Rubygems do not install on OS X Lion

Question

I used to have no problems at all with ruby, gems and all related stuff. But after installing X Code Developer Tools and upgrading to Lion the gems do not install.

I get the following error for every gem. This is the message for sqlite as an example:

Building native extensions.  This could take a while...
ERROR:  Error installing sqlite3:
ERROR: Failed to build gem native extension.

/System/Library/Frameworks/Ruby.framework/Versions/1.8/usr/bin/ruby extconf.rb
mkmf.rb can't find header files for ruby at /System/Library/Frameworks/Ruby.framework/Versions/1.8/usr/lib/ruby/ruby.h

Gem files will remain installed in /Library/Ruby/Gems/1.8/gems/sqlite3-1.3.4 for inspection.
Results logged to /Library/Ruby/Gems/1.8/gems/sqlite3-1.3.4/ext/sqlite3/gem_make.out

What went wrong? How to fix it?

Solution 1

I had to install the Command Line Tools in the latest Xcode-Version (4.3.1) and

sudo gem install rails

worked like a charm.

To install Command Line Tools, go to Xcode Preferences > Downloads or use the following command in terminal (thx @Purell):

xcode-select --install

Solution 2

I'm using Mavericks and Ruby 2.0.0 and I also got this error (mkmf.rb can't find header files) when installing gems. I solved this issue by creating some symbolic links in Terminal.

#First install developer tools again:
xcode-select --install

#Create symbolic link to Ruby include (updated for 10.9)
sudo ln -s /System/Library/Frameworks/Ruby.framework/Versions/2.0/usr/include/ruby-2.0.0 /System/Library/Frameworks/Ruby.framework/Versions/2.0/usr/lib/ruby/include

#Create symbolic link to config.h (updated for 10.9)
sudo ln -s /System/Library/Frameworks/Ruby.framework/Versions/2.0/Headers/ruby/config.h /System/Library/Frameworks/Ruby.framework/Versions/2.0/usr/include/ruby-2.0.0/ruby/config.h

Solution 3

I faced same problem while trying to install rails on my Lion. This is how i could solve it.

Install rvm

$ curl https://raw.github.com/wayneeseguin/rvm/master/binscripts/rvm-installer | bash -s stable

Install osx-gcc-installer

https://github.com/kennethreitz/osx-gcc-installer

Installed new version of ruby

rvm install 1.9.3

Typed to following command to show the requirements

rvm requirements

To use an RVM installed Ruby as default, instead of the system ruby:

rvm system ; rvm gemset export system.gems ; rvm 1.9.3 ; rvm gemset import system.gems # migrate your gems rvm alias create default 1.9.3

Installed rails:

sudo gem install rails

My Mac is now read for rails!! YAY!!

Solution 4

Not a direct solution to your problem, but I'd suggest using rvm to install fresh rubies and gems. That should take care of it.

Solution 5

While installing Rails I had the error :

can't find header files for ruby at /System/Library/Frameworks/Ruby.framework/Versions/1.8/usr/lib/ruby/ruby.h

As i had already Xcode installed, I had just to install Command Line Tools to resolve this problem

View more solutions

Comments

[robustus]

You open up a Terminalwindow, choose your favorite Editor, and edit your .bashrc (usually in the path /Users/<Your Username>/.bashrc)

[d135-1r43]

I know how to do that. I just do not know which path I should add there.

[robustus]

Oh sorry i misunderstood: I'd suggest: /System/Library/Frameworks/Ruby.framework/Versions/1.8/

[mattandrews]

Yep. To install Command Line Tools, go to XCode Preferences > Downloads.

[Don Question]

Welcom to SO. If i read the OP's question correct, he stateds he has XCode installed.

[Purrell]

So apparently if you have OSX 10.9 Mavericks and Xcode 5.0, commandline tools doesn't (always?) show up in Preferences-->Downloads. But you can install it with "xcode-select --install"

[emispowder]

Upgrading to Mavericks seemed to have uninstalled developer tools. Running the first command from David fixes this issue for me. No need to symlink.