Just Enough Developed Infrastructure

Cleaning your Ruby Installation On MacOSX Leopard

From time to time , i really need to clean out my mac. For this new project I wanted to have a clean installation for Ruby and Rails. It should remove all previous installed gems and downloaded libraries so that I now exactly what will happen.

The not so ideal world

The recommend way is to run gem cleanup , but as you could have guessed it did not work right away. See what happened...

$ sudo gem cleanup
Cleaning up installed gems...
Attempting to uninstall mongrel-1.0.1
ERROR: While executing gem ... (Gem::InstallError)
Unknown gem mongrel = 1.0.1

Explanation of the error

Why would this give me an error? Well it seems that on MacOSX (Leopard) there are multiple locations for your gems. You can show them with

$ sudo gem environment
RubyGems Environment:
.....

• GEM PATHS:
  
• /Library/Ruby/Gems/1.8
  
• /Users/patrick/.gem/ruby/1.8
  
• /System/Library/Frameworks/Ruby.framework/Versions/1.8/usr/lib/ruby/gems/1.8
  ....
  • In /System there are the gems that came with plain vanilla Leopard. And this is what causes the rather cryptic error. It actually means that system gems can not be uninstalled.
  • /Library will contain additional System wide installed gems
  • /Users/.../.gem/... will contain the user installed gems

  So the error actual is that you can't uninstall the System gems with the gem cleanup command, and the error is rather cryptic.

  Manual uninstall - almost there

  If you really want to uninstall them , you can uninstall them manually.

  $ sudo gem uninstall hpricot

  Select gem to uninstall:
  

1. hpricot-0.6
   
2. hpricot-0.6.164
   
3. All versions
   > 3
   Successfully uninstalled hpricot-0.6
   Successfully uninstalled hpricot-0.6.164

   But for some reason if I did an $sudo gem update, the hpricot package would re-appear: It was not deleted from the /System directory

   Manual uninstall by specifying the path

   With the gem list -d you can see which gem is installed where.

   $ sudo gem list -d hpricot

   LOCAL GEMS

   hpricot (0.6.164, 0.6)
   Author: why the lucky stiff
   Homepage: http://code.whytheluckystiff.net/hpricot/
   Installed at (0.6.164): /Library/Ruby/Gems/1.8
   (0.6): /System/Library/Frameworks/Ruby.framework/Versions/1.8/usr/lib/ruby/gems/1.8

   I first had to manually specify the path to the /System directory
   $ sudo gem uninstall --install-dir /System/Library/Frameworks/Ruby.framework/Versions/1.8/usr/lib/ruby/gems/1.8 hpricot

   And then it removed the

   $ sudo gem uninstall hpricot

   You have requested to uninstall the gem:
   hpricot-0.6.164
   scrubyt-0.3.4 depends on [hpricot (>= 0.5)]
   scrubyt-0.4.06 depends on [hpricot (>= 0.5)]
   mechanize-0.7.5 depends on [hpricot (>= 0.5.0)]
   amazon-ecs-0.5.3 depends on [hpricot (>= 0.4)]
   amazon-ecs-0.5.4 depends on [hpricot (>= 0.4)]
   If you remove this gems, one or more dependencies will not be met.
   Continue with Uninstall? [Yn] y
   Successfully uninstalled hpricot-0.6.164

   And now it was gone.

   Gem removal for the masses - Dangerous!

   Being impatient, I decided to completely delete my /Library/Ruby directory. Hoping that gem install would still work.

   /usr/bin/gem:14: undefined method `ruby_version’ for Gem:Module (NoMethodError)

   To solve this issue, edit /usr/bin/gem and remove these three lines (just comment them out)

   unless required_version.satisfied_by? Gem.ruby_version then
   abort “Expected Ruby Version #{required_version}, was #{Gem.ruby_version}”
   end

   then download rubygems-update-1.2.0.gem from the rubygems site and install it.

   $ sudo gem install -l rubygems-update-1.2.0.gem
   $ sudo update_rubygems

   $ sudo update_rubygems
   Installing RubyGems 1.3.1
   mkdir -p /Library/Ruby/Site/1.8
   mkdir -p /System/Library/Frameworks/Ruby.framework/Versions/1.8/usr/bin
   mkdir -p /Library/Ruby/Site/1.8/rbconfig
   install -c -m 0644 rbconfig/datadir.rb /Library/Ruby/Site/1.8/rbconfig/datadir.rb
   mkdir -p /Library/Ruby/Site/1.8/rubygems
   install -c -m 0644 rubygems/builder.rb /Library/Ruby/Site/1.8/rubygems/builder.rb
   install -c -m 0644 rubygems/command.rb /Library/Ruby/Site/1.8/rubygems/command.rb
   install -c -m 0644 rubygems/command_manager.rb /Library/Ruby/Site/1.8/rubygems/command_manager.rb
   mkdir -p /Library/Ruby/Site/1.8/rubygems/commands
   install -c -m 0644 rubygems/commands/build_command.rb /Library/Ruby/Site/1.8/rubygems/commands/build_command.rb
   install -c -m 0644 rubygems/commands/cert_command.rb /Library/Ruby/Site/1.8/rubygems/commands/cert_command.rb
   install -c -m 0644 rubygems/commands/check_command.rb /Library/Ruby/Site/1.8/rubygems/commands/check_command.rb
   install -c -m 0644 rubygems/commands/cleanup_command.rb /Library/Ruby/Site/1.8/rubygems/commands/cleanup_command.rb
   install -c -m 0644 rubygems/commands/contents_command.rb /Library/Ruby/Site/1.8/rubygems/commands/contents_command.rb
   install -c -m 0644 rubygems/commands/dependency_command.rb /Library/Ruby/Site/1.8/rubygems/commands/dependency_command.rb
   install -c -m 0644 rubygems/commands/environment_command.rb /Library/Ruby/Site/1.8/rubygems/commands/environment_command.rb
   install -c -m 0644 rubygems/commands/fetch_command.rb /Library/Ruby/Site/1.8/rubygems/commands/fetch_command.rb
   install -c -m 0644 rubygems/commands/generate_index_command.rb /Library/Ruby/Site/1.8/rubygems/commands/generate_index_command.rb
   install -c -m 0644 rubygems/commands/help_command.rb /Library/Ruby/Site/1.8/rubygems/commands/help_command.rb
   install -c -m 0644 rubygems/commands/install_command.rb /Library/Ruby/Site/1.8/rubygems/commands/install_command.rb
   install -c -m 0644 rubygems/commands/list_command.rb /Library/Ruby/Site/1.8/rubygems/commands/list_command.rb
   install -c -m 0644 rubygems/commands/lock_command.rb /Library/Ruby/Site/1.8/rubygems/commands/lock_command.rb
   install -c -m 0644 rubygems/commands/mirror_command.rb /Library/Ruby/Site/1.8/rubygems/commands/mirror_command.rb
   install -c -m 0644 rubygems/commands/outdated_command.rb /Library/Ruby/Site/1.8/rubygems/commands/outdated_command.rb
   install -c -m 0644 rubygems/commands/pristine_command.rb /Library/Ruby/Site/1.8/rubygems/commands/pristine_command.rb
   install -c -m 0644 rubygems/commands/query_command.rb /Library/Ruby/Site/1.8/rubygems/commands/query_command.rb
   install -c -m 0644 rubygems/commands/rdoc_command.rb /Library/Ruby/Site/1.8/rubygems/commands/rdoc_command.rb
   install -c -m 0644 rubygems/commands/search_command.rb /Library/Ruby/Site/1.8/rubygems/commands/search_command.rb
   install -c -m 0644 rubygems/commands/server_command.rb /Library/Ruby/Site/1.8/rubygems/commands/server_command.rb
   install -c -m 0644 rubygems/commands/sources_command.rb /Library/Ruby/Site/1.8/rubygems/commands/sources_command.rb
   install -c -m 0644 rubygems/commands/specification_command.rb /Library/Ruby/Site/1.8/rubygems/commands/specification_command.rb
   install -c -m 0644 rubygems/commands/stale_command.rb /Library/Ruby/Site/1.8/rubygems/commands/stale_command.rb
   install -c -m 0644 rubygems/commands/uninstall_command.rb /Library/Ruby/Site/1.8/rubygems/commands/uninstall_command.rb
   install -c -m 0644 rubygems/commands/unpack_command.rb /Library/Ruby/Site/1.8/rubygems/commands/unpack_command.rb
   install -c -m 0644 rubygems/commands/update_command.rb /Library/Ruby/Site/1.8/rubygems/commands/update_command.rb
   install -c -m 0644 rubygems/commands/which_command.rb /Library/Ruby/Site/1.8/rubygems/commands/which_command.rb
   install -c -m 0644 rubygems/config_file.rb /Library/Ruby/Site/1.8/rubygems/config_file.rb
   install -c -m 0644 rubygems/custom_require.rb /Library/Ruby/Site/1.8/rubygems/custom_require.rb
   install -c -m 0644 rubygems/defaults.rb /Library/Ruby/Site/1.8/rubygems/defaults.rb
   install -c -m 0644 rubygems/dependency.rb /Library/Ruby/Site/1.8/rubygems/dependency.rb
   install -c -m 0644 rubygems/dependency_installer.rb /Library/Ruby/Site/1.8/rubygems/dependency_installer.rb
   install -c -m 0644 rubygems/dependency_list.rb /Library/Ruby/Site/1.8/rubygems/dependency_list.rb
   mkdir -p /Library/Ruby/Site/1.8/rubygems/digest
   install -c -m 0644 rubygems/digest/digest_adapter.rb /Library/Ruby/Site/1.8/rubygems/digest/digest_adapter.rb
   install -c -m 0644 rubygems/digest/md5.rb /Library/Ruby/Site/1.8/rubygems/digest/md5.rb
   install -c -m 0644 rubygems/digest/sha1.rb /Library/Ruby/Site/1.8/rubygems/digest/sha1.rb
   install -c -m 0644 rubygems/digest/sha2.rb /Library/Ruby/Site/1.8/rubygems/digest/sha2.rb
   install -c -m 0644 rubygems/doc_manager.rb /Library/Ruby/Site/1.8/rubygems/doc_manager.rb
   install -c -m 0644 rubygems/exceptions.rb /Library/Ruby/Site/1.8/rubygems/exceptions.rb
   mkdir -p /Library/Ruby/Site/1.8/rubygems/ext
   install -c -m 0644 rubygems/ext/builder.rb /Library/Ruby/Site/1.8/rubygems/ext/builder.rb
   install -c -m 0644 rubygems/ext/configure_builder.rb /Library/Ruby/Site/1.8/rubygems/ext/configure_builder.rb
   install -c -m 0644 rubygems/ext/ext_conf_builder.rb /Library/Ruby/Site/1.8/rubygems/ext/ext_conf_builder.rb
   install -c -m 0644 rubygems/ext/rake_builder.rb /Library/Ruby/Site/1.8/rubygems/ext/rake_builder.rb
   install -c -m 0644 rubygems/ext.rb /Library/Ruby/Site/1.8/rubygems/ext.rb
   install -c -m 0644 rubygems/format.rb /Library/Ruby/Site/1.8/rubygems/format.rb
   install -c -m 0644 rubygems/gem_openssl.rb /Library/Ruby/Site/1.8/rubygems/gem_openssl.rb
   install -c -m 0644 rubygems/gem_path_searcher.rb /Library/Ruby/Site/1.8/rubygems/gem_path_searcher.rb
   install -c -m 0644 rubygems/gem_runner.rb /Library/Ruby/Site/1.8/rubygems/gem_runner.rb
   install -c -m 0644 rubygems/indexer.rb /Library/Ruby/Site/1.8/rubygems/indexer.rb
   install -c -m 0644 rubygems/install_update_options.rb /Library/Ruby/Site/1.8/rubygems/install_update_options.rb
   install -c -m 0644 rubygems/installer.rb /Library/Ruby/Site/1.8/rubygems/installer.rb
   install -c -m 0644 rubygems/local_remote_options.rb /Library/Ruby/Site/1.8/rubygems/local_remote_options.rb
   install -c -m 0644 rubygems/old_format.rb /Library/Ruby/Site/1.8/rubygems/old_format.rb
   mkdir -p /Library/Ruby/Site/1.8/rubygems/package
   install -c -m 0644 rubygems/package/f_sync_dir.rb /Library/Ruby/Site/1.8/rubygems/package/f_sync_dir.rb
   install -c -m 0644 rubygems/package/tar_header.rb /Library/Ruby/Site/1.8/rubygems/package/tar_header.rb
   install -c -m 0644 rubygems/package/tar_input.rb /Library/Ruby/Site/1.8/rubygems/package/tar_input.rb
   install -c -m 0644 rubygems/package/tar_output.rb /Library/Ruby/Site/1.8/rubygems/package/tar_output.rb
   mkdir -p /Library/Ruby/Site/1.8/rubygems/package/tar_reader
   install -c -m 0644 rubygems/package/tar_reader/entry.rb /Library/Ruby/Site/1.8/rubygems/package/tar_reader/entry.rb
   install -c -m 0644 rubygems/package/tar_reader.rb /Library/Ruby/Site/1.8/rubygems/package/tar_reader.rb
   install -c -m 0644 rubygems/package/tar_writer.rb /Library/Ruby/Site/1.8/rubygems/package/tar_writer.rb
   install -c -m 0644 rubygems/package.rb /Library/Ruby/Site/1.8/rubygems/package.rb
   install -c -m 0644 rubygems/platform.rb /Library/Ruby/Site/1.8/rubygems/platform.rb
   install -c -m 0644 rubygems/remote_fetcher.rb /Library/Ruby/Site/1.8/rubygems/remote_fetcher.rb
   install -c -m 0644 rubygems/require_paths_builder.rb /Library/Ruby/Site/1.8/rubygems/require_paths_builder.rb
   install -c -m 0644 rubygems/requirement.rb /Library/Ruby/Site/1.8/rubygems/requirement.rb
   install -c -m 0644 rubygems/rubygems_version.rb /Library/Ruby/Site/1.8/rubygems/rubygems_version.rb
   install -c -m 0644 rubygems/security.rb /Library/Ruby/Site/1.8/rubygems/security.rb
   install -c -m 0644 rubygems/server.rb /Library/Ruby/Site/1.8/rubygems/server.rb
   install -c -m 0644 rubygems/source_index.rb /Library/Ruby/Site/1.8/rubygems/source_index.rb
   install -c -m 0644 rubygems/source_info_cache.rb /Library/Ruby/Site/1.8/rubygems/source_info_cache.rb
   install -c -m 0644 rubygems/source_info_cache_entry.rb /Library/Ruby/Site/1.8/rubygems/source_info_cache_entry.rb
   install -c -m 0644 rubygems/spec_fetcher.rb /Library/Ruby/Site/1.8/rubygems/spec_fetcher.rb
   install -c -m 0644 rubygems/specification.rb /Library/Ruby/Site/1.8/rubygems/specification.rb
   install -c -m 0644 rubygems/test_utilities.rb /Library/Ruby/Site/1.8/rubygems/test_utilities.rb
   install -c -m 0644 rubygems/timer.rb /Library/Ruby/Site/1.8/rubygems/timer.rb
   install -c -m 0644 rubygems/uninstaller.rb /Library/Ruby/Site/1.8/rubygems/uninstaller.rb
   install -c -m 0644 rubygems/user_interaction.rb /Library/Ruby/Site/1.8/rubygems/user_interaction.rb
   install -c -m 0644 rubygems/validator.rb /Library/Ruby/Site/1.8/rubygems/validator.rb
   install -c -m 0644 rubygems/version.rb /Library/Ruby/Site/1.8/rubygems/version.rb
   install -c -m 0644 rubygems/version_option.rb /Library/Ruby/Site/1.8/rubygems/version_option.rb
   install -c -m 0644 rubygems.rb /Library/Ruby/Site/1.8/rubygems.rb
   install -c -m 0644 ubygems.rb /Library/Ruby/Site/1.8/ubygems.rb
   cp gem /tmp/gem
   install -c -m 0755 /tmp/gem /System/Library/Frameworks/Ruby.framework/Versions/1.8/usr/bin/gem
   rm /tmp/gem
   rm -f /Users/patrick/.gem/source_cache
   rm -f /Library/Ruby/Gems/1.8/source_cache
   Removing old RubyGems RDoc and ri
   Installing rubygems-1.3.1 ri into /Library/Ruby/Gems/1.8/doc/rubygems-1.3.1/ri
   Installing rubygems-1.3.1 rdoc into /Library/Ruby/Gems/1.8/doc/rubygems-1.3.1/rdoc

   All is well that ends well

   And now everything is back to normal again and you can start with your usual:

   $ sudo gem update --system

   $ sudo gem install rails

   References

   • http://cristian.livadaru.net/2008/07/22/how-to-solve-undefined-method-ruby_version-for-gemmodule-nomethoderror-on-os-x/
   • http://blog.carlmercier.com/2007/12/14/how-to-fix-that-rubygems-mess-on-leopard/