Create custom calamares plasma iso with extra packages

erikdubois · January 18, 2024, 8:48pm

I can build a Nixos Plasma iso with these two files.

https://github.com/erikdubois/nixos-configurations/tree/main/build-calamares-plasma-iso

erikdubois/nixos-configurations/blob/1b250ccd347fa76911ec9e07922df85d4ecf5073/build-calamares-plasma-iso/calamares-plasma-image.nix#L14


      
            imports = [
              "${modulesPath}/installer/cd-dvd/installation-cd-graphical-calamares-plasma5.nix"
            ];
          
          
  # use the latest Linux kernel
            boot.kernelPackages = pkgs.linuxPackages_latest;
          
          
  # Needed for https://github.com/NixOS/nixpkgs/issues/58959
            boot.supportedFilesystems = lib.mkForce [ "btrfs" "reiserfs" "vfat" "f2fs" "xfs" "ntfs" "cifs" ];
          
          
  environment.systemPackages = [ pkgs.yakuake pkgs.git pkgs.inxi pkgs.neofetch pkgs.sublime4 pkgs.meld ];
          }

I just want a few packages not only on the live cd but also on the users system. Most importantly I am missing git. But I hear some users are missing wifi drivers.

environment.systemPackages = [ pkgs.yakuake pkgs.git pkgs.inxi pkgs.neofetch pkgs.sublime4 pkgs.meld ];

The packages I have added will be installed on the live cd but not on the future pc.

What can I add to ensure the packages are on the squashfs file?

FedericoSchonborn · January 19, 2024, 11:32am

Calamares generates a new NixOS configuration (code) and builds it inside the installation target, it doesn’t make a copy of the .iso filesystem like in other distributions.

You have to either override pkgs.calamares-nixos-extensions with your own fork or teach your users how to set up partitions and use nixos-install with a custom configuration (--system path/to/configuration.nix).