The standard terminal commands has disappeared in irb

[P. A.]

Hi.

When I use the irb console the standard terminal key-commands such as
Ctrl+l to clear the screen, ↑ or ↓ to select the previous commands
doesn't work.

What is the reason of this issue? How can I fix it?

Debian GNU/Linux 5.0.3, Ruby 1.9.1, IRB 0.9.5.

Thanks.

 

[Bertram Scharpf]

Hi,

Am Montag, 14. Sep 2009, 21:12:54 +0900 schrieb P. A.:

When I use the irb console the standard terminal key-commands such as
Ctrl+l to clear the screen, =E2=86=91 or =E2=86=93 to select the previous= commands
doesn't work.
=20
What is the reason of this issue? How can I fix it?
=20
Debian GNU/Linux 5.0.3, Ruby 1.9.1, IRB 0.9.5.

`readline' installed and working?

$ dpkg -l | grep readline

or

irb(main):001:0> require "readline"

Bertram


--=20
Bertram Scharpf
Stuttgart, Deutschland/Germany
http://www.bertram-scharpf.de

 

[P. A.]

I have the development package for Readline called libreadline-dev on my
system. I haven't got the Readline Ruby library (no such file to load --
readline (LoadError)). Should I recompile the Ruby with the Readline
extension included? Will irb work then?

 

[Joel VanderWerf]

I have the development package for Readline called libreadline-dev on my
system. I haven't got the Readline Ruby library (no such file to load --
readline (LoadError)). Should I recompile the Ruby with the Readline
extension included? Will irb work then?

Yes, but you don't need to rebuild all of ruby. Just go into
ext/readline and run

ruby extconf.rb
make
make install #(as root if needed)

(and you may want to check out the recent thread about .irbrc files for
some neat tricks)

 

[P. A.]

I've just finished installation the Readline extension using your
instructions. The realine.so library was installed in
<install_dir>/ruby-1.9.1/lib/ruby/site_ruby/1.9.1/i686-linux. I can
require it in simple ruby programs or from `ruby -e "require 'readline'
#=> true"`. Also I can use all the standard command line shortcuts in
the irb console as I wanted. But when I require 'readline' in irb itself
for some reason it returns the false value. Why?

I didn't hear anything about the .irbc files thread. Could you give me
the link, please.

 

[Glen Holcomb]

I've just finished installation the Readline extension using your
instructions. The realine.so library was installed in
<install_dir>/ruby-1.9.1/lib/ruby/site_ruby/1.9.1/i686-linux. I can
require it in simple ruby programs or from `ruby -e "require 'readline'
#=3D> true"`. Also I can use all the standard command line shortcuts in
the irb console as I wanted. But when I require 'readline' in irb itself
for some reason it returns the false value. Why?

I didn't hear anything about the .irbc files thread. Could you give me
the link, please.

false doesn't mean it failed it just means it wasn't loaded (in this case i=
t
wasn't loaded because it was already loaded when you started irb).

--=20
"Hey brother Christian with your high and mighty errand, Your actions speak
so loud, I can=92t hear a word you=92re saying."

-Greg Graffin (Bad Religion)

 

[P. A.]

Understood.

Thanks a lot for your help.

 

[Joel VanderWerf]

I didn't hear anything about the .irbc files thread. Could you give me
the link, please.

Sure, here it is. Enjoy!

http://groups.google.com/group/comp.lang.ruby/browse_thread/thread/291843eaacd3f50d