From: daz <dooby@...10.karoo.co.uk>
Date: 2003-07-30T11:08:57+09:00
Subject: Re: how to make extension lib in windows?


"s moon" <internetletter@yahoo.com> wrote:

> my ruby is win 1.7.3-6 in win2k.
> i like this version for its simple installation.
>
> but for extension, i have big problem.
> i don't have VC++ in my system.
>
> i wonder how others can install extension like mysql in windows system.
>
> do i have to switch to mingw or cygwin version of ruby?
>
> thanks.
>
> s moon

That's pretty much it.
Borland 5.5 (free) is another:
    ruby 1.8.0 (2003-06-23) [i586-bccwin32]

The extension-building process uses configuration details
collected when Ruby was built; stored in 'rbconfig.rb'.

 (e.g.)   \lib\ruby\1.7\i386-mswin32\rbconfig.rb

From a PragProg install, one of the lines in there has:

CONFIG["srcdir"] = "T:/pp/ruby/installer/ruby173/download/ruby"

but there's no T: drive on my sys.  That's config data
from (presumably) /\ndy's sys. when he built it.  Stuff
such as compiler, compiler & linker flags, names for DLLs,
install directory etc.

What I could never work out was which directories things
were supposed to go in.
If the extension is in the [SOURCE]\ext directory when Ruby
is built, it just gets installed at the same time and to the
right place.  If you want to add 'mysql' later, you can just
reuse the Ruby makefile ('make', then 'make install') which
knows that most of the work doesn't need repeating.

You do have to install *everything* you want to use, though.
You have Fox for FXRuby pre-installed so you'd have to get
things like that from their respective websites and compile/
install individually so that they're available for the Ruby
interface to link with.

There's learning involved for Windows/(& Mac?) users because
mostly, we just don't do it wheras the *n*x folks already
have the culture & infrastructure in-place.

I had the infrastructure (compiler & tools) for quite a
long time and I was looking for a way to fit the install
business into a C++ builder or Dev-C++ IDE but thinking
about doing it that way was what was making it difficult.

If you follow the README for the relevant build process,
it (eventually) goes along quite nicely.  It might take
weeks to do it the first time but the second and
subsequent builds take less than half-an-hour while
you're having dinner.
OK, the power-users at going to chuckle at that but it
takes less than that - even if it's *much* less.


As it's three weeks since you asked the question, I hope
you've already had a go but it was a very good question
and I thought it deserved an attempt at an answer.

Building Ruby is a good way of making you feel less like
a "Windows user" and more like a Ruby user.  Best not to
mention the "W" word ever:  I do but I'm as tough as nails
and dislike snobbery.

<oops exceeded rant threshold - bye>


daz