those modules ref: (nixos-hardware#flakes)[https://github.com/NixOS/nixos-hardware#using-nix-flakes-support].

Does anyone know how I should proceed?

I wouldn’t use the impure mode here. The syntax with brackets is not what you want with flakes. You will need to add nixos-hardware as a flake input instead.

If that doesn’t make sense I can give a more complete example when I’m back at my computer. 

I was eventually able to create a flake wrapper around my existing config, which seems to work. At least nix build .#nixosConfigurations.surface.config.system.build.toplevel succeeds.

So I think it's now just about importing that into the Colmena flake? I've tried a few variations of the below colmena flake, but to no avail.

{
  inputs = {
    nixpkgs.url = "github:NixOS/nixpkgs/nixos-unstable";
    surface.url = "/home/sivert/work/nixos-surface";
  };
 
  outputs = {nixpkgs, surface, ...}: {
    colmena = {
      meta = {
          nixpkgs = import nixpkgs {
            system = "x86_64-linux";
          };
      };
 
      surface = { name, ...}: {
 
        deployment = {
          targetHost = "surface";
          targetUser = "nixos";
        };
        
        networking.hostName = "surface";
 
        imports = [
          surface #.nixosConfigurations.surface.config.system.build.toplevel
          ];
      };
    };
  };
}

Turn's out the answer was (yet again) in ibizaman 's blog! https://blog.tiserbox.com/posts/2023-11-08-switch-to-colmena-for-local-deploys.html

Just had to remove the flake wrapper and set up the colmena flake like this:

{
  inputs = {
    nixpkgs.url = "github:NixOS/nixpkgs/nixos-unstable";
    nixos-hardware.url = "github:NixOS/nixos-hardware/master";
  };

  outputs = inputs@{nixpkgs, nixos-hardware, ...}: {
    colmena = {
      meta = {
          nixpkgs = import inputs.nixpkgs {
            system = "x86_64-linux";
          };
          specialArgs=inputs;
      };

      surface = { name, ...}: {

        deployment = {
          targetHost = "surface";
          targetUser = "nixos";
        };

        networking.hostName = "surface";

        imports = [
          inputs.nixos-hardware.nixosModules.microsoft-surface-pro-3
          ./machines/surface/configuration.nix
          ];
      };
    };
  };
}

Now I'm running into some security error though (see the above screenshot)

Turn's out the answer was (yet again) in ibizaman 's blog! https://blog.tiserbox.com/posts/2023-11-08-switch-to-colmena-for-local-deploys.html

Just had to remove the flake wrapper and set up the colmena flake like this:

{
  inputs = {
    nixpkgs.url = "github:NixOS/nixpkgs/nixos-unstable";
    nixos-hardware.url = "github:NixOS/nixos-hardware/master";
  };

  outputs = inputs@{nixpkgs, nixos-hardware, ...}: {
    colmena = {
      meta = {
          nixpkgs = import inputs.nixpkgs {
            system = "x86_64-linux";
          };
          specialArgs=inputs;
      };

      surface = { name, ...}: {

        deployment = {
          targetHost = "surface";
          targetUser = "nixos";
        };

        networking.hostName = "surface";

        imports = [
          inputs.nixos-hardware.nixosModules.microsoft-surface-pro-3
          ./machines/surface/configuration.nix
          ];
      };
    };
  };
}

Now I'm running into some security error though (see the above screenshot)
[ERROR] stderr) error: cannot add path '/nix/store/00yiiplzcqzmqaw10cghbxlb4l4xibc0-i3lock-color.pam' because it lacks a signature by a trusted key