# Super simple serving of ruby pages **URL:** \ **Category:** Ruby\ **Created:** [September 20, 2006, 6:01pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/super-simple-serving-of-ruby-pages/69376 "2006-09-20T18:01:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![zerohalo](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/z/5fc32e/32.png) [@zerohalo](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/zerohalo)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2006, 3:44am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/super-simple-serving-of-ruby-pages/69376/21 "2006-09-21T03:44:23Z")
Bil K. wrote: > FWIW, I have the brain of an 8yr old in when it comes > to web-aps, and I managed to write a /couple/ Camping aps > the other evening. Fascinating. I’ve looked at Camping but haven’t really grasped it yet. I’m not a web guy. I do it slowly and painfully. I also have the brain of an eight year old. I keep it in a jar on my desk. Hal ---
**Author:** ![zerohalo](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/z/5fc32e/32.png) [@zerohalo](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/zerohalo)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2006, 5:06am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/super-simple-serving-of-ruby-pages/69376/22 "2006-09-21T05:06:30Z")
zerohalo wrote: > Ruby code into rhtml files, but without Rails. I don’t really want a > online, and I’m no expert on web applications. > I’ve an example of this that’s ~100 lines of code, if you’re interested. Maps URLs to classes and templates and renders them, using erb and Webrick. – James B. “A principle or axiom is of no value without the rules for applying it.” - Len Bullard ---
**Author:** ![zerohalo](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/z/5fc32e/32.png) [@zerohalo](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/zerohalo)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2006, 5:38am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/super-simple-serving-of-ruby-pages/69376/23 "2006-09-21T05:38:32Z")
On Sep 20, 2006, at 8:05 PM, James B. wrote: > > complicated > > write a ruby script that generates an rhtml file, but then how do I > > Maps URLs to classes and templates and renders them, using erb and > > Webrick. > > – > James B. I’d be interested in seeing that James. Thanks -Ezra ---
**Author:** ![zerohalo](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/z/5fc32e/32.png) [@zerohalo](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/zerohalo)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2006, 9:16am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/super-simple-serving-of-ruby-pages/69376/24 "2006-09-21T09:16:57Z")
Jonathan D. wrote: > totally hopeless? > I didn’t realize this was an offsite, commercial server. Many > traditional > servers stay away from anything relatively new, to avoid instabilities. Some commercial webservers allow you to install your own binaries. All you have to do is find out what kind of processor and OS are in use, just as you would for your home computer in choosing a binary. Then drop the appropriate binary into /usr/bin or another suitable location, and you are good to go. But without this option or one like it, your instinct is correct – you wouldn’t be able to run Ruby. ---
**Author:** ![zerohalo](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/z/5fc32e/32.png) [@zerohalo](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/zerohalo)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2006, 5:49am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/super-simple-serving-of-ruby-pages/69376/25 "2006-09-21T05:49:19Z")
Paul L. wrote: > A Ruby interpreter must be installed on the server machine. Apart from > that, > it should work without any fuss. ahh, well, thats probably my problem. i’m using the cheapest server i could find ([canaca.com](http://canaca.com)), which obviousely has no support for ruby. i was hoping there was some shortcut way i could use ruby on my website without having to change servers. is there some way to do that, or is it totally hopeless? ---
**Author:** ![zerohalo](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/z/5fc32e/32.png) [@zerohalo](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/zerohalo)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2006, 1:41pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/super-simple-serving-of-ruby-pages/69376/26 "2006-09-21T13:41:29Z")
This works fine: eRuby: The Erb Alternative to Embedded Ruby in HTML [http://www.hiveminds.co.uk/node/3105](http://www.hiveminds.co.uk/node/3105) It is extremly easy to setup, I have tried this solution in 2 shared hosting services without a problem. – Aníbal Rojas > **[RUBYCORNER.COM](https://www.rubycorner.com/)** > > RUBYCORNER.COM - Contact us for any business inquiries ---
**Author:** ![zerohalo](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/z/5fc32e/32.png) [@zerohalo](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/zerohalo)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2006, 5:07pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/super-simple-serving-of-ruby-pages/69376/27 "2006-09-21T17:07:58Z")
Thanks a lot. I didn’t get it working. I put erb.cgi and a .htaccess in /var/www/cgi-bin/ as directed in [http://www.hiveminds.co.uk/node/3105](http://www.hiveminds.co.uk/node/3105) but I can’t find out what kind of OS the server is using, and i cannot create/edit files or directories in /bin or /usr/bin at this point, it looks to me like i should give up trying to use ruby on that server. Thanks again for your help. ---
**Author:** ![zerohalo](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/z/5fc32e/32.png) [@zerohalo](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/zerohalo)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2006, 6:18pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/super-simple-serving-of-ruby-pages/69376/28 "2006-09-21T18:18:33Z")
On Sep 21, 2006, at 10:58 AM, James B. wrote: > [http://jamesbritt.com/code/wb\_erb.tgz](http://jamesbritt.com/code/wb_erb.tgz) > > Fairly simple, few features, demos a few concepts. Interesting. Thanks for sharing. I’ll try and pay you back at least some of the effort by addressing one of your TODOs. From your code: # Windows only. TODO: figure out # how to do the same thing on Mac and 'nix boxen. Thread.new { # Wait a bit for the server to start, then launch a Web browser # to show the default page sleep( 5 ) warn `start http://127.0.0.1:#{PORT}` } On Mac OS X, replace the word “start” with “open” and it will work. Hope that helps. James Edward G. II ---
**Author:** ![zerohalo](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/z/5fc32e/32.png) [@zerohalo](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/zerohalo)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2006, 5:58pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/super-simple-serving-of-ruby-pages/69376/29 "2006-09-21T17:58:30Z")
Ezra Z. wrote: > On Sep 20, 2006, at 8:05 PM, James B. wrote: > I’d be interested in seeing that James. Here ya go! [http://jamesbritt.com/code/wb\_erb.tgz](http://jamesbritt.com/code/wb_erb.tgz) Fairly simple, few features, demos a few concepts. – James B. “Simplicity of the language is not what matters, but simplicity of use.” - Richard A. O’Keefe in squeak-dev mailing list ---
**Author:** ![zerohalo](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/z/5fc32e/32.png) [@zerohalo](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/zerohalo)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2006, 6:42pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/super-simple-serving-of-ruby-pages/69376/30 "2006-09-21T18:42:39Z")
Jonathan D. wrote: > Thanks a lot. I didn’t get it working. I put erb.cgi and a .htaccess in > /var/www/cgi-bin/ as directed in [http://www.hiveminds.co.uk/node/3105](http://www.hiveminds.co.uk/node/3105) > but I can’t find out what kind of OS the server is using, and i cannot > create/edit files or directories in /bin or /usr/bin Will any CGI script work in the /var/www/cgi-bin directory, for example one that relies on “sh” or Perl? If so, put your own CGI script in /var/www/cgi-bin that reveals things about the OS. * * * #!/bin/sh echo -e “Content-type: text/html\r\n\r\n” data=`set` echo “ ``` $data ``` ” * * * Don’t leave this script in place, just use it temporarily to find out what’s going on. > at this point, it looks to me like i should give up trying to use ruby > on that server. Use the above script and change: data=`whereis ruby` > Thanks again for your help. Just some ideas, and your conclusion may be correct. ---
**Author:** ![zerohalo](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/z/5fc32e/32.png) [@zerohalo](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/zerohalo)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2006, 6:34pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/super-simple-serving-of-ruby-pages/69376/31 "2006-09-21T18:34:35Z")
On Thu, 21 Sep 2006, James B. wrote: > > ERb looks like the ticket, but there’s a missing link (for me). I can > > write a ruby script that generates an rhtml file, but then how do I > > serve that rhtml file without a framework like > > Rails/Nitro/Camping/etc.? Probably the answer is with Webrick somehow, > > but I’m missing the connection. I can’t find a simple tutorial anywhere > > online, and I’m no expert on web applications. > > I’ve an example of this that’s ~100 lines of code, if you’re interested. > > Maps URLs to classes and templates and renders them, using erb and Webrick. I’d like to see it, just because I might find it educational. I’ve also been wondering if framework support for this sort of thing, but very simple to setup, would be useful to people? Something akin to this: ## app.rb require ‘iowa’ ## Iowa.run ## app.cnf ## socket: hostname: [foo.bar.com](http://foo.bar.com) port: 3000 application: dispatcher: class: StandardDispatcher mapfile: mapfile.cnf ## mapfile.cnf: ## 🗺 /index.html: Index /form.html: Myform /response.html: Myresponse If one had an index.rhtml, myform.rhtml, and myresponse.rhtml, they would be mapped to classes Index, Myform, and Myresponse, and requests for the urls above would go to the class in question and be rendered as an erb template. You’d run it with: ruby app.rb -r webrick or ruby app.rb -r mongrel No other code or config necessary to serve those rhtml files. Would anyone use this ability (as I personally would not). Worth my time to make the above work? Kirk haines ---
**Author:** ![zerohalo](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/z/5fc32e/32.png) [@zerohalo](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/zerohalo)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2006, 4:12am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/super-simple-serving-of-ruby-pages/69376/32 "2006-09-28T04:12:40Z")
Paul L. wrote: > Don’t leave this script in place, just use it temporarily to find out > what’s > going on. how do i access the script output? ---
**Author:** ![zerohalo](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/z/5fc32e/32.png) [@zerohalo](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/zerohalo)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2006, 4:18am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/super-simple-serving-of-ruby-pages/69376/33 "2006-09-28T04:18:37Z")
Jonathan D. wrote: > how do i access the script output? nevermind, I was able to try it but i just got an error message ---
**Author:** ![zerohalo](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/z/5fc32e/32.png) [@zerohalo](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/zerohalo)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2006, 6:51am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/super-simple-serving-of-ruby-pages/69376/34 "2006-09-28T06:51:01Z")
Jonathan D. wrote: > Jonathan D. wrote: > > > how do i access the script output? > > nevermind, I was able to try it but i just got an error message What error message? For most typical errors, it’s because you put the script in a place where it cannot be executed. Also, in some cases the script has to be given executable permissions. ---
**Author:** ![zerohalo](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/z/5fc32e/32.png) [@zerohalo](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/zerohalo)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2006, 2:26pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/super-simple-serving-of-ruby-pages/69376/35 "2006-09-30T14:26:14Z")
-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE----- Hash: SHA1 Jonathan D. wrote: > ahh, well, thats probably my problem. i’m using the cheapest server i > could find ([canaca.com](http://canaca.com)), which obviousely has no support for ruby. i was > hoping there was some shortcut way i could use ruby on my website > without having to change servers. is there some way to do that, or is it > totally hopeless? Serve (part) of your website from your PC over which you have control? If it’s a personal website or to display some experiments, this should be sufficient. David V. -----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE----- Version: GnuPG v1.4.5 (MingW32) Comment: Using GnuPG with Mozilla - [http://enigmail.mozdev.org](http://enigmail.mozdev.org) iD8DBQFFHmIwy6MhrS8astoRAg4fAJ91NJYACa7LhlQhq4XaCUfIDDM+1QCdHW+e ux5wCukpPCM6L7pHYk95d0M= =PhPZ -----END PGP SIGNATURE----- [Previous page](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/super-simple-serving-of-ruby-pages/69376.md?page=1)