# Twitter gem not getting installed

**URL:** <https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/twitter-gem-not-getting-installed/156037>\
**Category:** Rails\
**Created:** [December 19, 2008, 6:00pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/twitter-gem-not-getting-installed/156037 "2008-12-19T18:00:46Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![nilez](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/n/34f0e0/32.png) [@nilez](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/nilez)\
**Post date:** [December 19, 2008, 6:00pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/twitter-gem-not-getting-installed/156037/1 "2008-12-19T18:00:46Z")

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Hi guys,

```
   I have to update a Twiter account from my Rails application. So I 

```

am  
trying to install Twitter4R api.  
But I am getting error when i give following command:

```
   C:\>gem install twitter4r

    Building native extensions. This could take a while...
    ERROR: Error installing twitter4r:
    ERROR: Failed to build gem native extension.
    c:/ruby/bin/ruby.exe extconf.rb install twitter4r creating 

```

Makefile  
nmake  
‘nmake’ is not recognized as an internal or external command,  
operable program or batch file.  
Gem files will remain installed in  
c:/ruby/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/json-1.1.3 for  
inspection.  
Results logged to  
c:/ruby/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/json-1.1.3/ext/json/ext/parser/  
gem\_make.out

So, what could be the problem? Do I need to install some supporting gem  
file? Please help me.

Thanks.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![nilez](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/n/34f0e0/32.png) [@nilez](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/nilez)\
**Post date:** [December 22, 2008, 10:51pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/twitter-gem-not-getting-installed/156037/2 "2008-12-22T22:51:27Z")

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Hi,

Unfortunately this isn’t the right group to post this query, but since  
I see similar questions about Twitter4R were previously asked on this  
group I will give an answer and CC the Twitter4R-Users Google Group  
(twitter4r-users).

This following blog post talks about his issues with install JSON  
1.1.3 (which is what Twitter4R gem install tries to do because it  
depends on the JSON gem):

> **[The Battle for Ruby JSON on Windows Vista](https://justindz.tumblr.com/post/63305648/the-battle-for-ruby-json-on-windows-vista)**
>
> I wanted to run the spec for my couchdb app on my Windows laptop at the coffee shop to show Dustin and AJ the capabilities of the server. To do this, I need the Ruby JSON library version 1.1.3, but...

The compilation error is on the JSON Ruby gem install not specifically  
the Twitter4R gem install. A workaround might be to install the JSON  
1.1.1 version on Windows (which I believe works) or put cl.exe’s  
directory in your PATH environment variable.

HTH,  
Susan

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![nilez](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/n/34f0e0/32.png) [@nilez](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/nilez)\
**Post date:** [December 22, 2008, 11:55pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/twitter-gem-not-getting-installed/156037/3 "2008-12-22T23:55:20Z")

</div>

This is a common problem on windows platform where development tools  
(compiler and linker) and libraries are not in the path.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![nilez](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/n/34f0e0/32.png) [@nilez](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/nilez)\
**Post date:** [December 23, 2008, 4:47am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/twitter-gem-not-getting-installed/156037/4 "2008-12-23T04:47:16Z")

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Thanks for reply.