1. Download from rubyinstaller, Ruby 1.9.2-p290 and DevKit-tdm-32-4.5.2-20111229-1559-sfx.exe
2. Install Ruby into C:\Ruby192
3. Install DevKit into C:\Devkit

4. Change dir to devkit and run

   Code:

   	ruby dk.rb init
   	ruby dk.rb install

5. Install Mysql2 (v.0.3.11) gem:

   Code:

   gem install mysql2 -- '--with-mysql-lib="C:\mysql\mysql-connector-c-noinstall-6.0.2-win32\lib" --with-mysql-include="C:\mysql\mysql-connector-c-noinstall-6.0.2-win32\include"'

6. Copy libmysql.dll into C:\Ruby192\bin
   

7. Test by running

   Code:

   	rails new sometest  # cd to sometest
   	rails g scaffold Libation name:string weight:integer
   	rake db:create
   	rake db:migrate
   	rails s   # surf to localhost:3000/Libations

Realized that I am running Mysql server 5.5, so if there are mysql problems, I may install the gem again using "lib=C:\mysql\sqlserver55" etc.

Next morning update: woke up with left shoulder in lots of pain, but as the day progressed I noticed it was more mobile. I went for a late day shave and 1/4 way thru I noticed that I was using the left hand to shave without having thought about it! I was using it a wee gingerly, but nevertheless it was completely natural feeling. So cool. Smiled while I finished shaving.

1. 'merge' error

'merge' error
Was getting this:

ActionView::Template::Error (undefined method `merge' for "Convert Cap":String)

This was in a _form.html.erb view file and I had mistakenly added a label heading to the field tag instead of the label tag. Rails was trying to figure out what I was doing. Me too.

Code:

Code:

• origin - the remote repository (ie like github)
• local - the repository on your pc
• master - the branch name on both origin & local
• origin/master - branch name on local pc pointing to remote (origin) master

The local repository will have many pointers to it. Your local development will have a

• master pointer to where you are locally
• origin/master where the origin master points to.
• heroku/master where heroku is pointing (if you use that)

Again, these all point to the same code base on your local machine. There is the same code base also on Github, because Git is distributed.

When a change is done remotely, you bring that code to your local repository by issuing the command:

Code:

Now on your local machine your master branch still points to the original location (in local repository), but the origin/master branch now points to the updated code (also in your repository). When you issue a "git status" you will see a message like:

Your branch is behind 'origin/master' by 1 commit,
and can be fast-forwarded.

You don't need to commit anything to the repository, but you need to get the local master branch pointing to the updated code that origin/master is pointing to. Do this by:

Code:

This in essence is doing a "fast-forward".

If you had made changes that were committed but had not pushed to origin and you had grabbed from origin, after the above merge (and resolved conflicts, if any) then you would need to issue:

Code:

to copy your changes to origin so that all is in sync again.
Tada!

rob:~$ gem install rails
ERROR: While executing gem ... (Errno::EACCES)
Permission denied - /home/rob/.gem/specs

rob~$ sudo mkdir ~/.gem/specs
rob~$ gem install rails
ERROR: While executing gem ... (Errno::EACCES)
Permission denied - /home/rob/.gem/specs/rubygems.org%80

rob~$ sudo chmod 777 ~/.gem/specs
rob~$ gem install rails
...goodness happens...

Now to create a test application, but the "rails new sometest" command not working I continually get the "--help" displayed. This has bit me a few times earlier, so had to figure this out. I'd recently added and removed a number of gems and simply issuing:

gem cleanup

did the trick. Onward.

ActionView::Template::Error (undefined method `model_name' for NilClass:Class):

I was using partials and thought there was an error somewhere there. Turns out I had an end statement in my controller in the wrong place - but the right number for the *whole* controller. Thats why I was getting that mysterious undefined method `model_name' message. WTF was "model_name" ?

#seeds.rb
:somevalue => 'some thing'

Finally figured out that I had to have attr_accessible set!

#SomeModel.rb
attr_accessible :somevalue

But what is going on?

I had added attr_accessible but not sure why. Now I do. There is a good explanation about it. Another great resource is to watch the railscast.

I had been using attr_accessible but did not realize that once you start using it, only attributes that are listed with it will be able to be mass assigned like:

User.create(:email => 'rob@rtfm....

All others will have to be assigned by direct assignment:

User.admin=true

So when loading seed data from seeds.rb, you are mass assigning. Any attributes that you assign that are not listed by attr_accessible will not be assigned.

In the beginning, the application was written in PHP and Python. Then it was rewritten in Python and on GAE. There were some difficulties with it and a rewrite was in order again. I started out with the rewrite in GAE, but its a platform, a language and a database that is new for me. I am keen on Python. I am keen on GAE. I am keen on NoSql tables, but for a first app to be production ready I was not comfortable with.

So I am writing it in Rails. Once its up and running, if need be we can look at GAE again if the numbers warrant it. For now, the coding in Rails is going well. I am using Mercurial & GIT for source control. I store code at bitbucket.org (because repository can be labeled private) so need mercurial. I am using Heroku for running app so need git. When I actually pay for github, then I can have a private repository there and drop mercurial. Until the first payheck, free is the way to go.

So far I have coded over the past couple of days:

• three tables w/ CRUD screens
• three static pages: home, adv and pub.
• added content to static pages
• added beginning css
• added nav bar

On tap for this week:

• login & authentication
• more tables/screens
• admin screens
• more css
• more validation