# "gem install mygem" does not install the gem **URL:** \ **Category:** Rails\ **Created:** [July 30, 2010, 11:20am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/gem-install-mygem-does-not-install-the-gem/192438 "2010-07-30T11:20:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![CUBRID](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@CUBRID](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/CUBRID)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2010, 11:20am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/gem-install-mygem-does-not-install-the-gem/192438/1 "2010-07-30T11:20:36Z")
Hi, I am encountering an odd behavior of gem install function. Can anyone explain me what “gem install” actually does? I have several C code and header files, and one extconf.rb file, + mygem.gemspec file. So, when I build a gem it successfully creates mygem-0.61.gem. So, when I install it locally using “gem install mygem-0.61.gem” I expect the gem to create a makefile, because in the extconf.rb file I explicitly indicate it, and then “make install” that newly created Makefile. However, "gem install’ does not create a Makefile and does not install it. What it does is just copies those several files to the gem directory, where Gem keeps all its gems. What I have to do is manually rub “ruby extconf.rb”, which creates the Makefile, and manually “make install”. The questions is: Should not “gem install” perform all these operation by itself, when I type “gem install mygem”? Thank you in advance for your help. ---
**Author:** ![CUBRID](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@CUBRID](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/CUBRID)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2010, 11:55am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/gem-install-mygem-does-not-install-the-gem/192438/2 "2010-07-30T11:55:08Z")
On Jul 30, 10:19 am, CUBRID [removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid) wrote: > expect the gem to create a makefile, because in the extconf.rb file I > explicitly indicate it, and then “make install” that newly created > Makefile. However, "gem install’ does not create a Makefile and does > not install it. What it does is just copies those several files to the > gem directory, where Gem keeps all its gems. > > What I have to do is manually rub “ruby extconf.rb”, which creates the > Makefile, and manually “make install”. > > The questions is: Should not “gem install” perform all these operation > by itself, when I type “gem install mygem”? You need to indicate in your gemspec that there is a native library to build. You might get more answers on one of the main ruby lists as this isn’t really a rails question. Fred ---
**Author:** ![CUBRID](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@CUBRID](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/CUBRID)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2010, 3:08am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/gem-install-mygem-does-not-install-the-gem/192438/3 "2010-08-02T03:08:02Z")
Thank you! I will post to the rubygems gorup. But, if you might have time to explain me which specification exactly should be set, I would be very glad for your help! What I understand from what you’ve said is the “s.platform = Gem::Platform::RUBY” specification. If, so, this is exactly what I did, i.e. set it to Native Ruby. Anyway, thank you for you help! Esen. On Jul 30, 6:53 pm, Frederick C. [removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid) ---
**Author:** ![CUBRID](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@CUBRID](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/CUBRID)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2010, 10:31am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/gem-install-mygem-does-not-install-the-gem/192438/4 "2010-08-02T10:31:41Z")
On Aug 2, 2:06 am, CUBRID [removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid) wrote: > Thank you! > > I will post to the rubygems gorup. But, if you might have time to > explain me which specification exactly should be set, I would be very > glad for your help! What I understand from what you’ve said is the > “s.platform = Gem::Platform::RUBY” specification. If, so, this is > exactly what I did, i.e. set it to Native Ruby. No, that’s not what you need, see [http://docs.rubygems.org/read/chapter/20#extensions](http://docs.rubygems.org/read/chapter/20#extensions) You might also want ot look at an existing gem that contains a native library and see what it does Fred ---
**Author:** ![CUBRID](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@CUBRID](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/CUBRID)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2010, 11:24am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/gem-install-mygem-does-not-install-the-gem/192438/5 "2010-08-02T11:24:59Z")
Actually I had that line before. Then I removed it when I build a gem for win32 as I didn’t need to build anything. Then forgot to paste back. Thank you, Fred, for the notice. On Aug 2, 5:30 pm, Frederick C. [removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid)