# Need help invoking debug **URL:** \ **Category:** Ruby\ **Created:** [October 10, 2009, 11:13am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/need-help-invoking-debug/177043 "2009-10-10T11:13:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 4\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![shawn](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/s/f6c823/32.png) [@shawn](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/shawn)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2009, 11:13am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/need-help-invoking-debug/177043/1 "2009-10-10T11:13:39Z")
Newbie here… I’m trying to run a ruby program in debug mode. I used the following command: ruby -r debug debugtest.rb The response I get is this: Debug.rb Emacs support available. C:/Program Files/Ruby/lib/ruby/site\_ruby/1.8/ubygems.rb:10:require ‘rubygems’ (rdb:1) No typos… does it have something to do with the reference to ubygems. I haven’t played around with the installation files so I don’t understand how a file could be mis-named, but who knows. And looking at the folder shows both rubygems.rb and ubygems.rb. Or is it referring to something else? I don’t get it. I’m working my way through a beginners book but seem to be hung-up on this example. Thanks in advance… ---
**Author:** ![shawn](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/s/f6c823/32.png) [@shawn](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/shawn)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2009, 10:36pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/need-help-invoking-debug/177043/2 "2009-10-10T22:36:29Z")
On Sat, Oct 10, 2009 at 5:13 AM, Shawn H. [removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid) wrote: > C:/Program Files/Ruby/lib/ruby/site\_ruby/1.8/ubygems.rb:10:require > ‘rubygems’ > (rdb:1) > > No typos… does it have something to do with the reference to ubygems. > I haven’t played around with the installation files so I don’t > understand how a file could be mis-named, but who knows. And looking at > the folder shows both rubygems.rb and ubygems.rb. > > Or is it referring to something else? I don’t get it. I’m working my > way through a beginners book but seem to be hung-up on this example. Did you try looking at what’s inside ubygems.rb # This file allows for the running of rubygems with a nice # command line look-and-feel: ruby -rubygems foo.rb #– # Copyright 2006 by Chad F., Rich Kilmer, Jim W. and others. # All rights reserved. # See LICENSE.txt for permissions. #++ require ‘rubygems’ – Rick DeNatale Blog: [http://talklikeaduck.denhaven2.com/](http://talklikeaduck.denhaven2.com/) Twitter: [http://twitter.com/RickDeNatale](http://twitter.com/RickDeNatale) WWR: [http://www.workingwithrails.com/person/9021-rick-denatale](http://www.workingwithrails.com/person/9021-rick-denatale) LinkedIn: [http://www.linkedin.com/in/rickdenatale](http://www.linkedin.com/in/rickdenatale) ---
**Author:** ![shawn](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/s/f6c823/32.png) [@shawn](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/shawn)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2009, 11:13pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/need-help-invoking-debug/177043/3 "2009-10-10T23:13:44Z")
> C:/Program Files/Ruby/lib/ruby/site\_ruby/1.8/ubygems.rb:10:require > ‘rubygems’ > (rdb:1) > > No typos… does it have something to do with the reference to ubygems. > I haven’t played around with the installation files so I don’t > understand how a file could be mis-named, but who knows. And looking at > the folder shows both rubygems.rb and ubygems.rb. What’s happening is probably that you have RUBYOPT=-rubygems which is a shortcut way to require rubygems, sometimes setup by the one click installer. So when you ruby ruby -r debug some\_file it ends up running a require BEFORE it runs that file, and, conveniently, brings you to a debug prompt in the pre-file file. To get around it: gem install ruby-debug then within debugtest.rb require ‘ruby-debug’ debugger Cheers! -r ---
**Author:** ![shawn](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/s/f6c823/32.png) [@shawn](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/shawn)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2009, 12:13am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/need-help-invoking-debug/177043/4 "2009-10-11T00:13:32Z")
> What’s happening is probably that you have RUBYOPT=-rubygems > > which is a shortcut way to require rubygems, sometimes setup by the one > click installer. So when you ruby ruby -r debug some\_file > > it ends up running a require BEFORE it runs that file, and, > conveniently, brings you to a debug prompt in the pre-file file. > > To get around it: > gem install ruby-debug > then within debugtest.rb > require ‘ruby-debug’ > debugger > Cheers! > -r Thanks for the advice guys… RP I did what you suggested and it seemed to work, although some of the commands don’t seem to work (following the example in the book). But I was able to list and step through the code… maybe a different version of ruby-debug from that used in the book. I’m moving on… I figure I can come back to this if it proves to be important when I have some more knowledge. Thanks again for the help.