Best way to upgrade from 1.8.2 to 1.8.4 on Linux?

Ruby
1

I have installed from source Ruby in the folder /usr/lib/ruby-1.8.2/.
(I use Linux)
If I do “which ruby” I get /usr/local/bin/ruby. It seems that Ruby has
created the folder /usr/local/bin and filled it with ruby, irb, etc…
I don’t mind, this is all fine.

Now my question is: when at XMAS Metz dressed like Santa will bring me
Ruby 1.8.4, how should I upgrade?

I was thinking do to the following:

  1. Remove the folder /usr/lib/ruuby-1.8.2/
  2. Install Ruby 1.8.4 from source in /usr/lib/ruby-1.8.4/
  3. During the Installation of Ruby 1.8.4, it will overwrite
    automatically the folder /usr/local/bin/ with the new versions of ruby,
    irb, etc… I am not sure if it works automatically in this way. Can
    you confirm?
    If it doesn’t happen out-of-the-box, I was thinking to create a
    symbolic link from /usr/local/bin to /usr/lib/ruby-1.8.4/bin/.

Regarding Gem and Rails, I will probably just remove Gem’s folder and
reinstall it. And then just reinstall the main gems that I am using
including Rails. The rails websites/application that I have done are
saved elsewhere and shouldn’t be affected.

Is it a good approach? How will you do it?

2

unknown wrote:

I have installed from source Ruby in the folder /usr/lib/ruby-1.8.2/.
(I use Linux)
If I do “which ruby” I get /usr/local/bin/ruby. It seems that Ruby has
created the folder /usr/local/bin and filled it with ruby, irb, etc…
I don’t mind, this is all fine.

Now my question is: when at XMAS Metz dressed like Santa will bring me
Ruby 1.8.4, how should I upgrade?

I was thinking do to the following:

  1. Remove the folder /usr/lib/ruuby-1.8.2/
  2. Install Ruby 1.8.4 from source in /usr/lib/ruby-1.8.4/
  3. During the Installation of Ruby 1.8.4, it will overwrite
    automatically the folder /usr/local/bin/ with the new versions of ruby,
    irb, etc… I am not sure if it works automatically in this way. Can
    you confirm?
    If it doesn’t happen out-of-the-box, I was thinking to create a
    symbolic link from /usr/local/bin to /usr/lib/ruby-1.8.4/bin/.

Regarding Gem and Rails, I will probably just remove Gem’s folder and
reinstall it. And then just reinstall the main gems that I am using
including Rails. The rails websites/application that I have done are
saved elsewhere and shouldn’t be affected.

Is it a good approach? How will you do it?

If you plan on having multiple supported installations,
it is probably best to install both packages with the
–program-suffix option and then symlink the ‘real’
binary names to whichever is the default one. This
way you have access to explicit versions if you need
them.

(Remember to install 1.9 too :wink:

E