# Web Programming with Ruby

**URL:** <https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/web-programming-with-ruby/126540>\
**Category:** Ruby\
**Created:** [January 19, 2008, 6:03am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/web-programming-with-ruby/126540 "2008-01-19T06:03:46Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 6\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![superfly](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/s/48db29/32.png) [@superfly](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/superfly)\
**Post date:** [January 19, 2008, 6:03am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/web-programming-with-ruby/126540/1 "2008-01-19T06:03:46Z")

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Does anyone know any really good tutorials out there?

I’m having some issues with this Ruby on Rails thing, and I can’t seem  
to get it to install AT ALL. I have a server and everything online (if  
that’s even what you need)…I’m really clueless, all I can really find  
are MAC tutorials when I look around.

Thanks for the help.

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**Author:** ![superfly](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/s/48db29/32.png) [@superfly](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/superfly)\
**Post date:** [January 19, 2008, 6:20am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/web-programming-with-ruby/126540/2 "2008-01-19T06:20:35Z")

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The best place to start with Ruby on Rails (assuming Windows) is to  
install InstantRails ([http://instantrails.rubyforge.org/wiki/wiki.pl](http://instantrails.rubyforge.org/wiki/wiki.pl)).  
Unzip and go. Works fine on Windows XP if that is what you are using.

Regards,  
Jim

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**Author:** ![superfly](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/s/48db29/32.png) [@superfly](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/superfly)\
**Post date:** [January 19, 2008, 6:24am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/web-programming-with-ruby/126540/3 "2008-01-19T06:24:17Z")

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Do I actually need the other programs installed on my computer in order  
for rails to work?

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**Author:** ![superfly](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/s/48db29/32.png) [@superfly](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/superfly)\
**Post date:** [January 19, 2008, 6:23pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/web-programming-with-ruby/126540/4 "2008-01-19T18:23:55Z")

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Superfly,

If you read the link, you’ll see that “Instant Rails is a one-stop Rails  
runtime solution containing Ruby, Rails, Apache, and MySQL, all  
pre-configured and ready to run.” That’s it. Unzip into a directory, run  
the “InstantRails.exe” file to start everything and you’re ready to  
develop. That simple. It’s called “InstantRails” for a very good reason.

-Jim

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**Author:** ![superfly](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/s/48db29/32.png) [@superfly](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/superfly)\
**Post date:** [January 19, 2008, 6:31pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/web-programming-with-ruby/126540/5 "2008-01-19T18:31:46Z")

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Yep, I’ve gotten that far.

It’s having a hard time “connecting” to apache and mysql though; so i’m  
wondering that i’m doing wrong there. =/

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![superfly](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/s/48db29/32.png) [@superfly](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/superfly)\
**Post date:** [January 21, 2008, 7:36pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/web-programming-with-ruby/126540/6 "2008-01-21T19:36:05Z")

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What do you mean? What do you see in your web browser when you connect  
to “[http://localhost](http://localhost)” (by default it should be a ‘Replace this file!’  
message). Have you created an application in Rails by changing the  
directory to where you app should be and then typing: rails my\_app\_name  
to create it? Are you starting WEBrick (ruby script/server) and then  
connecting to [http://localhost:3000](http://localhost:3000) to see the Rails default info  
screen?

Likewise what do you see when you are connecting to MySQL? Are you  
connecting to the default port of 3306? Are you using a command line or  
a GUI such as the MySQL Administrator? What messages do you see on your  
screen? InstantRails sets up MySQL to use a username of root with a  
blank password. What do you see when you try these values?

Saying you are having a hard time doesn’t provide any information about  
what may be going wrong. If you provide specific error messages or  
describe how you are trying to connect, that would be much more helpful  
to troubleshoot.

I’m guessing that you are probably new to Rails. You should pick up a  
copy of “Agile Web D. with Rails” (second edition) and see  
section 3.2 for InstantRails on Windows and then work through chapter 4.

-Jim