make building the PDF optional

.github/workflows/build-and-deploy.yml

@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ jobs:
 
     - name: Build
       run: |
-        nix-build --arg withManuals true
+        nix-build --arg withManuals true --arg withPDF true
 
         # The netlify action doesn't follow symlinks properly.
         mkdir ./dist

CONTRIBUTING.md

@@ -33,8 +33,28 @@ By default, nix.dev builds without the various versions of the Nix reference man
 To enable building the manuals:
 
 ```shell-session
-[nix-shell:nix.dev]$ nix-build -A build --arg withManuals true
-[nix-shell:nix.dev]$ devmode --arg withManuals true
+$ nix-build -A build --arg withManuals true
+```
+
+Or for interactive development:
+
+```shell-session
+$ nix-shell --arg withManuals true --run devmode
+```
+
+## Building the PDF
+
+By default, nix.dev is built without the PDF rendering, as that is takes too long for quick iteration on the contents.
+To enable building the PDF:
+
+```shell-session
+$ nix-build -A build --arg withPDF true
+```
+
+Or for interactive development:
+
+```shell-session
+$ nix-shell --arg withPDF true --run devmode
 ```
 
 ## Updating reference manuals

default.nix

@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@
     inherit system;
   },
   withManuals ? false, # building the manuals is expensive
+  withPDF ? false, # building the PDF is expensive
 }:
 let
   lib = pkgs.lib;
@@ -51,9 +52,9 @@ let
         };
       in
       ''
-        ${lib.optionalString withManuals "cp -f ${substitutedNixManualReference} source/reference/nix-manual.md"}
+        cp -f ${substitutedNixManualReference} source/reference/nix-manual.md
         make html
-        make latexpdf
+        ${lib.optionalString withPDF "make latexpdf"}
       '';
     installPhase =
       let
@@ -80,7 +81,7 @@ let
       ''
         mkdir -p $out/manual/nix
         cp -R build/html/* $out/
-        cp build/latex/nix-dev.pdf $out/
+        ${lib.optionalString withPDF "cp build/latex/nix-dev.pdf $out/"}
         cp netlify.toml $out/
       ''
       + lib.optionalString withManuals ''
@@ -89,10 +90,15 @@ let
       '';
   };
 
-  devmode = pkgs.devmode.override {
-    buildArgs = ''-A build --show-trace'';
-    open = "/index.html";
-  };
+  devmode =
+    let
+      boolean = x: if x then "true" else "false";
+    in
+
+    pkgs.devmode.override {
+      buildArgs = "-A build --show-trace --arg withManuals ${boolean withManuals} --arg withPDF ${boolean withPDF}";
+      open = "/index.html";
+    };
   update-nix-releases = pkgs.callPackage ./nix/update-nix-releases.nix { };
   update-nixpkgs-releases = pkgs.callPackage ./nix/update-nixpkgs-releases.nix { };
 in

shell.nix

@@ -1 +1 @@
-(import ./. { }).shell
+args@{ ... }: (import ./. args).shell

source/_templates/download-links.html

@@ -1 +1 @@
-<p>nix.dev as <a href="/nix-dev.pdf">PDF</a></p>
+<p><a href="/nix-dev.pdf">nix.dev as PDF</a></p>