# Ruby headers in mac os x

**URL:** <https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/ruby-headers-in-mac-os-x/81273>\
**Category:** Ruby\
**Created:** [January 6, 2007, 7:30pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/ruby-headers-in-mac-os-x/81273 "2007-01-06T19:30:56Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![unknown](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/u/4bbf92/32.png) [@unknown](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/unknown)\
**Post date:** [January 6, 2007, 7:30pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/ruby-headers-in-mac-os-x/81273/1 "2007-01-06T19:30:56Z")

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Sorry for the stupid question. I am trying to build  
rubyOSA 0.2.0 on my Mac Powerbook, OS X.4.8.  
When I run “ruby extconf.rb”, following the instructions,  
I get the answer “can’t find header files for ruby”.  
When you stop laughing, please, tell me: what should I do?

Thanks a lot,  
Piero

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![unknown](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/u/4bbf92/32.png) [@unknown](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/unknown)\
**Post date:** [January 7, 2007, 3:25am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/ruby-headers-in-mac-os-x/81273/2 "2007-01-07T03:25:51Z")

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unknown wrote:

> I am trying to build  
> rubyOSA 0.2.0 on my Mac Powerbook, OS X.4.8.  
> When I run “ruby extconf.rb”, following the instructions,  
> I get the answer “can’t find header files for ruby”.

It is looking for the ruby.h file.

In Ubuntu/Debian I install the ruby-dev package to get those header  
files. I assume there is a similar package for Mac.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![unknown](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/u/4bbf92/32.png) [@unknown](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/unknown)\
**Post date:** [January 19, 2007, 4:30pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/ruby-headers-in-mac-os-x/81273/3 "2007-01-19T16:30:34Z")

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Hi Piero,

Did you install the developer tool package? IIRC you can install it  
from the Mac OS X installation DVD.

(You can check this by running ‘gcc’ on the terminal, if you see  
‘command not found’ you don’t have the developer tool package.)

HTH,  
Laurent