# Ruby console problem **URL:** \ **Category:** Rails\ **Created:** [October 25, 2008, 11:35pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/ruby-console-problem/151796 "2008-10-25T23:35:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 4\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Sal\_eSM](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/s/3bc359/32.png) [@Sal\_eSM](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/Sal_eSM)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2008, 11:35pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/ruby-console-problem/151796/1 "2008-10-25T23:35:58Z")
Hi, I am using InstantRails in XP SP2. When I try to open a Ruby console window from InstantRails menu system I only get a Dos window. This is, probably, a problem in my registry configuration and happens even when I try to execute a batch (.bat) file. My question is: how do I run a Ruby Console window without going through the InstantRails menu system? If anyone knows how to fix my Window register problem that would work also. Thanks, Lawrence ---
**Author:** ![Sal\_eSM](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/s/3bc359/32.png) [@Sal\_eSM](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/Sal_eSM)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2008, 7:52pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/ruby-console-problem/151796/2 "2008-10-28T19:52:43Z")
Hi Lawrence, I am not an expert on Windows, and generally - ruby is painfully slow in this environment, so you should consider switching to Linux or Mac OS if you want to use ruby with comfort in long term, but I think I know what’s your problem. Seems to me that InstantRails opens console windows for you, and sets some environmental variables, like PATH to make it possible to use ruby. If you type “irb” in normal console window, you’ll get “no such command” or similiar, while started from menu - will spawn irb for you. You might need to navigate to your rails project in command line, like: > cd C:\myprojects\rails\blog and run console: > ruby script\console Please let me know if this helps, Hubert On 25 Pa¼, 22:35, “Sal e. Mander” [removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid) ---
**Author:** ![Sal\_eSM](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/s/3bc359/32.png) [@Sal\_eSM](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/Sal_eSM)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2008, 3:13pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/ruby-console-problem/151796/3 "2008-10-29T15:13:31Z")
OK. The DOS window that you are getting from the InstantRails menus IS the Rails Console (almost). A console is just a window, it does not have to be anything fancy. The special thing about this DOS window is that it has all the right paths to ruby and your applications directories pre-set for you so that you don’t have to worry about them. Another thing that you need to know is that if you type ruby script/console then you will load your Rails environment for that particular project and you can interactively issue commands. It still looks like a DOS window but it has got super powers now! Hope this helps. Bharat On Oct 25, 5:35 pm, “Sal e. Mander” [removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid) ---
**Author:** ![Sal\_eSM](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/s/3bc359/32.png) [@Sal\_eSM](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/Sal_eSM)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2008, 6:43am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/ruby-console-problem/151796/4 "2008-11-18T06:43:44Z")
Hubert Łępicki wrote: > Hi Lawrence, > > I am not an expert on Windows, and generally - ruby is painfully slow > in this environment, so you should consider switching to Linux or Mac > OS if you want to use ruby with comfort in long term, but I think I > know what’s your problem. > > Seems to me that InstantRails opens console windows for you, and sets > some environmental variables, like PATH to make it possible to use > ruby. > If you type “irb” in normal console window, you’ll get “no such > command” or similiar, while started from menu - will spawn irb for > you. > > You might need to navigate to your rails project in command line, > like: > > > cd C:\myprojects\rails\blog > > and run console: > > > ruby script\console > > Please let me know if this helps, > Hubert > > On 25 Pa�, 22:35, “Sal e. Mander” [removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid) Both yours and the suggestion from Bharat R. are alternatives to my broken dos window. InstantRails console window is just the irb window and I can call that directly. I have since learned how to use the project script/console for project control. Thank you both for your response and suggestions. Best regards, Lawrence