Jan 24 2010

How to Install RVM and Rails 3 on Snow Leopard

This is a continuation of my post on installing Ruby version manager or multiple versions of Ruby for Unix. This time it's about OS X 10.6.1 or the Snow Leopard.

Snow Leopard includes Ruby and Rails by default if you install XCode. The version is 1.8.7 and 2.2.2 for each, respectively. This would not suffice for most developers because we need to start porting to Ruby 1.9 and start experimenting with Rails 3. The goal is to just keep moving forward and use the best version that exists.

Update: Since I am getting a lot of feedback regarding this post. I noticed it's not newbie-friendly. Sorry. Here are the missing steps.

My Apache2 is installed in /usr/local and PHP5 is compiled by source. I do not use what Leopard has by default because it wasn't working well for me.

In case it happens for you and you want to install PHP5 and more modules. See the following guides:

Compiling Apache in 64-bits Mode on Leopard

Installing PHP

Starting Apache at boot on Leopard

I also installed Fink

So at the very least, you can skip reading what's written on the links above if your Apache2 installed is OK.

Install WGET (but you can also use curl) or just download via web browser.

              tar -xzvf wget-latest.tar.gz
              cd wget-*
              ./configure
              make
              sudo make install

Install Readline

              wget ftp://ftp.cwru.edu/pub/bash/readline-6.1.tar.gz
              tar -xvzf readline-6.1.tar.gz
              cd readline-6.1
              ./configure
              make
              sudo make install

Install Most

              wget ftp://space.mit.edu/pub/davis/most/most-5.0.0.tar.gz
              tar xvzf most-5.0.0.tar.gz
              cd most-5.0.0
              ./configure
              make
              sudo make install

RVM installation for OS X.

Please read the guides on the website of Wayne. Click here to go there.

Note: The path "/usr/local" is important. This makes a bit of a difference between installing on Ubuntu/Debian and OS X.

Update: I recommend you install RVM this way

              bash < <( curl http://rvm.beginrescueend.com/releases/rvm-install-head )

              rvm install 1.8.7 -C --enable-shared,--with-readline-dir=/usr/local
              rvm install 1.9.2 -C --enable-shared,--with-readline-dir=/usr/local
              rvm 1.8.7 --default

But this will also work:

              rvm install 1.8.7
              rvm install 1.9.2 
              rvm 1.9.2 --default

Install Prerequisites

Git

Hivelogic tutorials are good. Check out how to install Git on Leopard.

SQLite 3

              wget http://www.sqlite.org/sqlite-amalgamation-3070400.zip
              tar xvzf sqlite-amalgamation-3070400.tar.gz
              cd sqlite-3.6.22/
              ./configure
              make
              sudo make install

MySQL

Download from MYSQL website

Select the version compatible with your Mac.

              sudo /Library/StartupItems/MySQLCOM/MySQLCOM start

Install Rails 3.0.3 for Ruby 1.9.2

              rvm use 1.9.2
              #install bundler so you could just specify dependencies on Gem and do bundle install
              gem install bundler  
              gem install rails

And all this didn't take time for me even while writing this post. I now have a successful install for Rails 3. Same result with Ubuntu Karmic Koala.

              rails new yourawesomeapp -d mysql

I suggest replacing the .gitignore file immediately with the .gitignore you've been using or add those necessary entries.

An example of a complete .gitignore file is here.

But often this is just what you need:

              *~
              .#*
              .DS_Store
              backups/* #[I keep some files relevant to the application like the database dump on the same folder] 
              log/* #[we don't need the the log files submitted

Keep adding in other entries later.

Notes:

Some guides out there are wrong. Do not use "sudo" when you are using RVM. Your gems are on your user's home directory.

If things are not working and you have followed installation guides. You're missing an important part which is called the .bash_profile. Please review your .bash_profile first. I can't explain every line but every line is important.

This is what I have right now:

              Katherine-Pes-iMac:~ katz$ cat .bash_profile
              
              export PATH=/usr/local/bin/:/usr/local/sbin/:/opt/local/bin/:/opt/local/sbin/
              :/Users/katz/.rvm/rubies/ruby-1.8.7-p248/bin:
              /Users/katz/.rvm/gems/ruby-1.8.7-p248/bin:
              /Users/katz/.rvm/bin:/usr/bin:/bin:/usr/sbin:/sbin:/usr/local/bin:/usr/X11/bin
              export PATH="/usr/local/bin:/usr/local/sbin:
              /usr/local/mysql/bin:$PATH" 
              
              export APACHE2="/usr/local/apache2/bin"
              export PATH="${APACHE2}:${PATH}"
              
              export EDITOR='mate -w'
              export CLICOLOR=1
              
              export LSCOLORS=ExFxCxDxBxegedabagacad
              export PAGER=most
              
              if [[ -s /Users/katz/.rvm/scripts/rvm ]] ; then source /Users/katz/.rvm/scripts/rvm ; fi
              
              
              alias start_mysql="/Library/StartupItems/MySQLCOM/MySQLCOM start"
              alias stop_mysql="/Library/StartupItems/MySQLCOM/MySQLCOM stop"
              
              . /sw/bin/init.sh
              
              function gemdir {
              if [[ -z "$1" ]] ; then
              echo "gemdir expects a parameter, which should be a valid rvm Ruby selector"
              else
              rvm "$1"
              cd `rvm gemdir`
              pwd
              fi
              }

As you can see, there's RVM code. If you follow RVM installation properly you should have something like that. Aliases are shortcuts for starting/stopping MYSQL but mine is automatically loaded on startup.

Have fun :)

Last Updated: January 20, 2011