using --manifest-path is not user friendly

[dirkpetersen]

There have been a few discussions about a pixi project not being CWD and the usability issues with that. Those 2 threads bring up various aspects

#1021
#1444

but I just want to point out what the core issue is for me. My data is NEVER inside a pixi project and pathwise most likely quite far away from it, so when I create a new pixi project, one of the first things I want to do is :

pixi init blabla 
pixi shell blabla or 
pixi shell ./blabla or 
pixi shell /in/a/different/galaxy/blabla

The last command would be very useful when I re-enter an existing project while working on some datasets with different environments e.g. different versions of software but it seems my workflow is either

cd /in/a/different/galaxy/blabla1 && pixi shell && cd /my/data/over/here
do stuff 
cd /in/a/different/galaxy/blabla2 && pixi shell && cd /my/data/over/here
do stuff 

or i have to enter a command line monstrosity such as

pixi shell --manifest-path /in/a/different/galaxy/blabla1/pixi.toml
do stuff 
pixi shell --manifest-path /in/a/different/galaxy/blabla2/pixi.toml
do stuff 

I have done this like 20 times, and each time I go back and read the help I realize I have to enter a --manifest-path. Also I have no idea or interest what a pixi.toml file is so I think Pixi should just really take a project path,

pixi shell /in/a/different/galaxy/blabla1

especially since there seems to be no first command line argument for the pixi shell command anyway

[dp@cnode1 condas]$ pixi init blabla
✔ Created /scratch/dp/condas/blabla/pixi.toml
[dp@cnode1 condas]$ pixi shell blabla
error: unexpected argument 'blabla' found

Some folks mention that users have difficulties remembering the path their project is in. This is true and it has been a problem for 40 years and it can be addressed through add-on functionality or external tools but the most simple use cases should be supported without me having to think about it. I am 'only' using pixi init, pixi add/remove and pixi shell.

Otherwise Pixi is the greatest thing since sliced bread, of course!