# Problems compiling Ruby/Tk

**URL:** <https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/problems-compiling-ruby-tk/66409>\
**Category:** Ruby\
**Created:** [August 25, 2006, 11:12am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/problems-compiling-ruby-tk/66409 "2006-08-25T11:12:24Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 8\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![ron](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/r/ecae2f/32.png) [@ron](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/ron)\
**Post date:** [August 25, 2006, 11:12am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/problems-compiling-ruby-tk/66409/1 "2006-08-25T11:12:24Z")

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Hi,

I am having problems getting Ruby/Tk to work. Below are the results of  
my attempts to get Tk working.

My configure command:  
./configure --prefix=/opt/ruby --enable-thread

Results of make:  
compiling tk  
compiling tk/tkutil  
compiling win32ole  
compiling zlib

When I try to use tk, I get this output:

irb(main):001:0\> require ‘tk’  
LoadError: no such file to load – tk  
from (irb):1:in `require’  
from (irb):1

I have tcl/tk installed on my computer.

My environment is RedHat ES 4.0 32 bit.

What am I doing wrong?

Thanks.

Ron

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![ron](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/r/ecae2f/32.png) [@ron](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/ron)\
**Post date:** [August 28, 2006, 3:39pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/problems-compiling-ruby-tk/66409/2 "2006-08-28T15:39:53Z")

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Ron wrote:

> Hi,
> 
> irb(main):001:0\> require ‘tk’  
> LoadError: no such file to load – tk  
> from (irb):1:in `require’  
> from (irb):1

do you have the line  
require “tk”

at the top of your program?

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![ron](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/r/ecae2f/32.png) [@ron](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/ron)\
**Post date:** [August 28, 2006, 4:49pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/problems-compiling-ruby-tk/66409/3 "2006-08-28T16:49:05Z")

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Yes. The problem manifests when used in a script or using irb (see  
below).

Really lost on this one and I’m hoping someone can give me some insight.

Thanks.

ron

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![ron](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/r/ecae2f/32.png) [@ron](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/ron)\
**Post date:** [August 28, 2006, 4:54pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/problems-compiling-ruby-tk/66409/4 "2006-08-28T16:54:37Z")

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Ron Reidy wrote:

> Yes. The problem manifests when used in a script or using irb (see  
> below).
> 
> Really lost on this one and I’m hoping someone can give me some insight.
> 
> Thanks.
> 
> ron

Know the feeling. Im new to this ruby/tk myself but I got my windows  
installation working.

Have you checked directory paths?  
Could the address be wrong for tk or ruby?  
If its installed maybe the problem is it cant find it?

Ive also seen the line  
#!/usr/bin/env ruby  
added to programs to help it work.

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**Author:** ![ron](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/r/ecae2f/32.png) [@ron](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/ron)\
**Post date:** [August 28, 2006, 5:07pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/problems-compiling-ruby-tk/66409/5 "2006-08-28T17:07:10Z")

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Mer G. wrote:

> Ive also seen the line  
> #!/usr/bin/env ruby  
> added to programs to help it work.

That shouldn’t do a thing to Tk, and especially not on Windows (Cygwin  
notwithstanding). Only Linux shells interpret that line.

David V.

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**Author:** ![ron](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/r/ecae2f/32.png) [@ron](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/ron)\
**Post date:** [August 29, 2006, 3:31am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/problems-compiling-ruby-tk/66409/6 "2006-08-29T03:31:21Z")

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From: “Ron” [removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid)  
Subject: Problems compiling Ruby/Tk  
Date: Fri, 25 Aug 2006 18:11:07 +0900  
Message-ID: [removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid)

> irb(main):001:0\> require ‘tk’  
> LoadError: no such file to load – tk  
> from (irb):1:in `require’  
> from (irb):1

Please check the followings.

(1) Is there `tcltklib.so' on `/opt/ruby/lib/ruby/1.8/i686-linux/’ ?  
( `1.8' and 'i686-linux' depend on your binary. ) If not, probably, you failed to compile it. Please read `/ext/tk/README.tcltklib’.

(2) Did you execute the right binary?  
Please check RUBY\_VERSION and RUBY\_RELEASE\_DATE on the running irb.  
Do those values denote your new ruby binary?  
If not, please try “/opt/ruby/bin/ruby -v /opt/ruby/bin/irb”.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![ron](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/r/ecae2f/32.png) [@ron](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/ron)\
**Post date:** [August 28, 2006, 5:14pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/problems-compiling-ruby-tk/66409/7 "2006-08-28T17:14:39Z")

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> That shouldn’t do a thing to Tk, and especially not on Windows (Cygwin  
> notwithstanding). Only Linux shells interpret that line.

Ok. Wasnt sure of its purpose.

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**Author:** ![ron](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/r/ecae2f/32.png) [@ron](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/ron)\
**Post date:** [August 29, 2006, 5:41am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/problems-compiling-ruby-tk/66409/8 "2006-08-29T05:41:35Z")

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Hidetoshi,

Thank you so much. The README file had the answer and all is working.

rr