From: JamesBritt <james@...>
Date: 2002-10-24T04:34:46+09:00
Subject: Re: Ruby and Windows

> When I open up Ruby on my Windows Desktop and I write code, how do I get it
> to compile?  I am new to Ruby and programming.

Ruby programs are interpreted, not compiled.  The source code is passed directly
to the Ruby interpreter (ruby.exe on Windows, probably located in c:\ruby\bin).
The interpreter then examines the source code and executes it (or complains abut
errors).

If, for example, you have a ruby script named my_script.rb in directory
c:\my_code, you can execute it by calling the ruby interpreter from a CMD shell
window:

  C:\my_code> ruby my_script.rb

Certain versions of Windows (Windows 2000, for instance) allow file associations
that work from the command line, and if you've installed Ruby using the version
from the Pragmatic Programmer site you may be able to call the script without
explicitly naming the interpreter:

  C:\my_code> my_script.rb

You should also be able to double-click  a file in Windows Explorer, which
should launch the interpreter and execute the script, but, by and large, Ruby
scripts are command-line focused.  Running a ruby program from Windows Explorer
may cause a CMD shell window to flash briefly, then immediately go away.

I believe the Scite editor allows one to run code directly in place, but I don't
use Scite, so I can't help there.

On Windows, I generally edit code using Vim, and execute programs from a CMD
shell window, or from Vim itself.  Makes it less distracting when I switch to
developing on Linux.

James