# Copy current state of gem on server to my local machine

**URL:** <https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/copy-current-state-of-gem-on-server-to-my-local-machine/178609>\
**Category:** Ruby\
**Created:** [November 7, 2009, 9:20pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/copy-current-state-of-gem-on-server-to-my-local-machine/178609 "2009-11-07T21:20:45Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![cmaxvv](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/c/85f322/32.png) [@cmaxvv](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/cmaxvv)\
**Post date:** [November 7, 2009, 9:20pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/copy-current-state-of-gem-on-server-to-my-local-machine/178609/1 "2009-11-07T21:20:45Z")

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I have a gem (thoth-0.3.0) on my server which has had a few changes made  
to it over time (by me). I’m happy with how it works and have no desire  
to update it. I now need to install a copy of that gem on my local  
machine so i can develop knowing that what i do will work the same on  
the server. I can’t just install it as normal as it’s out of sync with  
the ‘official’ version.

Can i just zip up the server’s thoth-0.3.0 folder, scp it over and then  
untar it into my gems folder? Or does it need to be properly installed?  
if so, what’s the best process for this?

thanks  
max

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![cmaxvv](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/c/85f322/32.png) [@cmaxvv](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/cmaxvv)\
**Post date:** [November 7, 2009, 9:51pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/copy-current-state-of-gem-on-server-to-my-local-machine/178609/2 "2009-11-07T21:51:49Z")

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Max W. wrote:

> I have a gem (thoth-0.3.0) on my server which has had a few changes made  
> to it over time (by me). I’m happy with how it works and have no desire  
> to update it. I now need to install a copy of that gem on my local  
> machine so i can develop knowing that what i do will work the same on  
> the server. I can’t just install it as normal as it’s out of sync with  
> the ‘official’ version.
> 
> Can i just zip up the server’s thoth-0.3.0 folder, scp it over and then  
> untar it into my gems folder? Or does it need to be properly installed?  
> if so, what’s the best process for this?

Run ‘gem server’ on your server, and then specify it as the source from  
which to install the gem on the local box. However, If you’re using a  
modified gem, you should rename it and/or package it within your source  
repo (for example, in Rails, put it in vendor/gems). Otherwise, you  
defeat the point of having a package system like rubygems.

> thanks  
> max

## Best,

Marnen Laibow-Koser  
[http://www.marnen.org](http://www.marnen.org)  
removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![cmaxvv](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/c/85f322/32.png) [@cmaxvv](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/cmaxvv)\
**Post date:** [November 7, 2009, 11:41pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/copy-current-state-of-gem-on-server-to-my-local-machine/178609/3 "2009-11-07T23:41:50Z")

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ah, that’s great Marnen. thanks!