Getting Started with Ruby

In my day job, we use ruby rake files for biulding our .net projects.  The rake files are run by our continuous integration server and build the projects, run unit tests, coverage reports and more.  Over the past year they have evolved and gained more and more in the way of functionality.  I have spent a fair amount of time hacking around in them to add and improve existing functionality picking up bits of ruby as I go along.  I am now at a point where I want to get to know ruby a little better and thought I might document some of my learning.

To get started, if you want to work with ruby you will need to download and install it on your pc.  Ruby can run on a number of operating systems, but in my case I am working on a Windows pc.  To download and install the latest version of ruby go to: www.rubyinstaller.org/downloads/ and select the latest ruby installer download.  Once the download is complete double click the exe to install.

Once ruby is installed you will need to add the path the the ruby.exe to your environment variables path.  Heres how to do it:
Windows XP : http://support.microsoft.com/kb/310519
Windows 7 : http://geekswithblogs.net/renso/archive/2009/10/21/how-to-set-the-windows-path-in-windows-7.aspx

Here is how you might create a hello world ruby script:

• Create a new folder for the scripts c:\rubyscripts
• Add a new text document in the folder called hello_world.rb
• Edit the script in your favourite text editor and add the following

puts "hello world"

• Open a command prompt in the c:\rubyscripts folder
• Run the following c:\rubyscripts\ruby hello_ruby.rb