From: Len Lawrence <lcl@...>
Date: 2009-09-22T07:35:11+09:00
Subject: Re: Vicious versioning cycle prevents upgrading Ruby Gems

On Mon, 21 Sep 2009 16:12:44 -0500, William Mcneill wrote:

> I am stuck in a vicious cycle in which I need a newer version of Gems in
> order to upgrade my current version of Gems.  Is there a way out of this
> aside from a clean install of gems?
> 
> I would like to install the newgem package, but I can't because my
> version of Gems is too old:
> 
> $ sudo gem install newgem
> Bulk updating Gem source index for: http://gems.rubyforge.org/ ERROR: 
> Error installing newgem:
>   hoe requires RubyGems version >= 1.3.1
> 
> 
> I have Ruby Gems version 1.1.1 installed.  Following the instructions in
> Chapter 3 of the Gems manual (http://rubygems.org/read/chapter/3), I try
> this to upgrade my copy of Gems:
> 
> $ sudo gem update --system
> Updating RubyGems
> Bulk updating Gem source index for: http://gems.rubyforge.org/ Nothing
> to update
> 
> Then, still following the instructions, I do:
> 
> $ sudo gem install rubygems-update
> Bulk updating Gem source index for: http://gems.rubyforge.org/ Bulk
> updating Gem source index for: http://gems.rubyforge.org/ ERROR:  Error
> installing rubygems-update:
>   hoe requires RubyGems version >= 1.3.1
> 
> This is the same error message I saw at the beginning so I'm stuck.
> 
> Here is my Gems setup:
> 
> $ gem environment
> RubyGems Environment:
>   - RUBYGEMS VERSION: 1.1.1
>   - RUBY VERSION: 1.8.6 (2008-08-11 patchlevel 287) [i686-darwin] -
>   INSTALLATION DIRECTORY: /sw/var/lib/gems/1.8 - RUBY EXECUTABLE:
>   /sw/bin/ruby1.8
>   - RUBYGEMS PLATFORMS:
>     - ruby
>     - x86-darwin
>   - GEM PATHS:
>      - /sw/var/lib/gems/1.8
>   - GEM CONFIGURATION:
>      - :update_sources => true
>      - :verbose => true
>      - :benchmark => false
>      - :backtrace => false
>      - :bulk_threshold => 1000
>   - REMOTE SOURCES:
>      - http://gems.rubyforge.org
> 
> 
> I am running OS X.  I installed Gems via the fink package manager for OS
> X.
> 
> An attempt to install rubygems-update with debug tracing turned on is in
> the attached file.
> 
> Thanks.
> 
> Attachments:
> http://www.ruby-forum.com/attachment/4054/gems-update-debug.txt

My sympathies.  I was stuck in exactly the same loop in Mandriva 2008.1 
yesterday.  Found a vague note to myself; downloaded rubygems 1.3.1 
tarball from  RubyForge, opened it up and ran "ruby setup.rb".  Worked 
like a charm.  Then updated hoe without problems and back in business.

Len