nix-env -qa returns zero packages

[domenkozar]

I'm having a weird issue with nix-env -qa not returning any packages using Nix 1.11.2

# echo $NIX_PATH
nixpkgs=http://nixos.org/channels/nixos-16.03/nixexprs.tar.xz

# nix-channel --update
unpacking channels...
downloading ‘http://nixos.org/channels/nixos-16.03/nixexprs.tar.xz’... [0/0 KiB, 0.0 KiB/s]
created 0 symlinks in user environment

# nix-env -qa

# nix-env -qa -f '<nixpkgs>'
.. works and displays the packages

# ls -la ~/.nix-defexpr/
total 8
drwxr-xr-x 2 root root 4096 Jul 11 10:14 .
drwx------ 8 root root 4096 May 24 12:12 ..
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root   44 Jul 11 10:14 channels -> /nix/var/nix/profiles/per-user/root/channels

# ls -la /nix/var/nix/profiles/per-user/root/channels/
total 56208
dr-xr-xr-x 2 root root       4096 Jan  1  1970 .
drwxrwxr-t 1 root nixbld 57544704 Jul 11 10:14 ..
lrwxrwxrwx 2 root root         60 Jan  1  1970 manifest.nix -> /nix/store/w213fg5zb7df8h1wsldqpqi7yk9d80rk-env-manifest.nix

# ls /nix/store/w213fg5zb7df8h1wsldqpqi7yk9d80rk-env-manifest.nix
/nix/store/w213fg5zb7df8h1wsldqpqi7yk9d80rk-env-manifest.nix

# cat /nix/store/w213fg5zb7df8h1wsldqpqi7yk9d80rk-env-manifest.nix
[ ]

[domenkozar]

Could it be related to rm /nix/var/nix/binary-cache-v3.sqlite?

[domenkozar]

cc @edolstra for any quick ideas.

[edolstra]

The created 0 symlinks in user environment suggests that there are no channels.

[domenkozar]

@edolstra there are no channels, but NIX_PATH=nixpkgs=http://nixos.org/channels/nixos-16.03/nixexprs.tar.xz should declare nix path regardless or am I misunderstanding?

So nix-env assumes a channel?

[edolstra]

Yes, $NIX_PATH has no effect on where nix-env looks by default.

[domenkozar]

@edolstra

• nix-env and others could support $NIX_PATH. I ship <nixpkgs> in another channel and I don't want to maintain two channels as that calls for trouble (just as we had nixpkgs and nixos channels). Would this be a reasonable feature?
• nix-channel --update should have a more clear message what happens. 0 channels updated. in this case
• nix-env -qa should print something in case it fails to find packages. Where it looked for packages and that they're not there.

[domenkozar]

Opened #993 and updated #684