diff --git a/doc/manual/book.xml b/doc/manual/book.xml
index f08ffc3b0..3d54edfcb 100644
--- a/doc/manual/book.xml
+++ b/doc/manual/book.xml
@@ -230,7 +230,17 @@ $ make install
nix
- --verbose
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+ operation
+ options
+ arguments
@@ -242,27 +252,115 @@ $ make install
This is the (set of) path(s) where Nix expressions and the file
system objects built by them are stored.
+
+
+ nix has many subcommands called
+ operations. These are individually documented
+ below. Exactly one operation must always be provided.
+
+
Common Options
- nix has many subcommands. These are listed below.
- In this section the common options are listed. These options are
- allowed for every subcommand (although they may not always have an
- effect).
+ In this section the options that are common to all Nix operations are
+ listed. These options are allowed for every subcommand (although
+ they may not always have an effect).
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+ Indicates that any identifier arguments to the operation are
+ paths in the store rather than identifiers.
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+ Increases the level of verbosity of diagnostic messages printed
+ on standard error. For each Nix operation, the information
+ printed on standard output is well-defined and specified below
+ in the respective sections. Any diagnostic information is
+ printed on standard error, never on standard output.
+
+
+
+ This option may be specified repeatedly. Currently, the
+ following verbosity levels exist:
+
+
+
+
+ 0
+
+
+ Print error messages only.
+
+
+
+
+ 1
+
+
+ Print informational messages.
+
+
+
+
+ 2
+
+
+ Print even more informational messages.
+
+
+
+
+ 3
+
+
+ Print messages that should only be useful for debugging.
+
+
+
+
+ 4
+
+
+ Vomit mode: print vast amounts of debug
+ information.
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
- Subcommand <command>--install</command>
+ Operation <option>--install</option>Synopsis
- nix --install
- id
+ nix
+
+
+
+
+ ids
@@ -270,12 +368,63 @@ $ make install
Description
- nix --install realises the given Nix expressions
- in the file system.
+ The operation realises the Nix
+ expressions identified by ids in the
+ file system. If these expressions are derivation expressions, they
+ are first normalised. That is, their target paths are are built,
+ unless a normal form is already known.
+
+
+ The identifiers of the normal forms of the given Nix expressions
+ are printed on standard output.
+
+
+
+
+
+ Operation <option>--delete</option>
+
+
+ Synopsis
+
+ nix
+
+
+
+
+ paths
+
+
+
+
+ Description
+
+
+ The operation unconditionally deletes
+ the paths paths from the Nix store.
+ It is an error to attempt to delete paths outside of the store.
+
+
+
+
+ This operation should almost never be called directly, since no
+ attempt is made to check whether any references exist to the
+ paths to be deleted. Therefore, an inconsistent system could be
+ the result. Deletion of paths in the store is done by the
+ garbage collector (which uses to delete
+ unreferenced paths).
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+