[MacRuby-devel] [ANN] MacRuby 0.4

[Rich Morin]

On Mon, Mar 9, 2009 at 2:52 PM, Laurent Sansonetti
> You can learn more about MacRuby, and download a binary installer,
> from the website:
>
> http://ruby.macosforge.org
>
> Or about this release more specifically, on our blog:
>
> http://www.macruby.org/post/macruby-04

Neither the posting, the web site, nor the blog mentions the fact
that the binary installer for the new release doesn't include
support for PowerPC machines:

  $ file /usr/local/bin/macruby
  /usr/local/bin/macruby:
    Mach-O universal binary with 2 architectures
    /usr/local/bin/macruby (for architecture i386):
      Mach-O executable i386
    /usr/local/bin/macruby (for architecture x86_64):
      Mach-O 64-bit executable x86_64

I downloaded the sources

  $ svn co http://svn.macosforge.org/repository/ruby/MacRuby/tags/0.4 \
    MacRuby-0.4

and attempted to follow the build instructions on

  http://www.macruby.org/trac/wiki/InstallingMacRuby

  $ cd MacRuby
  MacRuby: No such file or directory.

Sigh.

  $ ls
  MacRuby-0.4

  $ cd MacRuby-0.4

  $ rake
  (in /Local/_Private/Homes/rdm/Private/Work/MacRuby/MacRuby-0.4)
  Warning: your appear to use a PowerPC machine.  MacRuby's PPC support
  is very basic and may be dropped in a near future.  Supported
  architectures are Intel 32-bit and 64-bit (i386 and x86_64).
  ...
  compiling readline
  gcc -I. -I../../.ext/include/universal-darwin9.0 -I..//.././include
    -I..//.././ext/readline -DRUBY_EXTCONF_H=\"extconf.h\"  -fno-common
    -fno-common -pipe -O2 -g -Wall -Wno-parentheses -arch ppc -o readline.o
    -c readline.c
  readline.c: In function 'filename_completion_proc_call':
  readline.c:683: warning: implicit declaration of function
'completion_matches'
  readline.c:684: error: 'filename_completion_function' undeclared
    (first use in this function)
  readline.c:684: error: (Each undeclared identifier is reported only once
  readline.c:684: error: for each function it appears in.)
  readline.c:684: warning: assignment makes pointer from integer without a
cast
  readline.c: In function 'username_completion_proc_call':
  readline.c:709: error: 'username_completion_function' undeclared
    (first use in this function)
  readline.c:709: warning: assignment makes pointer from integer without a
cast
  make: *** [readline.o] Error 1
  rake aborted!
  Command failed with status (1): [GC_DISABLE=1 ./miniruby -I./lib
-I.ext/com...]
  .../MacRuby-0.4/rakefile:591
  (See full trace by running task with --trace)


I think this falls a bit below "very basic support".  :-/


I have no argument with Laurent or Apple about their current priorities:
making MacRuby build and run on PowerPC is a burden that Laurent does not
need at this point in the development process.  Nor do I have the chops
or time to dig into the sources and try to make the build work.

However, it's possible that some other folks might be motivated to follow
along behind Laurent and produce the occasional PowerPC build.  Any takers?


Meanwhile, I updated http://www.macruby.org/trac/wiki/InstallingMacRuby to
reflect the new reality.  The blog does not allow comments, so I was unable
to post a caveat there.

-r
-- 
http://www.cfcl.com/rdm            Rich Morin
http://www.cfcl.com/rdm/resume     rdm at cfcl.com
http://www.cfcl.com/rdm/weblog     +1 650-873-7841

Technical editing and writing, programming, and web development