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How to build ruby using Visual C++¶ ↑

Requirement¶ ↑

(1) Windows XP or later.

(2) Visual C++ 6.0 or later. (strongly recommended VC++ 10 or later)

Note: if you want to build x64 or ia64 version, use native compiler for
      x64/ia64.

(3) Please set environment variable (({INCLUDE})), (({LIB})), (({PATH}))

to run required commands properly from the command line.

Note: building ruby requires following commands.
 * nmake
 * cl
 * lib
 * dumpbin

(4) If you want to build from SVN source, following commands are required.

* bison
* patch
* sed
* ruby 1.8 or later

(5) Enable Command Extension of your command line. It's the default behavior

of cmd.exe.  If you want to enable it explicitly, run cmd.exe with /E:ON
option.

How to compile and install¶ ↑

(1) Execute win32configure.bat on your build directory.

You can specify the target platform as an argument.
For example, run `((%configure --target=i686-mswin32%))'
You can also specify the install directory.
For example, run `((%configure --prefix=<install_directory>%))'
Default of the install directory is /usr .
The default ((|<PLATFORM>|)) is `(({i386-mswin32}))'.

(2) Change ((|RUBY_INSTALL_NAME|)) and ((|RUBY_SO_NAME|)) in (({Makefile}))

if you want to change the name of the executable files.
And add ((|RUBYW_INSTALL_NAME|)) to change the name of the
executable without console window if also you want.

(3) Run `((%nmake up%))' if you are building from SVN source.

(4) Run `((%nmake%))'

(5) Run `((%nmake exam%))'

(6) Run `((%nmake install%))'

Icons¶ ↑

Any icon files(*.ico) in the build directory, directories specified with ((|icondirs|)) make variable and (({win32})) directory under the ruby source directory will be included in DLL or executable files, according to their base names.

$(RUBY_INSTALL_NAME).ico or ruby.ico   --> $(RUBY_INSTALL_NAME).exe
$(RUBYW_INSTALL_NAME).ico or rubyw.ico --> $(RUBYW_INSTALL_NAME).exe
the others                             --> $(RUBY_SO_NAME).dll

Although no icons are distributed with the ruby source or in the official site, you can use anything you like. For example, followings are written in Japanese, but you can download at least.

• ((<URL:homepage1.nifty.com/a_nakata/ruby/>)) or ((<icon itself|URL:homepage1.nifty.com/a_nakata/ruby/RubyIcon.ico>))

Build examples¶ ↑

• Build on the ruby source directory.

  ex.)

  ruby source directory:  C:\ruby
  build directory:        C:\ruby
  install directory:      C:\usr\local
  
  C:
  cd \ruby
  win32\configure --prefix=/usr/local
  nmake
  nmake test
  nmake install

• Build on the relative directory from the ruby source directory.

  ex.)

  ruby source directory:  C:\ruby
  build directory:        C:\ruby\mswin32
  install directory:      C:\usr\local
  
  C:
  cd \ruby
  mkdir mswin32
  cd mswin32
  ..\win32\configure --prefix=/usr/local
  nmake
  nmake test
  nmake install

• Build on the different drive.

  ex.)

  ruby source directory:  C:\src\ruby
  build directory:        D:\build\ruby
  install directory:      C:\usr\local
  
  D:
  cd D:\build\ruby
  C:\src\ruby\win32\configure --prefix=/usr/local
  nmake
  nmake test
  nmake install DESTDIR=C:

• Build x64 version (requires native x64 VC++ compiler)

  ex.)

  ruby source directory:  C:\ruby
  build directory:        C:\ruby
  install directory:      C:\usr\local
  
  C:
  cd \ruby
  win32\configure --prefix=/usr/local --target=x64-mswin64
  nmake
  nmake test
  nmake install

Bugs¶ ↑

You can ((NOT)) use a path name that contains any white space characters as the ruby source directory, this restriction comes from the behavior of (({!INCLUDE})) directives of (({NMAKE})). ((- you may call it a bug. -))

You can build ruby in any directory including the source directory, except (({win32})) directory in the source directory. This is restriction originating in the path search method of (({NMAKE})).

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