Error installing Rails

Recently I re-installed all my DarwinPorts. This included my Ruby and Rails installs. The first time I ever tried installing Rails I used RubyGems installed by DarwinPorts and it worked without a problem. The second time didn’t went so smooth. It appears that the rb-rubygems package of DarwinPorts is FUBAR or something.

For those trying to get Ruby on Rails running on OSX with DarwinPorts/MacPorts: Watch out for this error:

Jeroen:~ jeroen$ sudo gem install rails
Password:
/opt/local/lib/ruby/vendor_ruby/1.8/rubygems/custom_require.rb:27:in `gem_original_require': \
        no such file to load -- sources (LoadError)
        from /opt/local/lib/ruby/vendor_ruby/1.8/rubygems/custom_require.rb:27:in `require'
        from /opt/local/lib/ruby/vendor_ruby/1.8/rubygems/remote_installer.rb:462:in \
                `sources'
        from /opt/local/lib/ruby/vendor_ruby/1.8/rubygems/remote_installer.rb:472:in \
                `source_index_hash'
        from /opt/local/lib/ruby/vendor_ruby/1.8/rubygems/remote_installer.rb:436:in `install'
        from /opt/local/lib/ruby/vendor_ruby/1.8/rubygems/gem_commands.rb:258:in `execute'
        from /opt/local/lib/ruby/vendor_ruby/1.8/rubygems/gem_commands.rb:220:in `each'
        from /opt/local/lib/ruby/vendor_ruby/1.8/rubygems/gem_commands.rb:220:in `execute'
        from /opt/local/lib/ruby/vendor_ruby/1.8/rubygems/command.rb:69:in `invoke'
        from /opt/local/lib/ruby/vendor_ruby/1.8/rubygems/cmd_manager.rb:117:in `process_args'
        from /opt/local/lib/ruby/vendor_ruby/1.8/rubygems/cmd_manager.rb:88:in `run'
        from /opt/local/lib/ruby/vendor_ruby/1.8/rubygems/gem_runner.rb:29:in `run'
        from /opt/local/bin/gem:23

I’ve ran into this one. The problem? Quite simple to solve. It seems that the DarwinPorts package sudo port install rb-rubygems should not be used anymore according to some people. Installing rails by using the rubygems installed by DarwinPorts messes things up a little. Try sudo port port install rb-rails instead. It worked for me. Only drawback is, you didn’t install rails with rubygems and you have to remember to install updates and extra gems by using DarwinPorts.

Edit: DarwinPorts is now renamed to MacPorts. An existing DarwinPorts install will transparently update to MacPorts by running “sudo port selfupdate”.