• riot
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  • Registered: 2007-04-24
  • Posts: 34

Topic: Gem update / install issue - ERROR: Failed to build gem native ext...

I noticed I didn't have sqlite3 installed so I did a sudo gem install sqlite3-ruby only to get the following error

Building native extensions.  This could take a while...
ERROR:  While executing gem ... (Gem::Installer::ExtensionBuildError)
    ERROR: Failed to build gem native extension.
/usr/local/bin/ruby extconf.rb update
creating Makefile

When I do a sudo gem update the gems that need updating (in my case RedCloth) will also give the same error.

Here is the full output when running sudo gem install sqlite3-ruby:

Building native extensions.  This could take a while...
ERROR:  Error installing sqlite3-ruby:
    ERROR: Failed to build gem native extension.
/usr/local/bin/ruby extconf.rb instal sqlite3-ruby
checking for fdatasync() in -lrt... no
checking for sqlite3.h... yes
checking for sqlite3_open() in -lsqlite3... no
make
make: *** No rule to make target `ruby.h', needed by `sqlite3_api_wrap.o'.  Stop.

Gem files will remain installed in /usr/local/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/sqlite3-ruby-1.2.4 for inspection.
Results logged to /usr/local/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/sqlite3-ruby-1.2.4/ext/sqlite3_api/gem_make.out
Macintosh:~ Tate$ sudo gem install sqlite3-ruby
Building native extensions.  This could take a while...
ERROR:  Error installing sqlite3-ruby:
    ERROR: Failed to build gem native extension.
/usr/local/bin/ruby extconf.rb install sqlite3-ruby
checking for fdatasync() in -lrt... no
checking for sqlite3.h... yes
checking for sqlite3_open() in -lsqlite3... no
make
make: *** No rule to make target `ruby.h', needed by `sqlite3_api_wrap.o'.  Stop.

Gem files will remain installed in /usr/local/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/sqlite3-ruby-1.2.4 for inspection.
Results logged to /usr/local/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/sqlite3-ruby-1.2.4/ext/sqlite3_api/gem_make.out

From all the google searches I've done, people have suggested that the ruby install is broken - I've seen a few solutions, but they were for Linux or Windows machines.

I'm on OSX 10.5 Leopard ~ does anyone have any clues? I have installed and updated gems before without this issue, most recently RedCloth (though I can't remember if that was pre or post Rails 2.1)

Last edited by riot (2008-09-04 23:16:19)

  • riot
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  • Registered: 2007-04-24
  • Posts: 34

Re: Gem update / install issue - ERROR: Failed to build gem native ext...

Solved: my issue was an outdated version of Xcode (2.4 in my case). I just upgraded to 3.1 and that sorted out my problem.

If you're on Debian or another Linux flavor you may need to try sudo apt-get install ruby1.8-dev as the default ruby1.8 is missing a few important files.

Also, if you're on Windows and you get this error it may be that the particular gem you're having issues with has a Windows version and you will need to specify that.

Last edited by riot (2008-09-05 00:00:45)

  • Nacht
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  • Registered: 2008-10-25
  • Posts: 1

Re: Gem update / install issue - ERROR: Failed to build gem native ext...

I am also on Leopard and am experiencing this issue. My XCode version is current.

What could be going on here?

  • From: Guatemala
  • Registered: 2009-03-05
  • Posts: 2

Re: Gem update / install issue - ERROR: Failed to build gem native ext...

Hello, I try to install sqlite3-ruby but I have the same mistake that riot, but I use Kubuntu 8.1 and KDE 2.0 i install ruby1.8-dev but no works, someone can help my? thanks and Excuse my Englishman but I speak Spanish, gracias :-)

  • From: Guatemala
  • Registered: 2009-03-05
  • Posts: 2

Re: Gem update / install issue - ERROR: Failed to build gem native ext...

Hey Solved problem I install libsqlite3-dev, gracias..
Salu2.-

  • Registered: 2008-08-20
  • Posts: 27

Re: Gem update / install issue - ERROR: Failed to build gem native ext...

riot wrote:

Solved: my issue was an outdated version of Xcode (2.4 in my case). I just upgraded to 3.1 and that sorted out my problem.

If you're on Debian or another Linux flavor you may need to try sudo apt-get install ruby1.8-dev as the default ruby1.8 is missing a few important files.

Also, if you're on Windows and you get this error it may be that the particular gem you're having issues with has a Windows version and you will need to specify that.

Thanks!!!

  • cwade
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  • Registered: 2011-07-05
  • Posts: 2

Re: Gem update / install issue - ERROR: Failed to build gem native ext...

I was having the same issue as described here and the solution I found was a result of fixing several problems having to do with software versions.
My Sqlite3 binary was 3.6.4. The program 'gem' needs a version of 3.6.16+ in order to install Sqlite3-ruby properly. I used MacPorts to uninstall and reinstall Sqlite3, but it kept installing the same version. I tried downloading the Portfile and installing manually but to no avail. Finally, the solution was found when I updated MacPorts to the current version. Turns out I was using ~1.6 and current version is 1.9.2. After the upgrade I was able to do 'sudo port install sqlite3' and get the current version 3.7.7.1 which in turn let me use 'sudo gem install sqlite3'.
Phew!

Last edited by cwade (2011-07-05 22:41:59)

  • Registered: 2011-08-07
  • Posts: 1

Re: Gem update / install issue - ERROR: Failed to build gem native ext...

I got the same problem on Amazon's EC2 basic Linux AMI. I needed to:
yum install make
(and nice to have:)
yum install gcc
These compilers are usually bundled with all standard Linux distributions, but not with Amazon EC2 basic AMIs. They are required for installing some Gems.

Worked for me

  • From: Cambridge, UK
  • Registered: 2011-08-20
  • Posts: 1

Re: Gem update / install issue - ERROR: Failed to build gem native ext...

VivisRock's wrote:

Hey Solved problem I install libsqlite3-dev, gracias..
Salu2.-

Gracias

  • Registered: 2013-04-18
  • Posts: 1

Re: Gem update / install issue - ERROR: Failed to build gem native ext...

I had a similar error trying to build a Snorby install on top of a pretty standard factory SuSE 12.2 install I only had added Snort and a few lesser things to.  Nicely the suggestion about the Ruby dev library got it for me also, thanks!

With all the Ruby related items in their repositories It took a little looking with the Ruby dev search but sure enough I found that piece in the regular OpenSuSE repositories, clicked it and let the Software Manager install it for me.  When I went back to install RedCloth it was perfect.

Last edited by technicalfriend (2013-04-18 23:59:07)