5 files changed, 30 insertions, 8 deletions
diff --git a/lib/spack/spack/cmd/common/__init__.py b/lib/spack/spack/cmd/common/__init__.py
index 8922701e9f..bb4e45438e 100644
--- a/lib/spack/spack/cmd/common/__init__.py
+++ b/lib/spack/spack/cmd/common/__init__.py
@@ -22,3 +22,25 @@
 # License along with this program; if not, write to the Free Software
 # Foundation, Inc., 59 Temple Place, Suite 330, Boston, MA 02111-1307 USA
 ##############################################################################
+
+import spack
+from llnl.util import tty
+
+
+def print_module_placeholder_help():
+    """
+    For use by commands to tell user how to activate shell support.
+    """
+    tty.msg("This command requires spack's shell integration.", "",
+            "To initialize spack's shell commands, you must run one of",
+            "the commands below.  Choose the right command for your shell.",
+            "", "For bash and zsh:",
+            "    . %s/setup-env.sh" % spack.share_path, "",
+            "For csh and tcsh:", "    setenv SPACK_ROOT %s" % spack.prefix,
+            "    source %s/setup-env.csh" % spack.share_path, "",
+            "This exposes a 'spack' shell function, which you can use like",
+            "    $ spack load package-foo", "",
+            "Running the Spack executable directly (for example, invoking",
+            "./bin/spack) will bypass the shell function and print this",
+            "placeholder message, even if you have sourced one of the above",
+            "shell integration scripts.")
diff --git a/lib/spack/spack/cmd/load.py b/lib/spack/spack/cmd/load.py
index cb6f8402aa..61c7003855 100644
--- a/lib/spack/spack/cmd/load.py
+++ b/lib/spack/spack/cmd/load.py
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@
 # Foundation, Inc., 59 Temple Place, Suite 330, Boston, MA 02111-1307 USA
 ##############################################################################
 import argparse
-import spack.modules
+from spack.cmd.common import print_module_placeholder_help
 
 description = "add package to environment using `module load`"
 section = "environment"
@@ -40,4 +40,4 @@ def setup_parser(subparser):
 
 
 def load(parser, args):
-    spack.modules.print_help()
+    print_module_placeholder_help()
diff --git a/lib/spack/spack/cmd/unload.py b/lib/spack/spack/cmd/unload.py
index 3255a4835e..9820ff52d3 100644
--- a/lib/spack/spack/cmd/unload.py
+++ b/lib/spack/spack/cmd/unload.py
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@
 # Foundation, Inc., 59 Temple Place, Suite 330, Boston, MA 02111-1307 USA
 ##############################################################################
 import argparse
-import spack.modules
+from spack.cmd.common import print_module_placeholder_help
 
 description = "remove package from environment using `module unload`"
 section = "environment"
@@ -39,4 +39,4 @@ def setup_parser(subparser):
 
 
 def unload(parser, args):
-    spack.modules.print_help()
+    print_module_placeholder_help()
diff --git a/lib/spack/spack/cmd/unuse.py b/lib/spack/spack/cmd/unuse.py
index c07b21e0d4..14ca4227d2 100644
--- a/lib/spack/spack/cmd/unuse.py
+++ b/lib/spack/spack/cmd/unuse.py
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@
 # Foundation, Inc., 59 Temple Place, Suite 330, Boston, MA 02111-1307 USA
 ##############################################################################
 import argparse
-import spack.modules
+from spack.cmd.common import print_module_placeholder_help
 
 description = "remove package from environment using dotkit"
 section = "environment"
@@ -39,4 +39,4 @@ def setup_parser(subparser):
 
 
 def unuse(parser, args):
-    spack.modules.print_help()
+    print_module_placeholder_help()
diff --git a/lib/spack/spack/cmd/use.py b/lib/spack/spack/cmd/use.py
index 11559fc7ff..956f5c6cbc 100644
--- a/lib/spack/spack/cmd/use.py
+++ b/lib/spack/spack/cmd/use.py
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@
 # Foundation, Inc., 59 Temple Place, Suite 330, Boston, MA 02111-1307 USA
 ##############################################################################
 import argparse
-import spack.modules
+from spack.cmd.common import print_module_placeholder_help
 
 description = "add package to environment using dotkit"
 section = "environment"
@@ -39,4 +39,4 @@ def setup_parser(subparser):
 
 
 def use(parser, args):
-    spack.modules.print_help()
+    print_module_placeholder_help()