Gem 'mechanize' in Ruby script

Ruby
1

Hi,

I would like to know exactly how this snippets work in Ruby script.

gem ‘mechanize’, ‘=1.0.0’
require File.dirname(FILE) + “/logo.rb”
require “rubygems”
require “cashew”

I can guess the lines (2~4) will require external ruby files.
But the first line that is using “gem” is horrible thing to me.

When this ruby file gets executed, ‘mechanize’ gem would be installed?
Or you will have to install that gem beforehand?

I would very appreciate if you can explain further details.

Thanks in advance,
Christopher

2

information: you should require “rubygems” first before you call the gem
method if you want to use ruby1.8

on newer ruby, require “rubygems” is mostly useless

3

On Mon, 11 Mar 2013 11:29:43 +0100, Christopher Frost
[email protected] wrote:

gem ‘mechanize’, ‘=1.0.0’

When this ruby file gets executed, ‘mechanize’ gem would be installed?
Or you will have to install that gem beforehand?

It won’t be installed, and it won’t even be require-d. This line just
checks if you have the gem installed in that version, and if you don’t,
it raises an exception.

This is also useful when you have multiple gem versions installed
locally, and want to use a particular (and not latest) one – any
subsequent call to require 'mechanize' or similar will load Mechanize
in that precise version.