# "gem install ncurses" on Windows **URL:** \ **Category:** Ruby\ **Created:** [October 8, 2007, 10:48am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/gem-install-ncurses-on-windows/116637 "2007-10-08T10:48:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 3\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![rubyrubyruby\_onrail](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/r/7feea3/32.png) [@rubyrubyruby\_onrail](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/rubyrubyruby_onrail)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2007, 10:48am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/gem-install-ncurses-on-windows/116637/1 "2007-10-08T10:48:03Z")
(This may not be the right place for RubyGem support. If it is not, a pointer to the correct location would be nice.) I am trying to install the ncurses gem on Windows. I installed Ruby 1.8.6 using the 1-click-installer and have gem 0.9.2. Simply typing “gem install ncurses” resulted in this error: > ERROR: Failed to build gem native extension. > ruby extconf.rb install ncurses > > extconf.rb:35: ncurses header file not found (RuntimeError) So, I downloaded, extracted, and compiled PDCurses 3.3 from [http://pdcurses.sourceforge.net/](http://pdcurses.sourceforge.net/) using MSVC 2005 (version 1400 or something). After setting my INCLUDE, LIB, and LIBPATH variables to include the PDCurses files, running “gem install ncurses” produces this: > c:\ruby\lib\ruby\1.8\i386-mswin32\config.h(2) : fatal error C1189: #error : MSC version unmatch I commented out this error line to see what would happen. I got this: > nmake > > Microsoft (R) Program Maintenance Utility Version 8.00.50727.42 > Copyright (C) Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved. > > cl -nologo -I. -I. -IC:/Ruby/lib/ruby/1.8/i386-mswin32 -I. -MD -Zi -O2b2xg- -G6 -g -DHAVE\_CURSES\_H -DHAVE\_TABSIZE -DHAVE\_CURSES\_VERSION -DHAVE\_TIGETSTR -DHAVE\_GETWIN -DHAVE\_PUTWIN -DHAVE\_UNGETMOUSE -DHAVE\_MOUSEMASK -DHAVE\_WENCLOSE -DHAVE\_MOUSEINTERVAL -DHAVE\_WMOUSE\_TRAFO -DHAVE\_HAS\_KEY -DHAVE\_DELSCREEN -DHAVE\_USE\_DEFAULT\_COLORS -DHAVE\_WRESIZE -DHAVE\_ATTR\_ON -DHAVE\_ATTR\_OFF -DHAVE\_ATTR\_SET -DHAVE\_CHGAT -DHAVE\_COLOR\_SET -DHAVE\_FILTER -DHAVE\_INTRFLUSH -DHAVE\_MVCHGAT -DHAVE\_MVHLINE -DHAVE\_MVVLINE -DHAVE\_MVWCHGAT -DHAVE\_MVWHLINE -DHAVE\_MVWVLINE -DHAVE\_NOQIFLUSH -DHAVE\_PUTP -DHAVE\_QIFLUSH -DHAVE\_SCR\_DUMP -DHAVE\_SCR\_INIT -DHAVE\_SCR\_RESTORE -DHAVE\_SCR\_SET -DHAVE\_SLK\_ATTR\_OFF -DHAVE\_SLK\_ATTR\_ON -DHAVE\_SLK\_ATTR\_SET -DHAVE\_SLK\_COLOR -DHAVE\_TIGETFLAG -DHAVE\_TIGETNUM -DHAVE\_USE\_ENV -DHAVE\_VIDATTR -DHAVE\_VID\_ATTR -DHAVE\_WATTR\_ON -DHAVE\_WATTR\_OFF -DHAVE\_WATTR\_SET -DHAVE\_WCHGAT -DHAVE\_WCOLOR\_SET -DHAVE\_GETATTRS -DHAVE\_ASSUME\_DEFAULT\_COLORS -DHAVE\_ATTR\_GET -DHAVE\_PANEL\_H -c -Tcform\_wrap.c > cl : Command line warning D9035 : option ‘Og-’ has been deprecated and will be removed in a future release > cl : Command line warning D9002 : ignoring unknown option ‘-G6’ > cl : Command line warning D9002 : ignoring unknown option ‘-g’ > form\_wrap.c > cl -nologo -I. -I. -IC:/Ruby/lib/ruby/1.8/i386-mswin32 -I. -MD -Zi -O2b2xg- -G6 -g -DHAVE\_CURSES\_H -DHAVE\_TABSIZE -DHAVE\_CURSES\_VERSION -DHAVE\_TIGETSTR -DHAVE\_GETWIN -DHAVE\_PUTWIN -DHAVE\_UNGETMOUSE -DHAVE\_MOUSEMASK -DHAVE\_WENCLOSE -DHAVE\_MOUSEINTERVAL -DHAVE\_WMOUSE\_TRAFO -DHAVE\_HAS\_KEY -DHAVE\_DELSCREEN -DHAVE\_USE\_DEFAULT\_COLORS -DHAVE\_WRESIZE -DHAVE\_ATTR\_ON -DHAVE\_ATTR\_OFF -DHAVE\_ATTR\_SET -DHAVE\_CHGAT -DHAVE\_COLOR\_SET -DHAVE\_FILTER -DHAVE\_INTRFLUSH -DHAVE\_MVCHGAT -DHAVE\_MVHLINE -DHAVE\_MVVLINE -DHAVE\_MVWCHGAT -DHAVE\_MVWHLINE -DHAVE\_MVWVLINE -DHAVE\_NOQIFLUSH -DHAVE\_PUTP -DHAVE\_QIFLUSH -DHAVE\_SCR\_DUMP -DHAVE\_SCR\_INIT -DHAVE\_SCR\_RESTORE -DHAVE\_SCR\_SET -DHAVE\_SLK\_ATTR\_OFF -DHAVE\_SLK\_ATTR\_ON -DHAVE\_SLK\_ATTR\_SET -DHAVE\_SLK\_COLOR -DHAVE\_TIGETFLAG -DHAVE\_TIGETNUM -DHAVE\_USE\_ENV -DHAVE\_VIDATTR -DHAVE\_VID\_ATTR -DHAVE\_WATTR\_ON -DHAVE\_WATTR\_OFF -DHAVE\_WATTR\_SET -DHAVE\_WCHGAT -DHAVE\_WCOLOR\_SET -DHAVE\_GETATTRS -DHAVE\_ASSUME\_DEFAULT\_COLORS -DHAVE\_ATTR\_GET -DHAVE\_PANEL\_H -c -Tcncurses\_wrap.c > cl : Command line warning D9035 : option ‘Og-’ has been deprecated and will be removed in a future release > cl : Command line warning D9002 : ignoring unknown option ‘-G6’ > cl : Command line warning D9002 : ignoring unknown option ‘-g’ > ncurses\_wrap.c > C:\Program Files\Microsoft SDKs\Windows\v6.0\Include\wincon.h(101) : warning C4005: ‘MOUSE\_MOVED’ : macro redefinition > C:\pdcurses\curses.h(158) : see previous definition of ‘MOUSE\_MOVED’ > C:\Program Files\Microsoft SDKs\Windows\v6.0\VC\Include\io.h(318) : error C2375: ‘close’ : redefinition; different linkage > c:\ruby\lib\ruby\gems\1.8\gems\ncurses-0.9.1\ncurses\_wrap.h(71) : see declaration of ‘close’ > C:\Program Files\Microsoft SDKs\Windows\v6.0\VC\Include\io.h(320) : error C2375: ‘dup’ : redefinition; different linkage > c:\ruby\lib\ruby\gems\1.8\gems\ncurses-0.9.1\ncurses\_wrap.h(70) : see declaration of ‘dup’ > ncurses\_wrap.c(1267) : warning C4047: ‘function’ : ‘const char \*’ differs in levels of indirection from ‘int’ > ncurses\_wrap.c(1267) : warning C4024: ‘rb\_str\_new2’ : different types for formal and actual parameter 1 > ncurses\_wrap.c(2071) : warning C4087: ‘getmouse’ : declared with ‘void’ parameter list > NMAKE : fatal error U1077: ‘“C:\Program Files\Microsoft SDKs\Windows\v6.0\VC\Bin\cl.EXE”’ : return code ‘0x2’ > Stop. What should I try next? Has anyone successfully installed the ncurses gem on Windows? Am I event headed in the right direction? ---
**Author:** ![rubyrubyruby\_onrail](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/r/7feea3/32.png) [@rubyrubyruby\_onrail](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/rubyrubyruby_onrail)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2007, 6:37pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/gem-install-ncurses-on-windows/116637/2 "2007-10-08T18:37:29Z")
On Oct 8, 2007, at 01:48 , Christopher W, wrote: > > extconf.rb:35: ncurses header file not found (RuntimeError) > > So, I downloaded, extracted, and compiled PDCurses 3.3 from > [http://pdcurses.sourceforge.net/](http://pdcurses.sourceforge.net/) using MSVC 2005 (version 1400 or > something). You’ll need MSVC6 to link correctly. Somebody more familiar with the inner workings of Windows compiling will probably pop in and tell you why RSN. ---
**Author:** ![rubyrubyruby\_onrail](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/r/7feea3/32.png) [@rubyrubyruby\_onrail](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/rubyrubyruby_onrail)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2007, 7:47pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/gem-install-ncurses-on-windows/116637/3 "2007-10-08T19:47:23Z")
On Oct 8, 10:35 am, Eric H. [removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid) wrote: > > > ruby extconf.rb install ncurses > > > > > > extconf.rb:35: ncurses header file not found (RuntimeError) > > > So, I downloaded, extracted, and compiled PDCurses 3.3 from > > [http://pdcurses.sourceforge.net/using](http://pdcurses.sourceforge.net/using) MSVC 2005 (version 1400 or > > something). > > You’ll need MSVC6 to link correctly. Somebody more familiar with the > inner workings of Windows compiling will probably pop in and tell you > why RSN. My guess would be that he needs to pass a “–with-ncurses-dir=C:/path/ to/ncurses” directive so that the bindings can find the header files they need. I can’t remember how you do that with gems. Just tack it on at the end? Regards, Dan