# Ruby 1.8.4 - irb -\> require "irb/completion" fails

**URL:** <https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/ruby-1-8-4-irb-require-irb-completion-fails/57628>\
**Category:** Ruby\
**Created:** [April 12, 2006, 4:22pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/ruby-1-8-4-irb-require-irb-completion-fails/57628 "2006-04-12T16:22:56Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Frederic\_CHALONS](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/f/9fc29f/32.png) [@Frederic\_CHALONS](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/Frederic_CHALONS)\
**Post date:** [April 12, 2006, 4:22pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/ruby-1-8-4-irb-require-irb-completion-fails/57628/1 "2006-04-12T16:22:56Z")

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Hi,

I am running ruby 1.8.4 under Solaris10/Sparc using the archive from  
[http://www.sunfreeware.com](http://www.sunfreeware.com).  
Using irb, I try to load the very convenient “irb/completion” library  
but it  
fails.

-bash-3.00$ ruby --version  
ruby 1.8.4 (2005-12-24) [sparc-solaris2.10]  
-bash-3.00$ irb --version  
irb 0.9.5(05/04/13)  
-bash-3.00$ irb  
irb(main):001:0\> require “irb/completion”  
NameError: uninitialized constant Readline  
from /usr/local/lib/ruby/1.8/irb/completion.rb:184  
from (irb):1:in `irb_binding' from /usr/local/lib/ruby/1.8/irb/workspace.rb:52:in `irb\_binding’  
from /usr/local/lib/ruby/1.8/irb/workspace.rb:52  
Maybe IRB bug!!  
irb(main):002:0\>exit  
-bash-3.00$ uname -a  
SunOS xxxxxx 5.10 Generic sun4u sparc SUNW,xxxxxxxx  
-bash-3.00$

Actually, I had exactly the same problem on a Solaris 8/Sparc system  
using a  
ruby 1.8.4 I compiled myself.  
Did anyone face this issue and could help me with its reason and perhaps  
a  
fix/workaround 😉

Thank you,

---

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**Author:** ![Frederic\_CHALONS](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/f/9fc29f/32.png) [@Frederic\_CHALONS](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/Frederic_CHALONS)\
**Post date:** [April 12, 2006, 6:47pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/ruby-1-8-4-irb-require-irb-completion-fails/57628/2 "2006-04-12T18:47:30Z")

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DÅ?a Streda 12. Apríl 2006 16:21 Frederic CHALONS napísal:

> irb 0.9.5(05/04/13)  
> SunOS xxxxxx 5.10 Generic sun4u sparc SUNW,xxxxxxxx  
> -bash-3.00$
> 
> Actually, I had exactly the same problem on a Solaris 8/Sparc system using  
> a ruby 1.8.4 I compiled myself.  
> Did anyone face this issue and could help me with its reason and perhaps a  
> fix/workaround 😉
> 
> ## Thank you,
> 
> FC

irb autocompletion requires readline and the ruby extension module for  
it. Do  
you have readline installed?

If not, install it and rebuild ruby, the build process should compile  
the  
extension when it finds the library.

David V.

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**Author:** ![Frederic\_CHALONS](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/f/9fc29f/32.png) [@Frederic\_CHALONS](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/Frederic_CHALONS)\
**Post date:** [April 14, 2006, 1:36pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/ruby-1-8-4-irb-require-irb-completion-fails/57628/3 "2006-04-14T13:36:09Z")

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Hi,

I got the “readline” package from sunfreeware installed and  
indeed completion works like a charm 🙂

Thank you David,  
Frederic

2006/4/12, David V. [removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid):

> > -bash-3.00$ ruby --version  
> > from /usr/local/lib/ruby/1.8/irb/workspace.rb:52  
> > a  
> > If not, install it and rebuild ruby, the build process should compile the  
> > extension when it finds the library.
> 
> David V.

–  
Frederic CHALONS  
+33(0)1.42.60.98.04