# Gem question on hosted service **URL:** \ **Category:** Rails\ **Created:** [July 18, 2008, 3:06am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/gem-question-on-hosted-service/143400 "2008-07-18T03:06:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Tubahead](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/t/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Tubahead](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/Tubahead)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2008, 3:06am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/gem-question-on-hosted-service/143400/1 "2008-07-18T03:06:00Z")
All, This may be a gem question (not rails) but I feel sure someone else on this list has seen this issue go by. I use a hosting service that has ROR available, but I am among the few developers using it. I am developing on a local linux box, and have been very careful to NOT use any extra gems because I might have a problem with my provider. Well … fastercsv rocks and I wanted to use it. My provider has a method for me to install a gem, and I did so with their interface (Fansastico). My issue: require ‘fastercsv’ does not work, and I think it’s because they put gems in a place where ruby/rails can’t seem to find them. This is the message given when I look at my installed gems: Using Your Ruby Gem(s) You will need to add /home/user1/ruby/gems to the include path. You can do this by adding the following code to your script: $:.push("/home/user1/ruby/gems") I have placed this code in the environment.rb file, and in a couple of other locations that I thought might help with no success. Is there a way to require a gem from a strange location, or do I need to add something to my path or environment variables to help ruby figure out where these are stored? Any help is much appreciated … Dustin ---
**Author:** ![Tubahead](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/t/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Tubahead](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/Tubahead)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2008, 3:17am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/gem-question-on-hosted-service/143400/2 "2008-07-18T03:17:42Z")
Things I tried: ENV[‘GEM\_PATH’] ||= ‘/home/salgba/ruby/gems’ or config.load\_paths += %W( /home/salgba/ruby/gems/gems ) or $:.push("/home/salgba/ruby/gems") require ‘fastercsv’ (all these result in rails failing to start) ---
**Author:** ![Tubahead](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/t/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Tubahead](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/Tubahead)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2008, 3:19am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/gem-question-on-hosted-service/143400/3 "2008-07-18T03:19:27Z")
Things I tried: ENV[‘GEM\_PATH’] ||= ‘/home/user1/ruby/gems’ or config.load\_paths += %W( /home/user1/ruby/gems/gems ) or $:.push(“/home/user1/ruby/gems”) require ‘fastercsv’ (all these result in rails failing to start) On Jul 17, 9:05 pm, Tubahead [removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid) wrote: ---
**Author:** ![Tubahead](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/t/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Tubahead](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/Tubahead)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2008, 1:36am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/gem-question-on-hosted-service/143400/4 "2008-07-19T01:36:29Z")
On 18 Jul 2008, at 02:17, Tubahead wrote: > Things I tried: > > ENV[‘GEM\_PATH’] ||= ‘/home/salgba/ruby/gems’ Something along the lines of this one feels like the right thing. What happens when you do this? Fred ---
**Author:** ![Tubahead](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/t/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Tubahead](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/Tubahead)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2008, 9:49pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/gem-question-on-hosted-service/143400/5 "2008-07-23T21:49:43Z")
Tried it, still doesn’t make a difference. I guess I can attempt support at my hosting company, but I think I am one of a few customers using rails, so I may be back here soon. Thanks for your help !! On Jul 18, 7:35 pm, Frederick C. [removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid)